Berger 1

Mollie Berger

English 1201

Kretzer

21 February 2021

“Your Song” is a love ballad originally written and composed by Elton John. Elton John

released a music video for this song in 1972. Years later Ewan McGregor released his version

of the song with his own music video. Although these two musicians sing the same song,

there is a difference between the two. Ewan McGregor’s version of “Your Song” still brings

forth the importance of the person he is singing the song about, but he lacks the simplicity of

the song that Elton John intended to have by making an over-the-top music video for it.

Elton John wrote a simple song about how much better his life has become now that a

special person is in it. He states, “I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do” (Elton

John). Implying that he understands this song is not an extravagant gift but he hopes the

person he is singing to understands how important they are to him. Even his music video is

very nonchalant with Elton in a field with some trees in the background, with just him

singing. This makes it feel more personal, like he is directly singing to his significant other.

For Ewan McGregor’s version he is not alone in his music video. Ewan has the person

he is singing about with him. But he does not just sit and sing his song, rather he gets up and

does a choregraphed dance routine with this woman with him. Dancing is seen to be very

romantic and expresses love, but it seems the words to the song somewhat get lost when they

began to dance. It makes the lines Elton John wrote, “My gift is my song” seem somewhat

like a lie because it seems as if though his gift is the song and the dancing.
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Both versions do use the same appeal which is pathos because both of these versions

intend to express love. “Your Song” is a love song and its claim is someone in the singer’s life

is very important to them and they love them. The audience for both versions is anyone who is

in love, has been in love or who wants to be in love. Although both versions are a lot alike,

Elton Johns version captures the simplicity of the song while Ewan McGregor adds a more

theatrical twist to it.

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Works Cited

John, Elton. "Your Song." Elton John - Your Song (1970 Original Video) (HD 720p). 30 March

2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrznwpD-2tk>.

Mcgregor, Ewan. "Your Song." Ewan McGregor Your Song with Lyrics from Moulin Rouge. 27

June 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkxj-FBEH1w>.