1966 Brian Wilson Classic Was Nearly 50 Years Old When The Beach Boys Put Their Own Spin on It
Few albums are as closely tied to Brian Wilson's creative genius as the LP Pet Sounds.
However, one of the record's most beloved tracks actually began life decades earlier, long before the Beach Boys transformed it with their signature harmonies. The only non-original song on the album hailed from author Richard Le Gallienne's 1917 novel Pieces of Eight as a Bahamian folk song.
American Songwriter reported that the tune was originally named "The John B. Sails." Following its inclusion in the Le Gallienne novel, Carl Sandburg, poet and biographer, included the lyrics in his 1927 folk compilation, The American Songbag.
Subsequently, the song was recorded by The Kingston Trio in 1958 with the title "(The Wreck of the) John B." Following, versions were recorded by Johnny Cash (1969), Lonnie Donegan (1960), and Jimmie Rodgers (1960). By the time Wilson discovered the song, it was almost 50 years old.
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Rolling Stone named the tune one of 25 Essential Brian Wilson Songs in a comprehensive list, published in 2025. They wrote, "Wilson warmed to the song, giving it a sprightly arrangement full of flutes that showcased his brilliance as a studio maestro."
In an interview published on the band's official YouTube channel, Wilson and Al Jardine discussed the song.
Jardine said, "The first seminal influence that began to take shape for Pet Sounds in that year was the recording of 'Sloop John B.'"
Wilson added, "Al Jardine brought over the lyrics. He played me the song, and he goes, 'Can you arrange it?' I said sure, so I arranged it with the Kingston Trio. We took it and adapted the arrangement."
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Jardine concluded, "It began to develop pretty incredible dimensions of harmonies and production values that we were starting to see from Brian."
He later said in the album's liner notes, "I did was sit down and play it for him in the Beach Boys idiom. I figured if I gave it to him in the right light, he might end up believing in it."
"The very next day, I got a phone call to come down to the studio. Brian played the song for me, and I was blown away. The idea stage to the completed track took less than 24 hours."
On May 16, 2026, The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of its release. Original band members Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnson attended an event celebrating this milestone.
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 3:36 AM.