Elton John - God Only Knows - Beach Boys Cover 

One of the BEST covers to one of the BEST songs ever created! BRAVO ELTON!!

Elton John proving he can stand up and sing at the same time

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.

IMHO, no one sings this song like Carl, but Elton did a wonderful job!

Elton's voice suits perfectly.... Great guy, great song, great video. Thanks for sharing.

Nice job by Elton on one of the simplest and most profound of rock songs. Nowhere to hide on this one. Bravo. For all those who doubt Brian Wilson's genius, open up your ears real wide.

wow im actually pretty impressed by this cover. Not much different than the original, but he did an all around solid job honestly.....

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

Any interpretation of a Beach Boys' song simply reveals how great they were. Love it!

He still has his falsetto after surgery!

Genius = Elton, Genius = Brian, Genius = Paul

Elton John’s voice sounds perfect with these musicians. The backup singers sound scrumptious. Especially the man with the blond hair, he reminds me of Al Jardine. It looks like EIton John is thinking 🤔 “ I nailed this” at 2:41

This sounds like a song I would sing when I die and go straight to heaven.

I LOVE Elton and have seen him in concert a few times but Carl Wilson owned this song. We lost a great soul when we lost Carl. SIGH

Beautiful rendition by the band. And Elton John's voice.

A simply complex and magnificent song.

One of my favorite artists. He has and is such a gift. Born with pure soul and a lyrical genuis. Sir Elton sing baby!!!❤❤❤😂

Best and truest cover of this timeless gem. Beautifully done.

damn...i was cocked and loaded with a potent shot at the gall of someone to attempt to cover this glorious song, especially Elton John....bump the brakes, this warrants a second or third or twentieth listen, well done Elton, well done

If I was forced to live on a desert island, and could only take 100 songs with me. This or the original would be one of them. Probably the best pop song ever written. 💕

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!

Elton sounds fabulous!

Wow!! I just got chills. ELTON IS JUST AMAZING!!!!! Love this song..touches my soul.

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

This guy is awesome with anything he touches.

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.

The most beautiful song ever written 💜 Elton is killing it!

We saw Elton in Springfield Mo. last March and it was amazing !!! He plays the hell outa that piano !!! I cried when he sang Levon. The opening piano part just brought me to tears.I warned my girlfriend that I would lose it on Levon . LOL

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

Absolutely love this video. So fun to see the great Elton subconsciously "playing the piano" even when he isn't! Watch hand at O:52. :)

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.

Beautiful cover by Elton

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

Beautiful - thank you so much for sharing this and making the world a happier place because of it. Love to you!

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.

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

Fantastic! Powerful!

So soulful. What a great cover.

Beautiful version.

Elton who has written a few knows a briliant song !

I can tell that Elton expresses a lot of emotion when he sings I actually do that too do

one of the best songs ever made & A COVER TO MATCH .. BRIAN WILSON and ELTON just have to make a record together ..

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.

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

Ohhhhhhh how I love you Elton !!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx thank you !!!!

This was actually better than I thought it would be.

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

He nails this.

Wow this is great. I like hearing peoples interpretations of Beach Boys tunes.

This is the first time I've ever seen him not behind a piano. Mind blowing! :-O

musical geometry, beautiful beyond words

He seems kind of awkward standing, but you can't really blame him. He's used to singing and playing/sitting. Still a good cover though.

Outstanding, and that’s an understatement

I actually like it! I am a huge fan of Elton... Even he is a baritone, he can reach hgigh tones and this is great. I listen to it every day in mp3... i love it! I love Elton :D

amazing vocals.

He nailed it

nice cover, one of my favorite tunes ever...he nails it.

Way to go, Elton.

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

Superb orchestration and execution -- a wonderful tribute! Good on ya, Sir Reg ... Mike H.

When you realized Sinatra or Jazz singers could have covered that gem, with such delicate notes during the verses, and all of it.

me too !! And he sounds really really good !!!!

Good on you Reg/Elton..!! A challenging song to sing....shows true respect for the 'Boys....

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

Great Elton!

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

wow! Nice cover

i didn't know he could sing this high!

As good as this is, it only makes me miss the great Carl Wilson, that much more. Carl, you were the heart of The Beach boys, and this was your song. Wolfsky9

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.

Brian Wilson was and is a sonic genius.

Maravilhosoooo!!!

Elton, this was beautiful...

Wonderful Elton!

My beautiful wife walked down the aisle to this song at our wedding, I love it everyday because it reminds me of how lucky i am

Out on a limb here. But this is Elton. Very nice version.

magic

Elton is a great artist.

first notes remind me Can you feel the love tonight also sang by Elton

These people know they're only in the shadow of a true master 😊

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?

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

Massa!

@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.

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

Pet Shop Sounds! Ha ha. Elton should make that album.

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

beautifully done!

Amen, and amen.

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.

Imagine him singing this nowadays

Would love to see him live

nailed it elton!

I love it!

impecable

@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.

Amo!

that veronica vaughn is one fine piece of ace!

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

As for the orchestration, I don't know what program this came from but this looks like Brian Wilson's own band, who I was lucky to see live on my 40th birthday a few years ago. It was something of a religious experience and I recommend seeing them if they come within 300 miles (they're on tour now.)