"What You Do to Me" Carl Wilson

Song#:  1450
Date:  05/14/1983
Debut:  89
Peak:  72
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  The early 80s were not a good period for The Beach Boys. There was a lot of inner turmoil that caused issues with tours and studio work. Carl Wilson was especially not happy that the band was slacking on recording new material, so he decided to step out on his own. His first solo effort was a 1981 self-titled album that barely made a blip on the album chart. It featured the single "Heaven" which was able to reach #20 at AC. A second effort titled "Youngblood" got issued two years later and this song became his first (and only) solo single to reach the Pop chart. It also hit #20 at AC. Unfortunately, the album still tanked and that ended Wilson's solo output. He would return to The Beach Boys, who would finally issue a new album in 1985. Wilson would succumb to lung cancer in 1998.

ReduxReview:  Carl sang lead on my all-time favorite Beach Boys song, "God Only Knows." He also handled vocals on their big classic "Good Vibrations." This song certainly rocks along and doesn't sound remotely Beach Boys-ish. It starts out pretty great and it grooves along nicely, but there is not a solid hook here to make it memorable. It's a good effort, but ends up falling short of being a real chart contender.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) With this song, Wilson became only the second Beach Boy to have a solo single reach the Pop chart. Brian Wilson was the first when he issued the song "Caroline, No" under his own name in 1966 prior to the release of their classic album "Pet Sounds." The single reached #32. Beach Boy Mike Love also hit the pop chart, but that was with another group. He formed a side project called Celebration and that band was chosen to perform songs for the soundtrack to the 1978 film "Almost Summer." The title-track song was issued as a single and it reached #28 on the Pop chart.  2)  During this time, in addition to his solo albums, Carl Wilson struck out on his own as a solo touring act - a first for a Beach Boy. He and his band played the major clubs and also supported The Doobie Brothers on their 1981 tour.

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