The Last Song (Elton John song)

"The Last Song"
Single by Elton John
from the album The One
B-side	"The Man Who Never Died" (Remix)
Released	6 October 1992 (US) November 1992 (UK)
Format	CD, vinyl record (7"), audio cassette
Recorded	1991–92
Genre	Adult contemporary
Length	3:21 (album version)
Label	MCA, Rocket
Writer(s)	Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)	Chris Thomas
Elton John singles chronology
"Runaway Train" (1992) "The Last Song" (1992) "Simple Life" (1993)

"The Last Song" is the second single from Elton John's 1992 album, The One. It was composed by John, with lyrics provided by Bernie Taupin.

"The Last Song" marked the first of John's American singles to benefit his AIDS foundation. Taupin faxed the lyrics to him in Paris, shortly after Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury died the previous year. "I was crying all the time as I wrote the music", John told The Advocate, "and it was very hard for me to sing it". The song tells of an estranged father coming to terms with the sexuality of his gay son, who is dying of an AIDS-related illness. Originally titled "Song for 1992", it was renamed to avoid dating it.

The song was used during a closing montage featuring people who died of AIDS at the end of the 1993 film And the Band Played On.

Gus Van Sant was not the first choice to direct the video. David Hockney and Madonna declined the offer.

The song has been mentioned numerous times on the Howard Stern Show. Show producer Gary Dell'Abate, said that the song and music video reminds him of his brother, who died of AIDS around the time The One was released. When they first played the song on the air, Dell'Abate broke out in tears during the first verse.

Personnel

• Elton John: piano, vocals
• Guy Babylon: keyboards

See also

• "Gone Too Soon", a single by Michael Jackson, dedicated to Ryan White.