"You Can Make History (Young Again)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Elton John | ||||
from the album Love Songs | ||||
B-side | "Song for Guy" | |||
Released | October 1996 | |||
Recorded | 1996 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
| |||
Label | MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Chris Thomas | |||
Elton John singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"You Can Make History (Young Again)" on YouTube |
"You Can Make History (Young Again)" is a song by English musician Elton John, initially recorded in 1996 and released on the American version of the compilation Love Songs . As the song was recorded after the release of the original European version of the compilation (released in late 1995), it was not included on that version.
Lyrically, the song talks of a lover who makes one feel young again, and is said to have been written about David Furnish, with whom Elton began a relationship in 1993. The single included two tracks: a version of the song with its characteristic sitar (which can be heard at the beginning and end of the song), and one without (effectively an acoustic mix).
The song was released as a cassette single, charting at number four on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart [2] and number 70 on the main Hot 100 chart. [3] It also reached number 19 in Canada. [4]
Approximately a year after its release, the song was first released internationally when it was included as the B-side of the worldwide number-one "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" single, both of which were dedicated to friends of Elton John's who had died that year: Gianni Versace and Diana, Princess of Wales respectively.
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "As the legendary tunesmith's more recent material goes, this is among his strongest efforts in years, with its softly shuffling rhythms, caressing strings, and cozy words. Longtime fans may occasionally wince at its sugary content, but this ultimately appealing and memorable single is perfectly suited to the current top 40 and AC radio climate. In fact, this bit of "history" will wash over both formats like a cool, refreshing breeze. Proof that context is everything." [5]
John only played this song two times live on one day. He performed the song on 15 November 1996 on The Rosie O'Donnell Show [6] and Late Night with Conan O'Brien . [7]
A music video, essentially a tribute to Elton's career, was also filmed for the song, featuring Elton singing in front of a microphone in a room with striped walls. Intercut with this are scenes of the camera panning across and zooming in and out of photographs and video footage (projected within the photo frames), showing various performances and notable events from throughout Elton's career. Lying amongst these photographs are notable Elton accessories, such as a knee-high boot adorned with stars, sunglasses with purple lenses, and various top hats.
Towards the end of the video, several of the frames catch fire, and remain charred as smoke rises out of the box first seen at the beginning. One final frame shows Elton with his back towards the camera as he bows. [8]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
"Candle in the Wind 1997", also known as "Goodbye England's Rose" and "Candle in the Wind '97", is a song by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, a re-written and re-recorded version of their 1973 song "Candle in the Wind". It was released on 13 September 1997 as a tribute single to Diana, Princess of Wales, with the global proceeds from the song going towards Diana's charities. In many countries, it was pressed as a double A-side with "Something About the Way You Look Tonight". It was produced by Sir George Martin.
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is a song by English musician Elton John, taken from his 25th studio album, The Big Picture. It was written by John and Bernie Taupin, and produced by Chris Thomas. It was released as the album's first single on 8 September 1997 by Mercury Records and the Rocket Record Company.
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King composed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. Released as a single in May 1994, the song was a hit in the UK, peaking at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, and achieved success in the United States, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a number-one hit in Canada and France. At the 67th Academy Awards in March 1995, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The same year, the song also won John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Completing a trifecta, the song also won a Golden Globe at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards held in 1995 for Best Song - Motion Picture.
"Sunshine on My Shoulders" is a song recorded and co-written by American singer-songwriter John Denver. It was originally released as an album track on 1971's Poems, Prayers & Promises and later, as a single in 1973. It went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. in early 1974.
"I Want You" is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden. It was originally released in Australia on 27 May 1996 as the lead single from their eponymous debut album, Savage Garden (1997). The single reached number one in Canada for two weeks and peaked at number four in Australia and on the US Billboard Hot 100. Much of the song's chart success in the US was the result of Rosie O'Donnell playing the song on several episodes of The Rosie O'Donnell Show. The single also peaked at number nine in Iceland and at 11 on the UK Singles Chart. In November 1998, the single was re-released in the United Kingdom following the success of "Truly Madly Deeply" and "To the Moon and Back". This release peaked at number 12.
"Fly Like an Eagle" is a song written by American musician Steve Miller for the album of the same name. The song was released in the United Kingdom in August 1976 and in the United States in December 1976. It went to number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week of March 12, 1977. The single edit can be found on Greatest Hits (1974–1978). It is often played in tandem with "Space Intro". On the album, the song segues into "Wild Mountain Honey".
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a 1976 duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche", respectively, and intended as an affectionate pastiche of the Motown style, notably the various duets recorded by Marvin Gaye and singers such as Tammi Terrell and Kim Weston.
"Club at the End of the Street" is an upbeat pop rock song composed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was included on John's album Sleeping with the Past in 1989 and released as its third single in 1990. The song describes a night on the town between two lovers at an undisclosed nightclub. John stated in 2013 on Rolling Stone that this song was one of his favourites. He performed this song 3 times live during the One Night Only concerts in 2000.
"Send Me a Lover" is a song by American singer-songwriter and actress Taylor Dayne. It was written by Rick Hahn and George Thatcher, and released on September 6, 1993, as the second single from her third album, Soul Dancing (1993). In the United States, it peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. In Canada, "Send Me a Lover" reached number 24 on the Top Singles chart and number eight on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song was originally recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion in 1992, but her version remained unreleased until 1994.
"I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" is a song by English musician Elton John from his 21st studio album Reg Strikes Back (1988), released as the lead single of the album. The track was written by John and his long-time songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin.
"Do You Know (What It Takes)" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn, released as the third single from her debut studio album, Robyn Is Here (1996). In the United Kingdom, it was issued as Robyn's second single in November 1996, while in the United States, it was released as her debut single the following year. The song was written by Robyn, Herbie Crichlow, Denniz Pop, and Max Martin, and it was produced by Pop and Martin.
"Written in the Stars" is a song by English musician Elton John and American singer LeAnn Rimes. The song came from the musical Aida, written by Elton John and Tim Rice. There are two different recordings of the song, one with Rimes performing the first verse, the other with John. The song was later featured on Rimes' 2002 album I Need You and the concept album for the musical. The song was performed live at VH1 Divas Live '99.
"Circle of Life" is the song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. Composed by English musician Elton John, with lyrics by Tim Rice, the song was performed by Carmen Twillie and Lebo M as the film's opening song. In an interview, Rice said he was amazed at the speed with which John composed: "I gave him the lyrics at the beginning of the session at about two in the afternoon. By half-past three, he'd finished writing and recording a stunning demo." Elton John sang a pop version of the song with the London Community Gospel Choir, which was included in the film's soundtrack and made into a music video.
"Let's Make a Night to Remember" is a song written by Canadian rock artist Bryan Adams, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange. It was recorded by Adams and released on August 12, 1996, as the second single from his seventh studio album, 18 til I Die (1996). The song's musical-style and production were heavily inspired by rock and pop music from the 1980s, and its lyrics chronicle a relationship.
"You Gotta Love Someone" is a song by English musician Elton John, written by John along with Bernie Taupin and released as a single from the Days of Thunder soundtrack in October 1990. The single was also used to promote the Rocket Records 2-CD retrospective The Very Best of Elton John, issued largely in overseas markets excluding the United States, where the more expansive box set To Be Continued... was issued.
"Simple Life" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, released in 1993 as the final single from John's 1992 album, The One. The song was John's thirteenth number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, spending three weeks at the number-one spot, and reached number thirty on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at number three on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart and topped the RPM Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks. This song's appearance in the US top 40 set a record, as John had achieved a top-forty hit for 24 consecutive years, breaking the old record of 23 years set by Elvis Presley in 1977.
"This Night Won't Last Forever" is a song written by Bill LaBounty and Roy Freeland, and originally recorded by LaBounty in 1978, whose version of the song was a minor Adult Contemporary and pop hit, reaching number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Dark Horse" is a song by Canadian pop singer Amanda Marshall. Co-written by Dean McTaggart and David Tyson, it was the fifth single released from Marshall's 1995 self-titled debut album and became another hit for her in Canada, reaching number five on the RPM Top Singles chart and peaking atop the RPM Adult Contemporary chart. It also became a minor hit in Australia and Germany. In 1997, American country music singer Mila Mason covered the song for her own debut album, That's Enough of That. Her version reached number 21 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and number 12 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
"Someday" is a song from Disney's 1996 animated feature film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and originally recorded by American singer and actress Heidi Mollenhauer in her film role as the singing voice of Esmeralda. It was one of three recordings, along with "In a Place of Miracles" and "As Long as There's a Moon", that were discarded during the storyboarding process to be replaced by "God Help the Outcasts." The codirectors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise both desired a quieter song for Esmeralda's scene inside the Notre Dame cathedral.
"Only Love (The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, which was released in 1996 as the fifth and final single from her second studio album Whaler (1994). The song was written by Hawkins and produced by Stephen Lipson. "Only Love" peaked at No. 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's music video was directed by Bonnie Hoffenberg.