Heartache All Over the World
{{Short description|1986 song by Elton John}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Heartache All Over the World
| cover = Elton John HAOTW.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Elton John
| album = Leather Jackets
| B-side = "Highlander" (John)
| released = September 1986
| recorded = 1985–1986
| studio = Wisseloord, Hilversum; CTS, London; The SOL, Cookham
| genre = Pop
| length = 4:24 (single)
8:02 (12" remix)
3:57 (music video)
4:17 (album)
| label = Geffen (US), Rocket (UK)
| writer = {{hlist|Elton John|Bernie Taupin}}
| producer = Gus Dudgeon
| prev_title = Cry to Heaven
| prev_year = 1986
| next_title = Slow Rivers
| next_year = 1986
}}
"Heartache All Over the World" is an upbeat song by English musician Elton John from his 20th studio album, Leather Jackets (1986). Written by John and Bernie Taupin, it was released as the album's lead single in September 1986, charting at number 45 in the UK Singles Chart and at number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reaching the top 10 in Australia, where it peaked at number 7. The song talks about not being able to date for a night.{{cite book|last1=Spignesi|first1=Stephen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HUeqDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT125|title=Elton John: Fifty Years On: The Complete Guide to the Musical Genius of Elton John and Bernie Taupin|last2=Lewis|first2=Michael|date=2019|publisher=Post Hill Press|isbn=978-1-64293-327-7|access-date=16 February 2022}}
John performed the song four times during his Tour De Force tour in Australia in 1986, which is notable for John's problems with his vocal cords during that time.{{Cite web|title=Heartache All Over the World by Elton John song statistics {{!}} setlist.fm|url=https://www.setlist.fm/song/elton-john/heartache-all-over-the-world-5bd1cf68.html|access-date=2022-02-19|website=www.setlist.fm}}
Release and reception
"Heartache All Over the World" reached number 45 in the UK Singles Chart and stayed on the chart for four weeks,{{Cite web|title=Elton John {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|date=23 January 1971 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21478/elton-john/|access-date=2022-02-19|publisher=Official Charts Company}}{{Cite web |title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 {{!}} Official Charts Company |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19861012/7501/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |publisher=Official Charts Company |language=en}} number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 58 in Canada, making this song one of the worst-charting singles in John's career. However, the song found better success in Belgium (No. 26),{{cite web|title=Elton John Belgian Singles|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?lang=nl&cat=s&artist=elton+john&artist_search=starts&title=&title_search=starts|access-date=19 February 2022|work=Ultratop.be|publisher=ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch}} Ireland (No. 24), New Zealand (No. 22){{Cite web|title=Elton John New Zealand Singles|url=https://charts.nz/search.asp?cat=s&artist=elton+john&artist_search=starts&title=&title_search=starts|access-date=2022-02-19|website=charts.nz}} and notably Australia, peaking at number 7.
Billboard said that the lyrics are "of the 'lonely teenager' school" and the overdubs are "out of the Spector handbook."{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=October 18, 1986|accessdate=2022-08-07|page=95|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sSQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Reviews}} Cash Box said it has a "a perky groove" after a "high-tech/rap intro."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-10-18.pdf|date=October 18, 1986|accessdate=2022-08-07|page=9}}
In 2001, Elton John regarded "Heartache All Over the World" as the worst song he had ever recorded, calling it "pretty insubstantial".Uncut, September 2001 "Elton – The Magnificent Showman", page 46 On his 2019 autobiography Me, he described the song as "lightweight".{{Cite web |date=2023-09-03 |title=The one album Elton John hates: "It was a disaster" |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-one-album-elton-john-hates-it-was-a-disaster/ |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk |language=en-US}}
Music video
The music video, directed by Mike Brady, features John and his band playing the song in a stage-like background. It also includes clips from mid-1940s movies and some historical events.{{Cite web|title=Elton John – Heartache All Over the World|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GNfiKd8aRs|language=en|via=YouTube|access-date=19 February 2022}}
Chart performance
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1986)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|location=St Ives, NSW|publisher=Australian Chart Book|year=1993|pages=158–159|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
| 7 |
| {{single chart|Flanders|26|artist=Elton John|song=Heartache All Over the World|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|58|chartid=0859|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|24|song=Heartache All Over the World|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2022}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|22|artist=Elton John|song=Heartache All Over the World|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2022}} |
| {{single chart|UK|45|date=19861012|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|55|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|access-date=11 March 2022}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! Chart (1986) ! Position |
| scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine|url=https://i.imgur.com/F7ais40.jpg|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1986|magazine=Kent Music Report|issue=650|date=December 1986|via=Imgur|access-date= 24 January 2023}}
| 76 |
|---|
Personnel
- Elton John – vocals
- Charlie Morgan – drums
- Davey Johnstone – guitars, backing vocals
- Fred Mandel – Prophet 2000, Roland P60 and programming
- Gus Dudgeon – electronic percussion
- Graham Dickson – electronic percussion
- Vicky Brown, Alan Carvell, Gordon Neville – backing vocals{{Cite web|title=Elton John Lyrics: Heartache All Over The World|url=http://www.eltonography.com/songs/heartache_all_over_the_world.html|access-date=2022-02-19|website=eltonography.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Elton John songs}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Music videos directed by Mike Brady
Category:Songs with music by Elton John
Category:Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Category:Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon