Kendale Hamilton

Dean Leonard
English 1201
10 Feb. 2021
Your Song - Elton John or Ewan McGregor?
“And you can tell everybody this is your song,” the title lyric of “Your Song” by Elton
John and rerecorded by Ewan McGregor, sums up the general idea of both versions: that the
singer has nothing better to give than his voice. Although being different versions of the same
song, both the video accompanying them as well as the meaning behind them are very different.
One depicts Elton John in what appears to be the middle of nowhere with almost no props, while
the other depicts Ewan McGregor with his love interest with a very lavish set and props.
Furthermore, both versions of “Your Song” depict the singer having nothing better to give to his
love than his song. However, Elton John is singing because he cannot afford to give anything
better, while Ewan McGregor is singing because he already has everything.
To start, the video that accompanies Elton John’s version is very simple. The video,
released in 1970, depicts John standing alone on what seems to be an old country road with
almost no one around. The only other character in the video is someone who can be seen in the
background at a few specific parts. It is unclear who exactly this is, however, it could be the
person that the song is about. As far as props go, there are very few. The only one of note is the
microphone that Elton John is singing into for the entirety of the video.
To contrast, the clip from “Moulin Rouge!” the movie in which Ewan McGregor sings
“Your Song,” includes multiple characters, many props, and an extensive set. For those who
have not seen the movie, IMDB gives a brief plot summary, “The year is 1899, and Christian, a
young English writer, has come to Paris to follow the Bohemian revolution taking hold of the
city's drug and prostitute infested underworld. And nowhere is the thrill of the underworld more
alive than at the Moulin Rouge, a night club where the rich and poor men alike come to be
entertained by the dancers, but things take a wicked turn for Christian as he starts a deadly love
affair with the star courtesan of the club, Satine. But her affections are also coveted by the club's
patron: the Duke. A dangerous love triangle ensues as Satine and Christian attempt to fight all
odds to stay together but a force that not even love can conquer is taking its toll on Satine”
(O.G.). The specific clip depicts Christian, Ewan McGregor’s character, is seen singing the song
to Satine in a small heart-shaped room. As the scene goes on, the background transforms into a
very artistic version of the real world, before returning to the original set. As far as props, there
many unremarkable items that can be seen, but none of which are important to the story. Other
than the two main characters, there are a few others that can be seen in the video but do not
affect the general plot in any way.
It is very clear from the lyrics that Elton John is singing because he has nothing else he
can give. The end of the first verse says “I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do. My gift
is my song, and this one's for you” (Your Song). This, combined with the lack of intricacies of
the set in the video, prove that the person singing the song cannot afford to give his lover
anything better. This is very important because it is the main difference between the two versions
of the song.
Furthermore, the clip from “Moulin Rouge!” depicts a very different theme. For starters,
Ewan McGregor starts singing at the chorus, removing the first verse entirely. This is important
because the first verse is the main way we can identify that Elton John doesn’t have much to give
to his love. The first verse includes the line “I don't have much money, but, boy, if I did I'd buy a
big house where we both could live” (Your Song). Without this verse, the song is lacking
anything depicting the singer cannot afford a real gift. In combination with the lavishness of the
set, it is clear that McGregor is singing not because he has nothing better to give, but because his
song is the best thing, as it rises above material objects.
Later in the chorus, both singers say “That I put down in words. How wonderful life is
while you're in the world” (Your Song). Although the singers, sets, props, and audiences may be
very different, in the end, they are singing for the same reason, because of love.
 Works Cited
G., O. “Moulin Rouge!” IMDB, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/. Accessed 14

Feb. 2021.

John, Elton. “Your Song.” YouTube, 30 Mar. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=CrznwpD-2tk&ab_channel=NVNCBL. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

McGregor, Ewan. “Ewan McGregor Your Song with Lyrics from Moulin Rouge.”

YouTube, 27 June 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkxj-

FBEH1w&ab_channel=ChanJoseph. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

“Your Song.” Genius, https://genius.com/Elton-john-your-song-lyrics. Accessed 14 Feb.

2021.