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Written in the Stars (Elton John and LeAnn Rimes song)

{{Short description|1999 single by Elton John and LeAnn Rimes}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Written in the Stars

| cover = Written in the Stars (Elton John and LeAnn Rimes song).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Elton John featuring LeAnn Rimes

| album = Aida {{noitalic|and}} I Need You

| released = {{start date|1999|2|22|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:17

| label = Rocket, Mercury

| composer = Elton John

| lyricist = Tim Rice

| producer = Peter Collins, Wilbur Rimes{{cite AV media notes|title=Written in the Stars|others=Elton John, LeAnn Rimes|year=1999|type=CD single|publisher=The Rocket Record Company, Curb Records|id=314-566 918-8}}

| chronology = Elton John

| prev_title = If the River Can Bend

| prev_year = 1998

| next_title = A Step Too Far

| next_year = 1999

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = LeAnn Rimes

| type = single

| prev_title = These Arms of Mine

| prev_year = 1998

| title = Written in the Stars

| year = 1999

| next_title = Big Deal

| next_year = 1999

}}

}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Written in the Stars

| cover =

| alt =

| type = Song

| artist = Heather Headley and Adam Pascal

| album = Aida

| released = 13 June 2000

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 3:18

| label = EMI

| composer = Elton John

| lyricist = Tim Rice

| producer = Guy Babylon, Frank Filipetti, Chris Montan, Paul Bogaev

}}

"Written in the Stars" is a song by English musician Elton John and American singer LeAnn Rimes. The song came from the musical Aida, written by Elton John and Tim Rice. There are two different recordings of the song, one with Rimes performing the first verse, the other with John. The song was later featured on Rimes' 2002 album I Need You and the concept album for the musical. The song was performed live at VH1 Divas Live '99.

Background

In this scene in the musical, Radames informs Aida that he's calling off the wedding. Aida knows that this would ruin her father's escape and tells him he must go through with it. Radames agrees, on condition that she escapes to freedom on a boat he will provide. The two lovers lament the complication of the circumstances of their love together before parting.

Chart performance

For John, "Written in the Stars" was his 57th top-40 single on the US Billboard charts as a performer. It would be his last US top-40 for over two decades, until he reached the region again with "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)", featuring Dua Lipa. John achieved at least one top-40 single on the US charts every year from 1970 to 1999, with this song being the last in the run. "Written in the Stars" was certified gold in the US for shipments exceeding 500,000.

In Canada, "Written in the Stars" topped the RPM Adult Contemporary chart and reached number 22 on the RPM Top Singles chart. Due to Rimes' previous country music success, it also peaked at number 74 on the RPM Country Tracks chart due to unsolicited airplay as an album cut. Elsewhere, the single reached number 10 in the United Kingdom and the top 40 in Austria, Iceland, Italy, and Switzerland.

Music video

According to an episode of VH1's Pop-Up Video, the music video for this song was meant to evoke forbidden loves, as well as the separation between the two singers.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} Rimes was shown in colder, more heavenly backdrops; John was given warmer backgrounds, as in a milder depiction of hell.

Track listing

CD single{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Written-Stars-Elton-John/dp/B00000I6F1/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1318220920&sr=1-1|title=Written in the Stars: Elton John, Leann Rimes: Music|website=Amazon |access-date=10 October 2011}}

  1. "Written in the Stars" – 4:17
  2. "Written in the Stars" (Alternate Version) – 4:24
  3. "Various Snippets" (My Strongest Suit/Not Me/A Step Too Far) – 2:27

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1999)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite Ryan|page=146}}

|85

{{single chart|Austria|28|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|song=Written in the Stars|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Flanders Tip|5|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|song=Written in the Stars|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume%2068-No.%2018-February%2022,%201999.pdf|title=RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks|magazine=RPM|volume=68|issue=18|page=2|date=22 February 1999|access-date=25 July 2019}}

|22

{{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|1|chartid=7493|publishdate=1 March 1999|rowheader=true|access-date=8 September 2013}}
{{single chart|Canadacountry|74|chartid=7451|publishdate=19 April 1999|rowheader=true|access-date=8 September 2013}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1999/MM-1999-03-13.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=16|issue=11|page=14|date=13 March 1999|access-date=28 May 2020}}

|37

{{single chart|France|91|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|song=Written in the Stars|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Germany|79|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|song=Written in the Stars|songid=3878|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2981491#page/n9/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn (5.3–12.3. 1999)|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=10|date=5 March 1999|access-date=5 October 2019}}

|20

scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1999/BB-1999-03-20.pdf|title=Hits of the World – Italy|magazine=Billboard|volume=111|issue=12|page=56|date=20 March 1999|access-date=4 June 2020}}

|18

{{single chart|Dutch100|95|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|song=Written in the Stars|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Scotland|14|date=19990306|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|34|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|song=Written in the Stars|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
{{single chart|UK|10|date=19990306|rowheader=true|access-date=25 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|29|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|2|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|36|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1999)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM){{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9964&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9964.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9964|title=RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks|magazine=RPM|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=25 July 2019}}

|2

scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=SL680-PA99|title=1999 The Year in Music: Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=111|issue=52|page=YE-99|date=25 December 1999|access-date=15 December 2023}}

|15

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Elton John & LeAnn Rimes|title=Written in the Stars|award=Gold|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|access-date=25 July 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|December 1998

|Adult contemporary radio

|{{hlist|Rocket|Island|Curb}}

|{{cite magazine|title=Rocket's Elton Riding High with 'Aida' Set|last=Taylor|first=Chuck|author-link=Chuck Taylor (music journalist)|magazine=Billboard|volume=111|issue=8|page=76|date=20 February 1999|quote=First out was 'Written In The Stars,' John's duet with Rimes, which was released in mid-December.}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|22 February 1999

|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}

|{{hlist|Rocket|Mercury|Curb}}

|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1999/Music-Week-1999-02-20.pdf|title=New Releases – For Week Starting 22 February, 1999|magazine=Music Week|page=31|date=20 February 1999|access-date=16 July 2021}}

scope="row"|Canada

|23 February 1999

|rowspan="2"|CD

|{{hlist|Rocket|Island|Curb}}

|{{cite web|url=http://jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicReleases1999/feb99.html|title=Album Releases: February 1999|publisher=Jam!|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817160825/http://jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicReleases1999/feb99.html|archive-date=17 August 2000|access-date=6 January 2023}}

scope="row"|Japan

|17 March 1999

|{{hlist|Rocket|Mercury}}

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/49457/products/187050/1/|title=リトゥン・イン・ザ・スターズ {{!}} エルトン・ジョン|trans-title=Written in the Stars {{!}} Elton John|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=5 September 2023}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{YouTube|A1Rwv4iAqIQ|Written in the Stars Music Video}}

{{Elton John songs}}

{{LeAnn Rimes singles}}

{{Aida}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1999 singles

Category:1999 songs

Category:Curb Records singles

Category:Elton John songs

Category:Island Records singles

Category:LeAnn Rimes songs

Category:Male–female vocal duets

Category:Mercury Records singles

Category:The Rocket Record Company singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Peter Collins (record producer)

Category:Songs from musicals

Category:Songs with lyrics by Tim Rice

Category:Songs with music by Elton John