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There is no denying that many of Brian's songs have a very spiritual and even religious component to them.  I think I remember him saying in an interview that much of his early work was defined by writing songs as hymns to God.

I was wondering what songs you think especially fit this bill.  If you were to write a modern book of hymns, which essential songs would you include?

Also, what do you think the role of religion really played in Brian's life?  Does anyone know if he is a strict Catholic or other Christian denomination, or if he is just very spiritual?


Anyway, for the prayer book I would include:

Our Prayer   :-D
God Only Knows
Wouldn't it Be Nice
Help Me Rhonda
You Still Believe in Me
California Girls
In My Room


I feel these songs musically (not necessarily lyrically) have an ethereal beauty to them that makes them very spiritual.  What am I missing?



PS Sorry for all the new threads but I'm a huge BW fan and just discovered this forum recently and I have so many questions I want to get off my chest!

Interesting topic. I'm a Christian minister and I have always felt a spiritual connection with a lot of this music.  As far as Brian's spirituality goes, I've never really heard much about him being involved with particular denomination or group...I think he is just a spiritual person.

Beach Boys/Brian songs that to me have a spiritual connection/feeling to me:
Surfer Girl
God Only Knows
Our Prayer
Love and Mercy
'Til I Die
Surf's Up
Wonderful

And I agree with you, it's about the sound/music/overall feel of these moreso than it is about the words/lyrics.

As far as Brian belief's, I think I'd say he believes in Jesus Christ, as evidenced by this quote: "We all believe in Jesus and we believe in God, and we believe that we were his messengers, so we followed through with our career as his messengers to the world".

when did he say that?

Some article. It's online somewhere. If you can't find it, I'll try to remember to find the link and post it later.

I'm a minister, too, and have twice presented a four-week series called The Gospel According to the Beach Boys, most recently last summer. I could not have dreamed that this year would provide so much material I could have used; the reunion tour and album are beautiful examples of redemption, forgiveness, perseverance. I'm gonna have to add a fifth session next time!
As for songs, I find 'Til I Die very spiritual (and have already specified I want it played at my funeral), and in recent years, Brian has surprised me with things like Happy Days Are Here Again (with its quote from O Happy Day: "...when He washed...") and Walking Down the Path of Life.
He famously said at the RnR Hall of Fame ceremony that music is God's voice. His lifelong commitment to producing beautiful music, even when his life was in torment, is very inspirational. Add Some Music is also a good spiritual song...not to mention the early recording (on the flip of a hit single!) of The Lord's Prayer.
I can't check it at the moment, but isn't there something in the liner notes of Love You about the album being in recognition to the presence of Jesus in the world? Or something like that?
I think the BBs are perhaps the most spiritual band to achieve massive popularity.

was it recent that he said it or was it 40 years ago? Just curious.

Oh no. It was more recently. At least since like '02 I think.

I recall Brian saying how he knew a "higher force" was with him as he wrote songs.  I have no doubt that Brian believes there is a God.  As far as practicing any particular religion--I don't believe he actively does.   The way he writes about God...even just by name (God Only Knows, That's Why God Made The Radio etc) we see that Brian acknowledges that there is a God (to him). 

The inner sleeve of LA Light Album reads, "The word 'LIGHT' refers to the awareness of and the presence of God here in this world as an ongoing, loving reality".

he said on the blueboard way back when (2000 maybe 2001) that he considers himself a christian..

"the lords prayer"

This is what I figure.

He believes in Christ, and feels love and spirituality from music mostly. But I don't think he's like an evangelical, or anything like that.

The Wilsons have been described as being of combined British, German & Swedish descent. Their childhood exposure to religion was at Lutheran churches.

This has been discussed previously.... At length

In an interview last year with George Stroumboulopoulos I think he compared his idea of the afterlife to dreaming.  Not sure what to make of it, but I think it's safe to say he has ideas and is not very militant about them.

Personally I've always found the music to be more emotionally resonant than spiritual.

Thanks for that.  It's also really cool that you left out any links to these lengthy discussions.

It's not up to us to do your research for you.

I'd say ethically and culturally he can be deemed as a Christian no doubt. I'd also add that he trusts there is a God, as he's said so n interviews.

 However, I'm not sure he believes Christ is God; and I'm not sure he believes in Eternal Life and Resurrection of the dead. That is, I've never heard him speak about these issues; while I vaguely recall an interview (from around the time of Car's death, maybe?) where he said that once you die that's pretty much it, you don't exist anymore. Perhaps that was his belief in That particular time, since most of the times he speaks about God, pretty much the opposite could be inferred.

Well that is where I differ from yourself. I have been around this board since late 2009, but I have had little need to post when I have question as I either
a) Used the search function
b) Used Google
c) Asked a question politely via PM

It's alright, you guys. Let us not be rigorists. It's ok to bring up an already-discussed issue when the passage of time may lead to a different perspective on it. Or when new people can enter the discussion. The thread title describes accurately the topic, the first post is thoughtful, interesting answers have been provided. There's no need to bring up old threads every time (in fact, it can be more awkward than creating a new thread some time), as this new thread proves.

In the end, if the board etiquette is followed, then it comes down to personal taste and common sense. Let us not be harsh this time.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10234.0.html

Here is the quote in two different articles.

From the book "Song" (http://books.google.com/books?id=iPpyLKa2kVsC&pg=PA380&lpg=PA380&dq=%22We+all+believe+in+Jesus+and+we+believe+in+God,+and+we+believe+that+we+were+his+messengers,+so+we+followed+through+with+our+career+as+his+messengers+to+the+world%22&source=bl&ots=YvcDJjEGDD&sig=LT-dyGswcUacfkJeLxgmJSXOCxI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6a4tUL2pCZCc8QT0s4BA&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false)

Article on Brian (http://www.breakpoint.org/features-columns/articles/entry/12/9440)

Nor have I asked for it, as I didn't create the thread.  I just think it's bad form to make a comment like that and not bother to actually reference the prior discussion(s).  If one doesn't like that the topic is being restarted, how about not reading the thread?

I definately prefer the spiritual feeling of Beach Boy over the spiritual darkness of heavy metal, hip hop and punk. Not saying its all bad, but the cultures tend to focus on darkness, violence and rebelion.

Yep, rock and roll should have nothing to do with rebellion. What were those crazy nuts in the 1950's thinking?

Brian has said that he never really took credit for what he did 'cause he always felt a higher power was pushing him to create beautiful art. As an atheist, I obviously disagree with that. I say it's all Brian Wilson that made powerful, ingenious music; all from his head, hand and heart. Brian is "God" over his creations, not anybody or anything else, which is part of what makes him so extraordinary.

That said, I do respect that he has his beliefs and am loathed to trample on them.

Well, there are different levels of rebellion I suppose.

Brian once said that one day people would pray to his music...or something like that, didn't he?  He definitely has had a spiritual quality to his music...if not in a defined form...but I've always got the feeling that he believes in a higher power.

I've always thought Brian was a fatalist and an idealist.
That he believes existence and physical reality are only illusions or appearances of the mind, and that there's some higher, supersensual realm beyond regular existence. He believes in astrology and mysticism, a necessary, supernaturally determined order to things.