Boys in spades [...] It’s the ultimate starry-eyed teenage symphony to God, and it perfectly captures the earnest devotion we only seem capable of in a small window of years." In 2008, Popdose staff members ranked it the 22nd-best single of the previous 50 years, writing that "no other song [...] so perfectly captures the idea of innocent love." National Review ranked it number five on a 2006 list of the greatest politically conservative rock songs, where it was described as "pro-abstinence and pro-marriage". In 2021, it was ranked number 297 on Rolling Stones list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Cultural responses The song has occasionally appeared in the soundtracks of films such as Shampoo (1975), 50 First Dates (2004), and It's Complicated (2009). In the 1989 documentary Roger & Me, it was used to underscore visuals of the economic devastation caused by the closure of several auto plants in Flint, Michigan. Critic Anthony Kaufman highlighted the scene as an especially effective piece of "ironic counterpoint". The band's film-themed compilation Still Cruisin' (1988) included the song for its appearance in The Big Chill (1983), although the compilers accidentally used an alternate mix of the track with a different vocal take. In 1990, the political cartoon strip Doonesbury ran a controversial story arc involving the character Andy Lippincott and his terminal battle with AIDS. It concludes with Lippincott expressing his admiration for Pet Sounds and, in the last panels, depicts the character's death while listening to "Wouldn't It Be Nice", as well as his last written words, the line "Brian Wilson is God" scrawled on a notebook (a reference to the line "Clapton is God"). According to cultural theorist Kirk Curnett in 2012, the panel "remains one of the most iconic in Doonesburys forty-three year history, often credit[ed] with helping humanize AIDS victims when both gay and straight sufferers were severely stigmatized." Curnett also noted that while "[i]t may overstate the case to describe [the song] as a gay anthem", it had been used at recent LGBT rallies. Personnel Per band archivist Craig Slowinski.The Beach Boys Mike Love – bridge and outro lead vocals, backing vocals Al Jardine – backing vocals Bruce Johnston – backing vocals Brian Wilson – lead vocals, backing vocals Carl Wilson – backing vocals Dennis Wilson – backing vocalsSession musicians (also known as "the Wrecking Crew") Hal Blaine – drums Frank Capp – timpani,