Diamond Moments: ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’

Already one of Elton’s most identifiable songs, and a concert showstopper since 1974, ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’ was given new life in 1991 when George Michael asked Elton to join him in a live cover of his own song. The resulting #1 single appears on all formats of ‘Diamonds.’

The original track appeared on Elton’s 8th studio album, Caribou, and was its first single. Released on May 20, 1974, in the UK and on June 10 in the US, it peaked at #16 and #2 on those countries’ respective singles charts in the summer of 1974.

Recorded in Colorado in January of that year, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me had a rocky start. Elton and Bernie, along with producer Gus Dudgeon, went for a Beach-Boys-meets-Phil-Spector feel on the track…something akin to Let’s Go Away For A While and the Righteous Brothers’ You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling. But try as he might, Elton just could not perform the lead vocal to his satisfaction.

In a 1993 interview, Gus said that Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me gave him chills the first time Elton played it for him. “I just love that song,” he exclaimed. And drummer Nigel Olsson also flipped out when he first heard it while in another room at the Caribou studio as Elton was writing it. “I ran downstairs right to [Elton] and said that it would be a number one hit.” Nigel was right…but it took 17 years.

But Elton’s many attempts at a vocal led to such frustration that he pretty much gave up, telling Gus to not include the song on the album and to, “Give it to Englebert Humperdinck…or Lulu” to record instead.

Thankfully, Gus did neither. The producer built the song even further upon its Spector and Beach Boys base, even going as far as to have Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston from the famed California band sing – and, in Johnston’s case, co-arrange – backing vocals. Toni Tennille also stood behind the mic for the track, and her husband, Daryl Dragon, helped with the background vocal arrangement. (In a year or so, the couple would begin a very successful run as Captain & Tennille.)

Gus also added a Del Newman horn arrangement to the song – using the acclaimed Tower of Power horn section on this and other songs on Caribou – and resisted the urge to somehow fix, or bury, Elton’s pronunciation of the word “discard” in the second verse after Toni Tennille told him she loved how Elton sang it as the exaggeratedly American “dis-cord”.

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me went on to receive a “Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male” Grammy nomination for Elton.

Jack sums it all up by saying, “For the people who have the 1976 Bally game, which has become a true collector’s item, you gotta have this one, too. Most of the sales today go to private homes – collectors around the world. Elton John Pinball is an instant collectible, so avid fans of pinball and of Elton John will want to have this for their own. There will be customers who will buy both the Platinum Edition and Collector’s Edition because they have different artwork packages. The Collector game also has what you call a ‘topper’; it has two screens on top of the back box that play concert footage and has a laser light show. It’s just amazing.

“20 years ago, when I first started selling games to home customers, I would say people in their 40s, 50s, 60s were the primary customers. It’s now 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s… The same as the people in the audience at an Elton concert.

“Elton’s music speaks to everybody. He’s just so visual and engaging. So entertaining. That’s why, at that Farewell Tour concert, it was an eye-opening experience and I thought we could make a really great pinball machine. For all ages – for everybody!”

Elton John Pinball can be purchased directly through an authorized Jersey Jack Pinball distributor.  A complete list of distributors can be found at JerseyJackPinball.com. It also will be in amusement centers and arcades and places like that all over the world, over time.

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me was released by George Michael (the single benefitted ten charities) on November 30, 1991…and once again Elton had his reservations. Upon hearing of George’s plans to issue the live recording, Elton left a voice message on his answering machine telling him that the song was not strong enough to be released and to do so would mean the end of George’s career.

And, once again, Elton underestimated the song.

The single reached #1 in seven countries, including the US and UK (becoming George’s last chart-topper before his untimely death last year) and placed in the Top 5 in six others. It remained in the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks and spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and, similarly to its original incarnation, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

When the single jumped from #72 to #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 14, 1991, it allowed Elton to tie Elvis Presley’s record of 23 consecutive years with a song in the US Top 40. He would go on to break it the following year with the release of Simple Life.

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me has been Elton’s “in memorium” song for the past number of years in concert. He has dedicated it to, amongst others, producers Phil Ramone and George Martin, musicians Leon Russell and Andrae Crouch, and friends like writer/editor Ingrid Sischy.

But since December 2016, he has performed it as a tribute to his late friend and collaborator – the man who truly made one of Elton’s biggest hits his own…