Chords
Brian Wilson

The song Brian Wilson was written by Steven Page and Ed Robertson, members of the Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies. The song references Brian Wilson, the primary songwriter for the Beach Boys, known for his musical genius and struggle with mental health issues. The lyrics explore the songwriters empathy toward Wilson, with a narrator who finds himself lying in bed in a depressive state, similar to Wilsons condition at points in his life. The s ... ong also alludes to the Beach Boys album Pet Sounds, considered one of Wilsons masterpieces. See more [+]

Key: G

Introduction:

difficulty
intermediate |||||
G        D                     Am7                             G  
Drove downtown in the rain, 9:30 on a Tuesday night
          D                                 Bm7      Am7  
Just to check out the late night record shop
G             D                          Am7  
Call it impulsive, call it compulsive, call it insane
G                     D                            Bm7    Am7  G  
But when I' m surrounded I just can' t stah-op
                      D                                        Am7                                    G  
It' s a matter of instinct, it' s a matter of conditioning, a matter of fact
            D                     Bm7    Am7    G  
You can call me Pavlov' s dog
          D                            Am7                                  G  
Ring a bell and I' ll salivate, well how' d you like that
        D                          Bm7                Am7  
Dr. Landy tell me you' re not just a pedagogue, ' cause right now I' m

G            D                  Am7  
Lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did
            G             D                          Em             Em/C      Em/C#      Em/C    G  
Well I' m, lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did

              D          Am7                                      G  
Well I' m lying here, just staring at the ceiling tiles
              D              Bm7                         Am7     G  
And I' m thinking about, whoa what to think about
        D                  Am7                          G  
Just listening and relistening to smiley smile
              D                        Bm7                  Am7  
And I' m wondering if this is some kind of creative drought, because I' m

G            D                  Am7  
Lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did
            G             D                          Em             Em/C  Em/C#  Em/C  
Well I' m, lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did
Em/C  Em/C#  Em/C  
Whoa

Am7                    D                    F                 Em  
And if you wanna find me I' ll be out in the sandbox
Am7                 D                              G            F         Am7  
Just wondering where the hell all the love has gah-ah-ahn
                  D                      F                    Em                  Am7  
Playing my guitar and building castles in the sun, whoa-whoa-oh-oh
     D                        G  
And singing fun, fun, fun

G            D                  Am7  
Lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did
            G             D                          Em             Em/C      Em/C#      Em/C  
Well I' m, lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did
Em/C  Em/C#  Em/C     Am  
Whoa

  Em7     Am                     Em7                Am  
I had a dream that I was three hundred pounds
     Em7                      Am         Em7                                      Am  
And though I was very heavy I floated ' til I couldn' t see the ground
  Em7                  Am                     Em7  
I floated ' til I couldn' t see the ground
Am                      Em7  
Somebody help me (I couldn' t see the ground)
Am                      Em7  
Somebody help me (I couldn' t see the ground)
Am                      E7  
Somebody help meeeeee, because I' m

G            D                  Am7  
Lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did
            G             D                          Em             Em/C      Em/C#      Em/C  
Well I' m, lying in bed just like Brian Wilson did

G        D                              Am7                            G  
Drove downtown in the ray-ee-ain, 9:30 on a Tuesday night
          D                                 Bm7      Am7                             G  
Just to check out the late night record shop (late night record shop)
             D                          Am7  
Call it impulsive, call it compulsive, or call it insane (whoa-oh)
G                         D                            Bm7            C7+  
' Cause when I' m surrounded I just can' t stah-ah-ah-p

Em    Em/C    Em/C#     Em/C  
Em