Elton John - God Only Knows - Beach Boys Cover

[05oscarz]

little bastard can sing.

[jcat3022]

Elton wishes he could make an album as important and good as Pet Shop Sounds.

[Turpezor]

@jcat3022 .... it's just PET SOUNDS, there's no shop in there!

[ItsDjBoss]

@Turpezor, @jcat3022 is thinking too much about the Pet Shop Boys

[Turpezor]

@ItsDjBoss true

[wrw6600]

very, very nice!

[goodmusic39]

This is the best version better than original!!! ELTON!!!

[nholt]

This is horrible.

[gailmckennag]

now i know what brian wilson meant..my cryptic clue.lol.

[ridingroy]

Elton who has written a few knows a briliant song !

[theinck]

Gad only knows.

[DaveMcG]

Wierd seeing Elton John standing up while he's singing... He's usually sat at a pianay!

[pacrimco]

EJ's cover is just great. He's unconscious in his ability to wring the most out of anything he decides to sing.

[ELC3b]

That was an excellent show -- recorded in April 2000, broadcast on TNT on July 4, 2000. So good that I had to make a CD of the audio track, and have played it many, many times. Do you happen to have the video of Paul Simon's "Surfer Girl" from the same show? Exquisite!

[Rudy61287]

Elton I cannot believe your voice, I have told you myself that your music and the poetry in your songs distracted me from your vocals . . .and this one was INDIGO. What a song though, everyone sat up and took notice of this song when it first came out . . . just astonishing and I have never heard it sung better . . . you are incredible Elton. No wonder you are so loved for so long. No one deserves more joy than you because you have given it to all of us so freely. I adore you!

[gahloot]

@Rudy61287 I only wish he had his voice of 25 years ago when he sang this!

[Rudy61287]

@gahloot Are you crazy? His voice is every bit as big and strong here as it ever was! In 1986, following vocal surgery, his voice did change, but not for the better or worse - his lower register became deeper and more rich, while his higher register (think the high, high voice on "Bennie and the Jets") diminished.

This is either 2001 or 2002, by the way.

Merry Christmas!

[gahloot]

@Rudy61287 He has no falsetto,which went bye bye after the surgery!Think Benny and the Jets!sorry Seems to be the hardest word,Island girl,Don't go breaking my heart!The last decent album he had was the Road to Eldorado!

[killerqueen501]

Where did this guy come from, he has a great voice? Can anyone tell me if this guy has an album I can buy to hear more?

[quedasobravo]

@killerqueen501 Loool - you have a weird sense of humor. Either that or... no, that's too depressing. Let's just stick with "you have a weird sense of humor"...

[MaximisedInsight]

@killerqueen501 :) Nice one!

[mvoyne]

makes Carl look like an effing genius

Elton Elton Elton

you're out of your league

[PR46797]

Way to go, Elton.

[DannyLovesOregon]

Hallejuah, this makes me a Born-Again Believer

[bobleonard1]

@DannyLovesOregon God only knows why they took this song off the beginning of the last seasons of "Big Love'. Musical onimatopaeia for the show. When I get to heaven, my band is going to spend the first half of eternity playing and singing "God Only Knows"and the second half of eternity playing and singing "Little Jeannie"

[DannyLovesOregon]

This song should be a remake to Christian Music like the Newsboys or Jars of Clay

written in the biblical words

[realbogus]

that is still one register higher than Elton normally sings in.

[Nikko4566]

So glad I have this concert on tape. Billy Joel stole the show. Try to find his version of Don't Worry Baby from this concert. Fantastic!!!!

[acecheeto]

Yes Elton has lost his range, as we all do when we get older. But he nailed this song. Nice job.

[acecheeto]

Great rendition.  Anyone know what year this was?

[Nikko4566]

@acecheeto 2000

[gahloot]

Everyone keeps saying what range Elton has here,and yet he has lost most of his range!Listen to his early work,and you will know what range is all about.Or better yet listen to Elton covering other bands before he made it big!He at one time probably had one of the best voices known to the music world!

[DavidKinner]

Bowie does an amazing cover of this also. Elton John is a very underrated singer.

[DerDeziBelzeBub]

wow, this is great :)

[RitmoNo1]

That line floors me "The World could show nothing to me. So what good would living do me"

[neukertification]

The musicians are great , they probably were too young to have grown up with the Beach Boys music. They are awesome!!!!

[applesomething]

Elton John covering the Beach Boys, and my fave of theirs, at that, is a very pleasant discovery.

[TheJeeeeeff007]

good job elton , this version still did the 'hairs on the back of the neck ' thing

[jramos037]

@zalman595 A major bitch to sing and a major bitch to play at times. Brian's chord progressions will continue to amaze me for eternity.

[AdamCartwright]

Starts 0:06

[AdamCartwright]

So weird seeing him singing standing up behind a mic instead of sitting behind a piano.

[PamelaRP]

Beautiful song-I have this album and this is one of my best and most favroite songs on the album and am glad Brian wrote it. Elton did this the best way he could. Thanks for the post here.

[anikin69]

Elton John is a faggot

[johncuschieri]

i loved neil diamond's version of this song and elton is on par with neil on this one.

he nails it.

[phil123711]

Remember the high voices behind him get him out of trouble. But he did a good job and he seemed to enjoy himself. The audience loved it.

[Garner2092]

The only thing different to this than the original is that it's a different singer come on he could have tried a little harder to make the song sound different

[SkyHbr]

@Garner2092 I believe the point of the evening, as a Tribute to Brian Wilson, was to actually make it sound like the original!

[infight]

totally ruined the song...great musician but this is so not his song :S

[bluesboy25000]

God Bless Sir Elton. Great version. I'm not big on the Beach Boys but I love Pet Sounds and this is a great cover

[NashvilleClay]

Amen, and amen.

[jimviz108]

of course - would help to have Brian's band behind you!

[alwayswithmyfaith]

" I may " sounds like " amen" xDD

[tjcoffey]

Probably the only song where I hear the last chorus and it makes me melt. Elton kills this. Like clarese76 said, he sold the song. Brilliant.

[marhuasi]

Beautiful........a transcendental song.......

[megafaded69]

This is the best cover I've seen of this song. Elton and the band are point on. There is nothing better than the original though.

[Killinfloor]

God this is so good. A legend covering a legend. Can't get better than that.

[stilly2009]

brilliant cover from Sir Elton.. it is a bitch to sing... I love this song... well done..

[GREGMCKEE]

Ahh...looks like most if not all of the Wondermints, Brian Wilson's backing band is there..they are fantastic at re-creating the BB music

[buckyew2]

I like it, but I wish I could have heard a version of his pre 1987.

[wvClifton]

Brian Wilson was and is a sonic genius.

[gugushigushi]

yeah... this version is very Elton-John-ish.

[AnnieF97]

how weird to see elton standing behibd a mike. does a good job though, but no one can beat brian wilson singing it . what an absolute classic the pet sounds album was & still is.

[darthjoey13]

@AnnieF97 Actually I think Carl sang it. I know Brian actually didn't sing this song.

[Karateworm]

@darthjoey13 Brian originally recorded the vocal, but figured something was missing... so he asked Carl to sing it, and that's the version that was released.

[ms8596]

@Karateworm Correct...plus Brian would sing all the parts for a song while in the studio awaiting Carl, Dennis, Al, Mike, and Bruce to return from touring, thereby having a frame of reference for them to record their vocals.

[ahstc1973]

Sir Elton does it his way ... and in a great way !

[SparkTheNooch]

This Paul McCartney's favorite song on Pet Sounds

[catfish10ification]

elton never could really sing but a good musian

[vaiello]

@catfish10ification ... go back and re-listen ... especially his early stuff.

I don't know what you heard, but Elton sang great.

[tjcoffey]

The world could show nothing to me

So what good would living do me

This goes out to my ex, the love of my life...

[normal61761]

This one is for Anne, the love of my life. Thanks for helping me through this phase.

I love you more than you know.

[normal61761]

This one's for Anne, the love of my life. Thanks for the love and support!

[betover68]

for a fag he doesn't sing this song that bad i guess

[nyrangerfan1]

@betover68 for a tool, you sure the fuck are a tool...

[scientistMUC79]

elton john is atleast technically one of the best pop singers in the world

[TheSanglier22]

a great singer for a great song : the "ode to God" was well interpreted

[skibluiz]

thank you elton!

[foggy4180]

Elton does a great job here but what me amazes is that they captured the sound of the song so well, the bells, the violins, the backing vocals, the harmony, everything is here.

It's a wonderful performance.

[SkyHbr]

@foggy4180

Brians band IS the background...

[RayBanG15]

God this band is TIGHT

[sandroreloaded]

Provided that Carl's original version can't EVER be compared, I think Sir Elton did a very good rendition of this wonderful song. I actually didnt expect he could do such a faithful cover, especially on a live performance. It does lack its original feeling and passion, but he, and his musicians, still did a great job. Double thumb up for Reg!

[kennyg03]

Elton, this was beautiful...

[sandi4pawz]

dennis is the best !!!!!

[truthasfineprint]

nailed it elton!

[worldpeace32]

nice toupee

[JamieInez]

It is not as good as the beach boys original. I think he should stick with Tiny Dancer:) Best Song Ever.

[1209kaiser]

Este tributo é realmente sensacional, os arranjos, versões e depoimentos são de uma sensibilidade e qualidade indescritíveis.

[Dochertah]

Great song!

Even better to see Bill Murray at 2:40 :P

[przemekgrabowski]

he's a bit unconfortable not sitting behind the piano

[Jeneral28]

I wished they let him sing while playing the piano

[TXAZMigra]

Supposedly Paul McCartneys favorite song. You can tell Elton love it too.

[caiocsgn]

Massa!

[warriorprince1010]

Elton and the Beach boys = Beautiful music.

[rockdelsur]

Solo Dios sabe nuestro destino.

[mainque07]

asi es

[pighardcore]

PURE FEELING!

[clarese76]

This so far has been the best remake of this song that i have heard. He stays true to the tempo and general rhythm of the song, but he stays within his tenor range, and ads his own singing style to it, which does the song justice.

[Dodo251]

I agree, a great cover but too much vibrato.

[TheraChris]

As amazing as he is, I don't think he has any idea how to have stage presence without a piano :P

[thunderstruck665]

Elton looked like he had a lot of fun doing this!:-)

[mactheartofwarfare]

Elton holds the throne as-The Greatest Melody Writer Ever In Popular Music

[speechrighter]

@mactheartofwarfare Sorry, he'd have to dethrone his 70's contemporary Stevie Wonder for that title. And he'd have to pass Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and even Irving Berlin before he could challenge Stevie!

[mactheartofwarfare]

Bernie Taupin introduced Elton onstage at his 60th birthday party calling him and ill "quote" Here's To The Greatest Melody Writer In Popular Music,He has beaten Elvis Presley's Record for a consecutive top ten hit in the pop charts,throughout the 1970's and 1980s.Elton holds the All Time Record-for the greatest selling single ever in popular music when he rewrote "Candle In The Wind" for princess diana, There's not a doubt in my mind where he stands in music,and his career is not yet finished.

[jammmon]

shitty cover

why is he exaggerating the vibrato at the end of the phrases

[stubbyguy]

Genius = Elton, Genius = Brian, Genius = Paul

[jammmon]

elton? he sucked brains and pauls dick

[Cafetero1075]

I don't like Elton John,, but he did good and its live.

[BritishArrow]

this was really good, he's hitting high notes

[flapper1920]

Love this song and Elton did a great job. Joss Stone has made a good rendition of it too.

[zalman595]

Elton does a great job here. I don't know how many of you sing, but I can tell you that this song is a Bitch to sing (like so much of Brian's beautiful stuff.)

[UltraMegaVisual]

@zalman595 Totally. Even more of Brian's more mellow tunes that don't require a lot of falsetto. Brian's songs are tricky to sing, yet they are so beautiful that they can make you cry. At least for me that is.

[litenslick]

@zalman595 I know what you mean. Very hard to sing, because of all the wide interval leaps and wide range required. But that's what makes it such a great song....my mom (also a musician) used to say that most of the great pop songs have these wide leaps, either up or down, and that is what gives them so much character. Long live the Beach Boys!!!! and Brian Wilson - what a talent!!! :)

[mimmar3891]

@zalman595 I imagine it's a challenge for a guy to sing, since it sits comfortably within my range as a woman! Elton always sounds amazing, and he made this his own without abandoning the sound of the original, which is also wonderful.

[SmileySmileAM]

@zalman595 u r so damn right this song is a bitch to sing but its still soo beautiful

[homegrownpa]

@zalman595 Elton has a fantastic vocal range, and I agree not many could make such a fine cover!

[jammona]

id sing it way betta

[tambourmn]

so good I watched it twice--wow Elton-- love Brian's band and especially Jeff Foskett singing the high notes on this one.

[trxpaolo8796]

mooooolto ben fatto ,bravo ej,fedele all'originale come piace a me, troppu togu

[clarese76]

this was an excellent cover. He stayed within his range, his timing was really good, and he sold the emotion of the song as well.

[cafinario]

You are right, this is a superb cover. Not surprising coming from John.

[SabbraCadabra]

How is there are even people complaining about this performance?? It's superb. Elton did such a fantastic job.

I mean, he's mother fucking Elton John. The guy is an amazing singer when he isn't singing Beach Boys covers.

[entertainer106]

I thought he did great!

[CarnivoreConfidence]

way off

[gregharrison]

what a great cover, suits his vocals just fine

[derek47]

Really preferred Carl's version over Brian's; Mike Love was important in this song too.

[BucketFurter]

Well, if Brian really does have a 'protege', it's Elton... he's the Beach Boy that got away...

[MrSmokeydog]

Brian and Carl Wilson have very unique tonal qualities to their voices younger

brother Dennis had it slightly. but it made

the sound of their music very difficult to

copy or duplicate. Sir Elton performs the song quite well considering the fact that he is not a member of the family.

[thebooth]

it has something to do with growing up on the coast of california. it's not a dialect, but a tonal phrasing that is ever present in native surfers. sounds crazy, but it can be heard.

[ellocoman440]

I wanted to hear what he could do with this song and he really made it work...Of course, the fans will scream here, but he did great , it is Elton not trying to sound like anyone else then himself. That is great. If Elton ( or any other artist ) sing a tribute to The Beatles/Beach boys..etc...His better make it his own, that is what Elton sound like...Folks this is not a copy it is a tribute...He did it his way and at least it sound great....So don't try to compare..Not an easy song to sing.

[salahudeenabduladl]

Elton John forever and a day!!!!

[drummergirl151]

sounds cheesy. blargh =\

[charles43110]

Out on a limb here. But this is Elton.

Very nice version.

[zwappp]

It's not as... intimate, but still pretty good.

[jrakarl]

I think Elton's singing is amazing. He's not lost it at all, which I find amazing.  Great job and I'll take more interest in his recent work after seeing this!

[LEIAVESAN]

Wonderful Elton!

[greymattervandal]

This was actually better than I thought it would be.

[mewjaws5754]

Anytime you sing another artists song you risk butchering it, not this time" Nice job Elton.

[BeachBoysGuy1]

Nice job, but nowhere close to the tenderness which Carl sang it with.

[mewjaws5754]

I must agree, the tributes sang by Elton John & Billy Joel are nice, but nothing can match the voice of Carl & the others who made up the Beach Boys.

[RangersLodgeAsh]

love the disclaimer. it's written therefore it's true.

[Irawdom]

He nailed it

[DrPunkin]

amazing vocals.

[VerainRio]

What can I say????Great!!!!

[johnster623]

Nice cover, Elton. Nothing, can replace Carl's version, but any tribute is nice-

[Stevend2be]

Very nice cover !!

Thanks for upload.

May ♥love♥ be with him and you and all who visit here., from Steven

[evelskunny]

his singing sucks here,he is no carl wilson,nor brian,

[beebay007]

everything about this is good except for Elton John's performance, his fancy vibrato makes me cringe

[1goodvibrations]

beautifully done!

[thestevo46]

elton started out here....

[Spartacus217]

A dancing monkey for the Hollywood elite.

[MattTC1028]

spot on. jeezee his backing band knows their partss.

[olemuckspreader]

Well done Reg!! Bloody Brilliant!!!

[downcard11]

O'doyle Rules!

[neukerts]

don't forget the musicians...very well done. so proffesional...great honor to be able to watch this video

[ivanbrunetta]

beautiful song

[theartwarrior]

another banana for the road!

[Scotty7878]

NO YELLING ON THE BUS!

[Bencytong]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

[Bencytong]

that veronica vaughn is one fine piece of ace!

[juancapistrano65]

excellent - awesome - wonderful

[drumboyy1980]

wow! Nice cover

[LetUsDrinkTheStars]

elton johns the man, man.

[krisdizzy]

WOOOOW....This is an EXCELLENT tribute to Brian!!!

[ybrband]

Are you hearing well? I think he did superbly on the song...and you're right, he has nothing to prove. To say he's "way out of his league"? He didn't falter once....wtf?

[NYVoice]

Oh, I don't think so at all. he doesn't mail in the vocal like he doesn't care. He puts the proper emphasis on the lyrics and sings with passion. We all get used to one version but these tribute shows highlight the universality of these great songs by Brian and allow them to be interpreted by the best in the business. How can you go wrong with that?

[hopplacowboy]

I would never had guess that this was elton john if I just heard it.

[activesack]

This is great!

I love the respect he gives to Brian Wilson by not taking any outrageous liberties in regards interpretation.

[big1370]

yep, your right I love this song

[JJudd93]

i didn't know he could sing this high!

[MrWhothefuck]

good but nothing compared to carl

[ilsy74]

Elton is so entertaining to watch. Great guy!

[hotgeorge44]

chills and more chills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!