Brian Wilson - God Only Knows @Live From Abbey Road

[landondonovanify]

why is it sad though? This video makes me so happy haha, Im so happy that brian wilson is alive and well and still performing. everyone ages and gets old and dies, thats life.

[darthjoey13]

Brian is such a great composer but it's sad his voice can't stay young. His range was so high that he can't sing his own songs anymore. I know this was a Carl song but it's just sad. The Beatles never sang anything this challenging and so Paul can still pull it off. Shame that people's voices age.

[QuestBeatles]

Wonderful sound. God bless you Brian.

[wowmoviescores]

what a great group of musicians!!!!!

[halleyrock]

excelente!

[MrMatt1606]

is it autotune, its pitch perfect

[martina001simon]

neuvěřitelnej song! 

[GouledXD]

Abbey road...? Is this place bigger than I think it is? It's just one road in London right?

[SabbraCadabra]

@GouledXD It's a studio.

[GouledXD]

@SabbraCadabra *Psshhh* Abbey road studios is a studio. Abbey road is a road.

Okay that was a bad joke.

[pacrimco]

Superb rendition of a wonderful song. Thanks Brian.

[Shepardswatch]

I just thank Brian and the beach boys for the wonderful songs and goodtimes they gave us My world was better with them in it  from a old cali surfer

[gostillerz]

Brian wrote it, but this will always be Carl's song.

[killthephonies]

@gostillerz you obviously are not a songwriter. 

[gostillerz]

@killthephonies And you are I presume? Do you have any examples of your compositions? I couldn't write a complete song to save my life, but I am good at small parts and arranging. Either way, songwriting ability has nothing to do about my preference of Carl singing this as opposed to Brian.

[killthephonies]

@gostillerz I have written many songs. And I can tell you, even IF I didn't have the best voice for the song, that shit is mine. It is so much harder to write a great song than it is to sing it. And you didn't say you preferred Carl to Brian singing, you said it was HIS song. I have a real problem with songwriters not getting their credit, which why I hate American Idol and people who can't write their own shit.

[gostillerz]

@killthephonies Yeah, I didn't mean Carl owned the song. I listened to your tune. You wouldn't like what I write.

[killthephonies]

@gostillerz weird that I would think that's what you meant even in a figurative way when you said "Carl's song". English is so crazy like that...

also it is irrelevant that you like or dislike my song, I was just proving that I had the example of my compositions you required.

[killthephonies]

@gostillerz /watch?v=F-WHs8f3BFo

here's a bare bones recording of one of my compositions. uploaded just for you.

[beauRAWRSHACKtiplady]

Anyone else think that one of the keyboardists looks like a young Hugh Grant? :L

[stockdaleaxe]

Ringo's son is drumming!

[BrickUnit]

@stockdaleaxe zak?

[stockdaleaxe]

@BrickUnit yeah, that's it. you can see at 1:17

[BrickUnit]

@stockdaleaxe nope sorry :/ its acutally Mike D'Amico, zak starkey has never drummed for brian wilson, zak is best known for session drumming with oasis and live performances with the WHO

[10razonesgh]

this is such an outstanding song!!

[blindmellonchittlen]

Paul from the Beatles said , this was one of the greatest songs ever written!

[blue29eyes]

So beautiful...nice to see Brian smiling!

[YERBLUES87]

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

[lesjeunes11]

How the Fuck do you write a song like this?

[FraserM817]

Truly outstanding :')

[Nisadima]

amazing song. one of the best ever.

[jrmrinaz]

@Nisadima his brother Carl said in an interview that Brian wrote this song in 7 minutes

[21joedaddy]

who knew 40 years later that brian wilson would be playing God Only knows where the biggest band recorded most of their music.

[Eeohippus]

This amazing, and so good to see Brian enjoying himself. I know he wishes he was still singing with Carl and Dennis, but this band is pretty stellar.

Yes, Macca loves this song, and many BB songs. I have heard Brian say many different Beatles songs are his favorite, but the only one I've heard him say twice is The Long And Winding Road. Happens to be my fav too!

[newyorktown]

I heard on Youtube also a version from Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney.

Macca said that this is the most beautufyl song in the world.

[PublicRcrds]

the use of autotune makes me cringe

[sunburstdj]

We will lose our modern day Mozart when Brian Wilson passes away.

[clyde8her]

I still say Carl did this the best....sure miss him. He was the backbone of the BB's.

[MrMSF7]

@clyde8her toss up...but I'm with Brian...

[creolocreolo]

So beautiful! It brings tears of joy to my eyes

[creolocreolo]

So beautiful! It brings tears of joy to my eyes

[mexdavet]

This is one of the very best versions of this song ever put on video. The fact that Carl sang it on the original album is coincidental. He did a good job, but Brian was mean to sing this one.

[BenDangerBock]

God bless you, Brian Wilson.

[jprg1966]

It's so nice to see him smile again -- no pun intended.

[asloem]

I love Brian! One question though, why does he sit behind a keyboard that he's clearly not playing? Standing with the mic is perfectly fine :)

[thevigilanteoflove]

@asloem Maybe he plays it on some songs and just sits there the whole time. If I was a 69 year-old musical genius like Brian Wilson, I wouldn't stand for anybody. :-)

[blickPiks]

great performance brian, you are my hero!

[stonesmad]

Brilliant!

[kooljsl]

is that Zak Starkey on drums?

[strumbum69]

Yes, Brian Wilson, genius songwriter, arranger, producer but this song along with The Warmth of the Sun were sent directly from the heavens to his head....I must say that only Carl Wilson's voice was perfectly matched to the incomparable beauty of the melody. For all of us who who were just growing into teenagers in the 60's we were lucky and blessed to have been present to the musical genius of the Beach Boys, Beatles, Buffalo Springfield, and others, a renaissance that will never be equaled!

[SolsburyHill22]

@strumbum69 very true and sad statement

[Chicagokrzy]

Am I less of a man because I'm only 21 and yet this song brings me to tears?

[NewHopeNashFan]

@Chicagokrzy Oh, you are more of one, by far. So is Brian WIlson!!!!

[Rikenrocker]

Wow this all in one room live, no separation of musicians yet each sound is balanced. Abby road, the greatest! And Brian on a sure sm 58....

[jrmrinaz]

Man I dont know-- I want to beleive his voice is not manipulated--and at about 1:46 into the song he just sounds like he's back in the '60's--made the hair stand up on the back of my neck-- some REALLY decent musicians here--a great rendition

[lastmango57]

Dude so true, like memories transported back to his youth. Wow!

[Mattii1234]

This is a great song. However his voice is manipulated here. Auto-tune or whatever you want to call it. They meddled with the pitch.

[LoveThoseTunes1]

Hands up everyone who smiles whenever Brian smiles :)

[eb0nikz]

i wonder if Brian Wilson understands how ridiculously difficult of a song he wrote to recreate. i swear... most people have no idea how it is to sing this song. kudos to him to be able to still do it way deep into his 60's.

[MegaLeeclark]

Wow! Never saw this before....just wonderful

[jstraw4]

Brilliant as it sounded back in 1967. I heard Paul McCartney describe this as the greatest pop song ever recorded, and the sweetness of the melody, the soaring harmonies, the syncopated rhythms, the unspeakably lovely crescendo finish make it very hard to disagree. Love you, Brian.

[billybobjoebob1958]

M3town3, what a pathetic thing to say. Really, you have a lot of growing up to do. Pathetic really.

[M3town3]

pathetic band when it comes to singing.

[Killinfloor]

Long live the legend Brian Wilson!!!!

[Aquestadona]

He looks soooo happy.

[rnburgandy08]

don't get me wrong, i really really like the beach boys. but no one tops or will top the beatles, ever. and i appreciate the rivalry that occurred between the two bands. they were able to bounce different things and sounds off each other which resulted in a series of great albums (rubber soul->pet sounds->sgt. peppers). both were really great, influential bands that did a lot for rock and roll.

[mrhatalex]

@rnburgandy08 Perfectly said. My sentiments exactly, Mr. Burgandy.  Scotchy scotch!

[rocksinger45]

The irony to this video is , here's Brian Wilson singing at Abby Road studio, the studio made famous by the Beatles.....England's answer to the Beach Boys.

[koolmini5]

@rocksinger45 the beach boys are a british answer to the beatles

get it right

[rocksinger45]

@koolmini5 Thanks for getting it write (sic) for me.

[coolsweetgroovy]

I love you Brian

[tikalal]

It seems like he can't sing the high notes, then suddenly he just comes in perfectly at 1:39. Totally surprised.

[outdoorluver3]

IT just doesn't get any better than this.... makes me feel lonely..

[paudiemaguire1]

this is the best time i ever heard him sing this live

[bedrocker7]

This is like rubbing a genie lamp.

[Joaopandao]

im happy for Brian...,

he deserves this one,

with all his typical perfection.

subtil lovely song

[violetrod]

God Only Knows what a wonderful creation he put on this earth when Brian Wilson was born........

[118tomd]

The song "Our Sweet Love" from the "Sunflower" album sounds like a companion piece to "God Only Knows".

[hegelec]

You can tell he really loves this one. It touches me to see Brian crack a smile and his eyes genuinely brighten up, breaking through his normally cold and flat affect.

[Gargolian1]

I thank you so much Brian, thank you Carl, may your soul rest in eternal peace!

[kennyg03]

hard to believe the beatles were in that building trying to find in all their musical intellect a way to top this masterpiece, the irony lol

[beatlemartin]

Best non-Beatles song ever

[beatlemartin]

BEST NON BEATLES SONG EVER

[Quizli]

@beatlemartin Better than any Beatles song, ever.

[tombouu]

very beatifull,geniusly voice!!!love it, super Brian,even this age!!

[freirebr23]

beautifull!!

[LoveLennon28]

I think of bill nighy when I hear this song lately...gotta bit of a crush on him at the moment! :) LOVE THIS SONG anyway. :)

[choralstuart]

Paul McCartney said this was the greatest song on earth!

[hasperi]

the mozart of our time

[Ciclopea2]

There is magic on Abbey Road,god bless you Brian! :-)

[Lowbacca]

2:32

[phonovoz]

Piece of art!!! Blessings from Costa Rica!

[markf9572]

Not a beachboys fan by any means, but this song is just.... beautiful.

[pighardcore]

Beautiful!!!! Brian is a genius!!!!

[fishdog666]

Pretty cool every now and then you can still hear the timbre of the "young Brian" in his voice. He was REALLY on that day. Let's remember, he's almost 70 and has gone through ALOT of shit! To still be living is an accomplishment, let alone performing at this level.

Good work, Brian!

[THB79]

Nothing wrong with this at all.

[jammona]

what a shitty cover

he just cant get to those high notes

god only knows WHAT id be without you

and he cant sustain the notes :(

[iburnedthedinner]

Cover? This is the guy that wrote the song. Silly person.

[jammona]

of course but his coverin brian-from-the-60s's song. i was just sayin that it would be cool if they had lowered the key hehehe

[SabbraCadabra]

Carl may have laid down the vocal that appeared on the final version of this song, but it has always been Brian's song and he sings it exceptionally well even today.

[toondan]

Well said Brian is amazing

[castut]

I saw Brian perform this live. AMAZING!

He first said that this one of his personal favorites. And I'd heard that Paul McCartney told him that this was his (Paul's) fave BB song. Cool.

[JedSpielberg]

He sounds like he's drunk.

[fanfaniche]

you are right !!!!!!!

Shame on us...!

[YouzTube99]

So nice to see a group performing *together* in the studio. So often each part is recorded separately which I think compromises the flow and feel of the music. These folks look like they're having a good time and Brian was in good voice that day -- wonderful!

Thanks for posting!

[eastsidebrent]

What a great song-r u kidding me? Really-Paul McCartney said it was his favorite love song. So-there in Abbey Road?Do you see Paul and Linda?

[runeguldberg]

This was some of the inspiration for Beatles Penny Lane. Pet Sounds was main inspiration for sgt Pepper.

[bluesboy25000]

@runeguldberg You can hear the melody of She's Leaving Home and "With a Little Help from my friends"

[NewHopeNashFan]

@bluesboy25000 I don't hear those songs in there.... the one and only Brian Wilson is the most original of all the songwriters of his era. You couldn't push him to crank out songs like the great Graham Nash or the Lennon/McCartney juggernaut, for the crying out loud.

[tacoeatingzebra]

@runeguldberg also inspiration for "here, there, and everywhere."

[Killinfloor]

@eastsidebrent wtf are you talking about???

[jeroen1]

see him smile at around 1.30. When everybody start to sing. Just great !

[garrisounds]

Abbey road sessions included many acts and were recorded in '08. great performance. check out Muse's Abbey road performance of "Starlight" as well

[danaecillap]

on my knees!!!!

[fuzzmaniac]

this song brought a tear to my eye when i saw brian and the band live

[anitasseo]

te quierooo

[BeeFlannel]

When was this done, does anyone know? Its awesome.

[kliousoff]

Pure genius.

[cassiogt]

Makes me cry all the times I get to hear it...

[Jeneral28]

short song but great

[daysleepersbr]

Beautiful!

[dimitreze]

Fantastic!!

[chuckler1]

Excellent-many thanks

[wilsonmara]

without words. brian i love you

[Acipiho]

GENIUS!

[dog1dog2]

Great performance; horrible, annoying video production.

[eddywilgje30]

Fantastic live performance with great musicians and superb voices which sounds like in the old days and it shows that Brian is really enjoying this recording love it!

[rhopen]

One of the greatest songs of all time. -Ron

[TanteA]

Yes, one of the greatest songs... And you can really understand it when you not only know the lyrics but you can feel them. Anette

[derbesy5]

Brilliant.

[mobilephone15]

is this on a dvd?

[jeroen1]

it will be on his new dvd released in febr 2009 by capitol records