THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

481-Elton John and Kiki Dee-Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.

1976-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 2.53. Watching Elton’s dance moves in the iconic video makes you realise why when performing in concert, he tended to spend most of his time sat at the piano.

‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ was issued as a stand alone single on June 25th, 1976, it was co-written by Elton John, (see also best songs 946-237 and 62) and his usual songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, but this time using the pseudonyms ‘Anna Orson’ (Elton John) and ‘Carte Blanche,’ (Bernie Taupin) with the production being by Gus Dudgeon (1942-2002) (see also best songs 946-223 and 62.) Elton John and Bernie Taupin were both big fans of the ‘Motown’ style duet of the 1960’s, such as those performed by Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) (see also best songs 723-183 and 114) and Tammi Terrell, (1945-1970) and Kim Weston. Initially the idea was to cover The Four Tops (see also best songs 650) song ‘Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever,’ (1966-Billboard Number 45) until they came up with this original gem. Elton had planned to record the duet with Dusty Springfield (1939-1999) (see also best songs 882 and 171) but she had to withdraw because she was too ill at that time. ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ went on to become the first UK Number 1 single for Elton John, although it would be a further 14 years until his first solo UK Number 1 ‘Sacrifice.’ In 1993 Elton John re-recorded ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ in a ‘Disco’ style with the American drag queen RuPaul, for his duets Album, the song was produced by Giorgio Moroder, (see also best songs 78 and 11) and reached Number 3 in the UK. In 1981, Elton John and Kiki Dee finally got around to covering ‘Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever,’ as a duet, with the song appearing on Kiki Dee’s 11th Album release ‘Perfect Timing,’ the song was issued as a single, but failed to chart. ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ went on to reach Number 1 in the UK, and also Number 1 in America on Billboard. The song finished as the second best selling record of 1976 in both countries, in the UK behind ‘Save Your Kisses for Me,’ by Brotherhood of Man, and on Billboard behind ‘Silly Love Songs,’ by Wings. In June 2013, 37 years after its original release, ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ reached one million sales in the UK, and at the time of writing it’s sales are now 1.2 million.

Elton John recorded his vocals for ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ in Toronto, then the tape was sent to London, where Kiki Dee recorded her vocal. The songs producer Gus Dudgeon has said, ‘I was with Elton in Canada and he actually sang about three quarters of the song and gave Kiki about four lines. I said, ‘Hang on a minute, is this supposed to be a duet or a guest appearance? Elton replied, ‘A duet.’ Then you’ve got to give her at least 50% of the song.’ Kiki Dee has said, ‘Elton had recorded the song abroad and also did my vocals in a high-pitched voice which was quite funny, so I knew which lines to sing.’ Bernie Taupin has recalled, ‘I was in Barbados one evening in 1976 when Elton called from Toronto to play me a backing track he’d just cut with the band. Half cut myself by this point, the afternoon’s poolside cocktails having muddied my brainwaves, I listened and took note. Elton was in need of a lyric that could be done as a duet. I told him I would give it a shot, hung up, and stuck my head in the ice bucket. In 10 minutes, I’d thrown something together that was simplistic without being overly trite, and that is how ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ came about.’

Kiki Dee was born Pauline Matthews on March 6th, 1947, in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, it was the English songwriter Mitch Murray who created her stage name. Her breakthrough occurred when signing with ‘Fontana Records’ in 1963, where she released 11 non charting singles between 1963-1968, and also her debut Album ‘I’m Kiki Dee’ in 1968. In 1970 Kiki Dee became the first British white artist to sign with ‘Motown Records,’ on it’s subsidiary ‘Rare Earth’ label, which was a short lived label dedicated to ‘Rock Music,’ played by white artists, she released one Album ‘Great Expectations,’ for the label in 1970, and two singles in 1970, and 1971. It was her next move to ‘Rocket’ records co-owned by Elton John, which saw her finally break in to the charts, when ‘Amoureuse’ reached Number 13 in the UK in 1973. In 1993 Kiki Dee and Elton John once again joined forces, recording the 1956 Cole Porter (1891-1964) (see also best songs 944-655-295 and 73) song ‘True Love,’ for Elton’s ‘Duets’ Album, the song reached Number 2 in the UK, and is Kiki Dee’s last appearance on the chart to date.

The discography of Kiki Dee includes 22 Albums released between 1968-2022, and 37 singles released between 1963-1993. In the UK, Kiki Dee has had nine top 40 hit singles, with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ peaking the highest at Number 1, while without Elton John, her three highest charting singles ‘Amoureuse,’ (1973) ‘Loving and Free,’ (1976) and ‘Star,’ (1981) all coincidentally reached Number 13. In America on Billboard her only other charting single is ‘I’ve Got the Music in Me,’ which reached Number 12 in 1974.

‘Nobody knows it, when I was down I was your clown. Nobody knows it, right from the start I gave you my heart, I gave you my heart. So don’t go breaking my heart, I won’t go breaking your heart.’