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.
The Waltz
Brian Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chances were one in a million
She had that angora sweater
How could I ever forget her?
She had a body you'd kill for
You hoped that she'd take the pill for
She up and said I'm a dancer
Don't tell me, you are a Cancer
It's all she can do
Take her or leave her
But let her get hold of you
I made my move to the floor
One lonely night left in store
I can still prove I am sure
She is what loving is for
The girl is the pride of fandango
The world takes my mind with a tango
A star in the night lights Topanga
Far from the lights of Tarzana
We dance for the chance of romance boy,
Ain't it the truth
You take two steps forward
Take one step right back to your youth
So long ago you were a Romeo
Went back to my Alma Mater
I asked to dance with her daughter
She said if it's not a bother
First dance is just for my father
Love can make this old world tremble
Life is someone you resemble
We dance and the mood starts to tumble
We kiss and my heart starts to crumble
The Waltz is a song by Brian Wilson, which tells the story of a guy who goes back to his old high school for a dance, and sees a girl there whom he really likes. The lyrics reminisce about her stunning appearance in her angora sweater and her desirable physique. Though both of them were zodiac signs Cancer and Shereen (the girl) was a dancer, he still wanted to impress her with his dance moves. They both took a chance to dance and fell in love. Brian Wilson's portrayal of their relationship through the Waltz is enveloped with a sense of romanticism.
Wilson's skillful lyrics paint a vivid picture of the scene, setting the mood to the nostalgia-evoking dance. The verse, "We dance for the chance of romance boy, ain't it the truth/You take two steps forward/Take one step right back to your youth" take the listener right into the dance, reveling in the memory of being young and in love. The lyrics capture the transcending qualities of love, how it can make the world tremble and the similarities between love and life. The song vocalist demonstrates mastery in the art of storytelling, and his attention to detail is evident in this song.
Line by Line Meaning
Back at that high school cotillion
The song starts with Brian Wilson telling us a story of a time when he attended a high school cotillion.
Chances were one in a million
He thought the odds of meeting someone special at the dance were very slim.
She had that angora sweater
He remembers a girl at the dance wore a cozy angora sweater.
How could I ever forget her?
The girl left a lasting impression on him even after all these years.
She had a body you'd kill for
She was very attractive and had a figure that many people would desire.
You hoped that she'd take the pill for
He wanted her to take a contraceptive pill so that they could be intimate without the risk of pregnancy.
She up and said I'm a dancer
The girl told him she was a dancer, which intrigued him.
Don't tell me, you are a Cancer
He guessed her astrological sign and was surprised to learn that she was a Cancer.
And some says it's true
He acknowledges that some believe astrological signs can be indicative of someone's personality.
It's all she can do
Perhaps being a dancer is all she wants to do in life.
Take her or leave her
He's saying that while he's interested in her, he knows it's ultimately up to her to decide if they will pursue a relationship.
But let her get hold of you
He wants to be with her and hopes she feels the same way about him.
I made my move to the floor
He decided to ask her to dance.
One lonely night left in store
It was near the end of the dance and he only had one more opportunity to dance with her.
I can still prove I am sure
He is confident that he can impress her with his dancing skills.
She is what loving is for
He feels that he has found someone he could really love.
The girl is the pride of fandango
He's calling her the pride of the dance because she is an excellent dancer.
The world takes my mind with a tango
He is so in awe of her that he can't concentrate on anything other than dancing with her.
A star in the night lights Topanga
Topanga is a reference to a place in Los Angeles, where he may have met her again later on. He's saying that she is special and stands out in the dark night like a star.
Far from the lights of Tarzana
Tarzana is another place in Los Angeles. He's saying that they are far away from the bright lights of the more popular areas of the city, and it feels like they are in their own world.
We dance for the chance of romance boy,
The whole reason they are dancing is to find love and connection with each other.
Ain't it the truth
He's saying that it's a universal truth that we all want to find love.
You take two steps forward
He's using a dance metaphor to say that you need to take risks to move a relationship forward.
Take one step right back to your youth
But sometimes you also need to be willing to let go and be uninhibited, like when you were young and carefree.
So long ago you were a Romeo
He's saying that he used to be a flirtatious, romantic guy, but he's found someone special in this girl that he wants to settle down with.
Went back to my Alma Mater
He went back to the school where he attended the cotillion, either to visit or to attend a reunion.
I asked to dance with her daughter
He's saying that he met the girl's daughter and asked to dance with her.
She said if it's not a bother
The girl's mother didn't want to impose on him.
First dance is just for my father
The first dance is reserved for the girl's father.
Love can make this old world tremble
He's saying that love is such a powerful force that it can change the world.
Life is someone you resemble
He's saying that his partner in life should be someone who he admires and resembles in terms of values and personality.
We dance and the mood starts to tumble
They dance again and the mood between them becomes more intense and romantic.
We kiss and my heart starts to crumble
Finally, they share a kiss and he is completely smitten with her.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN WILSON, VAN DYKE PARKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind