“Love and mercy that’s what you need tonight. Love and mercy to you and your friends tonight.”

Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun.

I wake up in the morning and I say ‘Ahh! Today’s the day for a song! I’m going to write a song today!’ And I do. I write a song.

You’re called a genius by people, and then your whole life you become the part.

I earned my famous name.

I was very, very financially secure my whole life. I have been very lucky to say that.

I like the piano – I’m always about 15 feet away from a piano.

I always do get a little bit paranoid when I get a lot of attention. But I get used to it.

I have auditory hallucinations, I hear voices saying derogatory things, like I’m terrible and I’m going to die, and they’re usually worse in the afternoon.

All of the artists did such a beautiful job I can’t thank them enough. I’m just honored that ‘God Only Knows’ was chosen. ‘God Only Knows’ is a very special song. An extremely spiritual song and one of the best I’ve ever written.

The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Phil Spector. Those were my idols.

I’m happy; I’m a happy person.

I can write songs, I’ve had songs in movies, but I can’t compose film scores, you know?

Surfing music is dead. It was just a summer craze for kids on the beach. I’m finished with it.

I’d earned over a million dollars by the time I was old enough to vote.

I meditate and I also think about meditation. Which is funny. I think about Maharishi, about just the idea of meditating. It gives me something.

I’m not a genius. I’m just a hard-working guy.

In all our contacts it is probably the sense of being really needed and wanted which gives us the greatest satisfaction and creates the most lasting bond.

A true partner or friend is one who encourages you to look deep inside yourself for the beauty and love you’ve been seeking.

A friend tells you what you want to hear; a best friend tells you the truth.

No one would choose a friendless existence on condition of having all the other things in the world.

A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.

My friends have made the story of my life.

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.