Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me should not be confused with I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.
| Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me | |
| Cover: | Dont-let-the-sun.jpg |
| Caption: | The German single sleeve of the song. |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Elton John |
| Album: | Caribou |
| B-Side: | Sick City |
| Released: | 24 May 1974[1] |
| Recorded: | January 1974 |
| Studio: | Caribou Ranch |
| Genre: | Orchestral pop[2] |
| Length: | 5:35 |
| Label: | |
| Producer: | Gus Dudgeon |
| Prev Title: | Candle in the Wind |
| Prev Year: | 1974 |
| Next Title: | The Bitch Is Back |
| Next Year: | 1974 |
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded by John for his eighth studio album, Caribou (1974), 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.
A version of the song recorded live as a duet between John and George Michael reached number one in the UK in 1991 and in the US in 1992. The pair had performed the song together for the first time at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in July 1985.
During his headlining appearance at the Glastonbury Festival on 25 June 2023, John dedicated the song to Michael, who died in 2016.[3]
"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 on 24 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. The original backing vocalists were Cat Stevens, Danny Hutton, Gerry Beckley, Dusty Springfield and Brian Wilson but according to Bruce "everyone was afraid of one another and I couldn't get a performance out of anyone".[4] Also on the song are percussion accents provided by Ray Cooper and a mellotron played by Dave Hentschel.
Cash Box called it "a gradually building track with pretty lyrics that is as brilliant in performance as it is in production"[5] Record World said that "More poetic than anything he's released since 'Daniel', this expansive ballad begins simply and builds into a bonanza of bright harmonies."[6]
"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.[7]
|-| rowspan="2"| 1975| rowspan="2"| "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"| Record of the Year| |-| Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male[9] | |-
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 13 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[10] | 2 |
| Chart (1974) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada[11] | 22 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 78 |
Elton John recorded a live version on 14 December 1986 that appears on the Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra album. In his 2019 autobiography, Me, Elton claims that this performance is special because he thought it was the last time he was ever going to sing. The singer was going in to dangerous throat surgery a few days later. An edited version of this same recording was released as a single in 1987 and also appears in the To Be Continued... box set.
On 17 May 1990, Elton John recorded a performance on MTV Unplugged at the Chelsea Studios in New York City. An acoustic version of the song was included as a track on The Unplugged Collection, Volume One.[13]
| Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me | |
| Cover: | Georgemichaeleltonjohn.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | George Michael and Elton John |
| B-Side: | "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (live) |
| Released: | 2 December 1991[14] |
| Recorded: | 23 March 1991 |
| Venue: | Wembley Arena, London |
| Length: | 5:47 |
| Label: | |
| Producer: | George Michael |
| Chronology: | George Michael |
| Prev Title: | Soul Free |
| Prev Year: | 1991 |
| Next Title: | Too Funky |
| Next Year: | 1992 |
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. The pair had first performed the song at the Live Aid concert in 1985 (with Michael singing and John playing, featuring backup vocals by Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley and Kiki Dee).[15] Six years later, 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.
Released as a single later that year, the song reached number one on both sides of the Atlantic, spending two weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart in December 1991 and one week on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated 1 February 1992. The duet also spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.[16]
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, Greatest Hits 1970–2002 and Diamonds compilation albums, as well as his 1993 Duets album. The proceeds from the single were divided among 10 charities for children, AIDS and education.
The footage used for the single's music video (directed by Andy Morahan)[17] was taken from a concert at the Rosemont Horizon, Chicago, during Michael's Cover to Cover tour. It is interspersed with footage shot in an airline hangar in Burbank, California, where Michael had been rehearsing.[18]
| Chart (1991–1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI)[21] | 2 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] | 1 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] | 8 |
| Greece (IFPI)[24] | 1 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[25] | 1 |
| Portugal (AFP)[26] | 1 |
| Chart (1992) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[28] | 57 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[29] | 7 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop)[30] | 4 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] | 12 | |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[32] | 21 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[33] | 2 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[34] | 29 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[35] | 6 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] | 5 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[37] | 35 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] | 7 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[39] | 26 | |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[40] | 20 |
| Chart (1990–1999) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[41] | 24 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[42] | 34 | |
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[43] | 92 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[44] | 69 |
Roger Daltrey from The Who performed a cover for the soundtrack to the movie The Lost Boys.
