This Whole World
| "This Whole World" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| A-side | "Slip On Through" |
"This Whole World" is a song written by Brian Wilson for American rock band the Beach Boys, and was released on their 1970 album Sunflower. The song features Carl Wilson on lead vocals and is credited as a Beach Boys production. Earlier in the year, it had been included on the Warner Brothers promotional sampler album The Big Ball, and as a single, fronted with "Slip On Through", but did not make the US or UK pop charts.
Brian Wilson has said of the track: "A very special vocal by Carl, and the lyrics are very spiritual. The melody and chord pattern rambles but it comes back to where it started."[1] On the lyrics, he says: "It’s about love in general. ... That song came from deep down in me, from the feeling I had that the whole world should be about love. When I wrote that song I wanted to capture that idea.'"[2] AllMusic wrote: "Brian reestablished his reputation as one of the most brilliant melody writers and arrangers. With a buoyant melody and an effervescent, classy vocal arrangement, Brian wipes away three years of artistic cobwebs."[3]
Recording
The track was recorded in one session on November 13, 1969 at Brian Wilson's home studio.[4] According to Brian: "I produced that record. I taught Carl the lead and the other guys the background vocal, especially the meditation part at the end: 'Om dot dit it.'"[2]
Personnel
 |
- The Beach Boys
- Al Jardine – harmony and backing vocals
- Bruce Johnston – harmony and backing vocals; celeste
- Mike Love – harmony and backing vocals
- Brian Wilson – harmony and backing vocals; acoustic upright piano
- Carl Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals
- Session musicians and production staff
- David Cohen – electric guitar
- Jerry Cole – electric guitar
- John Conrad – electric guitar
- Stephen Desper – sound engineer, mixing
- Dennis Dragon – drums
- Gene Estes – chimes, bells
- Ray Pohlman – bass guitar
Covers
- A version of this song which incorporated "Star Light, Star Bright" in the bridge was produced by Wilson for the pop duo American Spring in 1971
- Brian Wilson re-recorded the song for his 1995 soundtrack album I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
- Dolour covered this on 2002's Brian tribute compilation, Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson
References
- ^ Wilson, Brian (2002). Classics Selected by Brian Wilson (CD Liner). The Beach Boys. Capitol Records.
- ^ a b Wilson, Brian; Greenman, Ben (2016). I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-82307-7.
- ^ Greenwalk, Matthew. "This Whole World". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
- ^ Doe, Andrew Grayham. "1969". Bellagio 10452. Endless Summer Quarterly.
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