Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson and The Who’s Roger Daltrey have lent their voices to a new version of Wilson’s 1988 solo gem “Love and Mercy.” The song will support a charity called The Miraculous Love Kids. The non-profit organization seeks to aid girls and young women who want to learn to play guitar but aren’t able to because they live under the repressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Videos by American Songwriter
The new rendition of “Love and Mercy” features Wilson and Daltrey on lead vocals. Brian’s part was recorded in 2017, while Roger laid down his vocals in 2024. Several young females who are members of The Miraculous Love Kids contributed guitar and backing vocals to the track. Their parts were recorded in Islamabad, Pakistan. Also featured on the recording are Who touring bassist Jon Button, former Wilson band keyboardist Gary Griffin, and veteran session drummer Brian Macleod.
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A music video for the “Love and Mercy” cover has debuted on the YouTube channel of Larry Cordola, a guitarist who founded The Miraculous Love Kids.
The clip features studio footage of Daltrey and Wilson singing parts “Love and Mercy” separately. It also includes footage of some of the Miraculous Love Kids members playing the song in Islamabad.
About The Miraculous Love Kids and the New Initiative
The Miraculous Love Kids organization was founded in 2010 by Cordola. The charity initially served Afghanistan’s only music school for girls and young women in the war-torn and poverty-stricken country. The school closed in 2021 after the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan. Since then, the organization has helped some members of The Miraculous Love Kids and their families to relocate to the U.S. Cordola’s goal is now to help other members of the initiative and their families who currently are in Pakistan, but are in danger of being deported back to Afghanistan.
The new version of “Love and Mercy” is intended to raise funds to either keep the Miraculous Love Kids members and their families in Pakistan or help them move to safer, less-oppressive countries.
Donations to help the cause can be made at MiraculousLoveKids.org.
Comments from Cordola and Daltrey About the Song
Cordola and Daltrey have issued statements about the new version of “Love and Mercy,” and The Miraculous Love Kids’ members participation in the recording.
“This is quite a feat for girls from such harrowing beginnings—war, poverty, discrimination, and threat of childhood marriage,” Cordola noted. “‘Love and Mercy’ is one of Brian’s most poignant musical statements about the human condition. The melding of Brian, Roger, and the girls is a sound divine. An honor of the highest magnitude and a dream come true for the girls and I. These are world-class musicians with world-class souls.”
Added Daltrey, “You don’t have to thank me for doing this. I’m really passionate about how you are being treated. You are the future of your country. Please make it better. You really can. And music will play a big part in that…you’ll see.”
More About The Miraculous Love Kids
Four remaining Miraculous Love Kids members and their families were scheduled leave Pakistan for the U.S. in February 2025, but those plans were blocked when President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending a resettlement program.
If arrangements can’t be made for the girls and their families to resettle in the U.S. or another Western country, then the Pakistani government will deport them back to Afghanistan. There, females who take part in activities like making music are persecuted, imprisoned, or even can be put to death.
“We have faced many trials, tribulations and challenges before and somehow, someway we shall get through this,” Cordola said.
About the Song “Love and Mercy”
“Love and Mercy” was the lead track from Wilson’s self-titled 1988 debut solo album. The tune has become one of Brian’s signature solo songs. Wilson’s 2014 biopic, Love & Mercy, was named after the tune.
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