John Lennon worked on classic songs with both Elton John and David Bowie. John explained why he was closer to the “Rocket Man” singer than the “Space Oddity” singer. He also revealed why he played on Bowie’s cover of The Beatles’ “Across the Universe.” Fascinatingly, the former Beatle co-wrote one of Bowie’s most popular hits.
John Lennon and Elton John worked together on ‘Whatever Gets You Thru the Night’
During a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone, John was asked about the aforementioned 1970s singers. “I like and respect them both,” he replied. “I’m closer to Elton because I’ve known him longer and I’ve spent more time with him.
“Elton sort of popped in on the session for Walls and Bridges and sort of zapped in and played the piano and ended up singing ‘Whatever Gets You Thru the Night’ with me,” the singer recalled. “Which was a great shot in the arm. I’d done three-quarters of it, and it was, ‘Now what do we do?’ Should we put a camel on it or a xylophone? That sort of thing. And he came in and said, ‘Hey, ah’ll play some piano!’”
The two icons also worked on a rendition of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” The cover is a lot longer than the original tune. It even includes a surprising reggae breakdown.
Why John Lennon worked on David Bowie’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘Across the Universe’
In the same interview, John discussed collaborating with Bowie. “David just seems to be livin’ in New York now, and I’ve got to know him a bit and we’ve had some good nights and he just said, ‘I’m gonna cut ‘Across the Universe’ — will you come down?’” John said. “And I said ‘Okay,’ and went down and played the guitar. That was it. No big deal.”
In addition to working on Bowie’s cover of “Across the Universe,” John co-wrote Bowie’s “Fame.” “Fame” remains one of Bowie’s most famous and beloved songs. Perhaps John’s work on the song made it more accessible than other Bowie tunes. After all, the “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” singer was a lot more mainstream than Bowie.
How Elton John’s and David Bowie’s work with the ‘Imagine’ singer performed on the charts
“Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a single week, staying on the chart for 15 weeks in total. The track appeared on the former Beatle’s album Walls and Bridges. That album reached No. 1 for one of its 35 weeks on the Billboard 200.
Bowie’s “Across the Universe” was never a single, so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Bowie included the cover on his album Young Americans, which also includes “Fame.” Young Americans peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and lasted a total of 51 weeks. Sadly, none of Bowie’s albums topped the chart in the United States, with the exception of his final record, Blackstar.
John was one of the greatest rock stars of all time and he fruitfully collaborated with other titans of the genre.
