Your Song

Last updated

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." [13]

John Mendelsohn from Rolling Stone called the song a "pretty McCartney-esque ballad". [14] In the 2019 book Elton John: Every Album, Every Song – 1969–1979, author Peter Kearns made the following quote in reference to "Your Song". "The words securely insulate themselves against possible criticism by admitting their ineptitude for the task at hand".

In 2018, The Guardian ranked the song number four on their list of the 50 greatest Elton John songs, [15] and in 2022, Billboard ranked the song number two on their list of the 75 greatest Elton John songs. [16]

Commercial performance and impact

"Your Song" rose to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the UK Singles Chart by January 1971. In 2002, John re-recorded the song as a duet with Safina for the first Sport Relief charity telethon and released it on 15 July 2002; this version reached number four in the UK. [17] [18] In the US it was certified Gold and Platinum on 13 December 2012 by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over one million digital downloads. On 23 July 2021, it was certified 2× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting sales in excess of 1,200,000 digital downloads. In the US in April 2018, it was certified 2× Platinum for sales of two million digital downloads by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Elton John . [19]

Charts

"Your Song"
ELTONYOURSONG.jpeg
The German single sleeve
Single by Elton John
from the album Elton John
B-side
Released26 October 1970 (1970-10-26)
RecordedJanuary 1970
Studio Trident, London
Genre
Length4:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"From Denver to L.A."
(1970)
"Your Song"
(1970)
"Friends"
(1971)
Audio
"Your Song" by Elton John on YouTube

Certifications

Certifications for "Your Song"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [47] Gold30,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [48] Platinum90,000
Germany (BVMI) [49] Gold300,000
Italy (FIMI) [50]
sales since 2009
Platinum50,000
Japan (RIAJ) [51]
1996 release
Gold50,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [52] 2× Platinum120,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [53]
sales since 2008
3× Platinum1,800,000
United States (RIAA) [54] 2× Platinum2,000,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notable performances and renditions

John has played "Your Song" at almost every live performance during his solo career, and issued several live versions, including with his band, solo on piano and with orchestra. One notable version was during his Central Park concert in 1980, when John was dressed as Donald Duck.

A live version of John's concert with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, recorded on 14 December 1986, was included in his 1987 album Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra . He also performed "Your Song" live with Ronan Keating at Madison Square Garden, New York, in 2000, the recording of which can be found on Keating's 2010 album Duet . On 20 October 2001, John performed the song with Billy Joel at The Concert for New York City, a tribute show to the September 11 attacks. In 2004, Daniel Bedingfield performed a cover of the song to Elton John at An Ivor Novello Tribute: Elton John. John performed "Your Song" to open the Concert for Diana on 1 July 2007. [55] John and Lady Gaga performed a medley of "Your Song" with Gaga's song "Speechless" at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on 31 January 2010. [56] At the 2013 Grammy Awards, Colombian singer Juanes performed a bilingual rendition of "Your Song". [57] Gaga recorded a cover of the song for the 2018 tribute album Revamp: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin . [58]

Soul singer Billy Paul released a version of the song on Philadelphia International in 1972, as the B-side of "Me and Mrs. Jones", then in 1977, which reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart and spent seven weeks in the top 75. [59] Also in 1972, the song was covered by Finnish band Alwari Tuohitorvi, with Finnish lyrics. [60]

In 1973, Mia Martini released an Italian version of the song on her album Il giorno dopo, under the title "Picnic".[ citation needed ]

In 2014, singer Aloe Blacc released “The Man” from his 2014 album Lift Your Spirit and the melody of this album hinges on the melody of this song.[ citation needed ]

In 2018, John starred in the annual Christmas advert of British department store chain John Lewis & Partners, titled "The Boy & the Piano". Set to "Your Song", it featured John reminiscing about his life in reverse, culminating with him receiving a piano for Christmas as a child. [61] [62]

In December 2021, it was reported that the original plan was for John to sing "Your Song" at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, but the final choice was "Candle in the Wind 1997". [63]

Rod Stewart version

"Your Song"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
B-side "Broken Arrow"
Released6 April 1992 (1992-04-06) [64]
Length4:49
Label Warner Bros.
Composer(s) Elton John
Lyricist(s) Bernie Taupin
Producer(s) Trevor Horn
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"People Get Ready"
(1992)
"Your Song"
(1992)
"Broken Arrow"
(1992)

English singer and songwriter Rod Stewart covered "Your Song" for the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin (1991). His version was released in April 1992 as a double A-side single with "Broken Arrow".

Track listings

  1. "Your Song" – 4:47
  2. "Broken Arrow" – 4:11
  3. "Mandolin Wind" – 5:27
  4. "The First Cut Is the Deepest" – 3:52
A. "Your Song" – 4:47
AA. "Broken Arrow" – 4:11

Charts

Chart (1992)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [65] 25
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [66] 23
France (SNEP) [67] 38
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [68] 60
UK Singles (OCC) [69] 41
US Billboard Hot 100 [70] 48
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [71] 6

Ellie Goulding version

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"Your Song"
Ellie Goulding - Your Song.png
Single by Ellie Goulding
from the album Bright Lights
Released12 November 2010 (2010-11-12)
Recorded2010
Studio The Pool and The Square, London
Genre
Length3:10
Label Polydor
Composer(s) Elton John
Lyricist(s) Bernie Taupin
Producer(s) Ben Lovett
Ellie Goulding singles chronology
"The Writer"
(2010)
"Your Song"
(2010)
"Wonderman"
(2011)
Music video
"Your Song" by Ellie Goulding on YouTube