# Brian Wilson has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death, music\ **Created:** [June 11, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483 "2025-06-11T16:57:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/61 "2025-06-12T19:35:37Z")
Interesting. Do you know what the period was for the 1966 list? I can’t find that. [I did find a site that tried to duplicate the year end charts for the 1960s](https://at40fg.proboards.com/thread/4951/billboards-singles-charts-revised-versions?page=2) using the original top 100 weekly listings, scoring 100 for no. 1 and 1 for no. 100. They didn’t exactly match, so he tried adding 100 bonus points for each week at no. 1 and changing the date range slightly. Still no matches, but interesting results. For 1966, going through 12/10 left off GV, but going through 12/31 it suddenly popped up at no. 33. Those extra three weeks would have added about 275 points to the total, so it’s possible that an earlier cut off would put it just under the top 100. Not bubbling up, though. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/62 "2025-06-12T19:43:40Z")
IMO, half of the greatest songs in pop music history are from just those two years. Just staying at number one for a week was a huge accomplishment. No song remained at number one for more than a week in 1966 (although “Sounds of Silence” made number one twice in nonconsecutive weeks) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/63 "2025-06-12T19:59:06Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Interesting. Do you know what the period was for the 1966 list? I can’t find that. I don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, but this Wikipedia link sheds some light on the past and present methods for tabulating positions on Billboard’s year-end singles charts. > **[Billboard Year-End | Methodology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End#Methodology)** > > Prior to incorporating chart data from Nielsen SoundScan (from 1991), year-end charts were calculated by an inverse-point system based solely on a title's performance (for example a single appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 would be given one point for a week spent at position 100, two points for a week spent at position ninety-nine, and so forth, up to 100 points for each week spent at number one). Other factors including the total weeks a song spent on the chart and at its peak position After B... ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/64 "2025-06-12T20:35:55Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Pairing it with “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B” would have been jarring. It sounds fine to me there with its meticulous orchestration. It’s “Sloop John B” that sounds jarring on _Pet Sounds_ to me, though I like the song fine. It’s an okay _Pet Sounds_ song, but I’m not sure it’d be in my top half of songs from that album. Now that I think of it, I used to skip past it when listening to _Pet Sounds_ as it would upset the mood for me. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/65 "2025-06-12T21:04:31Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > IMO, half of the greatest songs in pop music history are from just those two years. Just staying at number one for a week was a huge accomplishment. No song remained at number one for more than a week in 1966 (although “Sounds of Silence” made number one twice in nonconsecutive weeks) I know, right on. That list is incredible. I bet most people here from that era could instantly start humming any from 1 to 100. And probably most of the second 100 as well. Was catchiness catching in those years? But since you got me on “Good Vibrations,” I need to say that a full sixteen songs other than SoS were no. 1 for more than one week, topped by the worst song of the 60s, “The Ballad of the Green Berets,” at five straight. > [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s “Sloop John B” that sounds jarring on _Pet Sounds_ to me, though I like the song fine. Apparently, the record company insisted given the success of the single. I’ve always thought that the four singles on the album came from a different album than the other songs, which maybe is why I don’t rate it as highly as others do. It’s more like the American version of _Magical Mystery Tour_, part Tour and part collected singles. Their earlier albums (not Party, of course) seemed more coherent in tone, which I know is heretical. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/66 "2025-06-12T21:05:14Z")
@pulykamell I’m sort of the opposite: In Pet Sounds I like Sloop John B, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, God Only Knows and skip the rest\*\* because the rest sound like a lush teen angst paean. More about layering beautiful sounds rather than constructing a good pop song. \*\* except for maybe Caroline No ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/67 "2025-06-12T21:11:15Z")
Pistols at dawn, fine sir! ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/68 "2025-06-12T21:16:45Z")
There are also those who divide the tracks on _Pet Sounds_ into two categories: (1) The good ones (2) The ones whose titles start with I ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/69 "2025-06-12T21:38:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Pistols at dawn, fine sir! I volunteer as your second. “Pet Sounds” is a flawless masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/70 "2025-06-12T21:46:35Z")
I’m sure some of you are well aware of this, but there was more to Brian Wilson than just The Beach Boys. From some of the discussion I’ve seen here and elsewhere, one gets the impression that Brian was synonymous with the Beach Boys. That’s understandable—Brian’s most significant work was what he did with The Beach Boys, and vice versa—but it’s not entirely accurate. A significant amount of the muisic that The Beach Boys recorded post-1960s had little or no involvement from Brian. And Brian had a significant solo career without the Boys. A few samples: “Love and Mercy” - probably the closest thing he had to a “signature song” as a solo artist. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1k_ffl3ZM2s/maxresdefault.jpg "Love and Mercy (Remastered)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k_ffl3ZM2s) “Rio Grande” - an experiemntal suite-type work [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/irN2QMaXJl4/maxresdefault.jpg "Rio Grande (Remastered Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irN2QMaXJl4) “Lay Down Burden” - dedicated to his brother Carl [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/A9eTslVV-1Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Lay Down Burden") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9eTslVV-1Y) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/71 "2025-06-12T22:16:01Z")
Did Brian help his daughters with Wilson Phillips? Carnie and Wendy have done pretty well. I don’t know if Brian wrote anything for them. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/72 "2025-06-12T22:19:29Z")
\*Raises hand\* ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/73 "2025-06-12T22:31:01Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Did Brian help his daughters with Wilson Phillips? > > Carnie and Wendy have done pretty well. I don’t know if Brian wrote anything for them. As far as I can tell, he had no involvement in the two Wilson Phillips albums prior to the group breaking up in 1993. In 2003, they reunited, and their three subsequent albums have been primarily cover songs; on each of those albums, they had at least one (old) song written by Brian; it looks like Brian played on their cover of “In My Room,” and did the arrangement for their cover of “Our Prayer.” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/74 "2025-06-13T01:38:57Z")
Brian’s illness probably limited his ability to compose music. Even for his daughter’s albums. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/75 "2025-06-13T05:07:52Z")
I hope no one finds this in bad taste but it gave me a good laugh. > **[Mike Love Posts Touching Tribute to Mike Love](https://thehardtimes.net/blog/mike-love-posts-touching-tribute-to-mike-love/)** > > In response to the recent passing of Brian Wilson, often credited as the driving creative force behind The Beach Boys' best work, former bandmate and cousin Mike Love posted an emotional and touching tribute to the life and work of Mike Love on... ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/76 "2025-06-13T05:59:19Z")
I was never a fan, but when Musical Geniuses all toss out the same name, it’s kinda hard to dispute. I’m not a big fan of Neil Simon, either. But same goes for him. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I hope no one finds this in bad taste but it gave me a good laugh. I didn’t read this. I don’t have to. The headline says it all. Love is a fixture in my area, and its well know, according to him, that he was the sole talent behind that whole organization. Always in a Pink Satin Jacket. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/77 "2025-06-13T06:24:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’m not a big fan of Neil Simon, either. But same goes for him. Um, Paul Simon, perhaps? (Not that I wasn’t a fan of _The Odd Couple_…) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/78 "2025-06-13T06:29:16Z")
I blame Otto Correct. And Jim Beam! Bastards! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/79 "2025-06-13T06:47:14Z")
Sad to hear about this. The Beach Boys’ heyday was well before my time, but they were a favorite of my dad’s, who held Brian Wilson in especially high regard. _God Only Knows_ may well have been #1 on his list of favorite songs. It’s one of my favorites too. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483/80 "2025-06-13T12:36:57Z")
I have alwasy felt blessed to have grown up in a time when the Beach Boys and the Beatles were churning out classic songs on the radio every other week (or more). Thanks mom for having that radio in the kitchen when I was 5, and for not playing country music like my dad! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brian-wilson-has-died/1019483.md?page=5)