Women Cover Elton John: 5 Epic Live Duets
The feats of Elton John are almost too unbelievable to comprehend. In addition to the 300 million-plus records sold, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. Sir Elton is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame (with Bernie Taupin) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The list goes exhaustingly on, but perhaps the biggest testament of his greatness is the level of esteem he elicits from other performers. Elton is one of the most admired artists by other artists.
Since the beginning of his professional recording career, John’s tunes have been covered by fellow musicians. And most of them are pretty good because the songs are so good to begin with. But they are particularly effective when delivered from women due to their inspirational nature. Occasionally, Elton will delight an audience by collaborating with a woman partner. When performed live as a male/female duet, the songs of Elton John have never shined brighter. Here are five epic examples.
“Border Song” w/Aretha Franklin
Released in April 1970, “Border Song” is the first John/Taupin tune to enter the U.S. charts, making No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two years later the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, included the song on her groundbreaking album Young, Gifted and Black. Franklin’s version is considered not only one of the best Elton John covers ever, but one of the best cover songs ever recorded.
Elton has set the standard for modern day celebrity philanthropy, but he is humbly following Aretha’s humanitarian blueprint. In April of 1993, the conscientious Franklin starred in an AIDS research benefit concert called “Aretha Franklin: Duets”. The show, which was held at the Nederlander Theatre in New York, features the likes of Smokey Robinson, Rod Stewart, Bonnie Raitt, and Gloria Estefan. But of all the amazing performances that night, it is John and Franklin’s duet on “Border Song” that stands out among the rest. The tune finally transcends condemnation, and Elton is only too happy for Aretha to light the way to salvation.
“The Bitch is Back” w/Tina Turner
From 1974, this sassy ditty is the second single from John’s eighth studio album Caribou. Perhaps more than any other tune, this one encapsulates Elton John. In fact, Elton has referred to it as “kind of my theme song.” Oddly enough, the title stems from Bernie Taupin’s first wife Maxine Feibelman. When John’s inevitable mood swings would strike, Feibelman would simply state, “the bitch is back.”
If “The Bitch is Back” is Elton John’s theme song, then it could be Tina Turner’s anthem. After liberating herself from an abusive marriage in 1978, Turner executed one of the biggest career resurrections in music history. By the mid-1980s she was counted among the most popular artists in the world. Her legend status would never be in question again. In 1995, Elton and Tina gave a feisty duet performance of “The Bitch is Back” at the VH1 Fashion and Music Awards. The result is an intense amalgamation of funk, rock, and swagger.
“Something About the Way You Look Tonight” w/Shania Twain
Elton released this tune in 1997 from his album The Big Picture. As one of his most heartfelt love ballads, “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” is also considered a tremendous commercial success. The song spent 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard US Adult Contemporary charts from late 1997 into 1998.
It is not often that Elton is the second most popular performer on display. However, that was the case in 1999 when he joined Shania Twain onstage in Miami. Twain was currently the hottest artist going when John made a guest appearance for her television special, Winter Break. After a mesmerizing rendition of Shania’s hit “You’re Still the One”, the pair give a smoldering performance of “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”. And while neither song was written as a duet, it sounds as if that’s how they were meant to be heard.
“I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” w/ Mary J. Blige
Without a doubt one of Elton’s best tunes from the 1980s and ranks strongly among the sexiest songs of all time. “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” was released as the lead single from John’s 1983 album Too Low for Zero. The tune reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and remains a fixture in Elton’s live shows.
In hindsight, this is the perfect vehicle for a male/female duet and in Mary J. Blige, Elton found the perfect co-pilot. It was October of 2000 when John decided to document his greatest hits in front of a sold-out crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Elton introduces the R&B superstar to the shocked audience, calling her “one of the best voices you’re ever gonna hear.” Mary J. more than lives up to the billing, matching Elton in both veracity and intensity. The dynamic blending provides a unique and fiery performance.
“Tiny Dancer” w/Miley Cyrus
A pop-culture standard, “Tiny Dancer” is easily one of the most iconic songs in John’s extensive catalog. It was written with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin and released on the 1971 album Madman Across the Water. The tune topped out at No. 41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Although it persisted as a crowd favorite for years, it was a 2000 film that immortalized it.
With his movie “Almost Famous”, writer/director Cameron Crowe introduced “Tiny Dancer” to a new generation. Fast forward to 2018, John performed the beloved ballad with country princess turned pop megastar Miley Cyrus. The passionate duet came at the 60th Grammy Awards, some 47 years after the song was first released. It is a beautiful collaboration that at first glance might not be an obvious one. But it is heartfelt and honest. Cyrus steals the show, both visually and vocally. “I thought she was terrific in every way” said Elton of Miley’s performance.
