The only number one song recorded outside since the 1960s
Most artists relish the comfort of being in the studio after a while. There are many opportunities for someone to make a live record and send their songs into overdrive, but there’s nothing like getting into the musical playground behind the glass and experimenting with everything under the sun. It might be a treat for someone to listen to a track that has pristine production value behind it, but sometimes the best songs are the ones that can stand up with only a performer and a microphone.
But it’s not like recording outside was unheard of back in the day, either. There were artists like Blue Cheer that wanted to capture their massive volume by recording outside on their first handful of records, and even when the 1990s kicked into high gear, Bjork ran her microphone out to the ocean when recording Post so she could sing to the sea. It’s a novel idea, but it doesn’t always sell well.
That’s because even when listening to the greatest live tracks of all time, it’s easy to pick up on some studio assistance half the time. Most of the biggest live records ever made have a handful of touchups in the studio, and no matter how much the Kiss army thrives on how the group sounded live onstage, even Gene Simmons readily admitted that much of what turned up on Alive involved them going back into the studio and tuning things up or overdubbing the audience to be louder.
It’s easy to boost the crowd decibels in the mix, though, but no one was going to have that kind of problem when working in Wembley Stadium. That venue is what rock and roll crowds were made for, and while Queen devoured every single second of their live set during Live Aid, the only number-one song to come from that stage happened when George Michael came up to perform with Elton John.
So, what song did George Michael and Elton John get to number one?
While Michael was still a fresh-faced pop star at the time, it was clear that he was becoming a legend in his own right. WHAM was never supposed to be around forever, and when he came out alone with John to perform a version of ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’, you’d have sworn that it was made for Michael to sing, complete with that showstopping finale of the song.
When the pair performed the tune again in the early 1990s, though, it was like listening to an older and wiser version of Michael. He had already established himself as a solo star, so when performing it with John during the Cover to Cover tour, it was as if he had kept every single promise that he had set out to keep for his fans when he went solo, eventually skyrocketing the live version to the top of the charts.
Since 1960, the track became the first number-one song on the charts to be recorded outside. It might have been a little disconcerting for Michael, considering how much he was a stickler for perfection, but there’s something about the raw performance here that is miles above anything a studio track could have done. Sure, they could have tidied things up, but it would have been a far less interesting version of the tune if it were glossed over.
And since Michael was already making some fantastic danceable tunes like ‘Soul Free’, ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me’ was a reminder of what he could do without any of the processed beats behind him. Without any bells and whistles, he was simply a fantastic performer, and even when standing next to one of the finest song craftsmen of his time, he knew how to work a crowd better than anyone whenever he sang.
