DUETS  -  ELTON JOHN

YEAR:  1993
LABEL:  MCA
TRACK LISTING:  Teardrops,  When I Think About Love (I Think About You),  The Power,  Shakey Ground,  True Love,  If You Were Me,  A Woman's Needs,  Old Friend,  Go On and On,  Don't Go Breaking My Heart,  Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing,  I'm Your Puppet,  Love Letters,  Born To Lose,  Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me (Live),  Duets For One
IMPRESSIONS:  Coming out the same year as Frank Sinatra's "DUETS" album, it's not really possible to know who had the idea first since Elton's "DUETS" was released on November 30 and Sinatra's was released on November 2; obviously both albums were in production at the same time to have release dates so close to each other.  However, the word at the time was that Elton had the idea first owing mostly to the number one success of the live version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" with George Michael in 1991 (which is included on this album).  Regardless, Elton's album pips Sinatra's in the simple fact that Elton and his duet partners sang together in the same room!  That having been said, Elton's "DUETS" is a remarkably hit-and-miss affair featuring some truly wonderful collaborations (k.d. lang, Marcella Detroit, Kiki Dee, Nik Kershaw, Bonnie Raitt, Leonard Cohen and the aforementioned George Michael) and some unbelievably forgettable duets which should've been MUCH much better (Little Richard, Tammy Wynette, Gladys Knight).  Elton and RuPaul reprising "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is actually quite funny and worthwhile while the Don Henley and Paul Young duets are OK but unspectacular.  There are a great deal of covers here as well as some John/Taupin originals but you really need to use the skip button for this one.  
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Teardrops,  True Love,  Old Friend,  Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing,  I'm Your Puppet,  Love Letters,  Born To Lose,  Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me (Live),  Duets For One
GUEST ARTISTS:  k.d. lang (vocals on "Teardrops"),  PM Dawn (vocals and producers on "When I Think About Love (I Think About You)"),  Little Richard (vocals on "The Power"),  Don Henley (vocals on "Shakey Ground"),  Kiki Dee (vocals on "True Love"),  Chris Rea (vocals on "If You Were Me"),  Tammy Wynette (vocals on "A Woman's Needs"),  Nik Kershaw (vocals and producer on "Old Friend"),  Gladys Knight (vocals on "Go On and On"),  RuPaul (vocals on "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"),  Marcella Detroit (vocals on "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"),  Paul Young (vocals on "I'm Your Puppet"),  Bonnie Raitt (vocals on "Love Letters"),  Leonard Cohen (vocals on "Born To Lose"),  George Michael (vocals and producer on "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me (Live)"),  Don Was (producer),  Stevie Wonder (backing vocals, all instruments, producer and songwriter on "Go On and On", synclavier programming on "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"),  Narada Michael Walden (producer on "True Love"),  Giorgio Moroder (producer on "Don't Go Breaking My Heart")
FACT SHEET:  DUETS is Elton John's 24th album and was certified platinum.