Kiki Dee has addressed speculation that her Elton John collaboration Don’t Go Breaking My Heart was originally set to feature Dusty Springfield. 

Released in the summer of 1976, the track was a global success, topping the charts worldwide and earning Elton and Bernie the Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

Although best known as a duet, Kiki insists it was never intended to be recorded that way and, when it comes to speculation that Dusty was originally lined-up to record her part, but was unable to attend the session due to sickness, she maintains that’s not the case. 

“That’s a strange story that’s going around actually. That’s been going around for a while,” she clarifies in the May 2020 edition of Retro Pop. “I don’t really know where that story came from. Because it just came out of Gus [Dudgeon, producer]; it wasn’t even going to be a duet. 

“Now, whether or not Elton, around that time, said that he wanted to work with Dusty in some way or other, because he would have been a fan as well… I just don’t know. 

“I think there’s been a couple of stage musicals about Dusty and I think it might have come from that,” adds Kiki. 

“I think it does Dusty a disservice, because she’s one of the greats and it’s very doubtful that that particular song was going to be a duet with Dusty because, like I say, I was going to turn up and do a few BVs.”

In the years since, there have been a number of re-recordings, featuring Elton and a range of guest artists, including RuPaul, whose take on the track entered the Top 10 in 1994. 

Of their dance-oriented collaboration, she laughs: “Well, I like the Miss Piggy one best. When she goes, ‘Eat your heart out, Kiki Dee!’. 

“I mean, he did it with the Spice Girls on telly as well. It’s just bizarre isn’t it, with me in the audience. That was a bit odd!”

Read the full interview in the May 2022 edition of Retro Pop, out now. Order yours or subscribe via our Online Store or use our Store Finder to locate your nearest stockist.