This poetic song gradually builds into a mixture of complex harmonies. It was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin in 1974. In 1985 Elton John and George Michael sang this as a duet to huge acclaim at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium and, in 2023 at the Glastonbury Festival, Elton John dedicated the song to George Michael, who had died in 2016.

It is generally understood that the lyrics refer to the loneliness and despair that might follow a failed relationship, the going down of the sun representing the end of something precious.

Play Charlie Macdonald’s rendition of this classic by clicking/tapping the play button beneath the image.