Iconic '80s Rocker Going Viral With 'God Only Knows' in Memory of Brian Wilson
A legendary British rocker is going viral with his new, stripped-down recording of God Only Knows as a tribute to the late, great .
Howard Jones, 70, the British singer/songwriter with a very distinct voice, was, like many, many other artists, quick to express their admiration, love and grief over Wilson's passing on June 12.
"I loved the music of Brian Wilson and was so happy to meet him backstage at a gig in Brooklyn. I was able to say to him what a profound influence he was on my musical life. Thank you, Brian, you will always be in my heart," wrote Jones on Facebook.
He then posted a video of himself at the piano playing a gorgeous, stripped-down version of "God Only Knows" in memory of Wilson, captioning the video, "Perhaps the best pop song ever written."
In the comments on the Facebook video, one fan wrote, "Howard Jones, your cover of 'God Only Knows' is a beautiful tribute to Brian Wilson."Another fan wrote, "A really exquisite tribute. He'd love it, and clearly you're really connected to the emotion of this song."
"Just 20 seconds in and feeling the vibe, and that moment the hair stands up on the back of your neck… pure class….👏👏👏," wrote a third fan.
Jones is the voice behind such hits as "New Song," "What is Love?", Pearl in the Shell," "Like to Get to Know You Well," and "Things Can Only Get Better," but perhaps his greatest hit was the 1986 single "No One is to Blame," which peaked at No. 4 in the U.S. — personally, we find it to be his most beautiful song lyrically and melodically.
Wilson was a founding member of the Beach Boys and was responsible for writing some of their greatest hits like "Good Vibrations," "God Only Knows," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," among hundreds of other songs.
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Iconic '80s Rocker Going Viral With 'God Only Knows' in Memory of Brian Wilson first appeared on Parade on Jun 15, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
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