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 Worry
Brian Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're getting to me
And bringing me down
I'm going out of my way
To live in the now
And not yesterday
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Someday you'll find a place where you wanna be
That's all that ever mattered to you and me
Don't worry where you're going or how far
You've got to follow the sun
Think for yourself
Love everyone
You know you're breaking my heart?
Living this way
Falling apart
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Everyone has to find their own North Star
Someday you'll find a place where you wanna be
That's all that ever mattered to you and me
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Everyone has to find their own North Star
Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry
In Brian Wilson's Don't Worry, the lyrics speak to a sense of frustration and concern for someone who is constantly on the move, both physically and mentally. The singer remarks that this person's constant running around is causing them to feel weighed down and it's taking a toll on their relationship. Despite this, the singer is reminding the person to focus on the present rather than dwell on the past, and to not worry too much about where they're going or how far they have to go.
The central message of the song is that everyone has to find their own path and North Star, and that sometimes it can take time to find the place where you truly feel at home. The singer encourages the person to think for themselves, love everyone, and not feel tied down by the expectations or judgments of others.
The repetition of the phrase "Don't worry" is a reminder to the person to not be anxious about their path, and to trust that they will eventually find their way. The line "You know you're breaking my heart?" is likely a reference to the impact that the person's restlessness is having on their relationship, and a plea for them to slow down and focus on what truly matters.
Overall, the song is a message of hope and encouragement to those who feel lost or uncertain in their journey. It encourages listeners to trust their instincts, follow their passions, and not worry too much about the future.
Line by Line Meaning
With all your running around
You are constantly busy and it is affecting me mentally
You're getting to me
Your actions are negatively impacting my emotions
And bringing me down
Your behavior is causing me to feel depressed
I'm going out of my way
I am making an effort to change my behavior
To live in the now
I am focusing on the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or future
And not yesterday
I am working on moving on from past experiences
Don't worry where you're going or how far
There is no need to stress about your future or the distance you need to travel to reach your goals
Everyone has to find their own North Star
Each individual has their own unique path to follow in life
Someday you'll find a place where you wanna be
Eventually, you will find a place in life that makes you happy
That's all that ever mattered to you and me
The most important thing to both of us is finding our own happiness
You've got to follow the sun
You must follow your own path and not let others dictate your journey
Think for yourself
Make decisions based on your own thoughts and beliefs
Love everyone
Spread positivity and kindness to others
You know you're breaking my heart?
Your actions are causing me emotional pain
Living this way
Your behavior is not healthy or sustainable
Falling apart
Your life is slowly unraveling due to your current behavior
Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry
Do not stress about the future or things out of your control
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROGER VAL CHRISTIAN, BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, STEVEN LIU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vo Thi Ha
Verse 1]
With all your running around
You're getting to me
And bringing me down
I'm going out of my way, to live in the now
Not yesterday
[Chorus]
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Everyone has to find their own north star
Someday you'll find a place where you wanna be
That's all that ever mattered to you and me
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Bob Lucas
I'm loving this one right now.. I actually really like the synth horns!!
george hinojosa
Brian Wilson still a Genius.
Carlos Colmenares
Setenta y tantos años y nos continua enseñando armonías...guao!
T G
Amazing as always mate.
Vo Thi Ha
Verse 1]
With all your running around
You're getting to me
And bringing me down
I'm going out of my way, to live in the now
Not yesterday
[Chorus]
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Everyone has to find their own north star
Someday you'll find a place where you wanna be
That's all that ever mattered to you and me
Don't worry where you're going or how far
Vo Thi Ha
[Verse 2]
You've got to follow the sun
Think for yourself, love everyone
You know you're breaking my heart
Living this way, falling apart
Ollie
Apart from those godawful synth horns, lovin' this one.
Nikolai Tedeschi
Every time he says "Don't worry" I think he's going to say "baby" after it!! xD
Daniel Stein
yeah!!! some vocalizations to LOL
Aaron Kadwell
Nikolai Tedeschi I thought the same thing!! 😂😂😂