Elton John put out the hit single “I Don’t Wanna Go On with You Like That” in 1988.
The song was written by John with his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin and released as the lead single from John’s 1988 studio album Reg Strikes Back. Its polished dance-rock sound reflected the pop production style of the late 1980s, while the lyrics describe someone rejecting an unequal or complicated romantic situation.
The single became one of John’s strongest American hits of the decade. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his eighth No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, it topped the national singles chart for three weeks.
A common mix-up is confusing the performer with the songwriters or producer. Elton John supplied the lead vocal and piano, Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics, and Chris Thomas produced the recording. The song came after a difficult period in John’s career and helped establish Reg Strikes Back as a commercial comeback album.