"Here Today" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, the lyric warns the listener of inevitable heartbreak before the narrator reveals himself to be the ex-boyfriend of the listener's newfound love. Musically, the song features an uncommon formal structure, the use of electric bass guitar as a lead instrument, and a 20-bar length instrumental break. One of the last songs recorded for Pet Sounds, Wilson produced the track in March 1966 with the aid of his bandmates, who provided additional backing vocals, and 12 studio musicians, who played guitars, organ, upright bass, trombones, saxophones, tack piano, drums, and other percussion. Mike Love sang the lead vocal. "Here Today" proved influential to musicians such as Al Kooper, Paul McCartney, and Lemmy. Acts who have covered the song include Bobby Vee, R. Stevie Moore, Mathilde Santing, and Thurston Moore. Background and lyrics "Here Today" was written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher for the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album in early 1966. Although Wilson claimed that Asher only provided the words to his music, Asher credited himself with contributing musical ideas to several songs on the album, including this one, as Asher stated, "'Here Today' contains a little more of me both lyrically and melodically than Brian." Moreover, Asher said, The lyrics warn the listener to beware of his newfound love and prepare for the potential heartbreak that may result ("A brand new love affair is such a beautiful thing / but if you're not careful think about the pain it can bring"). In his view, relationships are short-lasting ("Love is here today and it's gone tomorrow / it's here and gone so fast"). The narrator also warns that the aforementioned lover will make the listener "feel so bad", his "heart feel sad", his "days go wrong, and his "nights so long". To prove his case, the narrator reveals himself to be her ex-boyfriend ("Well you know I hate to be a downer / but I'm the guy she left before you found her"). Wilson stated in 1996 that the song had "really good lyrics", but in another interview from the same year, he said, "'Here Today' was probably one of the mystery songs on the album. I don't really know what it's about. I liked it, but yet I didn't. I don't really identify