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.
Walkin' the Line
Brian Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I walk the line everyday for you.
I keep on workin'.
I keep on workin' everyday for you.
If I don't get my way this time I'll die,
And that's no lie.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
Run, run, run, I'm runnin' outta my mind.I need your love, I need your love tonight.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme lovin' tonight;
I need your lovin'.
(Lovin'.)
Lovin'.
(Lovin'.)
Lovin', lovin'.
I keep on pushin'.
I keep on pushin' so hard for you.
I keep on tryin'.
I keep on tryin' my best for you.
I know we'll keep on searchin', until that day,
Till we find a way.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
Run, run, run, I'm runnin' outta my mind.
I need your love, I need your love tonight.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme lovin' tonight;
I need your lovin'.
(Lovin'.)
Lovin'.
(Lovin'.)
Lovin', lovin'.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
Run, run, run, I'm runnin' outta my mind. (Hey, hey.)I need your love, I need your love tonight.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme lovin' tonight.
I need your lovin'.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
(Lovin'.)
(Walkin' the line.)
Run, run, run, I'm runnin' outta my mind. (Hey, hey.)
I need your love, I need your love tonight.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme lovin' tonight.
I need your lovin'.
The lyrics of Brian Wilson's "Walkin' The Line" speak of a person's undying love and commitment to someone else. In the verses, the singer claims to walk the line every day, working hard and pushing himself to his limits to prove his love and gain the affection of his partner. He emphasizes the importance of receiving love in return and expresses his desperation for it, saying he'll die if he doesn't get his way. The chorus repeats the concepts of walking hard and running out of his mind while expressing his need and desire for love.
The lyrics of the song paint a picture of a person who is constantly putting in effort to maintain a relationship, seemingly to the point of obsession. The repetitive phrases may suggest the singer trying to convince themselves that they can continue to give their all, despite the lack of reciprocation from their partner. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy melody contrast with the somewhat desperate theme of the lyrics, making the song a reflection on the tension between wanting someone's approval and losing oneself in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
I walk the line.
I am devoted to you and will do what it takes to keep our relationship strong.
I walk the line everyday for you.
I am committed to our relationship and will do everything I can to make it work.
I keep on workin'.
I am always striving to improve myself and make our relationship better.
I keep on workin' everyday for you.
I am constantly putting in effort to make our relationship stronger and more fulfilling.
If I don't get my way this time I'll die,
And that's no lie.
I feel deeply about our relationship and am afraid of losing you if things don't work out.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
I am committed to our relationship and will keep working to make it better, no matter what.
Run, run, run, I'm runnin' outta my mind.
I am feeling overwhelmed and anxious about our relationship and need reassurance.
I need your love, I need your love tonight.
I am craving your affection and attention right now.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme lovin' tonight;
I need your lovin'.
(Lovin'.)
Lovin'.
(Lovin'.)
Lovin', lovin'.
I am asking for your love and affection and am willing to do what it takes to keep our relationship strong.
I keep on pushin'.
I am persistent when it comes to our relationship and will keep working to make it better.
I keep on pushin' so hard for you.
I am putting in a lot of effort to make our relationship work and thrive.
I keep on tryin'.
I am always trying to make our relationship better and more fulfilling.
I keep on tryin' my best for you.
I am giving my all to our relationship and am committed to making things work.
I know we'll keep on searchin', until that day,
Till we find a way.
I am confident that we will be able to overcome any difficulties in our relationship and find a way to make things work.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
I am steadfast in my commitment to our relationship and will keep working to make it better, even in difficult times.
Run, run, run, I'm runnin' outta my mind. (Hey, hey.)
I need your love, I need your love tonight.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme lovin' tonight.
I am feeling overwhelmed and anxious about our relationship and need your affection and attention to feel reassured.
Walk, walk, walk, I keep on walkin' the line.
(Lovin'.)
(Walkin' the line.)
I am committed to our relationship and will keep working to make it better, no matter what it takes.
I need your lovin'.
I am asking for your affection and attention, because it is important to me and our relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GARY L. USHER, BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind