Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Encyclopedia
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is the first single from British musician Elton John
's 1974 album Caribou
; it was released that year during the latter half of May in the United Kingdom, and on 10 June in the United States.
The chorus of the song is supported with a horn arrangement by Del Newman, and features backing vocals of the Beach Boys' Carl Wilson
and Bruce Johnston
, and Toni Tennille
. Also on the song are percussion accents provided by Ray Cooper
and a mellotron
played by Dave Hentschel.
album. An edited version of this recording was released as a single in 1987 and also appears in the To Be Continued...
box set.
that "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" had its greatest success. The pair had performed the song at the Live Aid
concert in 1985. Recorded live at a concert at Wembley Arena, London on 25 March 1991 when Elton John was a surprise guest of George Michael, the duet became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It was released later that year and reached number one on the UK singles chart for two weeks in December 1991 and a single week on the Billboard Hot 100
in February 1992. The duet also spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.
The footage used for the music video of the song 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." It appears on John's Love Songs
compilation.
The proceeds from the single were divided among 10 different charities for children, AIDS
and education
.
" was still in the Top 40, and reached the Top 10 after four weeks. On 10 August, the song's two week stay at number 2 ended. It could not oust John Denver
's "Annie's Song
", Roberta Flack
's "Feel Like Makin' Love
" nor Paper Lace
's "The Night Chicago Died
" from the top spot. But a number 2 pinnacle guaranteed it further airplay. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 9/6/1974 by the R.I.A.A. In Canada
, it reached number 1, becoming his fifth chart topper in that country.
Jay Chattaway
arranged this song into a jazz version, which Maynard Ferguson
first performed in the 1970s show "The Mark of Jazz" with host Sid Mark. This live version stems from around 1975; it was never recorded onto an album.
Roger Daltrey
sang it for the 1987 soundtrack The Lost Boys
.
African-American Gospel group The Winans
released a version of the song on their album Decisions in 1987.
Gloria Estefan
recorded it in 1989.
Jazz singer Oleta Adams
recorded it on the 1991 tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
.
Joe Cocker
recorded his version of the song on his album Night Calls
in 1991.
Late 1990s punk cover specialty act Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
also took it on.
In December 2002 David Sneddon
won the BBC's first Fame Academy
show singing it. Sneddon also put his version of Elton's song on the B-side, which was number one in the UK Singles Chart
in January 2003.
In 2003, Vanessa Carlton
performed the song during the Elton John Tribute Concert. Also in the 2000s, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" has become a frequent selection of reality television
singing contestants.
The song is covered by the company Wavegroup for the music video game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol
.
Blues singer Bettye LaVette
covers the song on her 2010 album Interpretations: The British Songbook.
George Michael/Elton John version
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's 1974 album Caribou
Caribou (album)
Caribou is the 8th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1974 . It was John's 4th chart-topping album in the U.S. and his 3rd in the U.K. The album contains the singles, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached # 16 in the UK Singles Chart and # 2 in the U.S.,...
; it was released that year during the latter half of May in the United Kingdom, and on 10 June in the United States.
Lyrics and music
In the song, Elton sings to someone he has helped and from whom he is now experiencing rejection:It was written with the other songs on the album during a ten day period in January 1974.
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.
The chorus of the song is supported with a horn arrangement by Del Newman, and features backing vocals of the Beach Boys' Carl Wilson
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
and Bruce Johnston
Bruce Johnston
Bruce Arthur Johnston is a member of The Beach Boys and a songwriter, remembered especially for composing "I Write the Songs". Johnston was not one of the original members of the band...
, and Toni Tennille
Toni Tennille
Cathryn Antoinette "Toni" Tennille is one-half of the 1970s Grammy Award-winning duo Captain & Tennille. Tennille has also done musical work independently of her husband Daryl Dragon. Tennille has a contralto vocal range.-Biography:...
. Also on the song are percussion accents provided by Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
and a mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
played by Dave Hentschel.
1986/1987 live version
A live version recorded on 14 December 1986 appears on the Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony OrchestraLive in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a live album by Elton John and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra recorded at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on 14 December 1986. The concert was the last of a series of concerts done throughout the last two months of 1986...
album. An edited version of this recording was released as a single in 1987 and also appears in the To Be Continued...
To Be Continued
To Be Continued... is a 4 CD/4 cassette box set detailing Elton John's music from his days with Bluesology to the then-present day. Four new songs were recorded for the box set...
box set.
1991 version
As successful as the 1974 record had been, it was as a duet with George MichaelGeorge Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
that "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" had its greatest success. The pair had performed the song at the Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
concert in 1985. Recorded live at a concert at Wembley Arena, London on 25 March 1991 when Elton John was a surprise guest of George Michael, the duet became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It was released later that year and reached number one on the UK singles chart for two weeks in December 1991 and a single week on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in February 1992. The duet also spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.
The footage used for the music video of the song 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
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
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
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the middle of October as part of that Cover to Cover tour
Cover to Cover tour
In 1991 George Michael embarked in the "Cover to Cover Tour" in United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, Canada and the United States.The tour was not a proper promotion for Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Rather, it was more about George singing his favourite cover songs...
, and when Elton came out from the wings, that place went crazy." It appears on John's Love Songs
Love Songs (Elton John album)
Love Songs is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Elton John. The album was first released on 6 November 1995 on the Rocket Records label, in conjunction with Mercury Records. The album was released in North America by MCA Records almost a year after the European release, on 24...
compilation.
The proceeds from the single were divided among 10 different charities for children, AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
Chart performances
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" charted on 1 June 1974 in Great Britain, making it to number 16. In the United States, it was released while "Bennie and the JetsBennie and the Jets
"Bennie and the Jets" is a song composed by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The song is written in the key of G major and first appeared on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album in 1973. "Bennie and the Jets" has been one of John's most popular songs....
" was still in the Top 40, and reached the Top 10 after four weeks. On 10 August, the song's two week stay at number 2 ended. It could not oust John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
's "Annie's Song
Annie's Song
"Annie's Song" is a rock/country song recorded and written by singer-songwriter John Denver. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart...
", Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
's "Feel Like Makin' Love
Feel Like Makin' Love (Roberta Flack song)
"Feel Like Makin' Love" was covered by American R&B and neo soul musician D'Angelo for his second studio album Voodoo . It was released April 8, 2000, on Virgin Records as the album's fifth and last single. His cover version features a quiet storm sound and heavy use of multi-tracking for vocals....
" nor Paper Lace
Paper Lace
Paper Lace are a Nottingham based pop group, formed in 1969. They are known to Americans as a one-hit wonder; however, in the UK they were a "classic two and a half hit wonder".-History:...
's "The Night Chicago Died
The Night Chicago Died
"The Night Chicago Died" is a song by the British group Paper Lace, written by Peter Callander and Mitch Murray. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in 1974, reached number 3 in the UK charts, and number 2 in Canada. It is about a fictional shoot-out in Chicago...
" from the top spot. But a number 2 pinnacle guaranteed it further airplay. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 9/6/1974 by the R.I.A.A. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, it reached number 1, becoming his fifth chart topper in that country.
Cover versions
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" has been a popular song for other artists to perform or record as well.Jay Chattaway
Jay Chattaway
Jay Chattaway is an American composer of film and television scores. He is mainly known for his work as score composer for several Star Trek television series: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise...
arranged this song into a jazz version, which Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
first performed in the 1970s show "The Mark of Jazz" with host Sid Mark. This live version stems from around 1975; it was never recorded onto an album.
Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
sang it for the 1987 soundtrack The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys (soundtrack)
The Lost Boys is the soundtrack from the 1987 film The Lost Boys released by Atlantic Records.-Track listing:#"Good Times" by INXS and Jimmy Barnes – 3:49#"Lost in the Shadows " by Lou Gramm – 6:17...
.
African-American Gospel group The Winans
The Winans
The Winans are an American Gospel music quartet from Detroit, Michigan consisting of brothers Marvin, Carvin, Michael and Ronald Winans.-Members:Please refer to the Winans family page for more detail on the individual members.-Origins:...
released a version of the song on their album Decisions in 1987.
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
recorded it in 1989.
Jazz singer Oleta Adams
Oleta Adams
Oleta Adams is an American soul, jazz, and gospel singer and pianist.-Biography:Adams was born the daughter of a preacher and was raised with gospel music. In her youth her family moved to Yakima, Washington, which is sometimes shown as her place of birth.Before gaining her opportunity to perform,...
recorded it on the 1991 tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin is a 1991 tribute album consisting of interpretations of sixteen songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The title refers to the song on Elton John's album 21 at 33, "Two Rooms at the End of the World", to the duo's unusual...
.
Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
recorded his version of the song on his album Night Calls
Night Calls (album)
Night Calls is the thirteenth studio album by Joe Cocker, released on October 7, 1991.- Track listing :1991 European release:# "Love Is Alive "# "Little Bit of Love"# "Please No More" # "There's a Storm Coming"...
in 1991.
Late 1990s punk cover specialty act Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
also took it on.
In December 2002 David Sneddon
David Sneddon
David Sneddon is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter.He has performed on British television, radio and theatre. Sneddon won the first BBC UK series of Fame Academy in 2002...
won the BBC's first Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
show singing it. Sneddon also put his version of Elton's song on the B-side, which was number one in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in January 2003.
In 2003, Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Lee Carlton is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Upon completion of her education at the School of American Ballet, Carlton chose to pursue singing instead, performing in New York bars and clubs while attending university. Three months after recording a demo with producer Peter...
performed the song during the Elton John Tribute Concert. Also in the 2000s, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" has become a frequent selection of reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
singing contestants.
The song is covered by the company Wavegroup for the music video game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol
Karaoke Revolution
Karaoke Revolution and its many sequels are video games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360, developed by Harmonix Music Systems and Blitz Games and published by Konami in its Bemani line of music games. The Original Concept for Karaoke Revolution was...
.
Blues singer Bettye LaVette
Bettye LaVette
Bettye LaVette is an American soul singer-songwriter who made her first record at sixteen, but achieved only intermittent fame until 2005, with her album, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise...
covers the song on her 2010 album Interpretations: The British Songbook.
Track listings
|
Original version
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM 100 RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Top Singles Chart |
1 |
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 30 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 17 |
| UK Singles Chart | 16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks | 3 |
George Michael/Elton John version
| Chart (1991/92) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 3 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 100 | 1 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 4 |
| Irish IRMA Singles Chart | 2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 4 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1992) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 6 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 26 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Silver | 1992 | 125,000 |
| U.S. | Gold | 6 September 1974 | 1,000,000 |
| U.S. | Gold | 22 January 1992 | 500,000 |
Chart successions
Original Elton John versionGeorge Michael/Elton John version