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.
Wind Chimes
Brian Wilson Lyrics
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On the warm breeze, the little bells tinkle like wind chimes.
Though it's hard, I try not to look at my wind chimes.
Now and then a tear rolls off my cheek.
Close your eyes and lean back and listen to wind chimes.
In the late afternoon, you're hung up on wind chimes.
Though it's hard, I try not to look at my wind chimes.
The lyrics of Brian Wilson's Wind Chimes paint a vivid picture of the way the singer feels whenever he sees and hears the wind chimes hanging outside his window. He finds it hard to look at them, as they remind him of something painful that he tries not to dwell on. The little bells on the chimes tinkle on the warm breeze, and while they sound beautiful, they bring up emotions that cause him to shed tears.
However, the singer's tone changes when he encourages the listener to close their eyes and simply listen to the wind chimes. The image of being "hung up on wind chimes" suggests that the singer is fully immersed in the sounds of the chimes and how they make him feel. Perhaps it's a form of escapism, where the sound of the chimes transports him from reality to a calmer, more peaceful place.
The lyrics of Wind Chimes are both wistful and reflective, and could mean many different things to different listeners. It's a song that prompts a lot of introspection and encourages the listener to reflect on their own feelings and emotions, particularly those that are stirred by certain sensory experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Hanging down from my window, those are my wind chimes.
I have wind chimes hanging from my window and they make a pleasant sound.
On the warm breeze, the little bells tinkle like wind chimes.
The sound of the wind chimes is amplified by the warm breeze and it brings happiness to me.
Though it's hard, I try not to look at my wind chimes.
The memories associated with the wind chimes are painful and I don't want to be reminded of them.
Now and then a tear rolls off my cheek.
Occasionally, the pain is too much to bear and I cry when I hear the wind chimes.
Close your eyes and lean back and listen to wind chimes.
Sometimes it's best to just relax and let the sound of the wind chimes wash over you.
In the late afternoon, you're hung up on wind chimes.
During the late afternoon, the sound of the wind chimes is particularly strong and they become a powerful force in my thoughts.
Though it's hard, I try not to look at my wind chimes.
I struggle to keep the painful memories associated with the wind chimes at bay by not looking at them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind