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I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues

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"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
Single by Elton John
from the album Too Low for Zero
B-side
  • "Choc-Ice Goes Mental" (UK)
  • "The Retreat" (US)
ReleasedApril 1983 (UK)
November 1983 (US)
RecordedSeptember 1982
Genre
Length4:45
LabelRocket
Geffen (US)
Songwriter(s)Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Davey Johnstone
Producer(s)Chris Thomas
Elton John singles chronology
"All Quiet on the Western Front"
(1982) 		"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
(1983) 		"I'm Still Standing"
(1983)
Music video
"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" on YouTube

"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" is a song by English musician Elton John, with music by John and Davey Johnstone and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, released as the first single from John's 17th studio album Too Low for Zero. It was the first single since 1975's "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" to feature the classic lineup of the Elton John Band.

The song became one of John's biggest hits of the 1980s in the United States, holding at No. 2 for four weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart, and reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top ten in five countries, including the UK, peaking at number five. It was also featured on the film soundtrack to Peter's Friends in 1992.

Critical reception

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The song received largely favourable reviews, with Bill Janovitz of AllMusic declaring the song "likely to stand the test of time as a standard."[3]

Janovitz wrote: "As with the lyric, the music has more than a tinge of nostalgia, with a '50s-like R&B shuffle, a jazzy piano theme, and an inspired, Toots Thielemans-like harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder. The soaring solo takes the song to new heights, the ache of the sentiment palpable in every note."[3]

Live performances and covers

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A fan favourite, John has performed the song live numerous times,[4] occasionally playing it as part of a medley with his hit "Blue Eyes" (from the 1982 album Jump Up!).

The song was later performed live by Mary J. Blige and Elton John, and this version of the song was part of the Mary J. Blige & Friends EP. A live version of the song with Mary J. Blige also appeared on John's One Night Only – The Greatest Hits live compilation, recorded in Madison Square Garden in October 2000. Another live version, this one featuring just Elton John and basic rhythm section, was recorded live in Verona in 1996 during John's appearance with Luciano Pavarotti as part of the master tenor's Pavarotti and Friends for War Child benefit concerts.

The song was covered by James Blunt and released in the UK on the compilation album BBC Radio 2: Sounds of the 80s on 7 November 2014.[5]

Canadian singer Alessia Cara covered the song for the 2018 tribute album Revamp & Restoration.[6]

Music video

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The original music video, one of twenty directed for John by Australian Russell Mulcahy,[7] tells the story of two 1950s-era young lovers who are separated when the man is forced to leave for National Service, depicting the trials and tribulations he experiences there, and then are finally reunited at the end of the song. It was filmed in the Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton Park in London and at Colchester Garrison Barracks, Essex, and featured William Dimeo.[citation needed]

Track listings

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US 7-inch single

  1. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
  2. "The Retreat"

UK 7-inch single

  1. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
  2. "Choc Ice Goes Mental"

Personnel

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Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1983–1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 4
Germany (Media Control AG)[9] 22
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 48
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 12
South Africa (RISA)[12] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 12
UK Singles (OCC)[14] 5
Zimbabwe Singles (ZIMA)[15] 1
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Canadian Adult Contemporary[16] 1
Canadian Top Singles[17] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 4
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[19] 2

Year-end charts

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Year-end chart (1983) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[20] 38
Year-end chart (1984) Position
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[21] 33

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[23] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Semigran, Aly (6 April 2018). "Elton John's 'Revamp': Which Pop Stars Soar While Covering the Rocket Man?". Billboard. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  2. ^ Edwards, Briony (22 May 2019). "The 15 best Elton John songs". Classic Rock. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b Janovitz, Bill. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues – Elton John | Song Info". AllMusic.
  4. ^ "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues by Elton John Song Statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  5. ^ "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues". iTunes Store. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Various Artists – Revamp: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  7. ^ "Russell Mulcahy". austlit.edu.au. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Chartverfolgung / JOHN, ELTON / Single" (in German). Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2011. Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  10. ^ "Elton John – I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  11. ^ "Elton John – I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues". Top 40 Singles.
  12. ^ ""I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  13. ^ "Elton John – I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues – Hitparade.ch". Singles Top 75. Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  16. ^ "Contemporary Adult". RPM. 39 (22). 4 February 1984. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  17. ^ "50 Singles". RPM. 39 (23). 11 February 1984. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  18. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  19. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 128.
  20. ^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  21. ^ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. 22 December 1984. p. TA-19.
  22. ^ "British single certifications – Elton John – I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  23. ^ "American single certifications – Elton John – I Guess That's Why". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
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