Duets (Elton John album)
1993 collaborative album by Elton John with multiple guest artists.
Duets is a collaborative studio album by British musician Elton John, released in 1993. The album debuted at No. 7 in the UK and peaked at number 25 on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning platinum certification from the RIAA in January 1994. It was initially conceived as a Christmas project for John, which grew into the album Elton John's Christmas Party. The album features a range of guest vocalists and musicians, and is one of only three albums released between 1983 and 2016 without John's regular guitarist, Davey Johnstone.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Elton John and various artists
- Released
- 22 November 1993
- Recorded
- March 1991 – October 1993
- Genre
- Rock; pop
- Length
- 74:39
- Label
- MCA (US); Rocket (UK)
- Producer
- Various (see below)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Duets was released on single CD, single cassette, and as a double vinyl LP in the UK, with a slightly different running order between formats. The album includes the live version of 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me' with George Michael, which had already become a No. 1 hit on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK singles chart in 1991. Three singles were released in Britain: 'True Love' with Kiki Dee (reached No. 2), 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' with RuPaul (reached No. 7), and 'Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing' with Marcella Detroit (reached No. 24).
Reader's Guide
Duets represents a significant moment in Elton John's career, showcasing his ability to collaborate across genres and generations. The album's commercial success, including platinum certification in the US, demonstrated John's enduring popularity in the early 1990s. The inclusion of the previously released hit with George Michael helped drive sales, while the diverse roster of guests—from k.d. lang and Little Richard to Stevie Wonder and Leonard Cohen—highlighted John's wide-ranging musical connections. The album's production involved numerous engineers and arrangers, including Arif Mardin and Jerry Hey, and featured a large ensemble of session musicians. Its legacy lies in capturing a snapshot of John's collaborative spirit during a period when he was experimenting with duet projects, though it remains one of his less-discussed albums compared to his classic 1970s work.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teardrops (with k.d. lang) | Cecil Womack, Linda Womack | 4:55 |
| 2 | When I Think About Love (I Think About You) (with P.M. Dawn) | Attrell Cordes | 4:34 |
| 3 | The Power (with Little Richard) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin | 6:25 |
| 4 | Shakey Ground (with Don Henley) | Jeffrey Bowen, Al Boyd, Eddie Hazel | 3:52 |
| 5 | True Love (with Kiki Dee) | Cole Porter | 3:35 |
| 6 | If You Were Me (with Chris Rea) | Chris Rea | 4:26 |
| 7 | A Woman's Needs (with Tammy Wynette) | John, Taupin | 5:19 |
| 8 | Old Friend (with Nik Kershaw) | Nik Kershaw | 4:17 |
| 9 | Go On and On (with Gladys Knight) | Stevie Wonder | 5:50 |
| 10 | Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with RuPaul) | John, Taupin | 5:00 |
| 11 | Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing (with Marcella Detroit) | Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | 3:36 |
| 12 | I'm Your Puppet (with Paul Young) | Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn | 3:36 |
| 13 | Love Letters (with Bonnie Raitt) | Edward Heyman, Victor Young | 4:01 |
| 14 | Born to Lose (with Leonard Cohen) | Ted Daffan | 4:33 |
| 15 | Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (live, with George Michael) | John, Taupin | 5:48 |
| 16 | Duets for One | John, Chris Difford | 4:52 |
| Total length | 74:39 | ||
Side one
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teardrops | 4:55 |
| 2 | When I Think About Love (I Think About You) | 4:34 |
| 3 | The Power | 6:25 |
| 4 | Shakey Ground | 3:51 |
| Total length | 19:45 | |
Side two
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | True Love | 3:34 |
| 2 | If You Were Me | 4:26 |
| 3 | A Woman's Needs | 5:18 |
| 4 | Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Live) | 5:46 |
| Total length | 19:04 | |
Track listing from the source article.
More in Band Members & Collaborators
Elsewhere in Elton John
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced