Imagination (Brian Wilson album)
Encyclopedia
Imagination is Brian Wilson
's fourth solo album, and his second release of new original studio material. It was issued in 1998 on Giant Records and distributed by Warner Music.
Imagination 's best-known track is "Your Imagination", an adult contemporary Top 20 hit. The second single, "South American", was cowritten by Jimmy Buffett
.
Wilson covered two of his own Beach Boys songs for Imagination: "Keep an Eye on Summer" and "Let Him Run Wild". In addition, "She Says That She Needs Me" was the result of a lyric re-write by Carole Bayer Sager
of an original Wilson composition in 1965 (titled "Sandy She Needs Me" and later "Sherry She Needs Me"), while the closing song, "Happy Days", featured recycled elements of an unreleased Beach Boys track, "My Solution", from 1970. Most of the album's new songs were written by Wilson and collaborator Joe Thomas.
Imagination received moderately favorable reviews upon its release, though its commercial performance was relatively weak.
. The live performance included guest performances from Christopher Cross
, Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston
, and Eagles member Timothy B. Schmit
. The concert, which was later incorporated with additional interviews from Elvis Costello
, Eric Clapton
, Sean Lennon
, Stevie Wonder
, and Jimmy Buffett
, was released on VHS in 1998 and DVD in 1999 but is currently out-of-print. Your Imaginination and Lay Down Burden were aired as music videos on VH1, with the album audio played over the video, and clips of Brian walking through the woods "thinking" and "day dreaming" and images of him and his brothers on the screen.
Imagination (Giant 24703) hit #88 in the US during a chart stay of 2 weeks. It reached #30 in the UK.
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
's fourth solo album, and his second release of new original studio material. It was issued in 1998 on Giant Records and distributed by Warner Music.
Imagination 's best-known track is "Your Imagination", an adult contemporary Top 20 hit. The second single, "South American", was cowritten by Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
.
Wilson covered two of his own Beach Boys songs for Imagination: "Keep an Eye on Summer" and "Let Him Run Wild". In addition, "She Says That She Needs Me" was the result of a lyric re-write by Carole Bayer Sager
Carole Bayer Sager
Carole Bayer Sager is an American lyricist, songwriter, singer, and painter.-Introduction:Born in New York City, Sager graduated from New York University, where she majored in English, dramatic arts and speech...
of an original Wilson composition in 1965 (titled "Sandy She Needs Me" and later "Sherry She Needs Me"), while the closing song, "Happy Days", featured recycled elements of an unreleased Beach Boys track, "My Solution", from 1970. Most of the album's new songs were written by Wilson and collaborator Joe Thomas.
Imagination received moderately favorable reviews upon its release, though its commercial performance was relatively weak.
Release
To promote the release of "Imagination", Brian Wilson performed a live taping for VH-1 at the St. Charles High School auditorium in St. Charles, IllinoisSt. Charles, Illinois
St. Charles is a Chicago suburb in Kane and DuPage counties of Illinois, United States, and is roughly west of Chicago on Illinois Route 64. According to a 2004 census estimate, the city has a total population of 32,134. The official city slogan is Pride of the Fox, after the Fox River that runs...
. The live performance included guest performances from Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. His debut album earned him five Grammys. He is perhaps best known for his Top Ten hit songs, "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind", and "Arthur's Theme ", the last of which he performed for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore...
, Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston
Bruce Johnston
Bruce Arthur Johnston is a member of The Beach Boys and a songwriter, remembered especially for composing "I Write the Songs". Johnston was not one of the original members of the band...
, and Eagles member Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...
. The concert, which was later incorporated with additional interviews from Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Sean Lennon
Sean Lennon
is an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist and actor. He is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. His godfather is Sir Elton John.-Early life and education:...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
, was released on VHS in 1998 and DVD in 1999 but is currently out-of-print. Your Imaginination and Lay Down Burden were aired as music videos on VH1, with the album audio played over the video, and clips of Brian walking through the woods "thinking" and "day dreaming" and images of him and his brothers on the screen.
- Best Buy offered a bonus disc with the purchase of the album, which featured Sean LennonSean Lennonis an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist and actor. He is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. His godfather is Sir Elton John.-Early life and education:...
conducting an interview with Wilson.
- Brian dedicated the album to Carl, who died of cancer the year before.
- Brian overcame his stage fright, and decided to tour after the album was released.
- Brian performed on the David Letterman show. On August, 14th, 1998, Brian performed, "Your Imagination".
Track listing
- "Your ImaginationYour Imagination"Your Imagination" is a song written by Brian Wilson, Joe Thomas and Steve Dahl for Brian Wilson's 1998 solo album Imagination.An alternate version of "Your Imagination" with slightly different lyrics and Steve Dahl singing lead was occasionally played in the late 1990s on Dahl's Chicago-based...
" (Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Joe ThomasJoe Thomas (producer/director)Joe Thomas is an American producer and director with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment field.-Career:With 25 years of experience in the entertainment field, Joe Thomas career spans the music and television industries from his beginnings serving as a writer, engineer and producer in...
, Steve DahlSteve DahlSteven Robert Dahl has been an American radio personality and humorist for more than thirty years. He is currently podcasting, and releases the podcasts for download daily from his own website as well as the iTunes store...
) – 3:38 - "She Says That She Needs Me" (Brian Wilson, Russ TitelmanRuss TitelmanRuss Titelman is an American record producer and songwriter. He has to date won three Grammy Awards. He earned his first producing the Steve Winwood song "Higher Love", and his second and third for Eric Clapton's Journeyman and Unplugged albums...
, Carole Bayer SagerCarole Bayer SagerCarole Bayer Sager is an American lyricist, songwriter, singer, and painter.-Introduction:Born in New York City, Sager graduated from New York University, where she majored in English, dramatic arts and speech...
) – 3:59- Originally composed by Wilson in 1965 as "Sandy", and rerecorded in 1976 as "Sherry She Needs Me", but never released by The Beach Boys
- "South American" (Brian Wilson, Joe ThomasJoe Thomas (producer/director)Joe Thomas is an American producer and director with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment field.-Career:With 25 years of experience in the entertainment field, Joe Thomas career spans the music and television industries from his beginnings serving as a writer, engineer and producer in...
, Jimmy BuffettJimmy BuffettJames William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
) – 3:44 - "Where Has Love Been?" (Brian Wilson, Andy PaleyAndy PaleyAndy Paley is a noted record producer and musician who has been active since the late 1960s. His work includes stints as a producer for such noted musicians as Madonna, the Ramones, Jonathan Richman, Debbie Harry, Brian Wilson and Jerry Lee Lewis....
, J.D. Souther) – 2:17 - "Keep an Eye on Summer" (Brian Wilson, Bob Norman) – 2:48
- Originally released on The Beach Boys' Shut Down Volume 2Shut Down Volume 2Shut Down Volume 2 is the fifth studio album by The Beach Boys, and the first of four they would release in 1964. The album's "Volume 2" refers to it being a follow-up to the 1963 hot rod compilation Shut Down, released by the band's label, Capitol Records, which included "409" and "Shut Down" but...
in 1964
- Originally released on The Beach Boys' Shut Down Volume 2
- "Dream Angel" (Brian Wilson, Joe ThomasJoe Thomas (producer/director)Joe Thomas is an American producer and director with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment field.-Career:With 25 years of experience in the entertainment field, Joe Thomas career spans the music and television industries from his beginnings serving as a writer, engineer and producer in...
, Jim Peterik) – 3:21 - "Cry" (Brian Wilson) – 4:56
- "Lay Down Burden" (Brian Wilson, Joe ThomasJoe Thomas (producer/director)Joe Thomas is an American producer and director with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment field.-Career:With 25 years of experience in the entertainment field, Joe Thomas career spans the music and television industries from his beginnings serving as a writer, engineer and producer in...
) – 3:44 - "Let Him Run Wild" (Brian Wilson, Mike LoveMike LoveMichael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
) – 2:29- Originally released on The Beach Boys' Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)- Singles :* "Help Me, Rhonda" b/w "Kiss Me Baby" , 5 April 1965 US #1; UK #27* "California Girls" b/w "Let Him Run Wild" , 12 July 1965 US #3; UK #26- References :...
in 1965
- Originally released on The Beach Boys' Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
- "Sunshine" (Brian Wilson, Joe ThomasJoe Thomas (producer/director)Joe Thomas is an American producer and director with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment field.-Career:With 25 years of experience in the entertainment field, Joe Thomas career spans the music and television industries from his beginnings serving as a writer, engineer and producer in...
) – 3:20 - "Happy Days" (Brian Wilson) – 4:44
- First section originally recorded by The Beach Boys as "My Solution" in 1970, but remained unreleased
Imagination (Giant 24703) hit #88 in the US during a chart stay of 2 weeks. It reached #30 in the UK.