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Elton John performs "Your Song" at the 1986 Prince's Trust Rock Gala

On June 20, 1986, The Prince’s Trust organized an All-Star charity concert at London’s Wembley Arena to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the organization.

HRH The Prince of Wales and The Trust drew up a list of the artists they wanted to appear and recruited an “All-Star” line-up of 22 legendary performers, eight of whom would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The music talent that showed up was spectacular and unprecedented.

This pop-rock extravaganza featured performances by rock legends Elton John, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Tina Turner, as well as younger and newer artists like Howard Jones, George Michael and Paul Young.  It was a particularly significant moment in the career of rock icon Elton John. This was one of Elton’s last live performances before he underwent throat surgery in 1987.

“Your Song” had been Elton’s first single to chart: his first pop hit. The song was part of a series Elton and his lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote while living together at Elton’s mother’s house in the 1960’s. The song was written in 1967 when Taupin was 17.

Elton joked that it was “written in five minutes and recorded in two,” and supposedly was written by Taupin over a breakfast of scrambled eggs. The original lyric sheet is stained with eggs and coffee.

‘Your Song” rose to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and in the UK peaked at #7.

John Lennon said the song was “the first new thing that’s happened since we (The Beatles) happened.” Elton remarked, “I don’t think I’ve written a love song as good since.”

Rolling Stone magazine listed the song in their list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #136. There are over 45 cover versions, including Rod Stewart, Roy Orbison, Al Jarreau, and Garth Brooks.

In 2002, Elton rerecorded the song as a duet with opera singer Alessandro Safina and its re-release reached #4 in the UK. It was also the No.1 US Hot Ringtone in 2007.

Elton’s song “We All Fall In Love Sometimes” is about the writing of this song.

Elton John has the unique distinction of charting a Top 40 single every year from 1970 to 1996. He has sold over 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time and has more than fifty “Top 40” hits including seven consecutive “No. 1” U.S. albums, 56 “Top 40” singles, 16 “Top 10s”, four “No. 2” hits and nine “No. 1” hits. He has won five Grammy awards and one Academy Award.

John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and was knighted in 1998.

The Prince’s Trust is UK’s leading youth charity, giving practical and financial support to 14-30 year olds, helping them tackle problems of employment, education and training. Since its inception in 1976 The Trust has helped over 600,000 young people, overcome their barriers and transform their lives.

Proceeds from this video will support The Prince’s Trust to help change young people’s lives.

iTunes videos from The Prince’s Trust include: While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison), My Song (Elton John), Tearing Us Apart (Eric Clapton & Tina Turner), Get Back (Paul McCartney), Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (Elton John), Orangefield (Van Morrison), and You Can’t Hurry Love (Phil Collins).
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Elton John
“Your Song”
June 20, 1986
Wembley Arena, London
Running Time: 4:36
Written by Bernie Taupin/Elton John