Someone Still Loves You Brian Wilson

I recently watched a documentary about the life of Brain Wilson, lead singer and song writer for The Beach Boys. The documentary details the band's rise to fame and the detrimental effects this had on Wilson's sanity. Although interesting, it was difficult for me to watch. I had no idea Wilson suffered from mental illness and was shocked to learn how the record company completely dismissed his problem and forced him to create music while trying to cope with depression and bipolar disorder. Sane or not, I love and will always love Brian Wilson. I can not tell you how many times I have listened to the album Pet Sounds or how important those songs and his lyrics are to me.

Be My Baby by The Ronettes was, according to the documentary, Wilson's all time favorite song and the inspiration for his own hit Don't Worry Baby. I found this connection to be especially interesting. I consider both of these songs personal favorites, but had never before consciously noticed a connection between the two. Now that I know one inspired the other, it is impossible to ignore the similarities. Wilson's use of The Ronettes song is an excellent example of how artists can take aspects from existing music without plagiarizing or infringing on copyright laws.