The song “Sacrifice” by Elton John was a song that was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and it appeared on Elton’s “Sleeping with the Past” album in 1989. Released in 1989 and then again in 1990, this song was the second single from the successful album. “Sacrifice” was a huge success, especially in the U.K. and France, where it became Elton John’s first solo number-one hit, and it spent five weeks in the top spot. Elton says that the song was inspired by the song “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” by Aretha Franklin. One of the favorite songs of both Elton John and Bernie Taupin, they said it served as a sort of “bookend” to their other hit, “Your Song.”
Taupin actually says that “Sacrifice” is one of the best songs he’s ever had a role in writing. The song describes the breakup of a marriage where the loss of the relationship is considered by the singer as “no sacrifice.” I think we’ve all felt this way at one time or another. In the music video that they released for the song, it portrays a woman and a man who are having relationship problems while they’re married and raising a little girl. When they go their separate ways, the father ends up raising the little girl alone. This was revolutionary at the time because mothers usually won custody of the children in a divorce and single fathers were rare and uncelebrated.
James Blunt is a British singer and songwriter who has sold more than 20 million records worldwide. In terms of accolades and awards, James has won two Brit Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and two Ivor Novello Awards. He has been nominated for Grammy Awards five times and even received an Honorary Doctorate for Music from the University of Bristol in 2016. Ed Sheeran is even more successful, having sold more than 150 million records, which makes him one of the top-selling music artists in the world. Ed has won five Brit Awards, four Grammy Awards, and six Billboard Music Awards.
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Watch Ed Sheeran and James Blunt sing this beautiful ballad by Elton John below. Blunt plays the piano while Sheeran plays his guitar. This is a beautiful performance by two remarkable young British artists.
