I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues - wikipedia I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' Single by Elton John from the album Too Low for Zero B - side `` Choc - Ice Goes Mental '' ( UK ) `` The Retreat '' ( US ) Released April 1983 ( UK ) November 1983 ( US ) Format Vinyl record ( 7 `` ) Recorded September 1982 Genre Soft rock Length 4 : 45 Label Rocket Geffen ( US ) Songwriter ( s ) Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Davey Johnstone Producer ( s ) Chris Thomas Elton John singles chronology `` All Quiet on the Western Front '' ( 1982 ) `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' ( 1983 ) `` I 'm Still Standing '' ( 1983 ) `` All Quiet on the Western Front '' ( 1982 ) `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' ( 1983 ) `` I 'm Still Standing '' ( 1983 ) Music video `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' on YouTube Too Low for Zero track listing `` Religion '' ( 4 ) `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' ( 5 ) `` Crystal '' ( 6 ) `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' is a song by English singer Elton John, with music by John and Davey Johnstone and lyrics by Bernie Taupin. In the US, it was one of John 's biggest hits of the 1980s, holding at # 2 for four weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart, and reaching # 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song features Stevie Wonder on harmonica. The song received largely favorable reviews, with Bill Janovitz of AllMusic declaring the song `` likely to stand the test of time as a standard. '' The song also was featured on an episode of Family Guy. Contents 1 Track listing 2 Song life 3 Charts 4 Personnel 5 References 6 External links Track listing US 7 '' single `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' `` The Retreat '' UK 7 '' single `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' `` Choc Ice Goes Mental '' Song life `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' From Too Low for Zero Problems playing this file ? See media help. The song appeared on the album Too Low for Zero. Released as a single in April 1983, the song reached number five in the UK chart and number four in the US chart six months later. The song was also featured on the film soundtrack to Peter 's Friends in 1992. The original music video, one of twenty directed for John by Australian Russell Mulcahy, tells the story of two 1950s - era young lovers who are separated when the man is forced to leave for National Service, depicting the trials and tribulations he experiences there, and then are finally reunited at the end of the song. It was filmed in the Rivoli Ballroom in London and is marked as one of the few times John has been filmed or videotaped without wearing his trademark glasses. The song was later performed live by Mary J. Blige and Elton John, and this version of the song was part of the Mary J. Blige & Friends EP. A live version of the song with Mary J. Blige also appeared on John 's One Night Only -- The Greatest Hits live compilation, recorded in Madison Square Garden in October 2000. Another live version, this one featuring just Elton John and basic rhythm section, was recorded live in Verona in 1996 during John 's appearance with Luciano Pavarotti as part of the master tenor 's Pavarotti and Friends for War Child benefit concerts. John has performed the song, a fan favourite, live numerous times, occasionally playing it as part of a medley with his hit `` Blue Eyes '' ( from the 1982 album Jump Up ! ). The song was covered by James Blunt and released in the UK on the compilation album BBC Radio 2 : Sounds of the 80s on 7 November 2014. Canadian singer Alessia Cara covered the song for the 2018 tribute album Revamp : Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin. Charts Chart ( 1983 - 1984 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Germany ( Media Control AG ) 22 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 48 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 12 South Africa ( RISA ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 12 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 5 Zimbabwe Singles ( ZIMA ) Chart ( 1984 ) Peak position Canadian Adult Contemporary Canadian Top Singles 9 US Billboard Hot 100 Personnel Elton John : piano, keyboards, vocals Davey Johnstone : electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals Dee Murray : bass, backing vocals Nigel Olsson : drums, backing vocals Stevie Wonder : harmonica References Jump up ^ I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues at AllMusic Jump up ^ `` Russell Mulcahy ''. austlit.edu.au. Retrieved 16 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues ''. iTunes. Retrieved 10 June 2015. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. St Ives, NSW : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Chartverfolgung / JOHN, ELTON / Single '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Elton John -- I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Elton John -- I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` '' I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' on the South African Singles Chart ``. Springbok Radio. Retrieved September 25, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Elton John -- I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues -- Hitparade.ch ''. Singles Top 75. Hung Medien. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe : singles chart book. Harare : C. Kimberley, 2000 Jump up ^ `` Contemporary Adult ''. RPM. 39 ( 22 ). 4 February 1984. ISSN 0315 - 5994. Retrieved 21 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` 50 Singles ''. RPM. 39 ( 23 ). 11 February 1984. ISSN 0315 - 5994. Retrieved 21 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` Elton John Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. External links Elton John - I Guess That 's Why They Call It The Blues on YouTube Lyrics for `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' at Bernietaupin.com `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' at Discogs ( list of releases ) Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Elton John songs 1960s and 1970s `` Skyline Pigeon '' ( 1968 ) `` I 've Been Loving You '' ( 1968 ) `` Lady Samantha '' ( 1969 ) `` It 's Me That You Need '' ( 1969 ) `` Border Song '' ( 1970 ) `` Rock and Roll Madonna '' ( 1970 ) `` From Denver to L.A. '' ( 1970 ) `` Take Me to the Pilot '' ( 1970 ) `` Your Song '' ( 1970 ) `` Friends '' ( 1971 ) `` Levon '' ( 1971 ) `` Tiny Dancer '' ( 1972 ) `` Rocket Man '' ( 1972 ) `` Honky Cat '' ( 1972 ) `` I Think I 'm Going to Kill Myself '' ( 1972 ) `` Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters '' ( 1972 ) `` Crocodile Rock '' ( 1972 ) `` Elderberry Wine '' ( 1972 ) `` Daniel '' ( 1972 ) `` Teacher I Need You '' ( 1973 ) `` Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding '' ( 1973 ) `` Saturday Night 's Alright for Fighting '' ( 1973 ) `` Goodbye Yellow Brick Road '' ( 1973 ) `` Step into Christmas '' ( 1973 ) `` Candle in the Wind '' ( 1974 ) `` Bennie and the Jets '' ( 1974 ) `` Harmony '' ( 1974 ) `` Do n't Let the Sun Go Down on Me '' ( 1974 ) `` The Bitch Is Back '' ( 1974 ) `` Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds '' ( 1974 ) `` Philadelphia Freedom '' ( 1975 ) `` I Saw Her Standing There '' ( 1975 ) `` Someone Saved My Life Tonight '' ( 1975 ) `` Island Girl '' ( 1975 ) `` Grow Some Funk of Your Own '' ( 1976 ) `` I Feel Like a Bullet ( In the Gun of Robert Ford ) '' ( 1976 ) `` Pinball Wizard '' ( 1976 ) `` Do n't Go Breaking My Heart '' ( 1976 ) `` Cage the Songbird '' ( 1976 ) `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( 1976 ) `` Bite Your Lip ( Get Up and Dance ! ) '' ( 1977 ) `` Crazy Water '' ( 1977 ) `` The Goaldiggers Song '' ( 1977 ) `` Ego '' ( 1978 ) `` Part - Time Love '' ( 1978 ) `` Song for Guy '' ( 1978 ) `` Are You Ready for Love '' ( 1979 ) `` Mama Ca n't Buy You Love '' ( 1979 ) `` Johnny B. Goode '' ( 1979 ) 1980s `` Little Jeannie '' ( 1980 ) `` Sartorial Eloquence ( Do n't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More ? ) '' ( 1980 ) `` Dear God '' ( 1980 ) `` Whatever Gets You thru the Night '' ( 1981 ) `` Nobody Wins '' ( 1981 ) `` Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever '' ( with Kiki Dee, 1981 ) `` Blue Eyes '' ( 1982 ) `` Empty Garden ( Hey Hey Johnny ) '' ( 1982 ) `` Ball and Chain '' ( 1982 ) `` All Quiet on the Western Front '' ( 1982 ) `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' ( 1983 ) `` I 'm Still Standing '' ( 1983 ) `` Sad Songs ( Say So Much ) '' ( 1984 ) `` Passengers '' ( 1984 ) `` Nikita '' ( 1985 ) `` That 's What Friends Are For '' ( 1985 ) `` Wrap Her Up '' ( 1985 ) `` Take Me to the Pilot '' ( 1988 ) `` I Do n't Wanna Go on with You Like That '' ( 1988 ) `` Town of Plenty '' ( 1988 ) `` Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters ( Part Two ) '' ( 1988 ) `` Healing Hands '' ( 1989 ) `` Sacrifice '' ( 1989 ) 1990s `` Club at the End of the Street '' ( 1990 ) `` You Gotta Love Someone '' ( 1990 ) `` Do n't Let the Sun Go Down on Me '' ( 1991 ) `` The One '' ( 1992 ) `` Runaway Train '' ( 1992 ) `` The Last Song '' ( 1992 ) `` Simple Life '' ( 1993 ) `` True Love '' ( 1993 ) `` Shakey Ground '' ( 1994 ) `` Ai n't Nothing Like the Real Thing '' ( 1994 ) `` Can You Feel the Love Tonight '' ( 1994 ) `` Circle of Life '' ( 1994 ) `` Believe '' ( 1995 ) `` Made in England '' ( 1995 ) `` When the Money 's Gone '' ( 1995 ) `` You Can Make History ( Young Again ) '' ( 1996 ) `` The Madness of King Scar '' ( 1997 ) `` Something About the Way You Look Tonight '' ( 1997 ) `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' ( 1997 ) `` Written in the Stars '' ( 1999 ) 2000s `` I Want Love '' ( 2001 ) `` This Train Do n't Stop There Anymore '' ( 2002 ) `` Original Sin '' ( 2002 ) `` Are You Ready for Love '' ( 2003 ) `` Ghetto Gospel '' ( 2005 ) `` Electricity '' ( 2005 ) `` The Bridge '' ( 2006 ) `` Joseph, Better You than Me '' ( 2008 ) `` Tiny Dancer ( Hold Me Closer ) '' ( 2009 ) Related articles Albums discography Videography Book : Elton John Category : Elton John Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Guess_That%27s_Why_They_Call_It_the_Blues&oldid=842058139 '' Categories : 1983 singles Elton John songs Geffen Records singles Music videos directed by Russell Mulcahy Songs with music by Elton John Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin Song recordings produced by Chris Thomas ( record producer ) 1983 songs The Rocket Record Company singles Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Use dmy dates from July 2013 Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Español Italiano Norsk nynorsk Edit links This page was last edited on 19 May 2018, at 23 : 08. 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Question: who sang i guess that's why they call it the blues
Answer: Elton John