Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Critical reception to the song in the UK was mixed. In NME, Phil McNeill stated that "they're both quite good singers, but it's a pity that Orson and Blanche didn't write a more memorable song than this, which jogs along harmlessly".{{cite magazine |last=McNeill |first=Phil |title=Platters |magazine=NME |page=17 |date=26 June 1976}} {{Not a typo|Jonh}} Ingham of Sounds commented that the record was "not exactly Marvin and Diana". He said that the song had "a well executed arrangement" but that ultimately "all is pale compared to previous work".{{cite magazine |last=Ingham |first=Jonh |title=Singles |magazine=Sounds |page=14 |date=26 June 1976}} In Record Mirror, Rosalind Russell wrote that it was "not the stunner I'd expected from two ace singers", but that "the arrangements (strings and things) were good and the two voices go well together".{{cite magazine |last=Russell |first=Rosalind |title=Pair of Aces |magazine=Record Mirror |page=11 |date=26 June 1976}}

In the US, Cash Box said that "there are some great harmonies in the chorus" and that John and Dee "seem perfectly wedded in this tune."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=3 July 1976|page=24 (304)|accessdate=2021-12-11|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-07-03.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}} Record World called it "a duet of rare simplicity and charm with James Newton-Howard's strings practically dancing out of the grooves."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=July 3, 1976|page=1|accessdate=2023-03-04|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/76/RW-1976-07-03.pdf}}

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" was the first No. 1 single in the UK for both 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 and spent one week on the Easy Listening chart.{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=128}} Billboard ranked it as the No. 2 song for 1976, giving him his second consecutive appearance in the Billboard Year-end Top 3.{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|title=Singles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT43|date=25 December 1976|page=43}} In the U.S., it has been certified 2x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.{{cite certification|region=United States|title=Go Breaking My Heart}} After this duet with Dee, John failed to have another US solo number one single until "Candle in the Wind 1997". This 21-year period included two intervening number one hits in America with musical partners: "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne & Friends in 1986, and a 1992 re-make of John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with George Michael credited as a duet.

The B-side, "Snow Queen", was inspired by Bernie Taupin's failed attempt at romance with Cher.{{cite web |last=DeSantis |first=Rachel |title=Bernie Taupin Opens Up About His Biggest Songs with Elton John — and Teases They'll 'Definitely' Make More Music |url=https://people.com/bernie-taupin-opens-up-about-his-biggest-songs-with-elton-john-exclusive-7968102 |date=12 September 2023}} The lyrics express a personal condemnation, portraying Cher as being primarily concerned with "a wardrobe of gowns, TV ratings, a fragile waist, and a name." During the fadeout of the song, John quotes 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)". The song was poorly received and has since been disavowed by both John and Taupin.

In 1977, John 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 1988, John appeared with Minnie Mouse on the NBC special Totally Minnie miming to the track. He performed the track with Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) at the 2001 British Comedy awards. He also performed it with the Spice Girls on his ITV tribute programme An Audience with ... Elton John.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

In June 2013, 37 years after its original release, the single reached one million sales in the UK.{{cite journal |first=Tom |last=Pakinkis |title=Elton, Sheeran and Andre join million-sellers club in the UK |periodical=Music Week |publisher=Intent Media |location=London, England |url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/elton-sheeran-and-andre-join-million-sellers-club-in-the-uk/055219 |date=28 June 2013 |access-date=16 June 2014}}{{cite web |first=Daniel |last=Lane |title=Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time! |publisher=Official Charts Company |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/daft-punks-get-lucky-becomes-one-of-the-uks-biggest-selling-singles-of-all-time-2315/ |date=27 June 2013 |access-date=16 June 2014}}

The B-side, "Snow Queen", remained unavailable on CD outside Australia until April 2019 when it was included as a bonus track on the reissue of Kiki Dee's Cage the Songbird album, included in the 5-CD box set The Rocket Years.{{cite web |last=Marchese |first=Joe |title=Edsel Collects Kiki Dee's "The Rocket Years" on New Box Set |url=https://theseconddisc.com/2019/05/15/updated-edsel-collects-kiki-dees-the-rocket-years-on-new-box-set/ |website=The Second Disc |date=15 May 2019 |access-date=22 May 2020}} In May 2019 it was also included on the 3-CD box set Gold, a retrospective of Dee's career spanning various labels.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} In 2020, it was also included on Elton John's 8-CD box set Jewel Box.

Based on information on the Elton John official website.{{cite web |title=10 Fun Facts about 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' |url=https://www.eltonjohn.com/stories/dgbmh-anniversary |date=7 August 2018 |access-date=4 November 2019}}

• Elton John – lead vocals and backing vocals, electric piano
• Kiki Dee – lead vocals and backing vocals
• James Newton Howard – acoustic piano and orchestral arrangements
• Caleb Quaye – electric guitar
• Kenny Passarelli – bass
• Roger Pope – drums
• Ray Cooper – tambourine, congas and bongos{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}
• Kiki Dee, Curt Boettcher,{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Cindy Bullens, Ken Gold, Jon Joyce – uncredited backing vocals

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Australia |type=single |award=Gold |relyear=1976 |certyear=1976 |certref={{cite web|url=https://www.julienslive.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/279/lot/107764?url=%2Fm%2Fview-auctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F279%3Fpage%3D3 |title=LOT 131 OF 817: BERNIE TAUPIN ELTON JOHN "DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART" RECORD AWARD |publisher=Julien's Auctions |access-date=31 December 2019}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-12-04.pdf|title=Blue Moves to Platinum|magazine=Cash Box|via=World Radio History|page=50|volume=38|issue=29|date=4 December 1976|access-date=15 August 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|artist=Kiki Dee & Elton John|title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=1976|certyear=2024|access-date=23 November 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Canada |type=single |title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart |artist=Elton John |award=Platinum |relyear=1976 |certyear=1976 |access-date=22 November 2012}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Denmark |type=single |title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart |artist=Elton John |award=Platinum |relyear=1976 |certyear=2023 |id= 12712 |access-date=27 July 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Italy |type=single |title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart |artist=Elton John |award=Gold |relyear=1976 |certyear=2023 |access-date=19 June 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Elton John and Kiki Dee|title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart|award=Platinum|number=4|type=single|relyear=1976|certyear=2024|access-date=18 December 2024|source=radioscope}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=United Kingdom |type=single |title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart |artist=Elton John & Kiki Dee|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2007|certyear=2024|id=1894-5098-1|salesamount=1,029,242 |salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-uks-official-chart-millionaires-revealed__20459/|title=The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=19 September 2017|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=2 February 2022}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=United States|type=single|title=Don't Go Breaking My Heart|artist=Elton John & Kiki Dee|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1976|certyear=2024|access-date= December 9, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| cover = Elton_John_&_Rupaul-Don't_Go_Breaking_My_Heart.jpg

| alt =

| border = yes

| caption =

| type = single

| artist = Elton John and RuPaul

| album = Duets

| B-side =

• "Donner Pour Donner"
• "A Woman's Needs"

| released = {{start date|1994|2|14|df=y}}{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Music Week|page=21|date=12 February 1994}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

• House
• disco

| length = 4:59

| label =

• Rocket
• MCA

| writer =

• Ann Orson
• Carte Blanche

| producer = Giorgio Moroder

| chronology = Elton John

| prev_title = True Love

| prev_year = 1993

| next_title = Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing

| next_year = 1994

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = RuPaul

| type = single

| prev_title = House of Love

| prev_year = 1993

| title = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| year = 1994

| next_title = Snapshot

| next_year = 1996

}}

{{External music video|{{YouTube|-esD-o4XrJ0|"Don't Go Breaking My Heart"}}}}

}}

In 1994, Elton John and American drag queen RuPaul released the song as a duet. It was produced by Giorgio Moroder and released on 14 February 1994, by Rocket and MCA Records, as the third single from John's first collaboration album, Duets (1993).

The song reached number three on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In Europe, it peaked at number-one in Iceland and within the top 10 in Portugal and the UK, the top 20 in Denmark, Ireland and Italy, and the top 30 in Austria, France and Switzerland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" peaked at number 18 in March 1994. Outside Europe, the song reached number 39 in New Zealand, number 45 in Australia, and number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song as a "kitschy number".{{cite web|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/duets-mw0000107584|title=Elton John – Duets|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=18 February 2020|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}} Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote that John recreates his classic Kiki Dee duet with "the world's favorite drag queen. Revamped quasi-rave/hi-NRG version of the track is way stronger than the less-than-pleasing mix on John's current collection, rendering it a formidable contender for action on both dancefloors and radio. Oodles of good fun."{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-01-08.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|date=8 January 1994|access-date=31 January 2020|authorlink=Larry Flick}} Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented, "Thanks to producer Giorgio Moroder, there's a few more beats per minute, as well as a hilarious video, and a super performance of a great tune."{{cite magazine|first= Dave |last= Sholin |title= Gavin Picks: Singles |magazine= Gavin Report |date= 11 February 1994 |page= 46 |access-date= 18 October 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/94/Gavin-1994-02-11.pdf}}

Alan Jones from Music Week gave it a score of four out of five, calling it "somewhat soulessly produced" and a "smash-bound but tacky remake".{{cite magazine|first= Alan |last= Jones |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-02-19.pdf |title= Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 19 February 1994 |page= 12 |accessdate= 13 April 2021}} John Kilgo from The Network Forty stated that this remake of the previous number-one smash "is for real..."{{cite magazine|first=John|last=Kilgo|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Network-40/94/Network-40-1994-03-04.pdf|title=Mainstream: Music Meeting|magazine=The Network Forty|date=4 March 1994|page=22|access-date=28 March 2020}} Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer viewed it as "a campy techno remake" of John's 1977 hit.Wood, Sam (23 November 1993). "Elton John and Friends; Classic Jazz; Pop for Films". Philadelphia Inquirer. Tom Doyle from Smash Hits gave it one out of five, saying that the music "sounds like it was done with the help of a Gameboy running low on batteries".{{cite magazine|first= Tom |last= Doyle |url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/smashhits90s/37926500391/in/album-72157688356398384/ |title= New Singles |magazine= Smash Hits |date= 16 February 1993 |page= 41 |accessdate= 27 April 2021}} Charles Aaron from Spin wrote, "If I'd known he was gearing up for world domination, I never would've given Ru so much guff for his café au lait complexion, blond ambition, and cosmetic tinkering. Keep those techno bon mots coming. Star booty forever."{{cite magazine|first=Charles|last=Aaron|title=Singles|magazine=Spin|date=May 1994|page=102|accessdate=27 January 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fT3PkoU5ylcC|author-link=Charles Aaron}}

A music video was produced to promote the single, featuring Elton John and RuPaul, directed by Randy Barbota.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QJzgkON6fk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830182602/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QJzgkON6fk&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2020-08-30 |url-status=dead|title=elton john & ru paul – don't go breaking my heart ( viva tv )|via=YouTube|access-date=23 August 2020}} The video was later published on John's official YouTube channel in 2016, and had generated more than 3.6 million views as of May 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-esD-o4XrJ0|title=Elton John, RuPaul – Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with RuPaul)|date=December 2016 |via=YouTube|access-date=27 January 2023}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single, Europe (1994)

| title1 = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| note1 =

| length1 = 4:59

| title2 = Donner Pour Donner

| note2 =

| length2 = 4:25

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single, UK (1994)

| title1 = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| note1 =

| length1 = 4:59

| title2 = Donner Pour Donner

| note2 =

| length2 = 4:24

| title3 = A Woman's Needs

| note3 =

| length3 = 5:16

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD maxi, US (1994)

| title1 = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| note1 = Remix

| length1 = 6:56

| title2 = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| note2 = MK Mix

| length2 = 7:19

| title3 = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| note3 = Serious Rope 12"

| length3 = 6:39

| title4 = Don't Go Breaking My Heart

| note4 = Roger's Dub Mix

| length4 = 7:06

}}

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The musical comedy troupe the Capitol Steps recorded a parody of the song, in which then-President George W. Bush is told by his wife Laura, "Don't go faking you're smart".{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/02/16/capitol-steps-comedy-troupe-folds/|title=The Fall of the Capitol Steps|last=Vyse|first=Graham|date=16 February 2022|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=19 February 2022}}

John's 2022 song "Hold Me Closer" (featuring Britney Spears) interpolates elements of the song.{{Cite web |last=Ruggieri |first=Melissa |date=August 26, 2022 |title=Britney Spears, Elton John hit the dance floor with synths and Auto-Tune for 'Hold Me Closer' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/08/26/britney-spears-elton-john-hold-me-closer-single/7891022001/ |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=USA Today |language=en-US |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826142518/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/08/26/britney-spears-elton-john-hold-me-closer-single/7891022001/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Burton |first=Jamie |date=August 26, 2022 |title=The 3 Elton John songs reworked in 'Hold Me Closer' with Britney Spears |url=https://www.newsweek.com/what-elton-john-songs-reworked-hold-me-closer-britney-spears-new-single-1737199 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=Newsweek |language=en |archive-date=26 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826142517/https://www.newsweek.com/what-elton-john-songs-reworked-hold-me-closer-britney-spears-new-single-1737199 |url-status=live }}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Elton John songs}}

{{Kiki Dee}}

{{RuPaul}}

{{American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Song}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1976 singles

Category:Songs with music by Elton John

Category:Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin

Category:Elton John songs

Category:Kiki Dee songs

Category:RuPaul songs

Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles

Category:Cashbox number-one singles

Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles

Category:UK singles chart number-one singles

Category:Male–female vocal duets

Category:Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon

Category:The Rocket Record Company singles

Category:1976 songs

Category:1994 songs

Category:Works published under a pseudonym

Category:MCA Records singles

Category:Number-one singles in Australia

Category:Number-one singles in Iceland

Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles

Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles

Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand

Category:Number-one singles in South Africa