“Singapore”: an unreleased song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

“Singapore”: an unreleased song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

“Singapore” is the title given to a set of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin that led to a song created by Elton John in a televised context, but never officially released nor completed as a commercial work. The song does not appear in Elton John’s discography, was never issued as a single or album track, and remains known solely as an example of the duo’s creative process.

The song emerged during a televised interview, in which Elton John and Bernie Taupin discussed their long-standing artistic partnership and their method of songwriting. In this setting, Taupin presented the lyrics titled “Singapore”, and Elton John, seated at the piano, began turning the words into music spontaneously, in real time, in front of the cameras.

The interview was broadcast as part of a British arts and culture television programme, known for extended conversations with artists about their work and careers. The programme was presented by Melvyn Bragg and transmitted on ITV in the United Kingdom. There is no publicly confirmed information regarding the exact broadcast date or the specific episode in which the interview appeared.

During the interview, the central moment is Elton John’s live demonstration of the John–Taupin working method. Receiving the lyrics without prior preparation, he composes an initial musical structure on the spot, illustrating how melody is generated directly from the text. The resulting song remained unfinished and unreleased, serving purely as a demonstration of creative practice rather than as a piece intended for official publication.

“Singapore” therefore stands as a rare and revealing document of the collaboration between Elton John and Bernie Taupin: a song created live during an interview that never progressed beyond an initial musical sketch.

Keywords
Elton John
Bernie Taupin
Singapore song
Unreleased song
Songwriting process
Television interview
British arts television
ITV
Melvyn Bragg

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#EltonJohn #BernieTaupin #UnreleasedSong #Songwriting #MusicHistory #CreativeProcess #BritishTelevision