Added: 3 years ago
From: LaybuyLee
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  • I prefer the Beach Boys version, though David Bowie in my opinion is the best singer ever... He just gives me the chills...

  • he has such a beautiful voice. that deep resonant, emotional tone kills me!!!!!!!!! the orchestra dont do it for me, especially stupid syncopated staccato strings and tragic sax and the drumkit feels like it is playing inside my heid, but its not without its charm. mostly because of david, i must admit.

  • Sorry. I love Bowie ( I collect everything. From the Omikron game to the outside demos ) and Beach Boys ( I have some good load of Smile bootlegs ), but this is disrespectful. No wonder the man himself don't like it.

  • OH MY GOD!!! AMAZING!! JUST AMAZING!!!

  • Bowie stepped in it with this one and I love him. He should know better than making a cheesy piece of crap like this

  • How can anybody like this?!

  • I love the man unconditionally, but this... this is not his best moment.

  • Oh David....

  • Bowie harping back to his Anthony Newly phase?

  • Oh my God this is AWFUL! I love Bowie but God knows we could have done without this vile remake

  • Sounds like self-parody!

  • Always enjoyed this track. Sad he's gone into semi-retirement after his heart attack; always thought he'd outlast us all!

  • rank!

  • I feel this is better than the original!!!!

    Bowie at his Baroquial best.

    Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant !!!!!!

  • Quelle horreur !

  • This is horrific. One of the worst covers ever made. 

  • Great Cover!

  • awful

  • Ziggy, what were you thinking? Stinker.

  • Dreadful... after 12 secs I've made my mind up on that!

  • Nice heart wipes!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

  • Not bad... not good. Reverb helped... Not the best Bowie.

  • look people, shut up and listen to the music, at least it's better than his first album, no offense to the man.

  • @MrMAHBOI1 I agree with you. People , there's only room for one Simon Cowell (barely) and if every artist listened to comments like these and took them to heart NOBODY would produce or reproduce music ever again. Bleak world,huh?

  • Fuck! That is horrible. Bottom of the class Dave.

  • Comment removed

  • this is one song freddie mercury should of sung.

  • LaybuyLee very nice job on the photo compilation, many unseen Pic's of many Bowie personas...

  • @supersonicbird11 Thanks...Bowie's my idol, I have 1000's of pics..lol ;0)

  • @supersonicbird11 Thanks...Bowie's my idol, I have 1000's of pics..lol ;0) 

  • @supersonicbird11 Thanks...Bowie's my idol, I have 1000's of pics..lol ;0)

  • I hate love songs Period.

    This is the exception, I love this one. Bowie is a super gifted and talented artist like Michael Jackson was.

  • Yes, a little bit, if not a great bit, pompous. This song belongs to it's original fresh and light beat. Sorry, David.  You are Major Tom, not Brian Wilson.

  • didint liked it at all :( I wanted to like it..

  • This is horrible... (in my opinion).

  • Yes!

  • is david bowie the coolest person on the planet?

  • @wilkobangs The Beach Boys are nothing than a barber shop singing bunch of TWATS......David's version knocks their pile of crap into a cocked hat.

  • @schmads nice swearing. im sure all the kids that read your comment will be pleased with your input

  • @wilkobangs Good Grief! You think that's swearing? My,what horribly sheltered lives the kids in your world must have to live in....

  • @schmads yes i do think its swearing. im not getting into a long argument with you but yes small kids watch youtube and 14 year olds unfortunately post comments with no realisation of the impact of the comments and dont care either due to the anonymity of the internet. its a shame realy but you cant help it i wish i hadnt said anything now

  • @schmads

    I agree. The Beach Boys were good writers and arrangers. They had some good songs but Bowie outperformed on this one.

  • David Bowie is a legend. He ranks with the greats of music. Much as I love David, this was a real mistake. The Beach Boys version is probably one of the greatest pieces of music produced, that's my opinion. Not even a great song and a great singer can raise this version above being hotel lift music.

  • Can anyone make a beach boys cover that doesn't sound like cheap cruise music?

  • nobody can sing this better,nobody.

  • This is great.

    Fuck the haters, they dont understand that a cover doesnt have to sound exactly like the original. In fact, the best covers sound remarkably different from the originals.

  • Great!

  • i'm glad he could write cos i never thought too much of his covers, except a couple on pin-ups. i just hope i can find the same happiness at his age and we get to hear him again

  • this does nothing for me...like someone said david lost it around 83...

  • @SolsburyHill22 maybe he has lost something in the mid-eighties, but he has got it again in the 90s! Better than ever!

  • Bowie never lost it. He was and still is one of the greats!

  • @kerati51 He's still got a great singing voice, albiet a little lower than it once was. As for songwriting, he hasn't written anything astonishingly-bowie in decades. Kinda like McCartney.

  • The song and its arrangement fits his voice very well ! Some people may hate this cover, but I love it mostly because of his vocal expression.

  • bowie lost it way back in '82/83 , this is what I would call shite.

  • nope!

  • Amazing!!!

  • greatest ever version

  • I love the Tonight album, best version of this song ever, I could just get lost in David's beautiful voice....♥♥♥

  • I love Bowie and LOVE Brian Wilson - but my God I dislike this.

  • @Karateworm AGREED! The beauty of this original song was the quick tempo, the upbeat falsetto backup vocals, etc. I love David too but this version really does nothing for me. However, Elton John's cover was really good.

  • Bloody fantastic! He sounds like Scott Walker on this, another quality vocalist.

  • C'était une véritable gageure que de vouloir reprendre la plus belle chanson populaire jamais composée à ce jour. Tous ceux qui s'y sont essayés ont fait de la 'soupe'. Seul David BOWIE a su, avec son originalité et son indéniable talent, conserver l'esprit de cette pépite de Brian WILSON. Il en a fait une approche digne d'intérêt. Merci David BOWIE et bien sûr merci Brian WILSON.

  • @eppomanta Je suis d'accord. Brian Wilson est un perfectionniste, alors il fait de l'amélioration difficile. C'est un excellent exemple de la façon de couvrir une chanson bien.

    (J'espère que Google traduit mes mots correctement.)

  • I don't understand all the hate. I absolutely love this cover, one of my favorites!

  • ''God only knows'', beyond time, is the best song ever composed. Except the original Beach Boys interpretation (B. Wilson composer), only David Bowie made of it a resumption worthy of this name

  • Bowie is the great singer who everybody need respect, the changes in the pop world in many decades is because he make the world change! Everybody want to be like him but no have capacity and courage in that time.

  • Bowie has been an inspiration to me for many years....but this is awful until he gets more aggressive, imo.

  • God tongues my ass.

  • oh this is horrible

    and i love bowie

  • awesome

  • not written by Bowie but love his version, his voice....and everything:)

  • Wow - great images of a true star and against the backdrop of (IMHO) his best ever cover ...

  • Trouble is that, like 'Waterloo Sunset', it's a song where the original is perfect. Bowie is a genius but even he can't carry it off.

    Before you all jump on me, that's my opinion. I respect those who like the version so respect me for saying the opposite.

  • just love this song,Bowie does this perfect.Bowie rules!

  • LMAO Tonight album from 19984? @ Description. Not trying to be critical or anything, but I got a laugh out of the thought of Bowie being from the distant future.

  • @TorrinTheGreat ...Whoops!!! Changed it....lol. That's been on here months never noticed ;0)

  • @TorrinTheGreat

    david bowie is from the distance future.

  • I love bowie but he should of left this classic alone.

  • I love this song but bowie who I also love does not do justice to this song.

  • beurk...

  • Bowie,the Voice!!!

  • i love bowie so much. so very very much.

    but he absolutely killed this amazing Brian Wilson song.

  • @Scanlon65 i have been laid befor.... and u are gay tht comment u said was sooo gay!

  • @Scanlon65 whts tht supposed to mean?

  • @Scanlon65 bt im nt a virgin, and my mum is dead.....

  • @Scanlon65 ur gay

  • one hates to bring such a beautiful song and a fine interpretation down to something rather more basic but: I could stare at that photo of Iman's long legs for hours!

  • only david bowie fail.

    not good.

  • At last this song is sung the way it should be. It's a sad song and it is great to hear it sung with feeling. SUPERB DAVID.

  • @DinoLucca1 "At last this song is sung the way it should be"

    This gets my nomination for Most Ridiculous YouTube comment ever.

    And no, it's not a sad song, it's joyful. How can you miss that.

  • @yohei72 The guy is thinking what it would be like without his loved one, HARDLY A JOYFUL THOUGHT, UNLESS IT'S YOU!!!! P L O N K E R!!!!!!

  • @yohei72 OPEN YOUR EARS GEEK !

  • @yohei72 You are an idiot, go back to playing games plonker!

  • @DinoLucca1 Ha ha ha ha!!!! Stupid comment! Really dumb.

  • thnxs

  • There is only one Bowie, thats all you get in a lifetime, wonderful.

  • covers are always a risk, you run the risk of just copying the original artist or doing the song in your style and potentially ruining the song. Voice wise the song is fine, but the timing and the music itself seem to not fit well. The harmonizing would have been better if they were in high baritone low tenor so the song would sound fuller in the end.

  • Sounds like what Elvis would have done with it.

  • @ribbless I agree... Really wish Elvis had done this once.

  • It's Bowie as Bowie is. It's perfect in that sense. I love it. Is it better than the Beachboys? It's different. I love both versions.

  • There's no sens in doing a cover if you're not making something new with the song. Bowie does that, with a charming crooner version. Just that.

  • And I know everyone will thumb down my comment. But its nothing against Bowie and what hes done. This is just bad.

  • I love Bowie.. but this is pretty bad.

  • AGREe

  • NO MAN THIS IS IN 4/4 BUT THE ORIGINAL IS IN 12/8

    he's missing the swingin charm

  • not as bad as i thought it would be. lol.

  • terrible rendition

  • Bowie really puts it into another gear the second half of the song. Very nice rendition. He wasn't a big star for nothing.

  • I Love you Mr Bowie;-)))) little paulo cristo:-))))

  • Brilliant!!!! little paulo cristo:-))))

  • wow.. amazing cover.. loved this song always.. but bowie hes brought it to another leve... thanx

  • I'm a bit of a fan of Bowie. a bit of a fan of Beach Boys. Beach Boys' version of this song is too light and airy for my taste, but I think Bowie's really brings out the emotion (especially through his singing)

  • Freddie Mercury would have had fun with this song:)

  • I disagree, the song doesn't have an ass to bum.

  • @derek47 Then him and Bowie could have nut slammed each other's butt.

  • I absolutely love this amazing cover of a bubble gummy tune.

  • bowie has a great great voice, he can sing everything

  • I don't this he'd manage Nessun Dorma.

  • Okay... I'm the biggest fan of this song in its original version AND not really a 'fan' of Bowie - but a cover should shed a new light on a song, and that this one definitely does, and I love the orchestral arrangements.

    Sorry for those who feel betrayal here; i think there isn't.

  • Some peoples minds are sooo limited they can only imagine one thing at a time.

    I loved the original by the "Boys"

    I seldom like Bowie.

    But, this is wonderful.

  • I agree. I am not a huge Bowie fan. I do not hate him. I like some of his stuff. But he took this song and gave it a different interpretation. Good for him and he did a good job.

  • That was awkward

  • I don't know what all you bashers are talking about. I am the biggest Brian Wilson fan ever, but David Bowie does a great job on this song. It is outstanding.

    I think Brian himself would approve.

  • This just reminds me of what Edward Cullen is thinking after he sends Bella away...

  • Bowie is one of the greatest, but this is...... a disaster!!

  • William Shatner could have done better

  • Leonard Nimoy definitely could have done better. What a Space Oddity.

  • I don't know what any of you are talking about. It almost brought a tear to my eye. I love him!

  • poor david, what didya do to this song......

  • Horrible version to me....

  • Agreed. I love Bowie, but this is nothing compared to Brian's original. Nothing.

  • This particular version of this song is 'Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome' in full effect. Yes, the original is a classic and yes, this cover is from a 'weak' Bowie' album. It's almost natural for one to dismiss it. I'm sorry - it's a great version, it truly is. Great singing and emotion. Its easy, almost forcefully natural to dismiss this, given the position of the Beach Boys in pop/rock folklore but anyone, willing to be open-minded can find a lot of enjoyment in this cover version.

  • Remember Bowie is an actor, a thespian, given to drama and shaping it's child.......from the birth of which we witness a to and fro , while the elder defends his castle and all of the children testify in the name of the lord

  • I do like Bowie, but he missed the essential emotion of 'god only knows'.

    This best song ever written would deserved better.

  • yourmoment, Brian didn't sing the original, Carl did.

    But I agree, this is crap

  • Carl sang the album version. It was originally written for Brian to perform.

  • Good point. Brian sings it now and wrote it intending to sing it. Either way we agree on one thing.

  • tHE mAN!!!!!

  • Absolutely amazing... masterpiece of a genius... the best pop music ever made...bowie singing Beach boys rox!

  • David Bowie is an absolute fucking legend. He has written a handful of stunning albums, some of the best of the 70s. This cover is poor, though. Bowie still has the right to do whatever he wants; he's DAVID BOWIE! This is far from an easy song to cover. The original arrangement was stellar.

  • I like David Bowie, but he messed this up. He never should have attempted this song. David Bowie does not have the emotional depth to relate to this song. He's done some very good music, but his music that does well is about alternative lifestyles and lust. This song is about emotion and sensitivity so deep it destroys a person and Brian Wilson knew about that, not David Bowie.

  • Hi, with all respect, i saw Brian Wilson do this in Amsterdam july 6th doing this song, it was utterly amazing, the applause didnt stop, but Bowie has done honour to this song in his own version. It is brilliantly adapted to Bowie's voice and his intentions. Just wanted to let you know this. Ciao!

  • you might be right there.. Db has had it pretty "cushdy" in life..with all respect..

  • After listening again, David's voice is okay on this song, but still he's missing something. He doesn't sell it to me. I have zero belief that he thinks he's be nothing without the person he is singing to. When Brian sang it, it was all too real. The arrangement is awful. It sounds like he's singing to a karaoke backing track.

  • I agree that this cover is not very good, but to claim that is because Bowie doesn't have the emotional depth to sing it is just silly. There are many Bowie songs with much more emotional depth than this one.

  • I disagree. Have you never hear Heroes? "And the shame fell on the other side." "And we kissed as though nothing would fall." (???) If that song is not about feelings so deep that would destroy aperson, I don't know what is.

    By the way, it was listening to Bowie singing this song that got me listening to the Beach Boys, and, yes, I believe Brian Wilson is indeed a musical genius.

  • The vocals are alright the arrangement is not fit though.

  • a turd- the backing sounds like karaoke music. a rare bowie turd though and a dangerous choice of cover

  • he mar a very beautiful song; I'm sorry

  • But this is the only way Bowie should sound.

  • It's good, but I don't think Bowie does the Beach Boys justice with this cover. I like the original better.

  • bowie gets it just right.

  • I don´t mimd bowie but I think some songs you cannot better. But he has every right ot if he wants.

  • Awful. The original is much better.

  • fuck you mate its amazing

  • It's my opinion, you jerk.

  • Comment removed

  • JUst wonderful, thank you very much:)

  • The best version of this song in my opinion. David Bowie makes it his own and excels. Fantastic! Thank you for sharing this video.

  • He transformed this from "one of the Beach Boys' songs" to a very moving love song, with his rich baritone voice and passionate styling.

    They are both so gorgeous-- David and Iman. He is very lucky.

  • Hmm... to each his own, I suppose. I much prefer real instruments in Brian's / The Beach Boys' original baroque pop version to this synthesized version. I wince a bit at what Bowie did to it... it seems to epitomize corny '80s "love" songs. But again, that's -my- opinion. Hopefully this comment won't start a flame war. XD

  • i don't think it's ever been considered just "one of the beach boys' songs". it's always on lists for best songs of all time. and part of it comes from the instrumentation, which this cover lacks.

  • Just don't know which one i would choose really! enchanting 60s sounds... machoesque-gay, urban 80ism... ? imo two different & highly appreciated standards

  • The words are such gooey romantical stuff but god his his voice sexy singing so low.

  • Forever sexy!!!!....x....

  • it's not that gooey imo. how many love songs start with "i may not always love you"

  • @multicoloredshadow: I understand he was quite the "PP PUFFER" at the time?

  • ... i don't like it...

  • I don't like it either.

  • hmm

  • Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Was always a difficult song to cover and any cover of it has become more 'taboo' with time. Still, taking my musical head out of my behind, unlike others who've posted here, I can recognize it for a nice, well-sung cover. It's very far from bad and easy (and lazy) to knock...thank you for it...I enjoyed it.

  • cross between Andy Williams and Bing Crosby,not a patch on the Beach Boys

  • :(

    I didn't think Bowie would ever let me down...

  • It great, just very camp 'tis all!

  • YESSSSSSS, finally it's on YouTube! Thanks LayBuyLee. It's not the most brilliant version of this song, I think but it's the only version I really like, maybe just because it's not so slick and a perfect blend of David's sound and the orchestra's arrangements. Love you, David Bowie, your voice touches my heart and when I see yo