Sad Songs (Say So Much)
| "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Elton John | ||||
| from the album Breaking Hearts | ||||
| B-side | "A Simple Man" | |||
| Released | May 1984 | |||
| Format | Vinyl record (7" and 12") | |||
| Recorded | December 1983 | |||
| Length |
4:07 (7") 4:47 (12") | |||
| Label |
Geffen (U.S.) Rocket (UK) | |||
| Writer(s) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin | |||
| Producer(s) | Chris Thomas | |||
| Elton John singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Sad Songs (Say So Much)" is a song by Elton John and is the closing track on the 1984 album Breaking Hearts. It reached the No 5 on the U.S. chart. The lyrics describe how it sometimes helps for someone who is feeling sad, or who has lost a partner, to listen to old radio blues classics. In the years since its issue, radio airplay has been modest compared with some of John's other 1980s singles.
The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy and shot on a street in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, featured John without his familiar trademark glasses in some scenes. The single sleeve likewise featured John with no glasses.
John performed the song on One Night Only: The Greatest Hits Live at Madison Square Garden with Canadian rock star Bryan Adams. In 2013, John was joined by Rod Stewart in a special performance of the song at the London Palladium after being presented with first Brits Icon award in recognition of his "lasting impact" on UK culture.[1]
The song and the music video were both utilized in an early '80s TV advertisement for Sasson Designer Jeans, altering the lyrics of the song to "Sasson says so much."[2]
Personnel
- Elton John: piano, keyboards, vocals
- Davey Johnstone: acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Dee Murray: bass, backing vocals
- Nigel Olsson: drums, backing vocals
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] | 4 |
| Canadian Top Singles[4] | 4 |
| Canadian Adult Contemporary[5] | 1 |
| Germany (Media Control AG)[6] | 18 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 8 |
| South Africa (RISA)[8] | 5 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] | 3 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[10] | 7 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[11] | 5 |
| Zimbabwe Singles (ZIMA)[12] | 6 |
References
- ↑ "Sir Elton John wins first Brits Icon award". BBC News. 2 Sep 2013. Retrieved 23 Sep 2013.
- ↑ "Elton John in Video For Sasson Apparel". The New York Times. 14 Aug 1984. Retrieved 25 Nov 2013.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Elton John – Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ↑ "100 Singles". RPM 40 (25): p. 6. 25 August 1984. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ "Adult Contemporary". RPM 41 (1). 8 September 1984. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ "Chartverfolgung / JOHN, ELTON / Single" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Elton John – Sad Songs (Say So Much)". Top 40 Singles.
- ↑ ""Sad Songs (Say So Much)" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Elton John – Sad Songs (Say So Much) – Hitparade.ch". Singles Top 75. Hung Medien.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 1984-06-23" UK Singles Chart.
- ↑ "Elton John Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Elton John.
- ↑
- Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
