The Tabernacle Choir Blog

Watch "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys Performed with Handbells

When the Beach Boys wrote the song “Good Vibrations,” they probably never imagined it would someday be performed with handbells in the Salt Lake Tabernacle—yet the Bells on Temple Square have turned that unimagined possibility into a reality with their latest video.

The Beach Boys were formed in California in 1961 and consisted of brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson; their cousin Mike Love; and their friend Al Jardine. Popular for their “California Sound” and unmistakable vocal harmonies, the Beach Boys are regarded as one of the most influential and iconic American bands.

The song “Good Vibrations” was released as a stand-alone single in October 1966. Brian Wilson said the song originated in his mother's explanations: "[She] used to tell me about vibrations. I didn't really understand too much of what it meant when I was just a boy. It scared me, the word 'vibrations'. She told me about dogs that would bark at people and then not bark at others, that a dog would pick up vibrations from these people that you can't see, but you can feel."

The Beach Boys' recording of “Good Vibrations” featured an array of unusual instruments for a pop hit, such as an Electro-Theremin, jaw harp, string bass, and cello. Maybe handbells aren’t such a stretch after all. 

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