Duets (Elton John album)
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Duets is the twenty-fourth studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elton John, released in 1993.
Background
Duets was released on a single CD, a single cassette and also as a double vinyl LP in the UK, with a slightly different running order. It was initially a Christmas project of John's, but that soon grew into an album, Elton John's Christmas Party, of its own. The live version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with George Michael, track number 15 on the album, had already become a UK/US No. 1 hit in 1991. Three singles were released from the album in Britain: "True Love" (with Kiki Dee, reached #2), "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with drag queen RuPaul, reached #7) and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (with Marcella Detroit, reached #24). The album debuted at No. 7 in the UK. This is the only album released between 1983 and 2010 without John's guitar player, Davey Johnstone. In the US, it was certified gold and platinum in January 1994 by the RIAA.
Track listing
CD edition
| 1. |
"Teardrops" (with k.d. lang) | Cecil Womack, Linda Womack | Greg Penny |
4:55 |
| 2. |
"When I Think About Love (I Think About You)" (with P.M. Dawn) | Attrell Cordes | P.M. Dawn |
4:34 |
| 3. |
"The Power" (with Little Richard) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin | Greg Penny, Elton John |
6:25 |
| 4. |
"Shakey Ground" (with Don Henley) | Jeffrey Bowen, Al Boyd, Eddie Hazel | Don Henley |
3:52 |
| 5. |
"True Love" (with Kiki Dee) | Cole Porter | Narada Michael Walden |
3:35 |
| 6. |
"If You Were Me" (with Chris Rea) | Chris Rea | Chris Rea |
4:26 |
| 7. |
"A Woman's Needs" (with Tammy Wynette) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin | Barry Beckett |
5:19 |
| 8. |
"Old Friend" (with Nik Kershaw) | Nik Kershaw | Nik Kershaw |
4:17 |
| 9. |
"Go On and On" (with Gladys Knight) | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder |
5:50 |
| 10. |
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with RuPaul) | Ann Orson, Carte Blanche | Giorgio Moroder |
5:00 |
| 11. |
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (with Marcella Detroit) | Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | Chris Thomas |
3:36 |
| 12. |
"I'm Your Puppet" (with Paul Young) | Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn | Steve Lindsey |
3:36 |
| 13. |
"Love Letters" (with Bonnie Raitt) | Edward Heyman, Victor Young | Don Was |
4:01 |
| 14. |
"Born to Lose" (with Leonard Cohen) | Ted Daffan | Steve Lindsey |
4:33 |
| 15. |
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (live, with George Michael) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin | George Michael |
5:48 |
| 16. |
"Duets for One" | Elton John, Chris Difford | Elton John, Stuart Epps, Greg Penny |
4:52 |
LP edition
| 1. |
"Teardrops" | k.d. lang |
4:55 |
| 2. |
"When I Think About Love (I Think About You)" | P.M. Dawn |
4:34 |
| 3. |
"The Power" | Little Richard |
6:25 |
| 4. |
"Shakey Ground" | Don Henley |
3:51 |
Total length: |
19:45 |
| 1. |
"True Love" | Kiki Dee |
3:34 |
| 2. |
"If You Were Me" | Chris Rea |
4:26 |
| 3. |
"A Woman's Needs" | Tammy Wynette |
5:18 |
| 4. |
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Live) | George Michael |
5:46 |
Total length: |
19:04 |
| 1. |
"Old Friend" | Nik Kershaw |
4:15 |
| 2. |
"Go on and On" | Gladys Knight |
5:50 |
| 3. |
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" | RuPaul |
5:00 |
| 4. |
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" | Marcella Detroit |
3:36 |
Total length: |
18:41 |
| 1. |
"I'm Your Puppet" | Paul Young |
3:36 |
| 2. |
"Love Letters" | Bonnie Raitt |
4:01 |
| 3. |
"Born to Lose" | Leonard Cohen |
4:33 |
| 4. |
"Duets for One" | |
4:52 |
Total length: |
17:02 |
B-sides
| Song |
Format |
| "The Show Must Go On" (live) | True Love 7"/CD (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Remix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12"/CD (US) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Don't Go Dubbing My Heart) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (US) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (MK Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12"/CD (US) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Serious Rope 12" Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12"/CD (US/UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Roger's Dub) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12"/CD (US) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Serious Rope Instrumental) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (US/UK), CD (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Serious Rope Dirty Dub) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (US/UK), CD (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Roger's Runaway U Betta Work Bitch Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (US) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Moroder 12" Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12"/CD (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Sanchez Club Mix Edit) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Sanchez Radio Mix Edit) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Sanchez Club Instrumental) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Sanchez's Man's Rubba Dub Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart 12" (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Moroder 7" Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart CD (UK) |
| "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (Serious Rope 7" Mix) | Don't Go Breaking My Heart CD (UK) |
| "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Kenny Dope Extended Mix) | Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing CD (UK) |
| "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Troopa Mood Mix) | Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing CD (UK) |
Personnel
- Robert Ahwai – guitar (6)
- Guy Babylon – keyboards (3)
- Eddie Bayers – drums (7)
- Louis Biancaniello – keyboards, synthesizer, programming and arrangements (5)
- Curt Bisquera – drums (1, 3)
- Martin Bliss – guitar (15)
- Kimberly Brewer – backing vocals (9)
- Johnny Britt – backing vocals (12)
- Ray Brown – bass (14)
- Kelli Bruce – backing vocals (7)
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards and programming (13)
- Kathy Burdick – backing vocals (7)
- Chris Cameron – keyboards (15)
- Linda Campbell McCrary – backing vocals (10)
- David Campbell – arrangements, conductor, horn arrangements, string arrangements
- Bill Churchfield – horn (12)
- David Clayton – keyboards (15)
- Leonard Cohen – vocals (14)
- Luis Conte – congas (12)
- Jim Cox – organ (12, 14), piano (14)
- Andraé Crouch - backing vocals (3)
- Andraé Crouch Choir - backing vocals (3)
- Sandra Crouch - backing vocals (3)
- Danny Cummings – percussion (15)
- P.M. Dawn – vocals (2)
- Kiki Dee – vocals (5)
- Marcella Detroit – vocals, guitar and harmonica (11)
- Martin Ditcham – drums (6), percussion (6, 16)
- Nathan East – bass (1, 3)
- Alan Estes – bells, tambourine and vibraphone (12)
- Deon Estus – bass (15)
- Ricky Fataar – drums (13)
- Lynne Fiddmont-Linsay – backing vocals (9)
- Brandon Fields – tenor saxophone (13)
- Connye Florence – backing vocals (7)
- Malcolm Foster – bass (16)
- Paul Franklin – steel guitar (7)
- Mike Gibbs – string arrangements and conductor (12, 14)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (12)
- Mark Goldenberg – guitar (13)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (3)
- Ed Greene – drums (12)
- Sandy Griffith – backing vocals (5)
- Steve Grove – saxophone (12)
- John Guerin – drums (14)
- Andy Hamilton – saxophone (15)
- Don Henley – vocals (4)
- Jay Henry – backing vocals (15)
- Jerry Hey – trumpet and horn arrangements (3)
- Dan Higgins – baritone saxophone (3)
- Yvonne Hodges – backing vocals (7)
- Dann Huff – electric guitar (7)
- James Hutchinson – bass (13)
- Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar (12)
- Danny Jacob – guitar (15)
- Elton John – piano, keyboards, vocals, arrangements
- Michelle Johnson – backing vocals (2)
- Plas Johnson – saxophone solo (14)
- Nik Kershaw – vocals, arrangements and all instruments (8)
- Herold Klosser – keyboards, programming and arrangements (10)
- Mike Knapp – Roland TB-303 bassline (10)
- Gladys Knight – vocals (9)
- Stephen Kupka – baritone saxophone (13)
- k.d. lang – vocals (1)
- Shirley Lewis – backing vocals (15)
- Mort Lindsey – arrangements, string arrangements and conductor (12, 14)
- Steve Lindsey – arrangements, string arrangements and conductor (12, 14)
- Etyenne Lytel – keyboards (2)
- Lynn Mabry – backing vocals (15)
- Sylvan Marc – bass (6)
- Arif Mardin - string arrangements and conductor
- Candi McKenzie – backing vocals (16)
- George Michael – vocals (15)
- Max Middleton – piano and keyboards (6)
- Jonathan Moffett – drums (15)
- Giorgio Moroder – programming (10)
- Phil Naish – synthesizer (7)
- Dean Parks – guitar (1, 3, 14, 16), lap steel (14)
- Derrick Perkins – programming (9)
- Jamie Perkins – keyboards (16)
- Phil Perry – backing vocals (12)
- Joel Peskin – tenor saxophone (3)
- Greg Phillinganes – piano (12)
- Scott Plunkett – keyboards (4)
- Don Potter – acoustic guitar (7)
- Billy Preston – Hammond B3 organ (13)
- Lon Price – saxophone (12)
- Bonnie Raitt – vocals and slide guitar (13)
- Chris Rea – vocals (6), steel guitar (6), guitar (6, 16)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (3)
- Michael Rhodes – bass (7)
- Little Richard – vocals and piano (3)
- Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals (5)
- John "J.R." Robinson – drums (4)
- Portia Neeley-Rolle – backing vocals (2)
- RuPaul – vocals (10)
- Corrado Rustici – mandolin (5)
- Chuck Sabo – drums (11, 16)
- Thomas Schobel – sequencing (10)
- Beverley Skeete – backing vocals (16)
- Greg Smith – saxophone (12)
- Phil Spalding – bass (11)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass (4)
- Mark Taylor – keyboards (16)
- Mike Thompson – guitar (4)
- Lee Thornburg – trombone and trumpet (12, 13), horn arrangements (13)
- Matthew Vaughan – programming (11)
- Narada Michael Walden – arrangements and vocal arrangement (5)
- Freddie "Ready Freddie" Washington – bass (12)
- Marietta Waters – backing vocals (10)
- Greg Wells – organ (3)
- Precious Wilson – backing vocals (16)
- Stevie Wonder – arrangements, backing vocals and all instruments (9)
- Tammy Wynette – vocals (7)
- Paul Young – vocals (12)
Production
- Producers – Barry Beckett, P.M. Dawn, Stuart Epps, Don Henley, Elton John, Nik Kershaw, Steve Lindsey, George Michael, Giorgio Moroder, Greg Penny, Chris Rea, Chris Thomas, Don Was, Narada Michael Walden and Stevie Wonder.
- Associate Producer on "True Love" – Louis Biancaniello
- Executive Producers – Steve Brown, Ray Cooper and Elton John.
- Production Supervision – Greg Penny
- Production Coordination – Stephanie Andrews, Debra Johnson, Julie Larson, Janice Lee, Lisa Louie, Connie Pappas-Hillman, Cynthia Shiloh, Toby Taibi, Sam Stell and Kevin Walden.
- Engineers – Jim Champagne, Ed Cherney, Mark Evans, Mike Fossenkemper, David Frazer, Ron Jacobs, Jon Ingoldsby, Paul McKenna, David Nicholas, Csaba Petucz, Brian Reeves, Marc Reyburn, Matt Still, Gabe Veltri and Frank Wolf.
- Assistant Engineers – Van Arden, Dominick Barbera, Dan Bosworth, Jim Champagne, Todd Childress, Shaun de Ego, Jim DeMain, Billy Gabor, John Hendricksen, Amy Hughes, Steve Holroyd, Pete Lewis, Charles Paakkari, Thomas Rickert, Rail Jon Rogut, Brian Scheuble, Matt Still and Ben Wallach.
- Mixed by Van Arden, Ed Cherney, Mike Fossenkemper, David Frazer, Jon Ingoldsby and Bill Schnee.
- Mix Assistants – Dominick Barbera, Todd Childress, Steve Holroyd and Matt Still.
- Mix Consultant – Chris Lang
- Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Conway Recording Studios & Capitol Studios (Hollywood, CA); A&M Studios & Wonderland Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Tarpan Studios (San Rafael, CA); Soundtrack Studios (New York City, NY); Bosstown Recording Studio (Atlanta, GA); Woodland Studio (Nashville, TN); Sol Studios (Cookham, Berskhire, UK), The Town House (London, UK), Olympic Studios (Barnes, West London) & Wembley Arena (Wembley Park, London).
- Mixed at Ocean Way Recording, Soundtrack Studios, A&M Studios, Tarpan Studios, Wonderland Studios, The Townhouse, Schnee Studio (N. Hollywood, CA); Skip Saylor Recording (Los Angeles, CA); Record One (Sherman Oaks, CA); Metropolis Studios (Chiswick, West London).
- Digital Editing: Pete Fausone and R.R. Harlan
- Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
- Photography: Brian Aris, Brad Branson, Mark Contratto, Paul Cox, Robert Goldstein, Stephen Harvey, Dominique Issermann, Harry Langdon, Sophie Muller, Hideo Odia, Albert Sanchez, Randee St. Nicholas, Alan Titmuss, Albert Watson and Firooz Zahedi.
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