B-Side Guys

SNACKTIME strips one of pop music’s most revered songs down to its emotional core and rebuilds it through neo-soul texture. Their take on The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”—originally from 1966’s Pet Sounds, written by Brian Wilson and Tony Ascher—trades the baroque pop orchestration for something closer to D’Angelo’s simmering minimalism. The Philadelphia band’s vocals blend into heavenly performance that honors the original’s poignance while completely transforming its sonic framework.

The production choice proves inspired. Wilson’s original achieved timelessness through lush arrangements and stacked harmonies that felt simultaneously intimate and orchestral. SNACKTIME maintains that emotional weight but routes it through contemporary R&B and neo-soul sensibilities, letting the instrumental simmer and build rather than announce itself immediately.

What makes the cover work is how SNACKTIME respects the song’s vulnerability without trying to replicate its execution. “God Only Knows” remains one of popular music’s most naked declarations of dependence—the admission that life without the other person might technically continue but wouldn’t mean anything. That emotional honesty translates across genres and decades, proving the song’s architecture solid enough to support radically different approaches.

The band started performing free shows in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square during summer 2020, attracting crowds that led to a first headlining club show selling over 900 tickets. Things accelerated quickly—sold-out headline shows, supporting Portugal. The Man on tour, performing at Life Is Beautiful, Sound on Sound, Sea.Hear.Now, and Firefly festivals. Their 2025 includes summer anthem “SUNSHINE,” tours supporting Fitz and The Tantrums, and festival appearances at Newport Folk, Roots Picnic, and Boston Calling.

For a band building momentum through contemporary soul-influenced sound, tackling “God Only Knows” demonstrates both ambition and understanding of their strengths. They’ve created something that sits comfortably next to their original material while paying genuine tribute to one of Brian Wilson’s masterpieces—no small feat for a song that’s been covered countless times with varying success.