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.
In Blue Hawaii
Brian Wilson Lyrics
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Is it hot as hell in here or is it me?
It really is a mystery
If I die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take my misery
I could really use a drop to drink
Somewhere in a placid pool and sink
Feel like I was really in the pink
I'm slumbering
There's still a promise we must keep
I'm wondering
Wa wa ho wa, Hawaii
Wa wa ho wa, Hawaii way beyond the sea
Wa wa ho wa, Hawaii
Wa wa ho wa, Hawaii
Oh I could use a drop to drink right now
In the waterfall, back there in Hawaii
Take me to a luau now
And lay before me holy, holy cow
Down in blue Hawaii
So far away from blue Hawaii
Aloha nui means goodbye
The lyrics to Brian Wilson's "In Blue Hawaii" show the singer's longing for water in a hot and dry environment. He questions whether it's just him feeling the heat, and hopes to find some relief in water, even fantasizing about a calm pool to sink into. Though he feels like he's in a dream, the promise of finding water is a reminder that there is still something to strive for. The second half of the song references the idealized image of Hawaii as a paradise where one can attend a luau and see a holy cow, providing a stark contrast to the earlier frustrations of the singer. The final line, "Aloha nui means goodbye," is an acknowledgment that this beautiful image of Hawaii is a distant fantasy.
Overall, "In Blue Hawaii" reflects both the allure and disappointment of pursuing an idealized version of a place or experience. It can also be interpreted as a commentary on environmental issues and the importance of access to clean water.
Line by Line Meaning
Water, water, water, water
I am extremely thirsty and need water desperately
Is it hot as hell in here or is it me?
I am feeling heat and wondering whether it's just me or the atmosphere around me
It really is a mystery
This heat is inexplicable and confusing
If I die before I wake
In case I die in my sleep or due to dehydration
I pray the Lord my soul to take my misery
If I die, I pray that the Lord helps me escape from this misery of being thirsty and hot
I could really use a drop to drink
I am extremely thirsty and need even a small sip of water
Somewhere in a placid pool and sink
I wish to find a still and peaceful pool of water where I can submerge myself and feel relieved
Feel like I was really in the pink
I would feel refreshed and healthy if I could just have some water
A lucid dream, but I don't sleep
This is like a clear dream to me, though I'm not asleep. I'm still awake and thirsty
I'm slumbering
I feel like I'm in a dream-like state due to my thirst and exhaustion
There's still a promise we must keep
We have an obligation or commitment to fulfill
I'm wondering
I'm curious and inquisitive about something
Wa wa ho wa, Hawaii
Repeating the phrase in excitement, expressing the desire to be in Hawaii
Wa wa ho wa, Hawaii way beyond the sea
Continuing to express the enthusiasm for Hawaii, even though it's far away
Oh I could use a drop to drink right now
Expressing the urgency of needing water immediately
In the waterfall, back there in Hawaii
Thinking of the refreshing water of a waterfall in Hawaii that would relieve the thirst
Take me to a luau now
Asking someone to take me to a Hawaiian party called luau, where I can enjoy and forget the thirst
And lay before me holy, holy cow
Expressing the desire to have a feast with the best food, including a cow that is considered holy
Down in blue Hawaii
Referring to Hawaii, which is known for its blue waters, beaches and natural beauty
So far away from blue Hawaii
Expressing the sadness of being far away from Hawaii and its beauty
Aloha nui means goodbye
Saying goodbye to someone with a traditional Hawaiian phrase 'aloha nui'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN WILSON, VAN DYKE PARKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind