Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Album: Caribou (1974)
Charted: 16 2
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  • I can't light no more of your darkness
    All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
    I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
    Frozen here on the ladder of my life

    Too late to save myself from falling
    I took a chance and changed your way of life
    But you misread my meaning when I met you
    Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

    Don't let the sun go down on me
    Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
    I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
    But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

    I can't find, oh, the right romantic line
    But see me once and see the way feel
    Don't discard me just because you think I mean you harm
    But these cuts I have, oh, they need love to help them heal

    Don't let the sun go down on me
    Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
    I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
    But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

    Don't let the sun go down on me
    Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
    I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free, yeah
    But losing everything is like the sun going down on me Writer/s: Bernie Taupin, Elton John
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 21

  • Mark from CaliforniaDuring the two weeks that Elton John's original version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was at #2 on the Hot 100 (27 July and 3 August 1974), John Denver's "Annie's Song" held the top spot.
  • Gary James Parker from Rotorua, New ZealandIn 1973 Elton John came to New Zealand and played in Auckland. A local radio station in Hamilton, where I lived at the time, ran a write a song for Elton John competition( lyrics only) and Elton was asked to select the top 6 entries. I entered the song lyrics " Sandy where did you go" and Elton selected it as the winning entry. The song centred around an experience I had with a friend when we were hitch hiking at night. Each of the verses revolved around light going out and being left alone " "started to run to that neon sun when it suddenly went out" The refrain went on to say " you took my harmony and song and left me to sing the blues alone". In January the following year Elton and Bernie Taupin came up with " Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me", one of my favourite songs of all time and Lonnie & Josie, about a couple who have run away together and were last seen hitch hiking. I have in all this time wondered if the song he judged and declared the winning entry back in New Zealand in 1973 influenced these two songs.If they did I would be more than pleased to know. I also understand why he would have had so much trouble singing it as I struggled to find a tune for the version I had written.
  • Diane from United StatesWould it interest anyone to know that in the 1930's signs were put up at the borders of American "sundown towns" like Hawthorne California that stated, "Ni--er, don't let the sun go down on you."?
  • Daryl from Sydney, AustraliaThere seems to be a "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" pattern in the chorus of this song i.e. don't Let the Sun go Down on me. Is it pure coincidence that John released Lucy as a single in the same year as Caribou (1974) and recorded it at the same location?
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyAs stated above; on March 25th, 1991* Elton John joined George Michael onstage at London's Wembley Arena and the duet performed "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me"...
    Eight months and seven days later on December 1st, 1991 their 'live' covered version would enter Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #72; and seven weeks later on January 26th, 1992 it would peak at #1 for one week...
    And on February 2nd, 1992 it also reached #1 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
    Plus it peaked at #1 in Belgium, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands...
    * March 25th, 1991 was also Elton John's 44th birthday.
  • Oldpink from Farmland, InSurprising to read about all the trouble Elton had with this one.
    I consider it his masterpiece.
  • Paul from Detroit, MiThis one and Someone Saved my Life Tonight from 1975 are Elton's two best songs, imo. Hard to believe songs like The Night Chicago Died, and Having My Baby kept this song at #2. ugh.
  • Megan from Stevenson, AlI have to say this is my favorite songs that Sir Elton John has ever sung. This song...is gorgeous! I love the lyrics to this! Simply amazing...
  • Colin from London, United KingdomFurther to the remarks attributed to Brad Wind, the George Michael and Elton John version was not the only UK No 1 recorded outdoors. The EP Five Live, which featured George Michael and the surviving members of Queen, was recorded at the Freddie Mercury memorial concert at Wembley Stadium in 1992, and topped the UK chart in May 1993.
  • Liquid Len from Ottawa, CanadaThis song has nothing to do with suicide, you're thinking of 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight'. I like most of Elton John's songs, but not this one. This song and the rest of the songs on the album 'Caribou' were written and recorded in too much of a rush, and the critics (and Gus Dudgeon, album producer, as far as that goes) were quick to notice the drop in overall quality from 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'.
  • Mary from Phoenix, AzOMG! I totally did not know that Toni Tennille and a couple of the Beach Boys did the back up! I just listened to it closer, and I can totally hear it now! That's so cool! I love songfacts!
  • Fyodor from Denver, CoVariations of this song's title have more recently been used for Michael Jackson jokes!!
  • Ivan from Dallas, TxI consider this song to be Elton's masterpiece and best of his recordings. He has his best voice here, though he reportedly wasn't satisfied with it. Also ironically it didn't go to number 1 in the US.
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaRoger Daltry does a good version of this.
  • Steve from Fenton, MoOne of Elton's greatest songs and recordings.
  • Antonio from Brugge, BelgiumThis song appear at the end titles of The Lost Boys (Joel Schumacher, 1987). It's a movie about vampires...and you know, sun and vampires...
  • Michael from Kearny, NjAs Jason mentioned correctly, Elton was in a vicious mood at the time of recording this song, contrary to the fact that when Elton first wrote this song to Bernie's lyrics, he broke down and wept like a baby. It was typical for Elton to come up masterpiece songs like this while his personal life was falling apart from excesses of drugs, drink and a rock and roll lifestyle.
  • Holly from Trenton, NjWas written about a suicide attempt Elton made in his early career.
  • Aimee from Auckland, New ZealandGeoff, if you read the facts properly, you'd have noticed this: "Released as a live duet with George Michael in 1991" - you see, the duet at the concert with George Michael came much, MUCH later.
    The songfacts are referring to the original recording.
  • John from Greeneville, TnCoincidentally, despite Elton's lack of satisfaction regarding his vocals, he won his first performance Grammy for Male Vocalist of the Year (1974).
  • Geoff from Tucson, AzThe song was not recorded outside. It was recorded during a George Michael concert at the Rosemont Horizon near Chicago. I was there.
    -Molly Kehr
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