"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a duet by Elton John and Kiki Dee. It was written by Elton John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche" (a pun on the expression "an horse and cart, blanche"), and intended as an affectionate pastiche of the Tamla Motown style, notably the various duets recorded by Marvin Gaye and singers such as Tammi Terrell and Kim Weston. It is not to be confused with the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song of the same title recorded in 1965 by Dionne Warwick for the album Here I Am.
Like many of Elton John's singles from the 1970s, it was never included on an original album (though it was recorded during the same sessions that produced Blue Moves).
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" was the first No. 1 single in the UK for both Elton John and Kiki Dee, topping the chart for six weeks in mid 1976. John would not enjoy a solo British chart-topper until "Sacrifice" in 1990. It also became his sixth No. 1 single in the US, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. In the U.S. it was certified Gold Recording Industry Association of America.
The b-side, "Snow Queen", was supposedly inspired by Cher, with Elton's improvising past Sonny & Cher hits "I Got You Babe", and "The Beat Goes On" as well as the solo Cher song "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" during the fadeout of the song.
In 1978, Elton guest starred on The Muppet Show and performed the track with Miss Piggy. In 1985, John and Dee performed the track to the crowd at Wembley Stadium during John's set at Live Aid (where Dee sang backup). In 1987, Elton appeared with Minnie Mouse on the NBC series Totally Minnie performing the track. He also performed it with the Spice Girls on his ITV tribute programme An Audience With Elton John.
Read more about Don't Go Breaking My Heart: Music Video, Availability, Charts (1976), Sales and Certifications, Cover Versions
Famous quotes containing the words breaking and/or heart:
“There’s kind of a Sleeping Beauty magic about the kid. I thought I’d done something toward breaking the spell. Seems not. Prince Charmless, that’s me.”
—Dodie Smith, and Lewis Allen. Roderick Fitzgerald (Ray Milland)
“...to many a mother’s heart has come the disappointment of a loss of power, a limitation of influence when early manhood takes the boy from the home, or when even before that time, in school, or where he touches the great world and begins to be bewildered with its controversies, trade and economics and politics make their imprint even while his lips are dewy with his mother’s kiss.”
—J. Ellen Foster (1840–1910)