Video hit Barenaked Ladies

Barenaked Ladies - Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson is the lead singer of The Beach Boys. He went into seclusion after experiencing drug problems and a nervous breakdown. For about 3 years, he spent most of his time in bed.

Wilson likes this song. He performed it on his 2000 Pet Sounds tour, usually as his first song.

Barenaked Ladies included this on their first album in 1992, but did not release it as a single until 1997, after they had gained popularity.

Brian Wilson cover of "Brian Wilson"

Brian Wilson rearranged and sang this song a cappella with his new band at live concerts, one of which was recorded for a live album he recorded in 2000. Brian Wilson visited Barenaked Ladies while they were recording Maroon (album producer Don Was was an associate of Brian Wilson) to play the track for the band, whereupon they played him some of their works-in-progress, and then he played them his version of "Brian Wilson". At the end, he turned to them and asked, "Is it cool?" Upon his departure, his advice to the band was "don't eat too much." The band described the entire experience as surreal.

In honour of his covering their song, in recent performances the band has started singing the first chorus a cappella, eliminating all instrumentation (the rest of the song continues as normal).

The lyrics:

Drove downtown in the rain

Nine-thirty on a Tuesday night,

Just to check out the late-night

Record shop.

Call it impulsive

Call it compulsive,

Call it insane;

But when I'm surrounded

I just can't

Stop.

It's a matter of instinct

It's a matter of conditioning

It's a matter of fact.

You can call me Pavlov's

Dog,

Ring a bell and I'll salivate,

How'd you like that?

Dr. Landy tell me

You're not just a pedagogue

Cause right now I'm

[Chorus]

Lying in bed

Just like Brian Wilson did

Well I am

Lying in bed

Just like Brian Wilson did.

So I'm lying here

Just staring at the ceiling tiles,

And I'm thinking about

Oh what to think about.

Just listening and relistening

To Smiley Smile,

And wondering if this is some kind of creative drought

Because I'm

[Chorus]

And if you want to find me

I'll be out in the sandbox,

Wondering where the hell all the

Love has gone,

Playing my guitar and

Building castles in the sun and

Singing "Fun, Fun, Fun"

[Chorus]

I had a dream

That I was three hundred pounds

And though I was very heavy

I floated 'til I couldn't see the ground

I floated 'til I couldn't see the ground

Somebody help me,

I couldn't see the ground

Somebody help me because I'm

[Chorus]

Drove downtown in the rain

Nine-thirty on a Tuesday night,

Just to check out the late-night

Record shop.

Call it impulsive

You can call it compulsive,

You can call it insane;

But when I'm surrounded

I just can't

Stop.