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.
God Only Knows
Brian Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you
If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on believe me
So what good would living do me
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
If you should ever leave me
Well life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
The song "God Only Knows" by Brian Wilson is a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to the depth of love and the importance of a significant other in one's life. The opening line, "I may not always love you" has been interpreted in many ways - some see it as a candid admission that love isn't always easy, while others see it as a hopeful promise to keep loving through good times and bad. However, the rest of the lyrics make it clear that the love the singer feels is unflinching and unwavering - as long as the person they're singing to remains in their life, they will always be there for them. The line "God only knows what I'd be without you" is a deeply introspective reflection on how much the other person means to the singer - they function as a grounding force in a world that could otherwise feel chaotic and meaningless.
The repetition of the phrase "God only knows" throughout the song brings a sense of universality and timelessness to the lyrics. It's a reminder that the intensity of love and the fear of losing someone are emotions that have been felt by countless people throughout history. The use of the phrase "God only knows" could also be seen as an acknowledgement of the fact that we don't always have control over the way our lives unfold - we can plan and hope and dream, but ultimately our fate is in the hands of a higher power. The song is a testament to the depth of feeling that love can evoke, and the profound impact that one person can have on another's life.
Line by Line Meaning
I may not always love you
Even though I might have moments of doubt or confusion, I will try to continue loving you.
But long as there are stars above you
As long as the universe exists, my love for you will never cease.
You never need to doubt it
You can always be confident that I love you, and your worth will never be in question.
I'll make you so sure about it
By my actions and words, I will continually show you how much I love and care for you.
God only knows what I'd be without you
The importance of your presence in my life is immeasurable and without you, I would not be the same person.
If you should ever leave me
The mere thought of you leaving me is enough to fill me with dread and the unknown future without you.
Though life would still go on believe me
Even though life will continue to move forward, it will be a drastically different existence without you.
The world could show nothing to me
Without you, everything in the world loses its meaning and significance.
So what good would living do me
Without you, life does not seem worth living and has no appeal or purpose.
God only knows
This is a repeated line that highlights the immense value that the other person holds in the writer's life.
God only knows what I'd be without you
Without the other person, the writer's life would be completely different and unrecognizable.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Douglas Wilson, Tony Asher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@straak
He wrote the perfect song, and then gave the lead vocal to his brother Carl, because he knew he could sing it better than him. What a brother. That's love.
@watchjoesvids
I could not agree more! Well said, my friend. Thank you.
@brissiegeoff
I didn’t think anyone could touch Carl’s version but Brian did it without breaking a sweat. What a talent.
@user-ws7kd1qt6y
I can't believe I think this is better than the original. It's so subtly different, but every bit as perfect as the original.
Pretty sure this violates some mathematical law.
@davidshepack2484
Originally....way back when...Brian sang lead on it. Don't know the particulars, but they went with Carl...I loved both.
@davidshepack2484
There is an old version of Brian singing this as well.
@watchjoesvids
So true. Sometimes we forget: It's Brian Wilson, by God, He makes his own rules. It's incredible he's still with us, Because God is a jealous God and sure seems that that level of talent is fleeting.
@madkillerdog9126
Paul McCartney said this is his favorite song ever. Enough said
@garyroberts3014
Paul, too? I read an interview where George Harrison said that - or that it was his favorite melody - ( I may be mistaken - he may have said that about 'Don't worry baby').... I'm surprised Macca didn't choose a Buddy Holly tune. I think we've been spoon-fed this beatle lore stuff by the Fabs themselves, because having lore adds to credibility and superstar status. ever heard the one where Paul said that Yesterday came to him all at once in a dream presented by his mom - it just fell out on him? - and that he had to ask and search all over to be sure it wasn't already someone's song? Well I saw Paul on TV with John saying it came in drips and drabs and was originally called scrambled eggs..."but wait" you may be thinking - "that was the abbey road medley, right?" (...well that's what you said about that a few years later, Paul)...." yeah it was all this mish mosh of disconnected melodies and words and it became 'I read the news today oh boy...woke up, fell out of bed...found my way upstairs and had a smoke' ...etc..." So it seems the laugh is probably on us - they were just having us on - their songs, hairstyles, look and public personae weren't the only things that were cleverly crafted... THAT is , perhaps, the Beatles' real genius; the greatest marketing machine known to man. there are those who say others penned their songs for them. I say, 'probably' - they weren't just a band but something like a government secret weapon - and organiztion... a mind and social control operation. I say 'maybe- could be'
@frankbonini9128
It's Sheer Perfection in Musical Form