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.
Rio Grande
Brian Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Producer: brian wilson/lenny waronker
Co-producer: andy paley
Recorded and mixed by mark linett at ground control and soundcastle
Bluegrass sections recorded by rob dimit at twilite sound
Brian wilson/andy paley
Wooo
Ride 'em
Ride 'em cowboy
Coma-ti-yi-yip-yi-a
Coma-ti-yi-yip-yi-a
Ride 'em
Ride 'em cowboy
Coma-ti-yi-yip-yi-a
Ride 'em
Ride 'em cowboy
Coma-ti-yi-yip-yi-a
(all aboard)
Rio grande rio grande
I'd swim you but I can't
Late at night flickering fire
Keeps me warm and safe from harm
Little man, understands
The indian's upperhand
Never stray, always travel in groups of ten
Cherokee trail (trail)
Cherokee trail (trail)
I'm ridin' you all alone
Cherokee trail (trail)
Cherokee trail (trail)
I can't find my way back home
Oh the great big river
Rolls on and on
Oh the great big river
Makes my heart beat strong
Yeah the great big river
Rolls on and on
And the great big river
Makes my heart beat strong
Rollin' rollin' rollin' on
Ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhh
Ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhh
Big big big sky
Ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhh
Big big big sky
[undertands the indian's]
Ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhh
Big big big sky
[undertands the indian's]
Ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhh
Big big big sky
[undertands the indian's]
Ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhh
Big big big sky
[undertands the indian's]
Whao yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yeah
The river's deep and the river's so wide
She's waitin' for me on the other side
Yea-yeah
Whao yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yeah
I want the river to take me home
Can't ride the river no more all alone
Yea-yeah
Whao yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yeah
I wanna tell you that she's so fine
I'm gonna love her 'til the end of time
Yeah yeah
Whao yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yea-yeah
I wanna tell you that she's my girl
There's nothin' like her in this whole wide world
Yeah yeah
Night bloomin' jasmine
It comes a-creepin' through my window
Night bloomin' jasmine
While I'm a-sleepin' near my window
Ahhhhh (bow bow bow bow)
Night bloomin' jasmine
It comes a-creepin' through my window
Night bloomin' jasmine
While I'm a-sleepin' near my window
(rio grande rio grande)
Oh the great big river
Rolls on and on
Oh the great big river
Makes my heart beat strong
Yeah the great big river
Rolls on and on
And the great big river
Makes my heart beat strong
Rollin' rollin' rollin' on (onnnnn)
"Rio Grande" is a song by American musician Brian Wilson, released in 1998 on his solo album "Imagination". The song features a mix of styles, including country, western, and bluegrass music. The opening lyrics of "Ride 'em cowboy" and "Coma-ti-yi-yip-yi-a" suggest a western theme, but the song is not necessarily easy to categorize. The song is filled with rich imagery, from references to the Cherokee Trail to the blooming jasmine. The lyrics are evocative, with lines like "Little man, understands the indian's upperhand" and "The river's deep and the river's so wide she's waitin' for me on the other side" conjuring up images of the Old West.
One interpretation of the song is that it is about Wilson's desire to experience the Western lifestyle. He speaks of wanting to swim in the Rio Grande, to ride the Cherokee Trail alone, and to understand the Indian's upper hand. The song had an interesting genesis, as it was built around a basic three-chord progression Wilson had written decades earlier. This foundation allowed Wilson to experiment with different styles and arrangements, like the bluegrass section that was recorded separately.
Line by Line Meaning
Ride 'em
Let's go!
Ride 'em cowboy
Let's ride this river like cowboys do!
Coma-ti-yi-yip-yi-a
Yee-haw! We're ready to ride!
(all aboard)
Everybody get on the ride!
Rio grande rio grande
Talking about the great Rio Grande river
I'd swim you but I can't
The singer really wants to cross the river, but it's too dangerous to swim across
Late at night flickering fire
Sitting by a campfire when it's dark out
Keeps me warm and safe from harm
Being by the fire is a safe and warm place to be when out in the wilderness
Little man, understands
This is likely a reference to a Native American, who is small in size but has great knowledge
The indian's upperhand
Native Americans have a great deal of knowledge and understanding of the land around them
Never stray, always travel in groups of ten
It's important to stick together and not get separated when traveling in groups out in the wilderness
Cherokee trail (trail)
The artist is on the Cherokee trail, a historic trail in the United States
I'm ridin' you all alone
The singer is alone on the trail, riding without anyone else
I can't find my way back home
The singer is lost and cannot find their way back home
Oh the great big river
Another reference to the Rio Grande river
Rolls on and on
The river keeps flowing and going
Makes my heart beat strong
Being near the water is invigorating and makes the artist feel alive
Yeah the great big river
Another reference to the Rio Grande river
Rollin' rollin' rollin' on
The river keeps moving, without ever stopping
Big big big sky
The sky overhead feels expansive and large
[undertands the indian's]
It's unclear what this line is meant to say or what is being referred to
The river's deep and the river's so wide
The Rio Grande is a deep, wide river
She's waitin' for me on the other side
The singer is crossing the river to be with someone else
I want the river to take me home
The artist wants to use the river to get back home
Can't ride the river no more all alone
It's no longer safe to be on the river by oneself
I wanna tell you that she's so fine
The singer is in love with someone
I'm gonna love her 'til the end of time
The singer is expressing their love for someone
I wanna tell you that she's my girl
The artist is expressing their love for someone
There's nothin' like her in this whole wide world
The artist believes that the person they love is truly unique and special
Night bloomin' jasmine
A reference to a type of jasmine plant that only blooms at night
It comes a-creepin' through my window
The scent of the night bloomin' jasmine is drifting into the singer's room
While I'm a-sleepin' near my window
The artist is sleeping near a window and can smell the night bloomin' jasmine
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind