The first official release credited to Wilson as a solo artist was the 1966 Beach Boys single "Caroline, No" (b/w "Summer Means New Love"), due to being the single's arranger and sole vocal presence. Around the same time, Wilson also produced cuts for other artists such as The Beach Boys' spear counterpart The Honeys (member Marilyn Rovell was Wilson's first wife), and Jan & Dean, whose "Surf City" became a #1 hit single. The 1977 album Love You and the unreleased Adult/Child (recorded during the same sessions) were tentatively considered for release as Brian Wilson solo albums, although the idea fell through. Love You would be last Beach Boys albums to feature Wilson's extended involvement for the better part of 35 years.
Brian's solo career, despite a few false starts, began in earnest with the 1987 single "Let's Go to Heaven in My Car" (b/w "Too Much Sugar"), featured in the film Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol. A year later, his debut solo album, the eponymous Brian Wilson, was released, at the time hailed as a 1980s equivalent of what is widely regarded as Wilson's magnum opus, 1966's Pet Sounds. A follow-up in much the same vein, Sweet Insanity, was scrapped due to various personal issues.
Also left on the shelf was a fruitful collaborative project with multi-instrumentalist Andy Paley, informally known as "The Paley Sessions". Over the years, a few tracks were released through various albums, but dozens more have been bootlegged, and a comprehensive release has yet to be assembled.
Instead, 1995 saw the release of two albums: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times, a collection of re-recordings seemingly meant to reintroduce him to the public, and Orange Crate Art, a song cycle written by one-time lyricist Van Dyke Parks with contributions by Wilson, were released. An album of new compositions entitled Imagination followed in 1998.
Wilson began performing live again in 1999, and with his confidence as a performer growing ever stronger, he chose to release a live album documenting the Imagination tour (Live at the Roxy Theatre). In 2002, he began incorporating Pet Sounds in its entirety into his live performances; this, too, was documented in a live album titled Pet Sounds Live.
In 2004, Wilson revived and completed SMiLE, his unfinished 1967 album, performing the work in its entirety on a celebrated tour. The positive response lead him to record a studio version which met similar acclaim; the album cut "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental. That same year, he released Gettin' in Over My Head (containing many songs originating with the ill-fated Sweet Insanity album), featuring guest musicians Elton John, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and brother Carl, who passed away in 1998. Brian's song "Lay Down Burden" was written in tribute of his brother.
Brian released a collection of Christmas songs entitled What I Really Want For Christmas in 2005. His 2008 album, That Lucky Old Sun, marked his return to Capitol Records. As part of a two-album deal with Disney, Wilson released Reimagines Gershwin (2010), a tribute to his idol George Gershwin, and In the Key of Disney (2011), a collection of cover songs from various Disney films.
2012 saw the The Beach Boys celebrate their 50th anniversary, reuniting a majority of surviving band members including Brian, for a worldwide tour as well as the release of an album, That's Why God Made the Radio, composed almost entirely by Wilson with an assortment of co-writers. The album became the group's biggest chart success in decades, peaking at #3 on the Billboard album charts. Status quo was restored as the group members went their separate ways again after the conclusion of the tour.
In 2015, Wilson released his eleventh studio album, No Pier Pressure. Originally conceived as a follow-up to That's Why God Made the Radio before The Beach Boys reunion fell through, the album features guest appearances by contemporary artists such as Kacey Musgraves, She & Him, and Nate Ruess (of fun.), as well as former Beach Boys Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin, and David Marks. Summer 2015 will also see the public release of Wilson's autobiographical motion picture Love and Mercy (named after Wilson's 1988 comeback single), with actors Paul Dano and John Cusack starring as a younger and older Wilson.
Don't Talk
Brian Wilson Lyrics
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And I can see so much in your eyes
There are words we both could say
But don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
Come close, close your eyes and be still
Don't talk, take my hand and let me hear your heart beat
Being here with you feels so rightWe could live forever tonight
Lets not think about tomorrow
And don't talk put your head on my shoulder
Come close, close your eyes and be still
Don't talk, take my hand and listen to my heart beat
Listen, listen, listen.
Don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
Come close, close your eyes and be still
Don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
Come close, close your eyes and be still
The song "Don't Talk" by Brian Wilson is a soulful ballad that talks about the importance of being present in the moment and cherishing what you have. The singer can sense the unspoken words in their partner's sighs and sees the hidden emotions in their eyes. However, instead of talking and ruining the moment, they ask their partner to put their head on their shoulder, close their eyes and feel the moment. Holding hands, they listen to each other's heartbeat, completely focused on each other. They do not want to think about the future, because this moment feels so perfect that they want it to last forever. Through the gentle and soothing melody, Wilson conveys the message of the song in a powerful way, emphasizing the importance of cherishing the present moment and living in the now.
Line by Line Meaning
I can hear so much in your sighs
I am attuned to your unconscious thoughts and feelings
And I can see so much in your eyes
I can interpret what you're thinking through your facial expressions
There are words we both could say
We both know what's on each other's minds, but it's not necessary to verbalize it
But don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
Let's enjoy the moment together without speaking, and feel the comfort of each other's presence
Come close, close your eyes and be still
Let's be vulnerable with each other and savor the intimacy of the moment
Don't talk, take my hand and let me hear your heart beat
Let's be completely present with each other and focus on the physical aspects of our connection
Being here with you feels so right
I feel a sense of peace and contentment when I'm with you
We could live forever tonight
This moment feels infinite and eternal in a beautiful way
Lets not think about tomorrow
I don't want to worry about the future or put any pressure on our relationship
And don't talk put your head on my shoulder
Let's stay in this moment and enjoy the physical comfort of being close to each other
Listen, listen, listen.
Let's be fully present and attentive to each other's needs and wants
Don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
I find comfort in your physical presence and want to share that with you
Come close, close your eyes and be still
Let's enjoy this moment of intimacy and silence together
Don't talk, put your head on my shoulder
I appreciate the feeling of closeness that we share without needing any words
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Douglas Wilson, Tony Asher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind