"Original Sin" is a 2001 song performed by English musician
Elton John from his 26th studio album, ''
Songs from the West Coast
''Songs from the West Coast'' is the twenty-sixth studio album by English musician Elton John, released worldwide on 1 October 2001.
Background
For this album, John once again collaborated with long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin, marking the fir ...
''. The song was written by Elton John and
Bernie Taupin and is the final single of the album.
"Original Sin" is a slow song with a sweet and melancholy melody focused on Elton's piano playing and featuring Rusty Anderson on guitars and producer Patrick Leonard on keyboards. The orchestral arrangement is by
Paul Buckmaster.
The song is believed to have been written about the failed marriage between John and his ex-wife Renate Blauel (The second song about their marriage after "Blue Avenue" on his 1989 album ''
Sleeping with the Past''). The singer implies the relationship as an original sin because even though he loved his wife very much, he wasn't being true to himself and his attractions. As John stated on his marriage to Blauel, "She was the classiest woman I’ve ever met, but it wasn’t meant to be. I was living a lie."
Chart performance
Released in 2002 (on a promo-only basis in the United States), the single had limited commercial success; it reached #39 in the UK and #18 in the US
adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
chart.
Performances
John performed "Original Sin" on various locations, and he stated in a 2009 concert on
Palais des Congrés, Paris, France with
Ray Cooper that the song was the most requested song by his fans, asking him to perform it through letters.
Music video
Directed by
David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle (born March 11, 1963) is an American photographer, music video director and film director. He is best known for his work in fashion, photography, which often references art history and sometimes conveys social messages. His pho ...
, the music video stars
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy (Mandy Moore song), Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her de ...
and
Elizabeth Taylor. The storyline of the video talks about a lonely girl who daydreams about seeing Elton John in concert during the 1970's where she meets an array of celebrities from that era.
Track listing
; CD Single (UK, including the video for ''This Train Don't Stop There Anymore'')
;
# "Original Sin" – 4:49
# "
I'm Still Standing
"I'm Still Standing" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, from John's 1983 album ''Too Low for Zero''. It was the second single released from the album in the UK, and the first single released in the Un ...
" (live) – 3:20
# "
This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (live) – 4:24
; CD Single (UK, including the video for ''This Train Don't Stop There Anymore'')
# "Original Sin" – 4:49
# "Original Sin" (live) – 4:54
# "All the Girls Love Alice" (live) – 4:55
; Maxi single 12" (USA)
# "Original Sin" (Junior's Earth Mix) – 10:35
# "Original Sin" (Junior's Earthbeats) – 5:28
# "Original Sin" (Junior's Earthdub) – 6:45
# "Original Sin" (Junior's Earthstrumental) – 10:35
Awards
Grammy Awards
, -
, style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="2",
2003 , , rowspan="2", "Original Sin" , ,
Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male , ,
, -
Charts
References
External links
text''Original Sin''and translation in Italian
{{Elton John songs
2002 singles
Elton John songs
2002 songs
Songs with music by Elton John
Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Mercury Records singles
Music videos directed by David LaChapelle