Runaway Train

Eric Clapton played guitar and shared lead vocal duties with Elton John on this song. The lyric was written by Bernie Taupin, but it relates to both singers, who both felt like they were on a runaway train throughout decades of drug and alcohol addiction, but were now sober and getting their lives together. Elton got sober after checking himself into a rehab facility in 1990 and then taking the next year off to focus on his physical and mental health. Clapton got sober in 1987 after the birth of his son, Conor. When he recorded this song with Elton, he was still reeling from the death of Conor, who fell out of the window of a high-rise building in New York City on March 20, 1991.

Elton John and Eric Clapton were good friends and had performed together on several occasions, including on June 30, 1990 at Knebworth Park in England along with Mark Knopfler. In 1991, Clapton recorded "Border Song" for the tribute album Two Rooms. "Runaway Train" is their only duet.

"Runaway Train" first appeared on the soundtrack of the 1992 movie Lethal Weapon 3. In the film it plays under the end credits.