Listen, we love Brian Wilson and no doubt, the man is a genius. But let’s also face some hard facts: he’s not gonna deliver another Pet Sounds or even another Smile (and yes, that recently completed version is nice, but the original scope and vision is still somewhat lost to the sands of time). He was a pop songwriting whiz with an obsession for the craft that literally drove him mad. And while we applaud his ability to overcome various hardships to return, write and perform, this latest announcement doesn’t particularly excite us.
Call us curmudgeons, but Brian Wilson taking his talents to Disney tunes isn’t exactly our cup of tea. But indeed, the songsmith has gone through the Disney catalog and recorded his interpretations of songs from films as recent as “Toy Story 3” all the way back to “Dumbo” for the forthcoming disc In The Key Of Disney. Some of the tunes will get a thorough overhaul with Wilson revealing to USA Today that “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from “The Lion King” is a Bo Diddley-type rock number. But it should be noted, this isn’t some cash grab project, as Wilson reveals that “When You Wish Upon a Star” (covered here) inspired one of his biggest hits. “I heard it while I was driving my car, and I started humming a melody in my head,” Wilson says. “I went home and finished it, and it was called ‘Surfer Girl.’ ” And actually, hearing them side by side, the influence is very apparent (listen below).
This project should be “interesting” but we’d probably be far more curious if Van Dyke Parks were involved in some capacity. Anyway, the album will hit on October 25th, goofy CD cover and all. Check out the full tracklisting below. [via Pitchfork]
Brian Wilson “In The Key of Disney” Tracklisting
01 You’ve Got a Friend in Me (from Toy Story)
02 Bare Necessities (from The Jungle Book)
03 Baby Mine (from Dumbo)
04 Kiss the Girl (from The Little Mermaid)
05 Colors of the Wind (from Pocahontas)
06 Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (from The Lion King)
07 We Belong Together (from Toy Story 3)
08 I Just Can’t Wait to Be King (from The Lion King)
09 Stay Awake (from Mary Poppins)
10 Heigh-Ho/Whistle While You Work (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
11 When You Wish Upon a Star (from Pinocchio)