Elton John admits he accidentally snubbed a birthday serenade from Stevie Wonder

11 November 2021, 18:01

During his recent appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Elton revealed he made a major boo-boo on his birthday.

Stevie Wonder's 'Happy Birthday' is one of the most played songs in history, regularly spun and sung at birthday celebrations around the world.

So Stevie's voice may filter into parties across the globe each day, but imagine being serenaded by the legend himself? What an honour that'd be, surely.

Read more: Elton John and Stevie Wonder team up for spectacular new duet ‘Finish Line’

Well, Sir Elton John didn't seem to be phased about receiving such a gift, accidentally snubbing a birthday sing-song from his long-time friend and recent collaborator.

Talking about the rejection to Jimmy Fallon, Elton admits: "It's not one of my brightest and wonderful moments!"

"I was on the 'Starship' - which was jet we were renting - and I'd just done a show. It was my birthday, and I wasn't happy with the show so sat at the front of the jet on my own."

After sulking on his own despite it being a day of celebration, and several efforts to get him to coax him out of his slump, Elton eventually joined the celebrations. And he's glad he did.

Read more: Watch when Stevie Wonder brought the world to tears with stirring cover of 'Imagine'

"My publicist burst into tears and said 'you have to come up here, Stevie Wonder wants to sing Happy Birthday to you!' Of course the plane had an organ on it!"

"I felt such a horror. I felt so bad. So I went up there, and he sang Happy Birthday to me. It's an incident I'll never forget, and one I'm not very proud of!"

Later in life when his 70th birthday came around, he made sure not to make the same mistake twice.

"Stevie actually sang Happy Birthday to me at my 70th birthday, along with Lady Gaga, Ryan Adams, and Roseanne Cash. So I've been very lucky in that respect."

"On my 60th birthday Tony Bennett, Scissor Sisters, and Mary J Blige [sang happy birthday]. So I've been very lucky!"

Now it just sounds like he's bragging!

Read more: Sir Elton John collects award from Prince Charles in first outing since hip surgery

Elton appeared on the show via video-link from his London home to promote his recent chart-topping album The Lockdown Sessions, as he continues his recovery from hip surgery.

Despite their many years of friendship, it marked the first time that the music legends had duetted together.

"No, we've never done a duet. And we've known each other for so long!" he responded to Fallon.

"It was a dream come true for me: not only do a love him as a musician and worship him as a songwriter, but he's one of my favourite people in the whole wide world."

Being such good friends for the best part of half a century, there have no doubt been times where both Elton and Stevie have been in the studio together.

Read more: When Bill Withers joined Stevie Wonder for a stunning performance of 'Ain't No Sunshine'

They did for instance work together in 1985, recording a cover of Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager's song 'That's What Friends Are For' with Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick as a charity single for AIDS research.

They even won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Song of the Year, whilst raising $3 million for the cause.

Still, we're extremely happy that their recent duet 'Finish Line' has come to fruition.