The King and Sir Elton John traded jokes about the challenges of getting older during a special edition of the singer's Apple Radio show, Rocket Hour, broadcast on the monarch's 78th birthday.
Charles picked Sir Elton's hit I'm Still Standing as one of his favourite tracks, praising its "message of resilience", and told the singer: "We and the Trust are definitely still standing."
Sir Elton, 79, replied with a laugh: "I'm still sitting now, though." The King chuckled: "With occasional bits dropping off here and there. I know this is a terrible problem as we get older."
Musical Memories and The King's Trust
The conversation highlighted the role of music in the work of The King's Trust, which is marking its 50th anniversary, and the musicians who back the charity. Charles referenced the lyrics of Your Song as he introduced one of Sir Elton's own pieces, recalling the 1986 Rock Gala at Wembley Arena for the 10th anniversary of his Trust.
"I suspect that no-one who was present on that night in 1986 could possibly forget your performance of I'm Still Standing," Charles said. "I know people in all kinds of circumstances find this song inspiring, not only for its marvellous spirit, but also its message of resilience. And certainly, 40 years on from that remarkable concert, we and the Trust are definitely still standing."
The pair selected 14 tracks, including Elvis Presley's Hound Dog, Lenny Kravitz's It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over, Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight and Sir Rod Stewart's rendition of Handbags And Gladrags.
The King chose Giant by Calvin Harris and Rag'n'Bone Man as the song he felt best summed up his charity because of its spirit of gaining strength from others. Bob Dylan's Gotta Serve Somebody, Pete Townshend's Let My Love Open The Door, Muse's Feeling Good, Skye Newman's Hairdresser, Raye's Joy and Nectar Woode's Wine Into Water, featuring Sir Elton on piano, also made the cut.
Beatles Memories and a Timeless Message
Asked by Sir Elton about a song he finds meaningful, Charles said "nothing more meaningful than love" and recalled a performance of All You Need Is Love at the finale of the Golden Jubilee concert in the gardens of Buckingham Palace in 2002, celebrating his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
"Well, there can surely be nothing more meaningful than love," Charles said. "This next song, All You Need Is Love by The Beatles, takes us back, right the way back to 1967 when it was the anthem of the 'Summer of Love' – remember a number one on both sides of the Atlantic and a huge hit worldwide."
He remembered the record sleeve showing John, George, Paul and Ringo "all sporting magnificent moustaches" and described the performance with Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart and Joe Cocker, with Phil Collins on drums, Brian May and Eric Clapton on guitar and an all-star backing choir as "simply unforgettable".
Sir Elton, speaking in the conversation recorded at the Apple Music Studios in Battersea Power Station last month, said he had been lucky to meet and know all The Beatles. "They all became friends of mine. I couldn't believe it because when I was a young boy, I remember cycling to buy Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. So when you get to become friends of your idols, it's quite amazing," he said.
Opening Track and Fond Memories
The pair opened with Tina Turner's Proud Mary, with the King praising the late star as an "electrifying character" and describing how, after her death, the guard at Buckingham Palace played her hit Simply The Best. "It was, I hope, a small way of thanking her for the times she has performed for my charities and indeed for the joy she brought to millions of people," he said.
Sir Elton said Elvis' Hound Dog changed his life when his mother came home with the record. "I'd never heard anything like it before," he said, adding it "set me on my road to my career because from that point on, that's all I wanted to do was to play that kind of music".
The King noted it gave rise to "the most wonderful, still the most fantastic number of lookalike Elvises who perform all over the place", and revealed Sir Elton and Sir Rod both share a fondness for practical jokes. Introducing Handbags And Gladrags, he said: "Here is Rod's rendition and I can't help thinking that that amazingly characterful voice has never sounded better."
He thanked Sir Elton for being "my guide and companion" on a "fascinating musical voyage", adding: "I hope listeners have heard some old favourites here and perhaps found some new favourites too."
The full episode of Elton John's Rocket Hour premiered at 9am on Saturday on Apple Music 1, with further free broadcasts scheduled through the weekend and the episode then available to listen to or download from the Apple Music platform.
