By 1967, when
the Hollyridge Strings got around to recording a second volume of standards by
Brian Wilson and co., three years had passed and
the Beach Boys were viewed as one of the most musically advanced groups in rock. And yet, symphonic treatments weren't forthcoming for the best of
Wilson ballad classics; only a pair of obvious choices, "Caroline, No" and "God Only Knows," made the cut. Instead, with commercial considerations overriding all,
The Beach Boys Song Book, Vol. 2 trotted out 11 of the songs most known by radio listeners ("Good Vibrations," "Sloop John B," "Help Me, Rhonda"), even though many of them were bad fits for a symphony orchestra. Even "Caroline, No" and "God Only Knows" aren't made very interesting by arrangers
Perry Botkin, Jr, and
Mort Garson, and the record reaches its nadir with a swinging country-rock-lite version of "Little Deuce Coupe." A few of the versions turn out better than expected, however, including "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Surfer Girl." ~ John Bush