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Nikita (song)

"Nikita"
Single by Elton John
from the album Ice on Fire
B-side
  • "The Man Who Never Died"
  • "Restless"
Released4 October 1985 (1985-10-04)[1]
RecordedJanuary 1985
Genre
Length
  • 5:44 (album version)
  • 4:43 (UK single version)
  • 4:54 (single version)
LabelRocket
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"That's What Friends Are For"
(1985) 		"Nikita"
(1985) 		"Wrap Her Up"
(1985)
Music video
"Nikita" on YouTube

"Nikita" is a song by English musician Elton John from his 19th studio album, Ice on Fire (1985). It was released as the album's lead single on 4 October 1985, charting at number three on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number seven in the United States, and reaching the top 10 worldwide, topping the charts of eight countries. The song features George Michael on backing vocals and Nik Kershaw on guitar.

Song synopsis

In the song, John describes his crush on a person called Nikita, an East German border guard patrolling the Berlin Wall whom he cannot meet because he is not allowed into East Germany. Though the name Nikita can refer to women in other languages, it is a male name in Russian.[2] In interviews, John has said that he was aware of Nikita being a male name in Russian.[3]

Composition

The song is composed in the key of G major in 4/4 time. The song employs a verse-chorus-verse format, with the second chorus being shorter than the first, plus an instrumental bridge mechanically-themed breakdown halfway through the second chorus.

Reception

Cash Box said the "tune is as sensitive as the subject matter" and that the song has "a mesmerizing tempo, well textured production and John’s inimitable vocal style."[4] Billboard called it a "lilting tune."[5]

Music video

The video for the song was directed by Ken Russell. John accepted the proposed script written by Russell which was a male–female love interpretation of the song, depicting his attempted romance of an blonde female East German border guard at a Berlin border crossing with short hair and bright blue eyes. Scenes showed the two together in various happy situations, including wearing the colours of Watford FC, of whom John is a supporter and former chairman. The video also features a red Bentley Continental Convertible, which was owned by John from 1985 to 2000.[2]

Anya Major plays the role of Nikita; Andreas Wisniewski plays a male border guard who seems to be her commanding officer.

Live performances

John played "Nikita" during the album's tour in 1985 to 1986 and again in the 1988–1989 Reg Strikes Back Tour plus the 1998 leg of The Big Picture Tour. John continued to perform the song in mid-2000s, however the song was only played on his solo concerts ever since.[6]

Allegation of plagiarism

Elton John, Bernie Taupin and Big Pig Music were accused of plagiarism by South African photographer and songwriter Guy Hobbs. Hobbs wrote a song in 1982 entitled "Natasha", about a Russian waitress on a cruise ship, who was never allowed to leave it. The song was copyrighted in 1983, and sent to Big Pig Music (John's publisher) for a possible publishing deal, but Hobbs never heard back from the publisher. In 2001, Hobbs came across the lyric book to "Nikita" and noticed similarities with his song. Despite repeated attempts by Hobbs to contact John over the issue, he never heard from him and so commenced legal action in 2012.[7]

On 31 October 2012, a US federal judge granted John and Taupin's motion to dismiss, finding that the song did not infringe Hobbs' copyright because the only similar elements were generic images and themes that are not protected under copyright law.[8][9]

Track listings

  • 7-inch single
  1. "Nikita" – 4:54
  2. "The Man Who Never Died" – 5:10
or "Restless" – 4:26
or "I'm Still Standing" – 3:03
or "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" – 6:12
  • 12-inch maxi single
  1. "Nikita" (album version) – 5:43
  2. "The Man Who Never Died" – 5:10
  3. "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (live) – 3:26
  4. "I'm Still Standing" (live) – 4:38

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Nikita"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[52] Gold 50,000*
Belgium (BEA)[53] Gold 100,000[53]
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[54] Gold 30,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[55] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[56] Silver 250,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[57] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[53] Platinum 20,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[58] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[59] Silver 250,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "…Stop press". Number One. 28 September 1985. p. 6. Retrieved 14 July 2022 – via Flickr.
  2. ^ a b "Elton John Song Facts: Nikita". Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  3. ^ Bernardin, Claude; Stanton, Tom (1996). Rocket Man: Elton John from A–Z. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-275-95698-1.
  4. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 18 January 1986. p. 8. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Reviews". Billboard. 18 January 1986. p. 58. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Nikita by Elton John Song Statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  7. ^ Voelker, Daniel (26 April 2012). "Guy Hobbs (Plaintiff) versus Sir Elton Hercules John, Bernard John Taupin, & Big Pig Music (Defendants)" (PDF). Entertainment Law Digest. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  8. ^ Heller, Matthew (31 October 2012). "Elton John Kicks Copyright Suit Over 'Nikita' Lyrics". Law360. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  9. ^ Sullivan, Shawn (3 November 2012). "Elton John's 'Nikita' Didn't Infringe Copyright In Earlier Cold War Love Song". SullivanLawNet. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. pp. 158–159. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ^ "Elton John – Nikita" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  12. ^ "Elton John – Nikita" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0655." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  14. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9445." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  15. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 48. 2 December 1985. p. 12. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
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  24. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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  29. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  30. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending March 29, 1986". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  31. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Nikita" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  32. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  33. ^ "Bolivia Top 20 – Del 9 al 15 de Agosto, 2021" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  34. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report. No. 599. 30 December 1985 – via Imgur.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1985 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
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  39. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1986". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 18 November 2016.
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  43. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
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  51. ^ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1986 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 27 December 1986. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  52. ^ "Gold & Platinum Awards 1987" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 44. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
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  54. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Elton John – Nikita" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  55. ^ "Danish single certifications – Elton John – Nikita". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  56. ^ "French single certifications – Elton John – Nikita" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 27 January 2021. Select ELTON JOHN and click OK. 
  57. ^ "Authentic Dutch Double Platinum Award – "Nikita" in Holland". Getty Images. April 1986. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
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