Border Song
{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Border Song
| image = border song by elton john US single Uni variant A.png
| alt = side-A label
| caption = One of side-A labels of the US reissue (Uni Records)
| type = single
| artist = Elton John
| album = Elton John
| B-side = Bad Side of the Moon
| released = 20 March 1970{{Cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Elton+John&titel=Border+Song&cat=s|title=Elton John - Border Song|first=Steffen|last=Hung|website=hitparade.ch}}
| recorded = January 1970
| studio = Trident Studios (London, England)
| venue =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=22}}
| label = Uni (US)
DJM Records (UK)
| writer = *Elton John
| producer = Gus Dudgeon
| prev_title = It's Me That You Need
| prev_year = 1969
| next_title = Rock and Roll Madonna
| next_year = 1970
| misc =
}}
"Border Song" is a song by Elton John with music by John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eltonjohn.com/stories/50-years-on-remembering-the-elton-john-album-part-2|title = 50 Years on: Remembering the 'Elton John' Album, Part 2}} The song initially appeared on the 1970 album Elton John, and was released in the spring of 1970 as the LP's first single. After failing to chart in the UK, it was released in North America a few months later. It met with more success there, especially in Canada, where it peaked at No. 34.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4700&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=msnvgu5v4a643al8ugim1ea684 |title=RMP 100 Singles|magazine=RPM |via=Library and Archives Canada |access-date=2016-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914004126/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4700&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=msnvgu5v4a643al8ugim1ea684 |archive-date=14 September 2014 }} The appearance of "Border Song" on the Canadian charts was John's first chart appearance in any country.
"Border Song" was also John's first song to chart in the United States, peaking at No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 69 in the Cash Box Top 100{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19701003.html|title=Cash Box Top 100 10/03/70|website=tropicalglen.com|access-date=19 May 2018}} in October 1970. A cover by soul icon Aretha Franklin (with "Holy Moses" following the title in parentheses to reflect the repeated phrase in the song) fared better reaching No. 37 in the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 23 in the Cash Box Top 100 in December 1970.{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19701219.html|title=Cash Box Top 100 12/19/70|website=tropicalglen.com|access-date=19 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024085525/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19701219.html|archive-date=24 October 2016|url-status=live}} It was included as the closing track of Aretha's 1972 Young, Gifted and Black album as well.
In the Netherlands it peaked at No. 29 in the Dutch Top 40{{cite web|url=http://www.top40.nl/elton-john/border-song_1705|title=Elton John – Border Song|website=Top40.nl|publisher=Stichting Nederlandse Top 40|access-date=19 May 2018}} in January 1971.
Music and lyrics
{{refimprove section|date=August 2021}}
The song's melody is similar to that of a spiritual.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/sep/13/elton-johns-50-greatest-songs-ranked|title = Elton John's 50 greatest songs – ranked!| website=The Guardian |date = 13 September 2018}} A choir sings during an instrumental break led by John's piano.
John determined the song was too short and added the final verse himself.{{cite book |last1=Herbst |first1=Peter |title=The Rolling Stone Interviews Talking with the Legends of Rock & Roll: 1967-1980 |date=September 15, 1989 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-312-03486-3 |page=296 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nzz7M5FvWiUC&pg=PA296 |language=en}} According to Taupin, "The sentiments in that song, in fact, didn't mean anything. The great thing about Elton's last verse was he tried to put it all into perspective. That song is probably two totally separate songs."[https://www.eltonjohn.com/stories/50-years-on-remembering-the-elton-john-album-part-2 50 Years On: Remvembering the 'Elton John' Album, Part 2]
Reception
Record World said that "it is nothing short of fantastic."{{cite magazine|title=Sleeper Picks of the Week|magazine=Record World|date=July 18, 1970|page=1|access-date=2023-04-26|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-07-18.pdf}} Record World also praised the "fantastic piano."{{cite magazine|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Record World|date=May 9, 1970|page=8|access-date=2023-04-28|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-05-09.pdf}} Cash Box said that "The surface simplicity and material depth of a Randy Newman are reflected in this tremendous top forty/underground shot from Elton John. The artist's power should give him his first taste of American recognition through this scintillating masterwork."{{cite magazine|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|date=May 9, 1970|page=1|access-date=2023-04-28|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-05-09.pdf}} Billboard said that it was "more potent message material with a driving and equally potent vocal workout."{{cite magazine|title=Spotlight Singles|magazine=Billboard|date=May 16, 1970|page=1|access-date=2023-04-28|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1970/BB-1970-05-16.pdf}}
Format and track list
- 1970 US/Canadian 7" single
- "Border Song" 3:22
- "Bad Side of the Moon" 3:15
Personnel
- Elton John – piano, lead vocals
- Madeline Bell – backing vocals
- Tony Burrows – backing vocals
- Roger Cook – backing vocals
- Brian Dee – organ
- Lesley Duncan – backing vocals
- Kay Garner – backing vocals
- Colin Green – guitar
- Tony Hazzard – backing vocals
- Clive Hicks – guitar
- Barry Morgan – drums
- Dave Richmond – bass
- Choir led by Barbara Moore
- Arranged and conducted by Paul Buckmaster
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1970)
! scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|34|chartid=4700|rowheader=true|access-date=August 20, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|25|artist=Elton John|song=Border Song|rowheader=true|access-date=August 20, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|92|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|access-date=August 20, 2024}} |
| scope="row"| US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19701003.html|title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 3, 1970|website=tropicalglen.com|access-date=13 January 2024}}
| 69 |
Cover versions
File:Border Song (Holy Moses) by Aretha Franklin US vinyl Side-A.png
- Aretha Franklin's 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black concludes with her solo cover of this song. Cashbox said of this version that Franklin "brings the song to a boil in an almost-spiritual arrangement of the Elton John hit."{{cite news|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=7 November 1970|page=22|access-date=2021-12-09|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-11-07.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}}
- Elton John and Aretha Franklin performed the song together on Franklin's 1993 Duets special.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoTzWvqPNrk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/UoTzWvqPNrk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title="Border Song" Aretha Franklin and Elton John duet LIVE |via=YouTube |date=21 December 2008 |access-date=2016-10-02}}{{cbignore}}
B-side
The song's B-side, "Bad Side of the Moon", was subsequently covered by Canadian rock band April Wine, whose version is on the 1972 album On Record and was released as their second single from that album, reaching No. 16 in the Canadian singles charts.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4204&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4204.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4204|title=Top Singles - Volume 18, No. 1 Aug 19, 1972|magazine=RPM|access-date=January 8, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Elton John songs}}
{{Aretha Franklin}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Category:Songs with music by Elton John
Category:Aretha Franklin songs
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon
Category:Song recordings produced by Jerry Wexler