Sacrifice (1989) – Elton John

Posted on July 9, 2024 by observationblogger — 2 Comments

Sacrifice inaugurates all ‘current’ (yet subject to change) 161 songs starting with ‘S’ in the music library project. That’s a lot of music, which will take at least the rest of the year to unpack. You thought that was a lot? Can you imagine songs starting with ‘T’ total – 183! That gives you a glimpse of what I will be doing (and hopefully you will be listening to) in 2025. Oh and a ‘heads-up’….another Elton song is due for release here in the upcoming days. If you can guess which one that will be, you will receive an Observation Blogger virtual ‘high five and on the flip-side‘. (Hint: the song naturally starts with ‘Sa……’ and it’s not Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)‘). Good luck folks.

Elton had a resurgence in the early 90’s with hits like Sacrifice, Healing Hands both from his 1989 record Sleeping in the Past (it wasn’t until ’90 that Sacrifice got its just-deserts), The One record in 1992 and of course Can You Feel the Love Tonight and Circle of Life from the iconic 1994 movie – The Lion King.

Allow me to digress..what amazed me on the musical front when I came to Colombia in 2009 was how scantily known Elton John was, not least of all his music; while other western (English sung) music from the likes of Guns N Roses, Air Supply, Queen, Michael Jackson, and Metallica were and remain household names. This was mainly due to which ‘pirated music’ was disseminated on the streets and developed traction. But that ‘history’ would require at least another article to explore thoroughly.

There was just one song by Elton which appeared frequently on Colombian music playlists and that is today’s featured track – Sacrifice. Few could tell you who sang it and almost no one was familiar with Elton’s 70’s classic output. I believe that is starting to change since music has become more accessible due to digital music applications like Spotify etc. Also a shout – out to Elton’s biopic Rocketman that has become a regular feature on Cable TV here and no doubt drawing a deluge of new fans to his music.

Sacrifice was written by Elton John and his long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin. Elton John himself has described Sacrifice in Rolling Stone as one of the best songs he and Taupin have ever written, which is a high compliment considering their extensive catalogue of hits. The lyrics of Sacrifice tell a story of a relationship strained by infidelity and emotional distance. Unlike many of John’s more upbeat tunes, this song delves into the complexities of love and the pain of realizing that sometimes, love alone isn’t enough to keep a relationship intact.

Despite its initial release as a single in 1989, Sacrifice didn’t achieve immediate success. It wasn’t until 1990, when it was re-released in the UK, that the song truly took off. It became Elton John’s first solo number-one hit in the UK. The song also performed well internationally, reaching the top 10 in several countries including Ireland, France, and Australia.

[Verse 1]
It’s a human sign
When things go wrong
When the scent of her lingers
And temptation’s strong
Into the boundary
Of each married man
Sweet deceit comes callin’
And negativity lands

[Pre-Chorus]
Cold, cold heart
Hardened by you
Some things lookin’ better, baby
Just passin’ through

[Chorus]
And it’s no sacrifice
Just a simple word
It’s two hearts livin’
In two separate worlds
But it’s no sacrifice
No sacrifice
It’s no sacrifice at all

[Verse 2]
Mutual misunderstandin’
After the fact
Sensitivity builds a prison
In the final act
We lose direction
No stone unturned
No tears to damn you
When jealousy burns

[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus]

References:
1. Sacrifice (Elton John song) – Wikipedia