"Solar System" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1977 album '' The Beach Boys Love You''. It was written and sung by

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

. The lyrics discuss the

planetary system A planetary system is a set of gravitationally In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interacti ...

in a similar vein as the band's 1965 hit " California Girls". In "Solar System", the narrator asks, "What do the planets mean? / And have you ever seen / sunrise in the mornin'? / It shined when you were born".

Background

Wilson stated in a 1977 interview that he conceived some of the lyrics while driving to a parents' meeting at his daughters' school. He explained that he had looked up at the sky and started thinking about the solar system. "It's just something that came into my mind. Later on, I developed it into the song; I didn't come up with the title that night but I wrote the words in the car." In 1995, he gave a similar account and added that, when he got home, he finished the song on his piano, exclaiming, "This is a ''gr-eat'' song! These lyrics are great. This melody is great. (''whistles'') I've got a beauty here!" He then named it one of his favorites on ''The Beach Boys Love You'', adding, "When I'm 90, I'm gonna be as proud of that song as I am now." In 2007, Wilson offered a different recollection of the song's genesis, saying that the song was written in his head while he was attending a weekly astrology class at UCLA. Trish Campo, former chief administrator of

Brother Studios Brother Studios (later renamed Crimson Sound) was the name of a recording studio located at 1454 5th St, Santa Monica, California established by brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, co-founders of the Beach Boys. History Brother Studios ...

recalled Brian at the studio sitting at a Hammond B3 organ, absently gazing at the giant circular stained glass window over him depicting planets and stars. Later that afternoon, Campo heard "Solar System" coming out of the studio.

Reception

Music critic Robert Christgau praised "Solar System" as "impossible to shake", and characterized by a "silliness that registered as charming".

References

1977 singles The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Brian Wilson Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson 1977 songs Songs about outer space {{1970s-rock-song-stub