Brian Douglas Wilson was born on
June 20, 1942 in Inglewood, California.
He co-founded the magnificent rock and roll group The Beach Boys in
1961. Not only that, he wrote or co-wrote
over two dozen Top 40 hits for the group!
In 1988 he released his self-titled solo debut. Fast forward to 2008 and he released his 8th
studio album THAT LUCKY OLD SUN (Brimel/Capitol Records). It entered the UK Album Chart at #37 and the
Billboard 200 at #21. The album was
produced and arranged by Brian, with additional production by Scott
Bennett. This is a concept album based
around the 1949 song ‘That Lucky Old Sun’.
It was penned by Beasley Smith and Haven Gillespie. Frankie Lane originally recorded it and took
it to #1. Others who’ve recorded it
include Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Johnny Cash. Brian Wilson sings lead vocals and plays
keyboards on this album.
First up is the title track,
which is one of seven tracks on the CD that are under a minute long. This one is a pretty and nicely orchestrated
song of reflection: “Lucky old sun, that lucky old sun/Up in the mornin’, out
on the job/Work so hard for my pay/But that lucky old sun’s got nothin’ to
do/But roll around heaven all day/Show me that river, take me across/Wash all
my troubles away”. ‘Morning Beat’ is one
of eight Brian Wilson co-writes with Scott Bennett. This one has a fun, old-time rock and roll
feel to it with nice harmonies. It is
for sure a song of positivity: “The sun burns a hole through the 6 a.m.
haze/Turns up the volume and it shows off its rays/Another Dodger blue sky is
crowning L.A./The city of angels is blessed every day/That lucky old sun smiles
on me/Wanna slide down the mountain into the dancing sea/I’m listening to the
morning beat/It’s rising from star-studded concrete”. ‘Room with a View ’is one of four narratives
by Van Dyke Parks. It includes these
poetic lines: “One by one/A carpeted star spangled city sleeps/Like so many
dancin’ diamonds with a beat/Each of them a home/With walls of stories they
could tell/Meet the crack of dawn/A freeway starts to roll/An owl hoots its
last goodbye to a coyote on patrol”.
Brian is the sole writer of ‘Good
Kind of Love’. It is a happy, light,
breezy, pop song about puppy love: “He loves her when she’s sleeping and all
the dreams she’s keeping/She keeps them in a jar, but not too far from her
heart/They have the good kind of love, good kind of love, good kind of love/They
have the right kinda thing, right kinda thing, right kinda thing/Makes me want
to sing it to you/Just him and her, there so close together/Now they just met
and scored a newfound treasure/Oh, oh, run to him, run to him, right to his
arms, yeah/They have the good kind of love”.
‘Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl’ is a cheery adult pop song of one in
love: “First love is the moment/You can’t repeat but you’ll always own it/The
gift she gave to me/Her timeless melody/Forever she’ll be my surfer girl
(2X)/My little one, so sweet”.
‘Venice Beach Narrative’ paints a
distinct and clear picture of a popular California locale: “Venice Beach is
poppin’/Like live shrimp dropped on a hot wok/Hucksters, hustlers and
hawkers/Set up their boardwalk shops/Home for all the homeless, hopeless/Well
heeled and deranged/Still nothin’ here seems out of place or strange”. ‘Live Let Live/That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)’
is an easy listening ballad that shows great respect for creation: “God help me
for whale babies who cry/Live let live not die/My heart beats so fast/Our
hearts meet at last/Feature creatures of God/Let them abound, where they are
found/Let’s get the hell outta here”.
‘Mexican Girl’ is a warm, tropical pop song of infatuation
with nice harmonies and good use of horns: “Hey, Mexican girl, with eyes of
burning fire/Heal me with your passion/Inspire me to inspire/Loyal and strong,
as tender as a song/Help me understand, make me a better man/Mexican, Mexican,
Mexican girl/Danced her way into my world”.
‘Cinco de Mayo Narrative’ includes these interesting thoughts: “Salsa
rumbles rafters/In a chop shop filled with cars/Custom chopped and
channeled/With a drag race in their stars/City of Angels/Be all you can be/Be
movies/Be A-list/Be seen just to see/Your part/Repeat/The heart beats in
L.A.” Next up is ‘California Role/That
Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)’. Brian offers
some great advice to newcomers to California on this playful middle of the road
song: “Every girl’s the next Marilyn/Every guy, Errol Flynn/Sometimes you’ve
got to edit your dreams/And find the spotlight behind the scenes/Here in
California, man I got to warn ya/Find your California role/You don’t have to
climb the Capitol Tower or play the Hollywood Bowl/If there’s a roll in your
heart, and a rock in your soul/If you miss your shot/It doesn’t mean you won’t
reach your goal”.
‘Between Pictures Narrative’ ponders people’s plights:
“Actors waitin’ tables/With a method they can’t share/Waitin’ for what’s
next/Waitin’ for the big screen in disrepair/I mean despair/I mean/That actor
standing there/Are we all not actors and the whole wide world our
stage?/Naw/Some are worthy writers with the grit to hit the page/To be or not
to be/Now/Just part of the heart beat in L.A.”
‘Oxygen to the Brain’ has a cool pop vibe to it with a varying slow and
fast tempo. Anyone who knows Brian
Wilson’s troubled history will see this is clearly an autobiographical song: “I
cried a million tears/I wasted a lot of years/Life was so dead, life was so
dead.../How could I have got so low?/I’m embarrassed to tell you so/I laid
around this old place/I hardly ever washed my face.../So take a lesson from one
who knows/Just where being lazy goes/There’s a time to live/A reason to
live”. ‘Can’t Wait too Long’ is an
unfinished Beach Boys song dating back to 1967.
The only lyrics here are: “Oooh, oh, been too long (2X)”.
‘Midnight’s Another Day’ is a quiet number that begins by
waxing spiritual: “Lost my way/The sun grew dim/Stepped over grace and stood in
sin/Took the dive, but couldn’t swim/A flag without the wind/When there’s no
morning without ‘u’/There’s only darkness the whole day through/Took the
diamond from my soul/And turned it back into coal”. ‘That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)’ is a quite
short affair.
Two of this CD’s best songs finish the album off. Tommy Morgan plays harmonicas on the fun,
soulful rocker ‘Going Home’. This
autobiographical song is about finding oneself: “I’m going home, I’m going
home/Back to the place where I belong/Found peace of mind, yeah, yeah, one
piece at a time.../At 25 I turned out the light/Cause I couldn’t handle the
glare in my tired eyes/But now I’m back, drawing shades of kind blue
skies”. ‘Southern California’ is a
lovely ballad just shy of five minutes in length. It finds Brian nostalgic: “I had this
dream/Singing with my brothers/In harmony, supporting each other/Tail winds,
wheels spin, down the Pacific Coast/Surfin’ on the A.M./Heard those voices
again.../Surfer silhouettes/The sun went into the sea/As we headed home/We
drove into a movie/Love songs, pretty girls/Didn’t want it to end”.
THAT LUCKY OLD SUN is an absolute masterpiece from one of
music’s all-time geniuses! This really
is a delightful album to fall upon your ears if you let it! What a wonderful, loving tribute Brian Wilson
has given his native California here!
Brian’s warm vocals are a pleasure to listen to. A wide variety of instruments add to the
perfection here, including: ukulele, bells, flute, French horn, violin, and
cello. Several terrific background
vocalists are used including: Darian Sahanaja, Probyn Gregory, and Taylor
Mills. What great harmonies! The CD booklet, photos, and packaging are
lovely. I’m rating THAT LUCKY OLD SUN
100%. For more info visit: www.brianwilson.com and www.capitolrecords.com.