The Story Behind “She Knows Me Too Well” by The Beach Boys and How It Was a Sign of Things to Come [Video]

On December 23, 1964, The Beach Boys flew from Los Angeles to Houston. Just minutes into the flight, Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown. His bandmates tried to console him as he began shrieking, crying, screaming into a pillow, and finally lying on the cabin floor. As soon as the plane landed, Wilson wanted to return home. He was convinced to stay in Texas but did not perform with the group that night. Wilson did return to California—beginning a 12-year hiatus from the road—where he concentrated more on studio work.

The Beach Boys’ unique vocal sound was evident from their earliest recordings, but the evolution of their instrumental backing tracks is fun to trace. Their playing on the earliest albums sounds like that of a typical garage band but as the hits rolled in, Brian Wilson was learning his way around the recording studio. By the time they were making …