Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Not to be confused with I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
The German single sleeve of the song.
Single by Elton John
from the 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	MCA DJM Rocket Phonogram
Songwriter(s)	Elton John Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)	Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Candle in the Wind" (1974) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1974) "The Bitch Is Back" (1974)
Alternative cover
Solid centre variant of the original UK vinyl single

"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]

Elton John version

Elton John in 1974

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 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, Billy Hinsche, and Toni Tennille. The original backing vocalists were Johnston, Cat Stevens, Danny Hutton, Gerry Beckley, Dusty Springfield, and Brian Wilson but according to Johnston, who handled the vocal arrangements, "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.

Reception

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]

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

• Elton John – piano, organ, vocals
• Davey Johnstone – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
• Dee Murray – bass
• Nigel Olsson – drums
• Ray Cooper – tambourine, bells
• David Hentschel – Mellotron ^[8]
• Carl Wilson – backing vocals
• Bruce Johnston – backing vocals
• Billy Hinsche – backing vocals
• Toni Tennille – backing vocals
• Vocals arranged by Bruce Johnston with help from The Captain
• Horns arranged by Del Newman

Accolades

Grammy Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1975	"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"	Record of the Year	Nominated
		Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male [9]	Nominated

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1974) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) 13 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [10] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [11] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [12] 30 Ireland (IRMA) [13] 17 UK Singles (OCC) [14] 16 US Billboard Hot 100 [15] 2 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [16] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1974) Position Canada [17] 22 US Billboard Hot 100 [18] 78 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI) [19] Silver 200,000‡ United States (RIAA) [20] Gold 1,000,000^ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

1986–1987 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. 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.

1990 MTV Unplugged

On 17 May 1990, Elton John recorded a performance on MTV Unplugged at the Chelsea Studios in New York City. ^[21] An acoustic version of the song was included as a track on The Unplugged Collection, Volume One. ^[22]

George Michael and Elton John version

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External links

• Elton John – Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me on YouTube

"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	2 December 1991 [23]
Recorded	23 March 1991
Venue	Wembley Arena, London
Length	5:47
Label	Columbia Epic
Songwriter(s)	Elton John Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)	George Michael
George Michael singles chronology
"Soul Free" (1991) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991) "Too Funky" (1992)
Elton John singles chronology
"Easier to Walk Away" (1990) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991) "The One" (1992)

v t e Elton John songs
Discography
1960s	"I've Been Loving You" (1968) "Skyline Pigeon" (1968) "Lady Samantha" (1969) "It's Me That You Need" (1969)
1970s	"Border Song" (1970) "Rock and Roll Madonna" (1970) "From Denver to L.A." (1970) "Take Me to the Pilot" (1970) "Your Song" (1970) "Come Down in Time" (1970) "Friends" (1971) "Levon" (1971) "Indian Sunset" (1971) "Tiny Dancer" (1972) "Rocket Man" (1972) "Honky Cat" (1972) "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself" (1972) "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" (1972) "Crocodile Rock" (1972) "Elderberry Wine" (1972) "Daniel" (1972) "Have Mercy on the Criminal" (1972) "Teacher I Need You" (1973) "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" (1973) "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (1973) "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) "Step into Christmas" (1973) "Candle in the Wind" (1974) "Bennie and the Jets" (1974) "Harmony" (1974) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1974) "The Bitch Is Back" (1974) "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1974) "Philadelphia Freedom" (1975) "I Saw Her Standing There" (1975) "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (1975) "We All Fall in Love Sometimes" (1975) "Island Girl" (1975) "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" (1976) "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" (1976) "Pinball Wizard" (1976) "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976) "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (1976) "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" (1977) "Crazy Water" (1977) "The Goaldiggers Song" (1977) "Ego" (1978) "Part-Time Love" (1978) "Song for Guy" (1978) "Are You Ready for Love" (1979) "Mama Can't Buy You Love" (1979) "Johnny B. Goode" (1979)
1980s	"Little Jeannie" (1980) "Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)" (1980) "Dear God" (1980) "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1981) "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (1981) "Blue Eyes" (1982) "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (1982) "Ball and Chain" (1982) "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1982) "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983) "I'm Still Standing" (1983) "Kiss the Bride" (1983) "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (1984) "Passengers" (1984) "Who Wears These Shoes? (1984) "Nikita" (1985) "That's What Friends Are For" (1985) "Wrap Her Up" (1985) "Heartache All Over the World" (1986) "Slow Rivers" (1986) "Take Me to the Pilot" (1988) "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (1988) "Town of Plenty" (1988) "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (1988) "Through the Storm" (1989) "Healing Hands" (1989) "Sacrifice" (1989)
1990s	"Club at the End of the Street" (1990) "You Gotta Love Someone" (1990) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991) "The One" (1992) "Runaway Train" (1992) "The Last Song" (1992) "Simple Life" (1993) "True Love" (1993) "Shakey Ground" (1994) "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1994) "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (1994) "Circle of Life" (1994) "Believe" (1995) "Made in England" (1995) "When the Money's Gone" (1995) "You Can Make History (Young Again)" (1996) "Live Like Horses" (1996) "The Madness of King Scar" (1997) "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997) "Written in the Stars" (1999)
2000s	"Someday Out of the Blue" (2000) "I Want Love" (2001) "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (2002) "Original Sin" (2002) "Are You Ready for Love" (2003) "Ghetto Gospel" (2005) "Electricity" (2005) "The Bridge" (2006) "Joseph, Better You than Me" (2008) "Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer)" (2009)
2010s	"All of the Lights" (2010) "Good Morning to the Night" (2012) "Sad" (2012) "Looking Up" (2015) "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (2019)
2020s	"Ordinary Man" (2020) "Sine from Above" (2020) "The Pink Phantom" (2020) "It's a Sin" (2021) "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" (2021) "Merry Christmas" (2021) "Sausage Rolls for Everyone" (2021) "Hold Me Closer" (2022)
Related	Albums discography Videography
Category:Elton John