Your Song
Encyclopedia
"Your Song" is a ballad
composed and performed by English musician Elton John
with lyrics by his long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin
. It appeared on John's self-titled second album
in 1970.
The song was released in the United States in October 1970 as the B-side
to "Take Me to the Pilot
". Both received airplay, but "Your Song" was preferred by disc jockeys and replaced "Take Me to the Pilot" as the A-side, eventually making the top ten on both the UK
and US
charts.
In 2004 the song was placed at number 136 on Rolling Stones list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
".
A demo version was included on John's 1990 box set album To Be Continued
. The song has been covered by a number of artists, including Ellie Goulding
, whose version reached number two in the UK in 2010.
and jazz
: "I hope you don't mind / I hope you don't mind / That I've put down in words / How wonderful life is while you're in the world." The instrumental focus is on John's Leon Russell
-influenced piano work, along with acoustic guitar, Paul Buckmaster
's string accompaniment, and a shuffling rhythm section.
The lyrics express the romantic thoughts of an innocent. Taupin offers a straightforward love-song lyric at the beginning: "It's a little bit funny this feeling inside / I'm not one of those who can easily hide / I don't have much money but boy if I did / I'd buy a big house where we both could live." At times the self-deprecating narrator stumbles to get out his feelings, which despite being a melodramatic device, Allmusic calls "effective and sweet": "So excuse me forgetting but these things I do / You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue / Anyway the thing is what I really mean / Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen / And you can tell everybody this is your song / It may be quite simple but now that it's done..."
The song was part of a stockpile of songs John and Taupin wrote while living together. John pinpoints his composition of the music to 27 October 1969. It took him only ten minutes. Taupin had penned the lyrics earlier that day over breakfast
. John cites the song as one of his favourites, and plays it at most of his concerts. In an interview, he commented, "I don't think I have written a love song as good since".
"Your Song" was itself the inspiration for the song "We All Fall in Love Sometimes" on John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
. The original framed handwritten lyric, complete with egg and coffee stains from breakfast, can be seen in the lyrics booklet that's included with various editions of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.
recalled, "I remember hearing Elton John's 'Your Song,' heard it in America - it was one of Elton's first big hits - and remember thinking, 'Great, that's the first new thing that's happened since we (The Beatles
) happened.' It was a step forward. There was something about his vocal that was an improvement on all of the English vocals until then. I was pleased with it." John Mendelsohn
from Rolling Stone
called the song a "pretty McCartneyesque
ballad".
, and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart
. In 2002, John re-recorded the song as a duet with opera singer Alessandro Safina
for the first Sport Relief
charity telethon, and it reached number four in the UK.
as a part of The Concert for New York City
as a part of the tribute to the September 11 attacks.
John performed the song at the Concert for Diana
on 1 July 2007. On 31 January 2010, John and Lady Gaga
performed a medley of "Your Song" with Gaga's song "Speechless
" at the 52nd Grammy Awards
.
Other artists who have covered the song include:
covered "Your Song" for inclusion on the re-release of her debut album, titled Bright Lights
. It was released digitally as the re-release's lead single in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2010. Produced by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons
, the single debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number thirty-nine on the issue dated 20 November 2010. It rose to number three the following week, before peaking at number two in its third week, becoming Goulding's highest-peaking single to date. The song was featured in the Christmas 2010 TV advert for the department store chain John Lewis
.
Goulding performed "Your Song" at the reception party of Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding
at Buckingham Palace
on 29 April 2011, to which the newly married Royal Couple shared their first dance. She also performed the song live on Saturday Night Live
on 7 May 2011.
gave the song four out of five stars, commenting that producer Lovett "shrouds her beautifully fluttery vocals in little but piano and strings, just adding a few harmonies towards the finish, allowing her to draw out the tenderness in Bernie Taupin's lyrics and the utter loveliness of one of Elton John's very best melodies. The result is a quiet, modest triumph, but a triumph nonetheless." Caryn Ganz of Spin
magazine noted that her cover is "everything Gaga's Grammy version wasn't—a tender, vulnerable gift." Jon O'Brien critic Allmusic, in his review for Bright Lights, called it "unimaginative" and felt that it "sounds out of place alongside the rest of her rather more adventurous material."
, directed by Ben Coughlan and Max Knight, premiered on YouTube
on 14 November 2010. Shot in a Super 8
style with a home video look, it depicts Goulding's life on the road with friends. Areas from Goulding's hometown of Hereford
can be seen throughout the video including Hereford railway station
.
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
composed and performed by English musician Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
with lyrics by his long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
. It appeared on John's self-titled second album
Elton John (album)
Elton John is the eponymous second album by English singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1970. It was his first album, however, released in America, thus commonly assumed by many as his debut, as Empty Sky would not be released in the U.S. until 1975...
in 1970.
The song was released in the United States in October 1970 as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to "Take Me to the Pilot
Take Me to the Pilot
"Take Me to the Pilot" is a rock song performed by British musician Elton John. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and composed by John for his eponymous second album in 1970....
". Both received airplay, but "Your Song" was preferred by disc jockeys and replaced "Take Me to the Pilot" as the A-side, eventually making the top ten on both the UK
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 ...
and US
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...
charts.
In 2004 the song was placed at number 136 on Rolling Stones list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
".
A demo version was included on John's 1990 box set album 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...
. The song has been covered by a number of artists, including Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
, whose version reached number two in the UK in 2010.
Composition and inspiration
"Your Song" is a soft blend of two different styles: folkFolk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
: "I hope you don't mind / I hope you don't mind / That I've put down in words / How wonderful life is while you're in the world." The instrumental focus is on John's Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
-influenced piano work, along with acoustic guitar, Paul Buckmaster
Paul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
's string accompaniment, and a shuffling rhythm section.
The lyrics express the romantic thoughts of an innocent. Taupin offers a straightforward love-song lyric at the beginning: "It's a little bit funny this feeling inside / I'm not one of those who can easily hide / I don't have much money but boy if I did / I'd buy a big house where we both could live." At times the self-deprecating narrator stumbles to get out his feelings, which despite being a melodramatic device, Allmusic calls "effective and sweet": "So excuse me forgetting but these things I do / You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue / Anyway the thing is what I really mean / Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen / And you can tell everybody this is your song / It may be quite simple but now that it's done..."
The song was part of a stockpile of songs John and Taupin wrote while living together. John pinpoints his composition of the music to 27 October 1969. It took him only ten minutes. Taupin had penned the lyrics earlier that day over breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
. John cites the song as one of his favourites, and plays it at most of his concerts. In an interview, he commented, "I don't think I have written a love song as good since".
"Your Song" was itself the inspiration for the song "We All Fall in Love Sometimes" on John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the ninth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1975. It debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Pop Albums chart, the first album ever to do so, and stayed there for seven weeks. It was certified Gold on 5/21/1975 and was...
. The original framed handwritten lyric, complete with egg and coffee stains from breakfast, can be seen in the lyrics booklet that's included with various editions of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.
Reception
"Your Song" was praised by critics upon release and in subsequent years. Bill Janovitz from Allmusic described it as a "near-perfect song". In an interview with journalist Pete Hamill for the June 5, 1975 issue of Rolling Stone, John LennonJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
recalled, "I remember hearing Elton John's 'Your Song,' heard it in America - it was one of Elton's first big hits - and remember thinking, 'Great, that's the first new thing that's happened since we (The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
) happened.' It was a step forward. There was something about his vocal that was an improvement on all of the English vocals until then. I was pleased with it." John Mendelsohn
John Mendelsohn
John Ned Mendelsohn is an American writer, journalist, musician and graphic designer, best known for his rock criticism in Rolling Stone. Critic Barney Hoskyns has called him "one of the funniest writers in English"....
from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called the song a "pretty McCartneyesque
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
ballad".
Chart performance and impact
The song was John's first pop hit. It rose to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard 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...
, and peaked at number seven on 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 2002, John re-recorded the song as a duet with opera singer Alessandro Safina
Alessandro Safina
Alessandro Safina is an Italian operatic tenor.Born in Siena, Italy, Safina's love of opera was encouraged early in life by his mother encouraged his eagerness. His father was also a singer....
for the first Sport Relief
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries...
charity telethon, and it reached number four in the UK.
Track listings
- 1970 US 7" single
- "Take Me to the PilotTake Me to the Pilot"Take Me to the Pilot" is a rock song performed by British musician Elton John. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and composed by John for his eponymous second album in 1970....
" – 3:43 - "Your Song" – 3:57
- 1971 UK 7" single
- "Your Song"
- "Into the Old Man's Shoes"
- 1978 UK 7" single
- "Your Song"
- "Border Song"
- 1985 UK 7" single
- "Cry to Heaven"
- "Candy By the Pound"
- "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On/I Saw Her Standing There/Twist and Shout" (Live)
- "Your Song" (Live)
- 1987 UK 7" single
- "Your Song" (Live)
- "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on MeDon't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"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.-Lyrics and music:...
" (Live)
- 1992 US 7" single
- "Your Song"
- "Border Song"
- 1999 US CD single
- "Recover Your Soul" (Live) – 4:40
- "Your Song" (Live) – 4:08
- 2000 US 12" single
- "We BelongWe Belong"We Belong" is a 1984 single from Pat Benatar's sixth studio album Tropico. It matched the success of "Love Is a Battlefield" on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S., peaking at number five, and reaching number three on Billboard's Top Rock Tracks chart and the top 40 on its Adult...
" (S.R.R. Mix) by Pat BenatarPat BenatarPat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
– 10:39 - "Your Song" (Junior's Vasquez Mix) – 10:00
- 2002 US CD single
- "Your Song" – 4:19
- "Your Song" (Instrumental)
- "Your Song" (Video)
- 2002 US 12" promo single
- A1. "Your Song" (Junior's Earth Anthem) – 10:31
- B1. "Your Song" (Almighty Mix) – 7:21
- B2. "Your Song" (Pretty in Pink Mix) – 6:29
Charts
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
10 |
| 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 ... |
7 |
| US 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... |
8 |
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... Version with Alessandro Safina |
8 |
| Dutch Single Top 100 Version with Alessandro Safina |
88 |
| UK Singles Chart Version with Alessandro Safina |
4 |
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
| US Hot Dance Club Play | 5 |
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
10 |
Performances and renditions
In 2001, John performed Your Song with Billy JoelBilly Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
as a part of The Concert for New York City
The Concert for New York City
The Concert for New York City was a benefit concert, featuring many famous musicians, that took place on October 20, 2001 at Madison Square Garden in New York City in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks...
as a part of the tribute to the September 11 attacks.
John performed the song at the Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana was a concert held at the then new Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 1 July 2007, which would have been her 46th birthday; 31 August that year brought the 10th anniversary of her death...
on 1 July 2007. On 31 January 2010, John and Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
performed a medley of "Your Song" with Gaga's song "Speechless
Speechless (Lady Gaga song)
"Speechless" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Lady Gaga, from her third EP The Fame Monster. The song was written by Gaga to convince her father, Joseph Germanotta, to undergo open-heart surgery, in order to repair his malfunctioning aortic valve, and as a reminder for...
" at the 52nd Grammy Awards
52nd Grammy Awards
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year on January 29, two days prior to the Grammy telecast. Only ten of the 109 awards were received during the broadcast...
.
Other artists who have covered the song include:
- Andy WilliamsAndy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
– Love StoryLove Story (Andy Williams album)Love Story is an album by American pop singer Andy Williams that was released in February 1971 by Columbia Records. It made its first appearance on the Billboard 200 chart in the issue dated February 20, 1971, and remained on the album chart for 33 weeks, peaking at number three...
(1971) - Sugar MinottSugar MinottLincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
- Three Dog NightThree Dog NightThree Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
– It Ain't Easy (April 1970 - the same month as it was released by John) - Billy PaulBilly PaulBilly Paul is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, most known for his 1972 number-one single, "Me and Mrs. Jones" as well as the 1973 album and single "War of the Gods" which blends his more conventional pop, soul and funk styles with electronic and psychedelic influences...
– 360 Degrees of Billy Paul (1972) - Al JarreauAl JarreauAlwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
– Glow (1976) - Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
– Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie TaupinTwo Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie TaupinTwo 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...
(1991) - Ewan McGregorEwan McGregorEwan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
performed the song in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème... - The StreetsThe StreetsThe Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
– Radio 1 Established 1967Radio 1 Established 1967The compilation album Radio 1 Established 1967 is a collection of covers especially recorded for Radio 1 by a number of artists. The album celebrates the 40th anniversary of BBC Radio 1. There are 40 songs recorded by 40 different artists . Each artist was given a year, and were allowed to cover a...
(2007) - John BarrowmanJohn BarrowmanJohn Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
– both live on Children in Need 2007Children in Need 2007Children in Need 2007 was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One on the evening of Friday 16 November, through to the morning of Saturday 17 November. The broadcast was hosted by Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton, joined...
with Myleene KlassMyleene KlassMyleene Angela Quinn is an English singer, pianist, media personality and occasional model. She was formerly a member of the defunct British pop band Hear'Say.-Early life:...
on piano and on his 2007 album Another SideAnother Side (John Barrowman album)Another Side is an album released on the 12 November 2007 by John Barrowman. The album is made up entirely of cover versions of popular songs made famous by other artists... - Mattias AndréassonMattias AndréassonMattias Andréasson, born on March 29, 1981, Swedish singer and Swedish Idol 2007 contestant . He is also known as dmaSOUL. Starting 2007, he is part of the Swedish band E.M.D..-Idol:...
– Det bästa från Idol 2007 (2007) - David Benoit – Heroes (2008)
- Andrew GoldAndrew GoldAndrew Maurice Gold was an American singer, musician and songwriter. His works include the Top 10 single "Lonely Boy" , as well as the singles "Thank You for Being a Friend" , and "Never Let Her Slip Away" ....
– Copycat (2008) - Tina ArenaTina ArenaFilippina Lydia "Tina" Arena is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. She has won several awards, most notably 6 ARIA Awards and in both 1996 and 2000 she received the World Music Award for the world's best selling Australian artist...
– Songs of Love & Loss 2Songs of Love & Loss 2Songs of Love & Loss 2 is the eighth studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Tina Arena, released on 15 November 2008 by EMI in Australia. Her second cover album, it follows on from Songs of Love & Loss, released in 2007, and includes covers of songs by Blondie, Lulu, Alice Cooper and...
(2008) - Harry Connick, Jr.Harry Connick, Jr.Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
– Your SongsYour SongsYour Songs is a studio album by American multi-platinum selling recording artist Harry Connick, Jr., released by Columbia Records.It was released first in the United States on a 2 disc limited edition vinyl LP on August 25, 2009, then released on CD on September 22.The album is a collaboration with...
(2009) - Ellie GouldingEllie GouldingElena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
– Bright LightsLights (Ellie Goulding album)Lights is the debut studio album by English recording artist Ellie Goulding. It was released in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2010 by Polydor Records. Produced by Starsmith, Frankmusik, Fraser T. Smith and Richard Stannard, the album received mostly positive reviews from music critics...
(2010) - Will MartinWill MartinWill Martin is a New Zealand-born classical crossover singer.Martin's first album, released in his native New Zealand, went platinum in 6 weeks. The album, called A New World, featured songs such as "Into the West", "If" and "Going Home".Will commented on his success with “I am an entertainer; I...
– Inspirations (2010) - Patti LaBellePatti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
recorded the song with Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
as a duet on her 2005 Classic MomentsClassic MomentsClassic Moments is an album recorded and released by Patti LaBelle, her second full-length release with Island Def Jam's Def Soul Classics imprint, released in 2005.-Overview:...
album. - In the 2011 British animated film Gnomeo & Juliet, Gnomeo and Paris sings a remade version with new lyrics, included on the film's soundtrackGnomeo & Juliet (soundtrack)The soundtrack for the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet was released on February 8, 2011, three days before the film's initial release. It features music by Elton John, Nelly Furtado, Kiki Dee, and selections from the score composed by Chris P. Bacon and James Newton Howard...
Ellie Goulding cover
English recording artist Ellie GouldingEllie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
covered "Your Song" for inclusion on the re-release of her debut album, titled Bright Lights
Lights (Ellie Goulding album)
Lights is the debut studio album by English recording artist Ellie Goulding. It was released in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2010 by Polydor Records. Produced by Starsmith, Frankmusik, Fraser T. Smith and Richard Stannard, the album received mostly positive reviews from music critics...
. It was released digitally as the re-release's lead single in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2010. Produced by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons are a British folk rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford , Ben Lovett , Country Winston Marshall , and Ted Dwane...
, the single debuted on 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 ...
at number thirty-nine on the issue dated 20 November 2010. It rose to number three the following week, before peaking at number two in its third week, becoming Goulding's highest-peaking single to date. The song was featured in the Christmas 2010 TV advert for the department store chain John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
.
Goulding performed "Your Song" at the reception party of Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding
Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, the eldest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, when both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their...
at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 29 April 2011, to which the newly married Royal Couple shared their first dance. She also performed the song live on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on 7 May 2011.
Critical reception
Nick Levine of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
gave the song four out of five stars, commenting that producer Lovett "shrouds her beautifully fluttery vocals in little but piano and strings, just adding a few harmonies towards the finish, allowing her to draw out the tenderness in Bernie Taupin's lyrics and the utter loveliness of one of Elton John's very best melodies. The result is a quiet, modest triumph, but a triumph nonetheless." Caryn Ganz of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine noted that her cover is "everything Gaga's Grammy version wasn't—a tender, vulnerable gift." Jon O'Brien critic Allmusic, in his review for Bright Lights, called it "unimaginative" and felt that it "sounds out of place alongside the rest of her rather more adventurous material."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by Ben Coughlan and Max Knight, premiered on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
on 14 November 2010. Shot in a Super 8
Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
style with a home video look, it depicts Goulding's life on the road with friends. Areas from Goulding's hometown of Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
can be seen throughout the video including Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
.
Personnel
- Ellie Goulding – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Matt Lawrence – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Ben LovettMumford & SonsMumford & Sons are a British folk rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford , Ben Lovett , Country Winston Marshall , and Ted Dwane...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, kick drumBass drumBass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of... - Ruth de Turberville – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, backing vocals - Matt Wiggins – timpaniTimpaniTimpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
Weekly charts
| Chart (2010–11) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
22 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
5 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
25 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
56 |
| 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 ... |
2 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 30 |