Sting Gives Moving Rendition of “God Only Knows” in Tribute to Brian Wilson: Watch

Sting honored the late Brian Wilson during his concert at IGA Park in Rostock, Germany with an acoustic rendition of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.”

“Today, one of my heroes died,” Sting told the crowd, “So I’m gonna sing a song that I love.” He proceeded to play a faithful cover of the song, made more tender by the meditative, nearly-silent crowd and the arena-aided reverb on Sting’s voice. Even at the top end of his range, he had no problem hitting the song’s soaring high notes found in the climax. It’s also not the first time Sting has covered the song, having played “God Only Knows” at a handful of shows last year. Watch the performance below.

Sting is just one of many artists who have paid tribute to Wilson since his passing; Paul McCartney, who called “God Only Knows” the greatest song ever written, also offered a statement in dedication: “I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while,” McCartney said. “How we will continue without Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows.’” Check out other tributes to Wilson here.