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Song Premiere: Brian Wilson Remakes 'Bare Necessities' From 'The Jungle Book'

Track is from forthcoming covers album 'In the Key of Disney'

October 13, 2011 10:50 AM ET
Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Courtesy Disney

Click to listen to Brian Wilson's 'Bare Necessities'

When Disney approached Brian Wilson about doing an album of songs from classic Disney movies, he jumped right in. "I said I’d love to do it," he tells Rolling Stone. "I flipped."

The result is In the Key of Disney (out October 25th), a collection of songs from The Lion King, Toy Story, Little Mermaid and Wilson's personal favorite, Pinocchio. As fans can hear for themselves on this version of The Jungle Book's "Bare Necessities," which Wilson reinterprets as a Tin Pan Alley track, he brought his own style to the familiar tunes.

"I tried to put the Beach Boys style to it – a combination of Beach Boys and Disney," Wilson says. The teaming of two landmarks of American pop culture comes together beautifully on songs like Dumbo's "Baby Mine," a doo-wop song that harkens backs to the Beach Boys' "In My Room."

That said, remaking songs recognizable to generations (that originally accompanied cartoons) was a challenge even for a certified pop genius. "When I listen to it I think to myself, 'How in the heck did we pull that off?'" he says.

Related
Brian Wilson Movie in the Works
The Healing of Brother Brian: Rolling Stone's 1976 Interview 

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