Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
Sleeve for 1986–87 live version charity single
Single by Elton John
from the album Caribou
B-side "Sick City"
Released 20 May 1974
Format
Recorded Caribou Ranch, January 1974
Length 5:35
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Bennie and the Jets"
(1974)		 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
(1974)		 "The Bitch Is Back"
(1974)

"Bennie and the Jets"
(1974)		 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
(1974)		 "The Bitch Is Back"
(1974)

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song written by English singer Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded in 1974 by Elton John for his studio album Caribou and was released as a single that peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. The song found further success in 1991 in a live cover version recorded as a duet between John and George Michael, which reached number one in the UK and US.

Elton John version

Background

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was co-written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin during a ten-day period in January 1974 along with the other songs for John's Caribou album. The song was released as the first single from the album in May 1974 in the United Kingdom, and on 10 June 1974 in the United States.

The chorus of the song is supported with a horn arrangement by Del Newman, and features backing vocals by Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys and Toni Tennille. Also on the song are percussion accents provided by Ray Cooper and a mellotron played by Dave Hentschel.

Lyrics and music

In the song, Elton John sings to someone he has helped and from whom he is now experiencing rejection:

I took a chance and changed your way of life
but you misread my meaning when I met you
closed the door and left me blinded by the light
don't let the sun go down on me
although I search myself, it's always someone else I see.
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
but losing everything is like the sun going down on me.

Reception

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" charted on 1 June 1974 in the UK, reaching number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. The song reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after four weeks, peaking at number two for two weeks from 27 July behind John Denver's "Annie's Song". In the US, the single was certified Gold on 6 September 1974 by the RIAA. In Canada, it reached number one, becoming his fifth chart topper in that country.[1]

Track listings

  • May 1974 US and UK 7" vinyl single
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
  2. "Sick City"
  • February 1991 UK 7" vinyl single and cassette
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
  2. "Song for Guy"
  • February 1991 UK 12" vinyl and CD single
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
  2. "Song for Guy"
  3. "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"

Personnel

Accolades

Grammy Awards
Year Nominee/work Award Result
1975"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"Record of the YearNominated
Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male[3]Nominated

Chart performance and certifications

1986–87 live version

Elton John recorded a live version on 14 December 1986 that appears on the Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra album. An edited version of this recording was released as a single in 1987 and also appears in the To Be Continued... box set.

George Michael and Elton John version

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
Single by George Michael and Elton John
B-side "I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)" (live)
Released 25 November 1991
Format
Recorded Wembley Arena, London, 23 March 1991
Length 5:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) George Michael
George Michael singles chronology
"Cowboys and Angels"
(1991)		 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
(1991)		 "Too Funky"
(1992)

"Cowboys and Angels"
(1991)		 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
(1991)		 "Too Funky"
(1992)
Elton John singles chronology
"Easier to Walk Away"
(1990) Easier to Walk Away1990		 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
(1991) Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me1991		 "The One"
(1992) The One1992

Background

In 1991, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was covered in a live version as a duet by George Michael and Elton John. This version of the song had its greatest success. The pair first performed the song at the Live Aid concert in 1985 (with Michael singing and John playing). Six years later, George Michael's Cover to Cover tour regularly included the song, and for the final show at Wembley Arena, London on 23 March 1991, Michael brought out John as a surprise guest to sing it with him.

Reception

The live recording of this song, released as a single later that year, became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in December 1991 and for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1992. The duet also spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.[13]

This version of the song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

It appears on John's Love Songs and Greatest Hits 1970–2002 compilations, as well as his 1993 Duets album. The proceeds from the single were divided among 10 different charities for children, AIDS and education.

Music video

The footage used for the single's music video (directed by Andy Morahan)[14] was taken from a "live" concert in Chicago with 70,000 fans. "The video was actually shot over several days," confirms Michael Pagnotta, George's publicist. "It was shot in an airline hangar in Burbank, California where George had been rehearsing; Elton came in for a night and they ran through the song a couple of times. Then the song was filmed in its entirety live in Chicago in the middle of October as part of that Cover to Cover tour, and when Elton came out from the wings, that place went crazy."

Track listings

  • US and UK 7" vinyl and cassette single
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (duet with Elton John, live at Wembley Arena 23 Mar '91)
  2. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (live '91 - edit)
  • US and UK 12" vinyl single
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (duet with Elton John, live at Wembley Arena 23 Mar '91)
  2. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (live '91)
  3. "Last Christmas" (performed by Wham!)
  • US and UK compact disc single
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (duet with Elton John, live at Wembley Arena 23 Mar '91)
  2. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (live '91)
  3. "If You Were My Woman" (live at Wembley Stadium, 11 Jun '88)
  4. "Fantasy"
  • US and UK compact disc single
  1. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (duet with Elton John, live at Wembley Arena 23 Mar '91)
  2. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (live '91)
  3. "Freedom" (Back to Reality Mix)
  4. "If You Were My Woman" (live at Wembley Stadium, 11 Jun '88)

All b-sides and additional tracks were performed solo by George Michael, except Last Christmas which is performed by Michael's duo Wham!
The live version of "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" had previously been issued as the lead track on a free promotional cassette given away at Michael's Wembley Arena gigs in March 1991. Therefore, it is likely to have been recorded at a venue earlier in the tour.

Chart performance and certifications

Other versions

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" has been a popular song for other artists to perform or record including:

Chart successions

Elton John version

George Michael and Elton John version

References

  1. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  2. ↑ "Planet Mellotron Album Reviews: Elton John".
  3. ↑ "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Elton John Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  6. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  7. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  8. ↑ "Elton John Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  9. ↑ "Elton John Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  10. ↑ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly".
  11. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974".
  12. ↑ "American single certifications – Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  13. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 169.
  14. ↑ Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - George Michael - "Don't let the Sun go down on me"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  16. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  17. ↑ "George Michael Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  18. ↑ "Lescharts.com – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  19. ↑ "Musicline.de – George Michael and Elton John Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  20. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  21. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  22. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  23. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  24. ↑ "Charts.nz – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  25. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". VG-lista. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  26. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  27. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  28. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  29. ↑ "George Michael Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  30. ↑ "George Michael Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  31. ↑ "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 20. 11 January 1992.
  32. ↑ "1992 Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  33. ↑ "1992 Austrian Singles Chart" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  34. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1992". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  35. ↑ "1992 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Swisscharts. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  36. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1992". Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  37. ↑ "French single certifications – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  38. ↑ "British single certifications – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  39. ↑ "American single certifications – George Michael and Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  40. ↑ "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" on YouTube, Maynard Ferguson (Retrieved 2 March 2009)
  41. ↑ "Winans, The - Decisions (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  42. ↑ Collar, Matt. "Under the Influence - Straight No Chaser". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
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