Caroline, No
Producer
Caroline, No Lyrics
Where did your long hair go?
Where is the girl I used to know?
How could you lose that happy glow?
Oh, Caroline, no
[Verse 2: Brian Wilson]
Who took that look away?
I remember how you used to say
You'd never change, but that's not true
[Bridge: Brian Wilson]
Oh, Caroline, you
Break my heart
I want to go and cry
It's so sad to watch a sweet thing die
Oh, Caroline, why?
[Verse 3: Brian Wilson]
Could I ever find in you again
The things that made me love you so much then?
Could we ever bring 'em back once they have gone?
Oh, Caroline, no
About
The ultimate song on Pet Sounds, “Caroline, No” was also Brian Wilson’s first (and only) single to be released under his own name on the Capitol label.
The moody ballad epitomizes the spirit of Pet Sounds: an unwillingly world-wise lover bemoans the changes undergone in his love affair. The song evokes this mood with the simple image of a girl cutting her hair.
The name of the song is based on misheard words:
Per the Rolling Stone:
Wilson told Asher about a girl he’d liked in high school named Carol, and Asher responded with “Oh, Carol, I know.” But Wilson heard it as “Caroline, no” and dashed off the rest of the song while stoned.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Former high school friend of Brian Wilson called Carol Mountain. Song was originally conceived as Carol I Know, but due to Brian’s partial deafness misheard it as Caroline No.
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