Schizophrenia or Generalization? I Know There's an Answer.

I Know There’s an Answer was recorded at Western Recorders on February 9, 1966. The song was originally called Hang On To Your Ego, which eventually became the name of another song in the Pet Sounds album featured in the bonus tracks. The original title Hang On To Your Ego and it’s lyrics caused unease amongst the Beach Boys because after Brian had consumed LSD, he was worried with the notion of preserving the ego versus transcending the ego.

In I Know There’s an Answer Brian speaks about desiring to know the philosophical answers to life: Why are we here? Why do some people believe they have the answers of how to live their life? In reality, no one has the answer as to how to live our life. We are all endeavoring new tactics and new ideas to discover the meaning of life, so there is an answer to life and how and why we are living it, but the only way we can discover it is individually, not by following others.  

On the other hand, many know that Brian Wilson had schizophrenia, so listeners may also view the song from a different facet. When analyzing the song, the lyrics tend to match the typical symptoms of schizophrenia, “They come on like they’re peaceful, but inside they’re so uptight.” Schizophrenics tend to be some of the gentlest, nicest people society will ever meet on the outside, but deep inside they are torn apart and detached from the world. They are oblivious as to how to react to sundry emotions and thus are numb to any sort of feeling.

Another example of the songs amalgamation to schizophrenia is the lyrics “they trip through their day.” When reading the word trip the first word that comes to mind for me is the utilization of drugs. Schizophrenics need to take pills in order to control their schizophrenia. Brian Wilson started taking LSD right before he wrote Pet Sounds, so this trip could be referred to the effect of the drugs he was taking due to his schizophrenia. Schizophrenics are known for staying up late at night and at times days. This is caused because their minds get cluttered with thoughts and paranoia, so can’t fall asleep, “and waste all their thoughts at night.” “I know there’s an answer, I know now but I have to find it by myself” – the most imperative line within I Know There’s an Answer implies again that he has to find meaning to life by himself.