The 1990 ballad Sacrifice became Elton John's first solo number-one single on the UK Singles Chart. Written by John and Bernie Taupin, it came from John's 1989 album Sleeping with the Past and describes the emotional strain of a failing marriage.
The song did not immediately become a major UK hit. Its first release in October 1989 stalled at number 55. In 1990, BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Wright began playing it, helping spark wider interest and leading to a re-release.
That re-release paired Sacrifice with Healing Hands as a double A-side. The record reached number one in the UK in June 1990 and stayed there for five weeks. The same release also gave John his first French number one.
The phrase “first solo number one” matters. John had already topped the UK chart with the 1976 duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Kiki Dee, so Sacrifice was his first number one as a solo artist. Healing Hands shared the double A-side, but Sacrifice is the song conventionally credited with the achievement.