"Hard Times" is the seventh single from British rapper and songwriter Plan B's second studio album, '' The Defamation of Strickland Banks''. On 19 May 2011, it was released as a digital download, featuring newly recorded vocal parts by

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

and Paloma Faith, recorded as a charity single with all the proceeds benefiting victims of the

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and

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Track listing

* Digital download # "Hard Times" (featuring

& Paloma Faith) - 4:05 * Promotional CD single # "Hard Times" (featuring

& Paloma Faith) - 4:05 # "Hard Times" (Live) (featuring

& Paloma Faith) - 5:44 # "Hard Times" (Edit) - 3:48

Personnel

* Plan B – vocals, producer ;Production * David McEwan – producer * Eric Appapoulay – additional producer * Mark "Top" Rankin – engineer, mixing ;Additional musicians (single version) * Elton John – piano, vocals * Paloma Faith – vocals ;Additional musicians (album version) * Tom Wright-Goss – guitar * Eric Appapoulay – bass, backing vocals * Richard Cassell – drums * Everton Newson – violin * Louisa Fuller – violin * Sally Herbert – violin * Warren Zielinski – violin * Bruce White – viola * Sonia Slany – viola * Ian Burdge – cello

Chart performance

Release history

References

{{authority control 2011 singles Atlantic Records UK singles British soul songs Elton John songs Paloma Faith songs Plan B (musician) songs Songs written by Plan B (musician) 2010 songs