| "If the River Can Bend" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Elton John | ||||
| from the album The Big Picture | ||||
| Released | 1 June 1998 | |||
| Studio | Townhouse (London) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:22 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Composer(s) | Elton John | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Bernie Taupin | |||
| Producer(s) | Chris Thomas | |||
| Elton John singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"If the River Can Bend" is a song by English musician Elton John. As with much of his work, the music was composed by John while its lyrics were written by longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin. The song was first released on John's twenty-fifth studio album, The Big Picture (1997), and was later released as the album's third and final single on 1 June 1998.
Overview
"If the River Can Bend" features vocals from the East London Gospel Choir. Charlie Morgan, who performs drums on the song, describes the track as an "inspirational Gospel tune", while Shana Naomi Krochmal of Vulture notes similarities between it and Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland.
In His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John by Elizabeth Rosenthal, the lyrics of "If the River Can Bend" are described as both "a testament to the faithfulness of lovers through thick, thin, and the winding paths of fate", as well as a reference to the longevity of John and Taupin's working partnership. Rosenthal believes the latter topic is displayed through the song's lyrical similarities to "Harmony" from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973). Musically, Rosenthal considers the track to be the "first up-tempo" song on the album, noting its fusion of rock and Gospel and comparing it to earlier tracks "The Power" (a collaboration with Little Richard from John's 1993 album Duets) and "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" from Blue Moves (1976).
Commercial performance
The song was released as the third and final single from The Big Picture on 1 June 1998. It became the album's third straight top 40 hit in the UK, where it peaked at number 32. In Germany, the song slid into the bottom of the top 100, peaking at number 95.
Personnel
Adapted from the album's liner notes:
- Elton John – vocals, piano, organ
- Guy Babylon – keyboards
- Davey Johnstone – guitar
- John Jorgenson – guitar
- Bob Birch – bass guitar
- Charlie Morgan – drums
- East London Gospel Choir – vocals
Charts
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Germany (GfK) | 95 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 32 |
References
Sources
- Rosenthal, Elizabeth (2001). His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John. Billboard. ISBN 0-8230-8893-6.
Citations
- ^ Sexton, Paul (22 September 2023). "'The Big Picture': How Grief Led Elton John Towards a Work of Art". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ Rosenthal, p. 446
- ^ The Big Picture (liner notes). The Rocket Record Company, Mercury Records. 22 September 1997.
- Krochmal, Shana Naomi (22 June 2023). "All 378 Elton John Songs, Ranked". Vulture. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- "Elton John Songs and Albums". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- "Elton John". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- "Elton John – If the River Can Bend" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
