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I stumbled across an Elton B-side on youtube yesterday that I wasn't familiar with, the flip to "Empty Garden" (1982)...it was also on the hit soundtrack to SUMMER LOVERS from that year (the one that had "Hard To Say I'm Sorry").  The song is called "Take Me Down To The Ocean."

My first take was it was an obvious Beach Boys homage, a little cheesier than usual for Elton, a cool song somewhat ruined by an overeager rhythm section.  Then I found another posting of the song on youtube that claims the Beach Boys actually performed on it, which was news to me.  Quick googling is inconclusive.  It's not completely out of the question, given that Carl and Bruce performed on Elton records in '74 and '88 (and Bruce in '76), but the band was in such disarray at that point and I'd never heard of this until now.

I got out the headphones and they confirm my initial impression, which is it's a bunch of good singers (possibly including Dee Murray, who was back with Elton by then) doing a credible, but a little generic, BBs impression.  I can't hear any Beach Boys on it and I'm pretty sure Mike Love or Brian Wilson are NOT on it (the low voice definitely isn't either one of them, and the Brian-ish falsetto is clearly Elton himself)....but I can't rule out Carl, Al and/or Bruce, and it is a much more vocal-intensive track than is usual for Elton, which could be explained by a guest appearance by the BBs.

Have a listen.  It's a cool track, anyway, and kind of a curio.  The vocals are best heard by themselves starting around 2:45.  My guess is the BBs guest appearance is a myth, but it'd be interesting to know for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1J1nCpcxNo&NR=1

Okay song, but no Beach Boys on it in my opinion. It sounds like the same guy doing the bass vocals, the call-and-response at the end and the oohs and aahs. If it's Elton doing the falsetto then that leaves little room for any of the Beach Boys to appear, and I doubt anyone would have bothered to have the Boys contribute one layer of oohs and aahs and nothing else.

Basically, anything that even resembles the Beach Boys style is fair game for someone to mistakenly think it is them. Just yesterday NPR was doing a story on the demise of the Pontiac and referred to the car brand as the one "immortalized in the Beach Boys' classic song 'Little GTO'"!

According to the credits the backing vocals are by Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson.

BTW, according to one source, the BBs supposedly sang backup on an unreleased 1975 Elton single called "Bo Diddley's Cadillac"...anyone here ever heard anything about that?

Actually it´s a cover of Bo Diddley´s (song) "Cadillac" which was intended for a non-album single in the fall of 1975. Btw., not only mentioned by BE, but also to be found in books about EJ.

Cool, thanks!  Also, from the March 1980 edition of the "Add Some Music" fanzine:  "Some Beach Boys helped out on backing vocals for an upcoming Elton John album.  Al and possibly another Beach Boy or two will appear on the next John Stewart album".  Any word on either of these?

Bruce Johnston, Curt Becher, Joe Chemay, Jon Joyce, Peter Noone & Toni Tennille sang background vocals on "Dear God" from the 21 At 33 album in 1980.

I have no idea about Al & John Stewart.

As I recall the Beachboys did BG vocals on Elton's don't let the sun go down on me.  Maybe their most notable act of 1974?

And Brian is reported to be on the new Elton and Leon Russel album.

Just Bruce & Carl, actually.

Now that would be interesting. After the first years the Beach Boys didn't do much R'n'B/Rock'n'Roll-stuff. I'd love to hear them doing a Bo Diddley-song, even if just as background singers/musicians
Carl was part of an All Star-Band backing up Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry in the 80s. It's available on DVD.

Now that you mention it, I always thought I could identify the BB vocals in there but something did seem to be missing.

Carl's voice is all over that one. By contrast I have difficulty picking Carl, Dennis and esp Al on Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here", partly due to Peter Cetra having a very similar vocal style to Carl anyway.

Credits where?  On the soundtrack album?

That would be interesting because they entire band did not appear on an Elton album until the following year's TOO LOW FOR ZERO album, though they were definitely with him on tour in 1982.  But only Dee Murray was on the album that year IIRC.  Although come to think of it Nigel may have sung on that album, I should go check.

If it was their first time back in the studio singing with Elton, then it would explain why the went for it so hard.  I'm surprised if it's Dee Murray on bass...he was a notorious overplayer, but he was generally way more tasteful than that (although it is a little like his part and tone on "I'm Still Standing," so maybe it was him).

wikipedia confirms Davey and Nigel were not on the Elton John album that year (JUMP UP), though they were on the tour that followed it.  Curiouser and curiouser, especially in light of the 1980 report that the BBs sang on an Elton track that year.  Probably referred to "Dear God" (a dreadful track btw), but it would not be out of the question that a 1980 track stayed in the can and came out as a B-side in '82.  In fact, quite a few Elton B-sides in that era had just that same history.

Interesting.  I still don't think any BBs are on it...but I don't think we've disproved it, either.

Just had the word from someone who would know - they say, not.  :)

Excellent!  Now we just have to wonder why Davey, Dee and Nigel were on an Elton single in 1982...but wait, wrong geeky message board.