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“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Live)” – George Michael and Elton John
(Words/music: Elton John and Bernie Taupin, available on Duets, MCA 1992) 

Maybe it’s from a lifetime of waiting rooms filled with easy listening music, but given the right circumstances a sappy song hits the spot.  It’s not necessarily a specific mindset; it could just be a moment where a chord change captures my attention or a harmony makes me look up from what I’m doing.  This isn’t to say that every bit of muzak can stir a soul.  Rather, there are moments that deserve more than something to cover up the sound of magazine pages flipping.

“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” immediately comes to mind.  It’s not the smartest or deepest Elton John song.  I don’t even really have a deep personal attachment or association with this song the way I do with a song like “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.”  It’s just an extremely well written ballad with some stunning moments.  Particularly, the harmony at the beginning of the chorus melts my heart even on my grumpiest days.  When put into George Michael’s hands – (whose tabloid tales overshadow his pipes) – this approaches ballad perfection.  I don’t watch American Idol (mainly because I don’t watch a lot of TV) but I imagine this is similar to the show’s transcendent moments – where a gifted singer takes a beautiful song and rivals the original.  For me, at least, this is the definitive version, and the one that I’d actually listen to outside of a waiting room.

More on George Michael: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm