Happy Birthday to Brian Wilson....

.    First of all, I know that this blog is a day late, since Brian celebrated his 69th birthday yesterday. However, with the death of Clarence Clemons, and my being behind a blog or two, we end up giving him Omnibus wishes today....
      When discussing the best songwriters in the history of modern music (pre-1980), most of us can come up with about 10-15 who are all about the same level. At that point, personal taste and historical significance comes into play. For me, the question of the best depends on what day you ask me. Brian Wilson is in my top three. There are several reasons to give for that, and someday I"ll write a blog about it. But when I hear those harmonies and his ability to put to vinyl what is in his head, there should be no debate that Wilson is in the same discussion with Lennon/McCartney and Dylan...
      Wilson worked well with lyricists, but no one could lay bare their emotions in song like he could in songs like, 'Don't Worry Baby", "In My Room" and later masterpieces "Till I Die" and "Sail On Sailor". At times his lyrics would plum the depths of loneliness and isolation to the point that it almost hurt to listen to them. At the same time, many of us have felt those emotions, which endeared the songs to an entire generation of men. Make no mistake about it, Wilson's music was distinctly romantic, but also from a male perspective which was radically different than the most of the macho posturing that was generally heard. The harmonies had an almost angelic quality to them, and if you are a sucker for harmonies, it was hard to beat this combination. 
      The story of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys is a distinctly American one, complete with all of the melodrama you would want in a TV mini-series (there was actually a movie made about it...it's a shame the flick wasn't very good...am still waiting for an authentic version). There are places you can get that story...besides it's too long and complex to try to explain in a short blog. It CAN be said however, that Brian's comeback in the last decade has been amazing (not to mention the reconstruction of his "lost" album "Smile"). I wish him all of the best, and continued success. The man has earned it....
      We celebrate with three songs, the first is "Don't Worry Baby" which is one of the best of marrying lyric with song. Second is his production masterpiece,"Good Vibrations", and then last is my favorite from the 70's, "Sail On, Sailor". If you have not spent time with the albums from the 1970's it is more than worth the time to wade through the sub-par stuff to get to the gems...