The Beach Boys and the Beatles often supported one another musically, with Paul McCartney sharing a friendship with Brian Wilson. John Lennon even shared his thoughts on “The Little Girl I Once Knew,” calling it a “great arrangement.” Here’s what we know about this Wilson original track.
The Beach Boys released ‘The Little Girl I Once Knew’ in 1965
Later added to Spirit of America, this was the last Beach Boys track produced before their critically acclaimed album Pet Sounds. What made “The Little Girl I Once Knew” unique, at the time, was two dramatic periods of near-silence. As a result, this wasn’t a preferred radio track.
According to Vancouver Signature Sounds, “in the mid-’60’s radio stations preferred to avoid dead air time. Consequently, the song was poorly received by radio stations, which may account for its relatively low chart rating among the Beach Boys other singles of the period.”
This track was added to 50 Big Ones: Greatest Hits, earning thousands of Spotify plays. On the music streaming platform, Brian Wilson is credited as the sole songwriter and producer for “The Little Girl I Once Knew.”
John Lennon shared his thoughts on ‘The Little Girl I Once Knew’ by the Beach Boys
This song caught the attention of one Beatles songwriter — the artist behind “Give Peace a Chance” and “Imagine,” Lennon.
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“This [‘The Little Girl I Once Knew’] is the greatest! Turn it up, turn it right up,” Lennon said, according to Brian Wilson’s website. “It’s got to be a hit. It’s the greatest record I’ve heard for weeks. It’s fantastic. I hope it will be a hit. It’s all Brian Wilson. He just uses the voices as instruments. You keep waiting for the fabulous breaks. Great arrangement.”
Lennon wouldn’t be the only Beatle who commended the Beach Boys on their original arrangements. As a bass player, McCartney shared his admiration for the bass part in Pet Sounds.
McCartney and Brian Wilson stayed in touch, even playing unreleased music for one another. One day, McCartney visited the Wilson home to share “She’s Leaving Home” — an original song from 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Wilson’s wife cried after hearing the original.
What is the Beach Boys’ ‘The Little Girl I Once Knew’ about?
She’s not the little girl he once knew. Most Beach Boys’ songs deal with summer, surf, and cars. “The Little Girl I Once Knew” details a “girl next door” romance between the narrator and a girl. Growing up, the speaker had no interest in this person. As she matured, the narrator realized he had feelings for her.
“We met when she was younger,” the first verse states. “Then I had no eyes for her / A few years went by and I saw her / Now I’m gonna try for her.”
