80 REASONS WE LOVE DENNIS WILSON

By Howie Edelson

Dennis Wilson was born on December 4^th, 1944 and was a brilliant singer/songwriter, an unforgettable entertainer, and a loving father. Unbelievably, he’s now gone longer than he was here. It seems more strange than sad, or tragic, mainly because for those who love him, Dennis is still very much a part of our lives. His humor, his kindness, his AURA -- it’s STILL here. He held that kind of spirit.

For most of his life, Dennis was overshadowed by his older brother Brian, who wrote most of The Beach Boys’ music, and by his younger brother Carl, who had the pipes of an angel, singing lead on Brian’s songs such as “God Only Knows” and “Good Vibrations.” Dennis was always -- literally -- in the middle. He was forever a boy, moving at times through this mortal coil like a bull in a china shop, flashing a grin that granted him instant forgiveness, while possessing a savant-like ability to conjure up the most gorgeous and profound music at a moment’s notice.

 He was equal parts not of this world and woefully tied to it. 

One thing is for certain, he remains adored, and missed, and continues to be discovered and moved by someone new each and every day.

Happy 80^th Birthday, Dennis Wilson.

Wishing you were here.

1. It was his idea for The Beach Boys to write and sing about surfing.
2. He completely scaled back his drumming to help reinvent the band’s songs into “low-fi” Smiley Smile-esque arrangements for 1967’s “Lei’d In Hawaii” concerts.
3. Dennis was behind the kit for such iconic and massive Beach Boys Top 10 hits as “Surfer Girl,” “Be True To Your School,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “I Get Around,” “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)," “Dance, Dance, Dance,” and “Rock And Roll Music.”
4. He played the celestial hymn-like organ part in “Good Vibrations.”
5. Kick-started the 1960’s with the snare hit that launched “Surfin’ Safari.”
6. That’s Dennis’ 1963 Corvette Stingray the band is posing with on the cover of 1964’s Shut Down Volume 2.
7. At early concerts, Dennis fronted the band on Dion’s “The Wanderer” while brother Brian took his place behind the drums.
8. The sultry way he sings the lines “The sun in HER hair/The warmth of THE . .” during the bridge of 1964’s “Girls On The Beach” that makes a perfect tune THAT much cooler.
9. Dennis Wilson was the only Beach Boy to actually live on the water. When not in the studio, Dennis was more often than not on his 50-foot, twin-mast ketch named “The Harmony,” which was docked in Marina Del Ray when not out at sea.
10. He effortlessly traded leaded vocals with brother Brian and Carl on the 1977 The Beach Boys Love You favorite, “I’ll Bet He’s Nice.”
11. Contributed the only drum solo to The Beach Boys’ catalogue, proudly displaying his chops on “Denny’s Drums,” which closed out 1964’s Shut Down Volume 2.
12. Sang lead on the band’s 1964 Top 15 cover of Bobby Freeman’s “Do You Wanna Dance” and even opened some of the band’s 1965 concerts with the number.
13. Perfectly embodied the proud drag racer while singing 1964’s “This Car Of Mine.”
14. Delivered the classic line “I know you’re gonna love Phil Spector” from “Mona” during his solo turn on 1977’s The Beach Boys Love You.
15. Dennis offering his heartfelt season’s greetings on "Auld Lang Syne" from 1964’s The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album.
16. Kicked off the decade by not only opening The Beach Boys’ 1970 Sunflower album with his original, “Slip On Through,” but also contributed “Got To Know The Woman,” the hard-hitting “It’s About Time,” and his signature evergreen, co-written with Gregg Jakobson -- “Forever.”
17. Dennis Wilson was said to be in the running to star in Alan Parker’s 1978 drama, Midnight Express.
18. Played “open-handed” drums – utilizing his left hand for the high-hat and ride cymbal and his right for the snare.
19. Dennis, Brian, and Carl Wilson are the only Beach Boys instrumentally involved in the sessions for the group’s 1966 watershed release, Pet Sounds.
20. Throughout his years as a songwriter he introduced different musical movements within the same song; changing time signatures and feels in such major works as “Never Learn Not To Love,” “Make It Good,” “(Wouldn’t It Be Nice) To Live Again,” “Time,” “Baby Blue,” and others.
21. Following Sam Cooke's death, Dennis purchased the late-singer's 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso.
22. Dennis generously had his bandmates sing his own compositions with Mike Love tackling “All I Want To Do,” Blondie Chaplin singing most of “Carry Me Home,” and brother Carl tackling “San Miguel,” “4^th Of July,” “It’s About Time,” “Steamboat,” and duetting with him on “Baby Blue.”
23. Dennis’s hysterical scene in The Beach Boys’ 1976 NBC TV special while judging a Southern California beauty contest.
24. Offered up the gut-wrenching vocal for brother Brian’s 1978 I.U. tearjerker, “My Diane.”
25. Dennis was the first member of The Beach Boys to discover Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and turned cousin Mike Love onto the guru’s Transcendental Meditation practice.
26. He actually kept – and frequently used – an electric piano on The Harmony.
27. He was in a long-term relationship with Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie during the late-1970’s and early-1980’s. He inspired such Mac favorites as “Hold Me,” “Only Over You,” “Brown Eyes,” and “Think About Me,” among others.
28. The year after Dennis Wilson’s 1983 death, Lindsey Buckingham paid tribute to the legendary drummer with the “D.W. Suite” from his Go Insane
29. Dennis nearly became the first Beach Boys to embark on a solo tour, planning a 10-date road trek before abandoning what was to be a symphonic jaunt in support of Pacific Ocean Blue. In late-November, Dennis and members of The Beach Boys' backing band were to perform shows at The Paramount in Asbury Park N.J.; Hofstra University in Hempstead N.Y.; Avery Fisher Hall in New York City; and the Academy Of Music in Philadelphia P.A. A hometown show was also mentioned, but never booked, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles.
30. The songs taped during the rehearsals for Dennis’ solo tour were “What’s Wrong,” “Pacific Ocean Blues,” “You & I,” “Friday Night,” “The End Of The Show,” and “Moonshine” – all from the Pacific Ocean Blue “Baby Blue” was the only yet-to-be released song committed to tape.
31. Dennis wrote and recorded quite possibly the saddest Christmas song with 1977’s “Morning Christmas.”
32. Loved the music of his close friend and Beach Boys touring keyboardist Carli Munoz so much he recorded no less than four songs for the since-released, long-unfinished solo set, Bambu -- “Under The Moonlight,” “It’s Not Too Late,” “Constant Companion,” and “All Alone.”
33. Introduced the world to the poetry of Stevie Kalinich by collaborating with him on three timeless 1968 songs – “Be Still,” “Little Bird,” and “A Time To Live In Dreams” – with the latter languishing in the vaults until the 2001 compilation Hawthorne, CA.
34. Dennis played ALL the keyboards on his 1977 solo debut album, Pacific Ocean Blue.
35. Taped his first original composition, titled, “I Don’t Know” in the middle of The Beach Boys’ historic SMiLE
36. During the band’s 1968 spring shows, Dennis came up front to sing on “Friends,” which he co-wrote, along with his first released original song for The Beach Boys – “Little Bird.”
37. Dennis’s 3^rd (and 4^th) wife, model and actress Karen Lamm appears on the cover of singer/songwriter David Blue’s 1975 LP, Com'n Back For More.
38. It was Dennis’ oldest child, son Scott Wilson, who built The Beach Boys Historic Landmark, which sits at the site of the Wilson family's now demolished home at 3701 W. 119th Street in Hawthorne, California.
39. The Brian Wilson/Mike Love classic “Wendy” was inspired by a girlfriend of Dennis’, who allegedly lost interest in him after he won her father over by becoming his fishing buddy.
40. Dennis was late to the band’s July 1971 Central Park gig because he was busy scaling the yet-to-be-completed World Trade Center. It was at that show where he delivered the band’s iconic performance of his ultimate ballad, “Forever.”
41. Towards the end of his life, Dennis kept returning to his Hawthorne neighborhood to hang out with old neighbor Louie Marotta in his driveway and help work on Louie’s car.
42. In 1972, Dennis helped reinvent “Help Me, Rhonda” into a soulful rocker when he began leading the band at the piano and offering up his unique take on the ‘60s classic.
43. Enlisted cousin Mike Love to write the lyrics for a trio of ‘70s classics -- “Sound Of Free,” “Only With You,” and “Pacific Ocean Blues.”
44. “Sea Cruise” and “In The Still Of The Night” – his two-cover versions of tunes recorded for 1976’s 15 Big Ones – bring both a sensuality and sense of fun the originals could only wish to contain.
45. Co-wrote “River Song” and “Rainbows” with brother Carl Wilson for his groundbreaking 1977 Pacific Ocean Blue solo album.
46. Beach Boys photographer and Dennis’ close friend Ed Roach maintains Dennis could grow a full beard in less than a week.
47. Owned (with brother Carl) The Beach Boys’ Santa Monica home base, Brother Studios, where Dennis worked nearly non-stop when not on the tour. Among the notables that recorded there were Elton John, Helen Reddy, The Runaways, Eric Carmen, King Harvest, Frank Zappa, America, and many others.
48. During separate 1969 appearances, with brother Carl handling the drums, Dennis fronted The Beach Boys on The Mike Douglas Show to sing “Never Learn Not To Love” and “Celebrate The News.”
49. At the height of “Beatlemania,” Dennis Wilson as able to take John Lennon’s “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” and completely make it his own on 1965’s Beach Boys’ Party.
50. Dennis wrote and sang the haunting vocal chant in “Be Here In The Morning” just before the final verse (Carl sings it in the intro.)
51. He nailed the intricate drum part to “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man),” proving that he was far more of a percussionist than just a simple “clubber.”
52. Dennis’ son, Michael Wilson, was the chef and owner of at L.A.’s esteemed Culver City restaurant, fittingly named, “Wilson.”
    
53. Dennis’s son, drummer Carl B. Wilson along with his nephew, guitarist Justin Wilson (son of Carl) joined forces to form the ska-rock band In Bloom and performed at Woodstock ’99.
54. The way Dennis swung and shook his hair with compete abandon during The Beach Boys’ 1964 performance of “Surfin’ U.S.A.” during The T.A.M.I. Show.
55. Released the first solo single by an original Beach Boy – “Sound Of Free” b/w “Lady” credited to Dennis Wilson & Rumbo (actually Daryl Dragon), which was released on EMI’s Stateside Label in the UK.
56. Recorded a full solo album in 1971 and 1972 tentatively titled “Poops” or “Hubba-Hubba.” The project was shelved just short of completion, but two songs -- “Cuddle Up” and “Make It Good” – found a home on The Beach Boys ’72 collection, “Carl And The Passions” – So Tough.
57. Dennis was always one to come to the aid of the underdog. Beach Boys co-founder David Marks remembers Dennis serving as both his and brother Carl’s best defense against the neighborhood Hawthorne bullies.
58. When pressed for top notch material to round out The Beach Boys’ 1979 CBS Records debut A. (Light Album), Dennis offered up “Love Surrounds Me” and “Baby Blue” from his then-current crop of solo sessions.
59. Thanks to its exposure on the ABC sitcom Full House, a decade after it was released, a whole new generation of fans fell in love with Dennis’ timeless ballad “Forever.” It remains the only Dennis Wilson song The Beach Boys have re-recorded since his 1983 death. An updated version of the tune with actor John Stamos taking the lead was included on the band’s 1992’s Summer In Paradise
60. Dennis was the ultimate rock star personified during the band’s late-’70s tours playing his clear Zikos drum set.
61. He contributed backing vocals with brother Carl Wilson and Al Jardine on Chicago’s hit ballad, “Wishing You Were Here.”
62. Dennis played piano in 1972 during the band’s Carnegie Hall appearances, accompanying brother Carl who sang his and Mike’s “Only With You” – which features a special end coda spotlighting some incredible vocal vamping from Dennis.
63. In 2016, “You And I” from Pacific Ocean Blue was featured in an episode of Sarah Jessica Parker's HBO drama Divorce.
64. On Jeff Beck’s final album, 2022’s 18, a joint effort with Johnny Depp, the pair covered the Pacific Ocean Blue classic “Time.”
65. In the early-‘70s, Dennis and collaborator Stan Shapiro began writing prospective jingles for commercial use. Their long-unreleased “It’s A New Day,” featuring a young Blondie Chaplin on lead vocals, marks the only example of the brief commercial sideline songwriting gig for Dennis.
66. Although uncredited, according to statements he made and witnesses who were in the room at the time, Dennis Wilson co-wrote the Joe Cocker classic, “You Are So Beautiful,” which became Dennis’ signature solo spot during The Beach Boys’ concerts from 1975 on.
67. Dennis’ grandson, namesake, and musical prodigy in his own right – Dennis Wilson -- Michael & Samantha’s Wilson’s son -- was born on December 28th, 2013 -- exactly 30 years after his beloved grandfather’s passing, turning a dark day in the family’s history into one of its most brightest.
    
68. Beach Boy Al Jardine told us he's still amazed at the depth and beauty of Dennis' songwriting, saying, “Oh, he was the most underrated member of the band in those terms.”
69. Co-starred alongside James Taylor and Warren Oates in director Monte Hellman’s 1971 underground classic Two Lane Blacktop.
70. Dennis Wilson was endorsed in the 1960’s by Camco drums, which today is known as DW Drums, sponsor of such heavyweights as Dave Grohl, Jason Bonham, Carl Palmer, Chad Smith, Max Weinberg, Roger Taylor, Steve Smith, Russ Kunkel, Carmine Appice, Jim Kellner, Chester Thompson, Steve Ferrone, Abe Laboriel, Jr, Tommy Lee, Clem Burke, and Zak Starkey, along with so many others.
71. While recording the bass harmonica during the Pacific Ocean Blue sessions he would lay down on his back.
72. By the early-‘70s, he had reestablished a relationship with his ailing father, Murry Wilson. The two would either watch boxing matches at the elder Wilson’s Whittier house or talk on the phone throughout the entire fight. It was during these years that Dennis began playing father his musical works in progress over the phone.
73. At the 1980 Knebworth concert, Dennis is seen joking with cousin Mike Love and being almost driven to tears as he introduces brother Brian Wilson during “Surfer Girl.”
74. How in the early days of the band he only used one cymbal – a ride – and never bothered to add a crash until later.
75. In the 1960’s, Dennis drag raced competitively under an assumed name due to life insurance policies issued for his work in the music industry.
76. In the early-‘70s Dennis Wilson drove himself from gig-to-gig. To this day, many friends and fans remember loading into his Dodge Travco and tearing down the highway to a selection of his hand-picked 8-tracks – especially The Band’s second self-titled album, which featured Dennis’ personal favorite, “Rag Mama Rag.”
77. Back in June 2008 the deluxe reissue of Pacific Ocean Blue and its unreleased 1978 follow-up, Bambu — which was issued to unanimous critical acclaim — earned the nod for “Best Reissue” from Rolling Stone, Mojo, and Uncut
78. One of the highlights on the set is “Holy Man” which was featured twice: once in Wilson's original 1975 instrumental version, and again with newly-written lyrics by Wilson's main collaborator, Gregg Jakobson. Jakobson enlisted the help of close family friend and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins to sing the new words to Wilson's melody.
79. A third version of “Holy Man” featuring additional instrumentation from Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, was later released.
80. Dennis Wilson speared his own fish.

Listen to some of my favorite moments from Dennis' career: