First Hit #1: February 1, 1992
George Michael and Elton John together seems so obvious, two soul-influenced musicians with big voices and a somewhat similar sound and first names for last names. They’re different enough that they can’t really step on each other’s toes, but they work so well together because they kind of work in the same wheelhouse. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me confirms that, when they’re harmonizing it adds little touches that that just having one singer on the track couldn’t provide. John’s solo original is good, and Michael is good before John comes in later in the song, but together they make the song a bit more interesting. There are blanks that can only be filled with their unique vocal qualities, and as a result they manage to make the best version of the song, which probably explains why this version was the hit.
We Are Number Ones 
American Idol contestants love this gospel song because all its long notes take its time. Like the similar “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” it builds slowly, rolling out a mere four couplets over the first two minutes before the first chorus, Then another two couplets and two choruses later, it’s done, taking almost six minutes. Was the live version on my George Michael “Twenty Five” collection the one that was played on the radio? We haven’t seen a true duet, or a live track, or a twenty year old song, at the top of the charts for a while. (But note that a twenty year old song is, as usual, likelier to resurrect than a thirty or ten year old song. How many times did young George Michael sing this in his bedroom as a kid?)
I remember the live one on the radio at the time, mostly because of the “Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Elton John!” bit.
This is a great song, and I agree, the pair of them together make the song even more interesting. And in reference to the previous comment, as far as I know, the version on the ’25’ album is indeed the same one. It’s amazing to think that already 21 years have passed since this song was originally released (and actually, it came out in 1991 here in the UK, which makes it nearly 22 years ago over here…). So a cover version of a ‘classic’ song, has in turn also become a ‘classic’.