BRIAN WILSON AND THE JOY HE BROUGHT US

Rest in music, dear genius

Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer

Hannah Arendt once said, “If world events weren’t so awful, life would be a joy.” At this moment of awful world events, it seems right to acknowledge the passing of someone who brought such great joy.

Brian Wilson died today, a musical genius whose songs were so joyful they tempted you to underestimate how brilliant they were.

One of my favorites feels like his perfect good-bye song: “God Only Knows.” Millions of us grew up with the Beach Boys. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not you “liked” them. It was a matter of whether you were living and breathing. They were that much a part of the world we lived in.

He said, “I want to create music for people so they’ll know I’m a source of love.” He sure did.

Thank you, Brian Wilson. I can’t imagine an afterlife in which you’re not just bathed in bliss right now for a job on earth so exceedingly well done.