Lay’s potato chips used to advertise it was impossible to stop with just one. Eltonjohn.world, likewise, can’t stop with just one discussion about duets, so here are some more highs and lows, plus ho-hums, starting with the ladies!
• Lesley Duncan. She wrote the simple yet effective Love Song, which appeared on two of Elton’s classics, Tumbleweed Connection and Here And There. ”Here” was recorded at London’s Royal Festival Hall, during an Invalid Children’s Aid Society Benefit.
• France Gall. She was a 1965 Eurovision winner, but the Elton Blog thought she sounded shrill on Donner Pour Donner. Les Aveux was a much better song . . . for listeners and for both of the stars.
• Lady Gaga. Elton and Gaga made their first joint appearance during the 2010 Grammy Awards. While their Speechless/Your Song medley received a warm reception, it was their sparkly ensembles–particularly Elton’s huge earring and glasses–which really stood out. According to 20/20 magazine, both had on Swarovski-encrusted sunglasses custom-made by Giorgio Armani.
The following year, the entertainers teamed up for Gnomeo & Juliet‘s Hello Hello. One can’t help but think of the Beatles‘ Hello, Goodbye, and Bernie wasn’t at his best with all too familiar lines like ”Ain’t life a many splendoured thing” and ”puppets on a string.”
A refreshing change of pace was Sine From Above, on Gaga’s Chromatica album. Rolling Stone considered it ”electro-pop heaven,” thanks in part to Elton’s smooth, deep voice which ”sounded like he’s been gunning to become a disco vocalist for the entirety of his career.”
• Rina Sawayama. Elton was Rina’s singing partner on Chosen Family, which had a good melody and message: that you don’t need to share genes or a surname – or even look the same – to be considered family. They also were together at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival, where they sang Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, but it was a far cry from Elton and Kiki Dee‘s rendition.
• Brandi Carlile. On 26 March, Elton played the London Palladium for the very first time. He was there with Brandi to preview Who Believes in Angels, and the show included an album highlight, Little Richard’s Bible. The ten-song setlist from that evening will be available on Record Store Day which falls on 28 November. What’s more, this vinyl release is accompanied by an original fold-out concert poster.
Now for a few fellows. . .
• Sam Fender. On 5 December, an expanded deluxe edition of Sam’s Mercury Prize-winning People Watching will be out. There’s new music as well, including the rockabilly-tinged Talk to Me, with Elton on piano.
It’s not the first time Elton has contributed to one of his friend’s songs. In 2020, they performed Will We Talk? at the 2020 Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party.
• Engelbert Humperdinck. In 2014, a collection of duets, Engelbert Calling, was released. It started off with Elton’s Something About the Way You Look Tonight.
Engelbert told the Calgary Herald that after Elton got on board, it was easy to attract other names to the project, such as Gene Simmons and Dionne Warwick. He compared Elton to a honeycomb, but their duet wasn’t nearly as sweet as the original.
• Leon Russell. Elton and Leon’s The Union reminded some reviewers of the seventies. Far Out believed it took the ”same cues” as Madman Across the Water and Captain Fantastic; Uncut cited the ”rustic terrain of Tumbleweed Connection.” The latter is certainly true of Gone To Shiloh and Jimmie Rodgers’ Dream.
Another ”Union” selection, If It Wasn’t For Bad, was nominated for a Grammy, but unfortunately did not win for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
• Ozzy Osbourne. In 2020, Elton joined the Black Sabbath singer on the title track for Ordinary Man. Ozzy wrote in his autobiography, Last Rites, that he played it for some people before it was released. When each of them cried, Ozzy quipped, ”It wasn’t that bad!”
They were obviously touched by lyrics expressing regret for losing control and hurting ”momma” (a reference to his wife, Sharon).
Ozzy thought it could be about his life or Elton’s, though. He wrote that they came from humble backgrounds, and wound up with almost everything they could want.
