God Only Knows (Partial Score)

1. Drum staff: The "cymbals" are a headless tambourine. Can be played by tambourine-ringed hi-hat pedal. 2. Accordion is heavily reverbed. Strings are a "dry" (minimal reverb) quartet. 3. Horn and flute are heavily reverbed. 4. My keyboard and string parts are all approximated. They'll evolve. 5. Of interest: The chords of the Bridge/Chorus are just Verse/Chorus transposed. 6. The Guitar part might actually be a picked, palm muted electric bass or baritone guitar. 7. This chart needs some fixing and a whole lotta mixing.

K Swing feel iq = q e q = 120 more and less

God Only Knows                         Intro

Voice 1 Voice 2 Voice 3

Harpsichord

Tack Piano Banjo? Guitar? Ukulele? All?

Accordion Strings

Toggle French Horn / Flutes

   

(3 voices total) A

Acoustic Bass

Drum Set Temple Blocks? duller than that, sounds like leather

E



  A  

   

   



  A      f        

   

  E  

   

   



   

A

  A  

   

   



A



    

E

  E  

   

   



       

      

E







       

 French horn         





 E

E





 A

A





mf

Guitar (palm-mute)

THE BEACH BOYS

E

 



















 





















 

  

        



 

        

2

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

Pno.

Banjo?

Accordion Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

5          

A

     A     A

 

E/G#















  



 

 

 

 

E/G#

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E/G#



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/F#

  

     

     

          

B/F# C/G



A/E

       

A/E

          







  



B/F# C/G

 

  



         to horn

Flutes - - - - - - - - - |

      

  

B/F# C/G

 

       F#m





A/E



E/G#



A/F#



horn French    







       



  



 

    





B/F# C/G



 A         





A/E



 

      

A/F#

      



     

           

          

  



 



3

Verse 1 Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

9   D/A         

 3          

I may not



 

      D/A

Pno.

Banjo?

 

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

F#m

al - ways love you,























 

 

Bm6

   



 

 

F#m

 



B7/A

 



 

 

  

 

 

 

















 











 











  Strings

B7/A                   but long as there are stars a - bove you,   

Bm6

Accordion switches permanently to Strings

      





   

     







       

 

  

  



           

  

  



   









 

   

  

  



         

 





   

  



4 13            

E/B

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

You nev - er



 

     

E/B

Pno.

   3

 



Cdim

    

E/B

      

need to doubt it,

3

3

 

C#m/A#

I'll make you so



sure



   

a - bout it.



















 

 

Cdim

 

 

 

 

E/B

 

 

   

C#m/A#

 

 

 









 









 









 









      







     

   

  



   

   

       





  



   



      





  

  



   

  

 

 



        

 



   

  



5

Chorus 1

17 3                      3  'n' God on - ly knows what I'd be with - out you.             A

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

E/G#

 



          A

Pno.

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

  

 E/G#

  

   

 

 

 

 

 









 















   









    

         



 

  







 





 

    

  









 









N/C





 











 

(Instruments, in octaves)

F#m



  

N/C





     

     

F#m

   

  

            







   

          



   

   

             



 

6

Verse 2 Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

21   D/A         



Pno.

Banjo?

 

B7/A            

F#m

leave me,

though life would still go





      D/A      



Bm6

If you should ev - er

D/A

Hps.

         

  



 

 

 

 

Bm6

F#m

Bm6

  F#m

         

 



 

 

 









 

B7/A

   



    mf    



on, be - lieve me,



 

 

 

 

  

B7/A

 

 

 

  

 

 

 



 





Strings

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

   

 







     



     







   





   

         





   





            

     

            





              

  

  

  

          



   

  

  



   

        

7 25 3    3   3   3       The world could show no-thing to me,           E/B

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

    E/B     E/B

Hps.

Pno.

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 

Cdim

   

   

Cdim

   

   



       



 

   

E/B

   

E/B

   







liv - ing do me?





   

C#m/A#

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

C#m/A#

 

    

      

  







  

    

 3   3

C#m/A#

so what good would



       

    

   



    



3

    

        



   



 



   

Cdim

      



   

E/B

   



       

     

       





   

    



     



     

   

 

  

 



8

Chorus 2 Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

29 A           

     A      A

Hps.

Pno.

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 

       'n' God on - ly



     

what I'd

     

E/G#

  

 

E/G#

  

 

   



with - out

   



 

         



   



  F#m  

   

   

 



 







   



      

   





     









F#m



       

you.









   

    

3

   







be

F#m





       



3



 



   

knows

        



E/G#

                 



      

     



   

     



9

Instrumental

Straight feel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | G/A A/E G/A   A/E      Voice 1         Voice 2         Voice 3    32

Hps.

Pno.

Banjo?

Strings

 

A/E

 

A/E

 

   

   

 

           

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks



  

G/A

 

G/A

 

           





 

French horn

Horn/Flutes

  

   

A/E

     

        A/E

                

     

G/A

 

G/A

 

           

















     

 

     

 

(The record sounds like an F# against the band's F. No comment.)

  

              

  

                            

          

              



                      



   





                 







      





     

  





  

     

  



10

Swing feel Bridge

  G/D        

The vowels of "Voice 2" are less specific than as written. Sing sleepy, with big glissandos.

36

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

 

Pno.





  



Bm

E7/D

n' doo doo doo doo doo da hih



Huh



     

        

Bm/F#





uh









doo doo doo

       Ooh

       G/D      

  

      

  

     

Em6

   

   

Em6

Bm/F#

       

Em6

  

  

  

  

 

Bm

 

Bm/F#

  

      

Bm

   

Bm

  

      



E7/D

       

E7/D

   

E7/D

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Strings sustain to end of song

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

      

   

 





  



         

  

  

  

  

 

        

 

        



 

  





  

  



 





   

 



  

     



Ba pa ba pa ba pa

G/D

Banjo?



Huh



G/D

Hps.

Em6









     

     

  

        

 

   

 



    

  



 

      

 

11

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

40   A/E   doo         ba

    A/E      A/E

Hps.

Pno.

            

A/E

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

      doo doo doo doo



         



      



      

ba pa ba

  Fdim  Fdim

 

     



     

     



  

   

 

        

 

ba

A/E

 

A/E

 

A/E

  







 

  

pa ba

      

      



Ooh

pa

      

   

gliss.

ba

F#m/D#

 

F#m/D#

 

F#m/D#

 

ooh

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

 



  

   

  

       

 

       

 

  

 



 

   

  

    



  



  

   

doo doo doo dooh gliss.

  



  

     

pa ba pa





Ooh

    Fdim



    

Ooh

pa



gliss.

F#m/D#

    

doo doo doo doo doo doo

  

       

  

pa ba

 



A/E         

Fdim

   

  



 



 

 

  



 

    



12

Chorus 3

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

44          

D



    

    D

         D

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

       





  

what I'd





be



     Bm

with - out

 

 

 

A/C#

 

 

 

 

  

  

  



   

you.

 

A/C#

A/C#

  

      

      



      



  

     

             

Bm

 

Bm

 

Bm

  

 

 

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

   

  

 





   

  





  French horn   mf                



3

and God on - ly knows

D

Pno.

A/C#           



   





to flute

     

     

   

           





   

     



13

Verse 3 Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

47   D/A         



Pno.

               D/A

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 

         

 















F#m

Bm6

  F#m

                  

  

  

  

   

 

F#m

  

 

         





   

    

B7/A

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

  

   

  

  

  

     

         



B7/A



   

  

   







           





 

 



     





  

 

      



B7/A

  



    



on, be - lieve me,

   

              



though life would still go

Bm6

Bm6

B7/A            

F#m

leave me,



      D/A      



Bm6

If you should ev - er

D/A

Hps.

         

  

  

  

          



   

  

  



   

       

14 51            

E/B

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

     3

The world could show

Pno.

               E/B

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 





   

     



Cdim

   

me,

   

 

 

   

 

 

Cdim

Cdim

  

  

  

Flutes



mp

       



E/B

 

E/B

 

E/B

 

     



liv - ing do me?





     



   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

  

  

C#m/A#

 

C#m/A#

 

  3       3

       

     

         

 

   

     





C#m/A#

 3 3         

     

         

  

 3   3

C#m/A#

so what good would

   

   

     

     



3





        

 

     

  



      E/B      

E/B

3

no - thing to



E/B

Hps.

 3

Cdim



   

    



     

     



   

        

15

Chorus 4

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

55   A        

 

God on-ly knows



Pno.

        A                 A

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 

        

  

   

E/G#

  

   

E/G#

  

 

 

      



     

     

 









         

 



   

       

 

     

       

 



   

you.

  F#m  

F#m

  

 E/G#

              

  

  

       

E/G#

 

   

 

       

        

   

 

   

  to French horn

 

     

        

   

 

     



   

E/G#

   



 

F#m

     





E/G#



be with - out

   

   



3

what I'd

E/G#

       



F#m



A

Hps.

      

E/G#



   

       

16

Choruses out

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

Pno.

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

59   A   p      

 

God on- ly knows



      

E/G#

F#m

3

what I'd

be with - out



E/G#

you.

 



mf







God on - ly knows

what I'd

be













 









 









 

 

   

        mp

 







 



   



  



 

  





 

     





   

  



   



  



with - out

   

   



     



      3



 

 

  

  





   

 



 

   

17

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

Hps.

63 E/G# F#m   A              3  f and God on - ly knows what I'd be with - out              you.      3  mf what good I'd be with - out

 

 A

Pno.

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 

E





 



     3



    





3

    













   

  

 

       3



  























 



(finger)

3



God on - ly

      



  

  

be with - out 3

f

3

(finger across tom head)

3

 

E

3



  

3

what I'd



   



     you.

3

   

       



God on - ly knows



 

     

  

F#m

      



 

you.



3

3









  3   3      

E/G#









18

Vamp out (build up, then fade down) Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

67 E/G# F#m   A               3  and God on- ly knows what I'd be with-out         you.          3  knows what I'd be with - out

           A   3   3       A

Hps.

Pno.

             f      A

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

 

mf





3



E

  

3

  

  

       3

E/G#

 

  

 

 

 





       

     

       



   (finger)





you.

   God on- ly knows

 

F#m



F#m



  





be with-out

     3 what I'd

E/G#

  



E

3

     

F#m



  

  

3

E/G#

 

  



      

3         3





 3

  

  

 

 





      

   

     

  

God on - ly

3

   





you.

3

French horn

     

3       

  

    

       

  

E/G#

 

E/G#

       

 

     

       



   (finger)





    

19

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

71 E/G# F#m   A               3  and God on- ly knows what I'd be with-out         you.          3  knows what I'd be with - out

  

A

Hps.

                    A

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

     

E/G#

 

  3   3       A

Pno.

 

  

E

E/G#

 

  







     

3       3







       

3

 

F#m



F#m

you.

   God on- ly knows

 

 

  

     3 

     

 

E/G#



E

3

  

  

E/G#

 

  

   







      



   (finger)





     

     

3         3



3





God on - ly

    

  3

      

   





3

   

     

  

what I'd be with-out

you.

3

F#m







     

3

      

        

    

 

E/G#

       

 

 





     

       

 



   (finger)





    

20

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

75 E/G# F#m   A               3  and God on- ly knows what I'd be with-out         you.          3  knows what I'd be with - out

  

A

Hps.

                    A

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

     

E/G#

 

  3   3       A

Pno.

 

  

E

E/G#

 

  







     

3       3







       

3

 

F#m



F#m

you.

   God on- ly knows

 

 

  

     3 

     

 

E/G#



E

3

  

  

E/G#

 

  

   







      



   (finger)





     

     

3         3



3





God on - ly

    

  3

      

   





3

   

     

  

what I'd be with-out

you.

3

F#m







     

3

      

        

    

 

E/G#

       

 

 





     

       

 



   (finger)





    

21

Voice 1

Voice 2

Voice 3

79 E/G# F#m   A               3  and God on-ly knows what I'd be with-out         you.          3  knows what I'd be with - out

  

A

Hps.

                    A

Banjo?

Strings

Horn/Flutes

Guitar (palm-mute)

Bass

Drums

Blocks

     

E/G#

 

  3   3       A

Pno.

 

  

E

E/G#

 

  







     

3       3







       

3

 

F#m



F#m

you.

   God on - ly knows

 

 

  

     3 

     

 

E/G#



E

3

  

  

E/G#

 

  

   







      



   (finger)





     

     

3         3



3





God on - ly

    

  3

      

   





3

   

     

  

what I'd be with-out

you.

3

F#m







     

3

      

        

    

 

E/G#

       

 

 





     

       

 



   (finger)





    