Brian Wilson
Words: 09-21-1992
Music: 09-21-1992
What’s It All About?
This is a stream of consciousness rant that starts with some literal reporting: all the prose I was writing at the time was shadowed by Charles Bukowski because I’d been reading him at the time; every song I wrote (or tried to write) felt like John Doe and Exene Cervenka were in the room because of the strong influence X has had on my style… and I didn’t care! I was embracing my heroes; letting art come as it would come.
The last verse refers to a “news” story from around that time — music legend Brian Wilson apparently wasn’t speaking to his daughters, Carnie and Wendy, who were two-thirds of the pop group Wilson Phillips. I imagined it was because the girls were playing silly pop music and daddy didn’t approve, but of course the real reasons were much more serious. Besides, Brian Wilson’s written some pretty silly pop music himself, no?
The whole thing is summed up by the chorus — making the overall a gestalt an anthem to creative defiance, steadfast identity, and freedom.
A lot of analysis for a zippy little punk rock song..!
The version presented here is the definitive one, performed in a live rehearsal with the band PIGBAT. There are no overdubs or effects added.
Lyrics:
I sat down and started to write
It all came out sounding like Bukowski
I’d been reading him before
I picked up my pen
I stood up and played guitar
It all came out sounding just like X
I didn’t care, that’s how it felt
I wouldn’t let that stop me
There is only so much
Time to be alive
I wake up every morning
Filled with dread for another day
I can’t stand the job I work
Eight hours going wasted
If I was a millionaire
Or sold my soul to Papa God
If my dad was Brian Wilson
I bet he’d talk to me
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