Reviewing the "Surf's Up" album for "Melody Maker", Richard Williams wrote that the title track, "had it been released back at "Pepper"-time ... might have kept many people from straying into the pastures of indulgence and may have forced them to focus back on truer values. I've rarely heard a more perfect, more complete piece of music. From first to last it flows and evolves from the almost lush decadence of the first verses to the childlike wonders and open-hearted joy of the final chorale." Don Heckman wrote in "The New York Times" that the song "bears easy comparison with the best of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" songs".