"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" by Elton John

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1675
Date:  10/29/1983
Debut:  65
Peak:  4
Weeks:  23
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  John's album Too Low for Zero started off well with the #12 "I'm Still Standing," but then it hit a bit of a snag when the follow-up single "Kiss the Bride" stalled at #25. Hoping to gain back some ground, this third single was issued. In the UK, this served as the LP's lead single and it reached #5 earlier in the year. Finally released in the US, the song struck the right chord at AC going to #2. Pop audiences embraced it as well and it became John's first Top 10 hit in three years. The delayed hit helped album sales and even though it would only peak at #25, it would become a platinum seller - his first since 1978.

ReduxReview:  I never really understood why this ended up as the third single instead of the first or second. I guess it didn't matter because the song was strong enough to become a hit no matter when it was released. In a decade where John's work was pretty hit-and-miss, this one was spot on. I'd even go so far as to say that it was his finest single of the period.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  John got an assist from another superstar artist for this song. Stevie Wonder is featured on harmonica. Since 1962, Wonder has contributed harmonica to over 100 songs by other artists. The week this song debuted, there was already another single on the chart that featured Wonder. His harmonica work could be heard on Manhattan Transfer's "Spice of Life," which was on the verge of hitting the Top 40.

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