Clarion Call Tribute to Brian Wilson: Reacting to two songs about his "Surfer Girl." (1962 & 2008)

We lost one of the all-time greats of Rock music yesterday with the death of Brian WIlson at age 82. Brian was the architect of "America's Band" The Beach Boys.

Starting with hit surfing songs in 1962, the group dominated the record charts and radio airplay through the 1960s to become the best-selling American artists of the decade. They also kept a running rivalry with the Beatles for the title of Best Band in the World!

This reaction profiles two songs thatBrian wrote about his "Surfer Girl." The original hit in 1962 that he wrote about his then girlfriend, and his emotional remembrance of her 46 years later on his 2008 "That Lucky Old Sun" album, "Forever, she'll be my Surfer Girl."

In between those times, Brian suffered severe emotional illness that sidelined him for many years. Remarkably he finally came out of it and produced some of the best music of his life later in life.

Here are links to the original songs used in this video:

Surfer Girl:
https://youtu.be/lHNcMs8W660?si=LQM8hg6Ea6PufNoT

Forever, she'll be my Surfer Girl: https://youtu.be/vzblKrqoDcwsi=WzA3Vwfv0EpJhk-c

I have also written a Substack Tribute to Brian here:

https://corrin.substack.com/p/a-giant-of-music-has-fallen