Cold Heart

"Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" is a masterful mashup that tells a cohesive story about a deteriorating relationship and the ensuing emotional fallout. The song's meaning is derived from the clever fusion of four classic Elton John songs: "Sacrifice" (1989), "Rocket Man" (1972), "Kiss the Bride" (1983), and "Where's the Shoorah?" (1976). The primary theme, taken from "Sacrifice," is the pain of unreciprocated love and having one's heart turn cold and hardened by a partner's actions. This is juxtaposed with the chorus from "Rocket Man," which introduces themes of loneliness, isolation, and a disconnect between one's public persona and private self ("I'm not the man they think I am at home"). The addition of a line from "Kiss the Bride" ("And this is what I should have said / Well I thought it but I kept it hid") introduces an element of regret and unspoken feelings, suggesting a communication breakdown. The song ultimately portrays a complex emotional landscape of heartbreak, disillusionment, and the lonely journey of self-discovery after a relationship ends, all set against a vibrant, upbeat disco production that creates a powerful sense of bittersweet nostalgia.

The narrative begins with a somber reflection on human nature, acknowledging that things often go awry in relationships. The lingering presence of a former lover, symbolized by her scent, creates a powerful temptation that's hard to resist. This leads to the central theme: a 'cold, cold heart' that has been hardened by the actions of a partner. There's a sense of weary resignation, a feeling that some situations and people are better experienced transiently, just 'passin' through,' rather than held onto. This emotional core expresses the pain and defense mechanism of becoming emotionally closed off after being hurt.

The story then transitions into a feeling of profound isolation and a crisis of identity, borrowing the metaphor of an astronaut far from home. The singer anticipates a 'long, long time' before feeling grounded and understood again. This journey back to self-awareness is coupled with the painful realization: 'I'm not the man they think I am at home.' This line reveals a deep disconnect between his inner self and the perception others, particularly his partner, have of him. It’s a confession of not living up to an idealized image, leading to a sense of alienation even in intimate spaces.

Woven into this feeling of isolation is a layer of regret. The singer reflects on unspoken words and hidden thoughts, lamenting what 'should have been said.' This internal conflict—knowing what needed to be communicated but keeping it hidden—compounds the heartbreak. It suggests that the relationship's decline was not just due to the other person's actions but also a result of his own inability to be vulnerable and authentic. The fusion of these classic Elton John narratives creates a modern tragedy: a relationship doomed by emotional distance, a loss of self, and the regret of what was left unsaid, all ironically set to a beat that makes you want to dance through the heartache.

"Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" was released on August 13, 2021, as the lead single from Elton John's 32nd studio album, The Lockdown Sessions. The song's creation is a testament to a long-standing relationship between Elton John and the Australian dance music trio PNAU (Nick Littlemore, Peter Mayes, and Sam Littlemore). Elton had been a fan and mentor to PNAU since discovering their album in 2007, which led to their 2012 collaboration album, Good Morning to the Night. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Elton John reached out to PNAU again, this time with a specific request: to create a hit single by remixing his back catalogue. The producers were given access to the master tapes of Elton's entire career and began experimenting. They expertly wove together elements from four distinct songs: the verses from "Sacrifice," the chorus from "Rocket Man," a lyrical snippet from "Kiss the Bride," and the choir melody from "Where's the Shoorah?". The idea to include Dua Lipa came about after a friendship blossomed between her and Elton. They first connected for an Instagram Live in 2020, and she later performed at his AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party. Impressed by her talent and energy, Elton invited her to contribute vocals to the track, which she recorded remotely. The final product was a modern nu-disco track that masterfully blended John's timeless songwriting with contemporary pop and dance sensibilities, all brought together during a period of global lockdown.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Cold Heart" are a blend of its sampled components, all unified by a consistent, danceable tempo. The rhythm is characterized by a steady four-on-the-floor beat, typical of disco and house music, with a tempo of approximately 116 beats per minute (BPM). This driving rhythm creates a feeling of propulsion and makes the song highly danceable, which forms an ironic contrast with the melancholic and introspective nature of the lyrics. The lyrical rhythm flows conversationally in the verses, taken from "Sacrifice," following a more relaxed phrasing. The chorus, from "Rocket Man," features a more expansive and melodic rhythm, with longer, drawn-out syllables that emphasize the feeling of longing and distance. The rhyme scheme is simple and effective, primarily using pairs of rhyming lines (AABB), such as "wrong" and "strong," which makes the lyrics memorable and complements the pop structure. The interplay between the steady musical rhythm and the varied lyrical cadences is key to the song's bittersweet and dynamic feel.

"Cold Heart" is defined by its masterful use of musical and literary techniques, primarily through its nature as a remix and mashup.

• Musical Techniques: The song is built on sampling and interpolation, taking distinct melodic and lyrical parts from four different Elton John songs and weaving them into a new, cohesive piece. PNAU employs a nu-disco and dance-pop production style, characterized by a prominent four-on-the-floor beat, shimmering synthesizers, and a groove-oriented bassline, which contrasts with the melancholic lyrics. This creates a powerful juxtaposition between the upbeat, danceable music and the sad, introspective lyrical content. The arrangement seamlessly transitions between Elton John's and Dua Lipa's vocals, creating a duet-like narrative.
• Literary Techniques: The song effectively creates a new narrative collage by rearranging lyrics from different sources. This recontextualizes the original meanings to tell a new story of a failed relationship. The use of recurring lyrical phrases like "Cold, cold heart" functions as a powerful refrain that reinforces the central theme. The contrast between the introspective verses ("It's a human sign when things go wrong") and the soaring, desperate chorus ("And I think it's gonna be a long, long time") creates a dynamic emotional arc within the song.

"Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)" achieved massive global success, becoming a significant cultural touchstone. The song topped the charts in over a dozen countries, including the UK, Australia, and Canada. In the UK, it became Elton John's first number-one single in 16 years and Dua Lipa's third. In the US, it reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, giving Elton John the record for the longest span of top 40 hits on the chart (over 50 years). This success introduced Elton John's classic catalogue to a new, younger generation of listeners via platforms like TikTok and streaming services. The song was widely praised by critics for its seamless and savvy fusion of different musical eras. Its success demonstrated the power of the remix and collaboration in modern pop music, cementing the status of both Elton John as an enduringly relevant icon and Dua Lipa as a contemporary pop superstar. The track was a lead single for John's The Lockdown Sessions album, a project born out of the COVID-19 pandemic that featured numerous collaborations. The song's animated music video, with its joyful, psychedelic visuals, also received acclaim.

The lyrical tapestry of "Cold Heart" is rich with symbolism and metaphors drawn from its source material.

• The "Cold, cold heart": This central phrase, taken from "Sacrifice," serves as the song's primary metaphor. It represents emotional numbness and the hardening of one's feelings as a defense mechanism against the pain inflicted by a lover. It symbolizes a relationship that has become devoid of warmth and affection.
• The "Rocket Man": The chorus from "Rocket Man" functions as a powerful metaphor for isolation, emotional distance, and alienation. The image of an astronaut alone in space captures the feeling of being disconnected from a partner and misunderstood, even in the context of a relationship that should be intimate ("I'm not the man they think I am at home").
• "Temptation's strong": This line from "Sacrifice" symbolizes the internal and external struggles within the relationship. It hints at infidelity or other betrayals that have led to the emotional hardening, representing the difficult, often flawed, human element in love.

"Cold Heart" is built around the repetition of several key musical and lyrical motifs that give the song its structure and emotional core.

• "Cold, cold heart": This is the most significant recurring phrase and serves as the song's central hook and title reference. Sourced from "Sacrifice," its repetition throughout the track emphasizes the core theme of emotional hardening and pain in a relationship. It acts as an anchor, grounding the song's narrative in this feeling of disillusionment.
• "And I think it's gonna be a long, long time": This iconic line, the chorus from "Rocket Man," is the song's main melodic motif, sung by Dua Lipa. Its recurrence creates the song's soaring, anthemic quality. It represents the feeling of isolation and the long, lonely journey ahead, providing the song's emotional and narrative peak.
• "Oh no, no, no, no": This simple, repetitive vocal hook adds to the song's pop sensibility and memorability, often following the main lyrical phrases to punctuate the feeling of dismay and denial.
• The "Shoorah" Choir: The wordless vocal melody sampled from the end of "Where's the Shoorah?" serves as a recurring musical motif in the outro, adding a soulful, gospel-like texture that brings a sense of bittersweet resolution or questioning to the track.