Brian Wilson discusses writing God Only Knows in beautifully drawn animation

Date
20 May 2015

We didn’t really need an animation to tell us how much California has inspired The Beach Boys. But nonetheless, when a sweet, pencil-drawn Brian Wilson is telling us exactly why through a beautifully crafted animation by James Blagden, we’re certainly not complaining. Aside from obvious cues like songs called California Girls and the less well-received California Saga: California; the band is synonymous with surfing and the US West Coast, though as many a pub bore has been swift to point out, only one member of the band, Dennis, actually surfed. However, throughout the animation’s two-and-a-half minutes we do learn a lot. “I was listening to Rubber Soul one night and I was so blown away I went straight to my piano to start writing Pet Sounds. I was like outta my mind. And it took us an hour – only about an hour to write God Only Knows.”

It’s a reminder of the utter perfection of that song, and that for all his wilderness years and sitting in sandpits at home, Brian Wilson was and is a supremely talented guy. Much of the animation credits California as his inspiration, as is perhaps to be expected from a series named California Inspires Me – a partnership between Google Play and The California Sunday Magazine which also spawned a very cool Devo animation which we featured on the site back in March.

“I haven’t been to the beach in many years, I just don’t have any interest in going to the beach,” says animated Brian poignantly towards the end. “My day is eating breakfast, going to the bathroom, taking walks, playing piano, talking to my kids and my wife and that’s my day. Very simple lifestyle.”

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Above

James Blagden: California Inspires Me: Brian Wilson (still)

Share Article

About the Author

Emily Gosling

Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.