Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word - wikipedia Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' Single by Elton John from the album Blue Moves B - side `` Shoulder Holster '' Released 1 November 1976 Format Vinyl record ( 7 `` ) Recorded Eastern Sound, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 22 March 1976 Length 3 : 48 Label Rocket ( UK ) MCA ( US ) Songwriter ( s ) Elton John Bernie Taupin Producer ( s ) Gus Dudgeon Elton John singles chronology `` Do n't Go Breaking My Heart '' ( 1976 ) `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( 1976 ) `` Bite Your Lip ( Get Up and Dance ! ) '' ( 1977 ) `` Do n't Go Breaking My Heart '' ( 1976 ) `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( 1976 ) `` Bite Your Lip ( Get Up and Dance ! ) '' ( 1977 ) Music video `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' on YouTube `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. It was recorded by Elton John and released in 1976, both as a single and as part of the Blue Moves album. It was John 's second single released by The Rocket Record Company. The song is a mournful ballad about a romantic relationship which is falling apart. The song is in the key of G melodic minor and G harmonic minor. The song also appeared the following year on Greatest Hits Volume II, though for copyright reasons it no longer appears on the current version of that album. It now appears on Greatest Hits 1976 -- 1986, The Very Best of Elton John and in Greatest Hits 1970 -- 2002, as well as a number of other compilations. The song is also featured prominently in the 1977 movie Slap Shot. In December 2015, the song was used in a US holiday - themed commercial for Temptation cat treats. Contents 1 Personnel 2 Commercial performance and certifications 2.1 Commercial performance 2.2 Sales and certifications 3 Blue version 3.1 Track listing 3.2 Charts and certifications 3.2. 1 Weekly charts 3.2. 2 Year - end charts 3.2. 3 Sales and certifications 4 Other versions 5 Sampling by Pnau 6 References 7 External links Personnel Ray Cooper -- vibraphone Carl Fortina -- accordion James Newton Howard -- electric piano, strings arrangement Elton John -- piano, vocals Kenny Passarelli -- bass Commercial performance and certifications Commercial performance The song was a Top 20 hit, reaching No. 11 in the United Kingdom, No. 6 in the United States and No. 3 in Canada. In addition, the song went to No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart. In the US, it was certified Gold on 25 January 1977 by the RIAA. Sales and certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Canada ( Music Canada ) Gold 75,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 1,000,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone Blue version `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' Single by Blue featuring Elton John from the album One Love B - side `` Sweet Thing '' Released 9 December 2002 Format CD single, audio cassette Genre Pop, R&B Length 3 : 41 ( album version ) 3.31 ( radio edit ) Label Universal Songwriter ( s ) Elton John, Bernie Taupin Producer ( s ) Stargate Blue singles chronology `` One Love '' ( 2002 ) `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( 2002 ) `` U Make Me Wanna '' ( 2003 ) `` One Love '' ( 2002 ) `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( 2002 ) `` U Make Me Wanna '' ( 2003 ) Music video `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' on YouTube The song was covered in 2002 by English boy band Blue for their second studio album, One Love ( 2002 ). The song was recorded as a collaboration with Elton John, and was the second single from the album. It peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart on 15 December 2002. Track listing UK CD1 `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( Radio Edit ) -- 3 : 31 `` Lonely This Christmas '' -- 2 : 08 `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( Ruffin Ready Soul Mix ) -- 3 : 51 `` Recording Studio Footage '' -- 3 : 30 UK CD2 `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( Radio Edit ) -- 3 : 31 `` Album Medley '' -- 5 : 44 `` Sweet Thing '' -- 3 : 38 `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( Video ) -- 3 : 31 UK Cassette `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( Radio Edit ) -- 3 : 31 `` Album Medley '' -- 5 : 44 `` Sweet Thing '' -- 3 : 38 Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart ( 2002 -- 03 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 43 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) Canada ( Nielsen SoundScan ) 7 Denmark ( Tracklisten ) 5 Europe ( Eurochart Hot 100 ) France ( SNEP ) 6 Germany Singles Chart Hungary ( Rádiós Top 40 ) Iceland ( Tonlist ) Ireland ( IRMA ) Italy ( FIMI ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 5 Norway ( VG - lista ) Romania ( Romanian Top 100 ) 5 Scotland ( Official Charts Company ) Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) 7 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) Year - end charts Chart ( 2003 ) Position New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 25 Sales and certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Belgium ( BEA ) Gold 25,000 Switzerland ( IFPI Switzerland ) Gold 20,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Silver 200,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone Other versions `` Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word '' has been covered by a wide variety of artists from country to R&B. It has been recorded as a duet, in Spanish, and has even featured Elton John himself on a couple of versions. In 1991, Joe Cocker covered this song. In 1992, Argentine singer Pedro Aznar used the music to Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word and wrote his own lyrics to record a Spanish version with the title Ya no hay forma de pedir perdón ( `` There is n't a way to ask for forgiveness '' ). In 1994, country singers Suzy Bogguss and Chet Atkins covered the song on their 1994 Simpatico. It was released as a single but failed to chart. In 2002, the boy band Blue recorded the song with Elton John ( who received a featured artist credit ). This version was produced by multi-platinum producer Ray Ruffin and was a hit throughout Europe and went to No. 1 in the UK, where it received a Silver sales certification and sold 315,000 copies. In 2004, Elton John and Ray Charles performed the song on Charles ' duet album, Genius Loves Company. It would turn out to be the last recording Charles ever did before his death that June. The duet was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Also in 2004, Mary J. Blige covered the song as part of the Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason movie soundtrack. In 2004, Kenny G and Richard Marx covered the song on At Last... The Duets Album. Sampling by Pnau In 2012, the Australian electron pop duo Pnau, signed by Elton John to his own management company, Rocket Music, produced a remix album of eight Elton tracks. The lead single of this album was Sad, which sampled Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word. The single was the lead single for the eight - track remix compilation Good Morning to the Night in collaboration with Australian remixer Pnau, which came out on 16 July 2012. The `` so sad '' lyric, alongside with elements of previous hits was merged into Elton John 's new single `` Sad '', which had its first play on Magic 105.4 on 9 July 2012. References Jump up ^ Stephenson, Ken ( 2002 ). What to Listen for in Rock : A Stylistic Analysis, p. 41. ISBN 978 - 0 - 300 - 09239 - 4. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 2001. Record Research. p. 128. Jump up ^ `` Canadian single certifications -- Elton John -- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word ''. Music Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- John, Elton -- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 22 November 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word Hitlisten.nu '' ( in Danish ). Tracklisten. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Hits of the World -- Eurochart Hot 100 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 5 April 2003. p. 49. Retrieved 21 July 2012. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Archívum -- Slágerlisták -- MAHASZ '' ( in Hungarian ). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Jump up ^ `` Tonlist Top 20 ''. DV. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Chart Track : Week 51, 2002 ''. Irish Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Italiancharts.com -- Blue -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word ''. Top Digital Download. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- week 6, 2003 '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40 Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word ''. VG - lista. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Romanian Top 100 ''. Archived from the original on 18 February 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2013. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Spanishcharts.com -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word '' Canciones Top 50. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Blue feat. Elton John -- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Blue : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 2003 ''. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 12 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop − Goud en Platina -- 2003 ''. Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community : Awards ( Blue feat. Elton John ; ' Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word ' ) ''. IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Blue ft Elton John -- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 November 2012. Enter Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ HI ! Magazine '' Review : Elton John vs. Pnau -- Good morning to the night Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` After the Lovin ' '' by Engelbert Humperdinck Billboard Easy Listening Singles No. 1 single ( Elton John version ) 18 December 1976 Succeeded by `` Torn Between Two Lovers '' by Mary MacGregor Preceded by `` Lose Yourself '' by Eminem Dutch Singles Chart ( Blue version ) 8 February 2003 -- 8 March 2003 ( 4 weeks ) Succeeded by `` Anyone of Us ( Stupid Mistake ) '' by Gareth Gates Preceded by `` Lose Yourself '' by Eminem UK No. 1 single ( Blue version ) 15 December 2002 -- 21 December 2002 ( 1 week ) Succeeded by `` Sound of the Underground '' by Girls Aloud Blue Antony Costa Duncan James Lee Ryan Simon Webbe Discography Studio albums All Rise One Love Guilty Roulette Colours Compilation albums The Remixes Best of Blue 4Ever Blue The Platinum Collection The Collection Ultimate Blue Singles `` All Rise '' `` Too Close '' `` If You Come Back '' `` Fly by II '' `` One Love '' `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' `` U Make Me Wanna '' `` Guilty '' `` Signed, Sealed, Delivered I 'm Yours '' `` Breathe Easy '' `` Bubblin ' '' `` Curtain Falls '' `` Get Down on It '' `` Only Words I Know '' `` I Can '' `` Hurt Lovers '' `` Without You '' Other singles `` I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday '' Tours The Big Reunion Roulette Tour Related articles United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 Eurovision : Your Country Needs Blue 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 ) `` 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=Sorry_Seems_to_Be_the_Hardest_Word&oldid=817029879 '' Categories : 1976 songs Elton John songs Blue ( English band ) songs Song recordings produced by Stargate ( production team ) Songs with music by Elton John Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin Dutch Top 40 number - one singles UK Singles Chart number - one singles Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon 1970s ballads Hidden categories : CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Webarchive template wayback links Use British English from January 2014 Use dmy dates from January 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for United States Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Denmark Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Hungary Singlechart usages for Ireland Singlechart usages for Italy Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Scotland Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Spain Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Certification Table Entry usages for Belgium Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Deutsch Eesti Emiliàn e rumagnòl Français Italiano Nederlands Norsk nynorsk Português Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 25 December 2017, at 15 : 46. 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Question: who wrote sorry seems to be the hardest word
Answer: Elton John