When the Queen of Soul wants to cover your song, then you know you’ve really made it! Elton John had that honor when Aretha Franklin sang “Border Song” back in 1993. And the best part? She brought John along for the ride, creating a bona fide classic performance with two of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. John and Franklin traded verses to open the song, then began some sublime harmonies over the main hook.
The two stars were backed by a huge choir for the duet, creating a gorgeous and rich gospel sound. John and Franklin are natural fits for a duet, with John’s husky voice melding perfectly with Franklin’s dramatic, soaring mezzo-soprano. It’s easy to see why the Queen of Soul chose this particular song for the duet, as the religious themes in the lyrics are a natural fit for the star who got her start in gospel. The Music Man also has to say that the dual piano attack from Elton and Franklin is absolutely on point!
Franklin and John performed “Border Song” at the Queen of Soul’s 1993 concert, which was subsequently issued as the DVD Duets. Fans were stoked on the special collab and added comments such as “Imagine writing a song and hearing Aretha wants to cover it. Doesn’t get any better for a songwriter” and “Fabulous!!! I love both Aretha and Elton and this duet was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. RIP to the Queen of Soul.”
John has performed some stunning duets over the years. Another great moment came when John and Shania Twain dueted on her hit “You’re Still the One” and John’s hit “Something About the Way You Look Tonight.” The two songs are a perfect selection to complement each other, as they’re two of the most perfect romantic ballads ever written. The concert also has a special energy as it features Twain at the height of her powers in 1999, and her voice just sounds absolutely fantastic.
“Border Song” was written by John and his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin. The March 1970 single dropped without a trace in the UK, but it subsequently became John’s first chart entry in any country when it hit number 34 in Canada. Critics have noted that the melody of “Border Song” is reminiscent of African American spiritual music. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that Aretha Franklin issued a cover of the song as the closing number of her 1972 studio album Young, Gifted and Black.