MY DIANE ( BEACH BOYS BRIAN WILSON COVER ) 01.15.10

In some respects this may be one of the most awkward love songs in the annals of pop and rock music. Having said that, I truly believe it to be an overlooked masterpiece in the songwriting canon of Brian Wilson. It's purportedly written about his sister-in-law, Diane Rovell, sibling of Brian Wilson's ex-wife, Marilyn. Everything written about this song is hearsay, so I prefer to think of it as a love letter to a lost friend. Diane and Brian were apparently very tight, and when his marriage to Marilyn began to crumble, I would assume it inevitable that he would perhaps grow distant from to his soon-to-be ex-wife's sister.

To be honest, I'm not so interested in how the song came about. I prefer to focus on the craft of the song itself. There are amazing chord changes in this song, and it's an instance when Wilson wrote both the melody and lyric. His lyrics are direct and to the point. Someone is broken-hearted and weeping, and it comes through in the way the song is constructed. I've read that it is a difficult song for him to sing, especially now that he is remarried and happy.

There is a demo version floating around of Brian singing this song, and it's very good, but the more familiar version to Beach Boys fans is the version sung by Dennis Wilson. Dennis' voice was rough and sandpapery by this point, yet still emotive. He had the appropriate voice to deliver the poignant lyric.

The song appeared on the now-almost-forgotten 1978 Beach Boys album M.I.U., which was their final Warners album before they jumped over to CBS. It's not one of my favourite Beach Boys albums (it wasn't wholly-produced by Brian but by Al Jardine and Ron Altbach), but I have always loved My Diane and the sometimes-maligned Matchpoint Of Our Love (which uses tennis vernacular to describe a love affair! It's great.)

My Diane was written during a dark period in Brian Wilson's life, but from great emotional pain can great art occasionally be wrested from a creative soul. Wilson has since gone on to recover from this period, start a new family, and make a triumphant return to recording and touring. This song is a standard in my humble opinion, and more people need to know about it. I hope someday to hear him sing the song; that is, if his wife (who is one of the main reasons why his life has become so full and good again) doesn't mind. ;-)

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[Froth802]

Sorry if this is a repeat post .. I was trying to link my video to yours and I don't know if I did it right. But I was saying I like your performance and your taste in music. I added that I just did my first uploading, a cover of Matchpoint of Your Love. I don't know how to link but you can find it by typing Matchpoint edit 5 in the YouTube searchbox. Matchpoint follows My Diane on the MIU album. Thanx for sharing, I have some comments on your I Went To Sleep video too.

[michaelthorner]

@Froth802 Love your boppy version of Matchpoint Of Our Love. Thanks for your kind words. Both Matchpoint and My Diane are underrated Brian Wilson compositions.

[flowerdoodle]

Hey Mike, I like your taste in music--its so close to that of my own. My philosophy: Its about the SONG. Good songwriting, right? Nice playing and singing anddd I enjoyed your own tunes as well. Maybe we could collab? I write as well.

Sincerely,

Andrew

[michaelthorner]

@flowerdoodle Hey Andrew, thanks so much for your kind words. Yeah, I've always loved this song, since the first time I heard it in the late 1980s, when my friends and I went on a Beach Boys vinyl kick, just prior to the cd-re-releases. The demo version you commented on is sung by Dennis btw, although there is purportedly an earlier Brian demo floating around too. I think I heard it once long ago. Collab? Similar musical tastes? What do you play? Message me for details...

[haproductions]

awesome! playing the bassline on keys hahah, nice! you need to get a separate mic for vocals so the keyboard doesnt muddy up ur voice, which is excellent btw haha

[michaelthorner]

@haproductions Thanks man! And yeah, you're right. It's time to move up from basement lo-fi to ground floor sort-of-kind-of-still-lo-fi with a second mic, and maybe a computer to mix. Right now I'm just using my camera, so there's no separation of keyboard and vocal. Soon!

[ianmcgeachy]

Great capture of 'change in tonality' here squire...all thu' as the song progresses...one of the hallmarks of Brians (and infact Carls and Dennis' too I reckon) music. To do this without mixing but instead straight onto camera...an uncommon ability I would say.

[coolsweetgroovy]

Awkward want to hear awkard listen to Ain't nothing Like The Real thing done by Donny and Marie now that's awkard

[rodstarr2001]

Nice one :)