Imagine singing an Elton John song in front of the man himself! Charlie Puth did just that and got a standing ovation from John for his troubles. The New Jersey star sang “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” at the Gershwin Prize to honor John and his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin. It was really a revelation to hear Puth singing and playing the 1974 piano ballad, as it contrasted so much with his usual style.
It probably won’t surprise readers to hear that Puth absolutely knocked it out of the park, given how prodigiously talented he is. Puth stuck true to the original arrangement and sang with all of his heart, clearly showing off how much he respects John and Taupin’s work. His voice is just perfect for John’s material, and I can’t think of anyone who could have done a better job covering the tune to honor the legendary writing duo.
WETA National Productions uploaded Puth’s Gershwin Prize performance on April 11, 2024, and it has since gained nearly half a million views. Fans gave plenty of love for Puth and John below the video, adding comments such as “Man, I got goosebumps from this. Charlie is truly one of the most talented artists of our time. Bravo!” and “Oh my gosh, I’m blown away! What a fantastic performance in honor of Elton and Bernie, and the icing on the cake, Elton’s forever awesome band backing him up.”
John initially released “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” as a solo single in 1974, but readers may recall that it was re-released in 1991 as a duet between John and George Michael. Michael’s heartfelt lead vocal in the first half of the song really made it soar, and then John drops in to sing lead in the second half and then duet with Michael is just a joy to hear.
John released “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” on May 24, 1974, as the lead single from his eighth studio album Caribou. He co-wrote the song with Bernie Taupin, while Gus Dudgeon handled production. John’s solo version of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 16 in the UK Singles Chart. His 1991 duet with Michael reached even greater heights, hitting number one in both the UK and US.