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.
Let It Shine
Brian Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
Shadows fall.
The ocean calls to me.
The night is still.
The stars all send
Their silver light to me.
Forever shine;
On me eternally.
I couldn't think of anything
That gives me more than what you bring.
The color of an endless dream.
Let it shine,
Let it shine.
[Chorus]
There comes a burning fire,
It fills me with desire,
And all my troubles disappear.
Feels like it's goin' through me,
Whatever you do to me;
Your words are magic to my ears.
Let it shine.
A flame that grows,
And burns so deep in me.
Somebody cries
For all the world to see.
Another time,
There will be ectasy.
Another place,
You will be next to me.
Of all the lives that I've been through,
I never really thought it was true;
That all I ever needed was you.
Let it shine.
Let it shine.
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
[Chorus]
Let it shine.
[Chorus]
The song "Let it Shine" opens with a repetitive chorus filled with an uplifting message to let it shine. This feels like a chant or a mantra, encouraging listeners to embrace the light inside of them and let it shine through. The following verses explore the feeling of wanting to be near someone you love, as the singer describes the ocean calling to him and the night being still. The stars in the sky provide a sense of permanence and remind the singer that they will "forever shine" on him.
The lyrics in the chorus suggest that the presence of the person the singer loves is like a burning fire that fills them with desire, and their words have a magical effect. The imagery of fire and desire is an effective metaphor for the intensity of passion and love. The final verse describes the singer's realization that this one person is all they need to feel complete, with the repetition of "let it shine" reinforcing the message of the song.
Overall, "Let it Shine" is a song about embracing inner light, the power of love, and the intensity of passion. The song's message is uplifting and encourages listeners to embrace their own light and the love that surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
Let it shine, oh, let it shine.
The singer encourages someone or something to shine and radiate their best self.
Shadows fall.
The singer acknowledges the onset of something uncertain or negative.
The ocean calls to me.
The singer feels a comforting pull towards something vast and eternal - perhaps nature itself.
The night is still.
The world is quiet and peaceful, seemingly full of promise.
She's where I want to be.
The artist is metaphorically drawn to someone they deeply admire and respect.
The stars all send Their silver light to me.
The singer feels surrounded by celestial radiance and perhaps a sense of cosmic awe.
Forever shine; On me eternally.
The singer craves a state of unbroken beauty and happiness to envelop them forever.
I couldn't think of anything That gives me more than what you bring.
The artist admits that nothing else in life can compare to the joy and fulfillment that someone or something gives them.
The color of an endless dream.
The artist experiences vivid, surreal sensations akin to those in a dream.
There comes a burning fire, It fills me with desire, And all my troubles disappear.
The artist experiences a transformative passion that pushes aside all their problems and replaces them with intensity.
Feels like it's goin' through me, Whatever you do to me; Your words are magic to my ears.
The singer is enchanted, moved and changed by the influence of someone's words and actions.
A flame that grows, And burns so deep in me.
The artist is consumed by an all-consuming passion that seems to expand and intensify over time.
Somebody cries For all the world to see.
An outpouring of emotion, whether joyful or sad, attracts the attention of others and reverberates widely.
Another time, There will be ectasy.
The singer anticipates that another moment of great happiness or intensity is still to come.
Another place, You will be next to me.
The singer looks forward to sharing their journey or experience with someone specific in the future, wherever that may be.
Of all the lives that I've been through, I never really thought it was true; That all I ever needed was you.
The artist reflects back on their life and realizes that they have been searching for this person or thing all along, even if they didn't know it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, JEFF LYNNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind