MatR: Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and more: It’s Now or Never

It isn’t just Elvis’ best-selling single–it’s one of the best-selling singles of all time by anyone.

Elvis Presley released “It’s Now or Never” in the summer of 1960, and it immediately went to the top of the charts and stayed there for five weeks in the U.S. and eight weeks in the U.K. Before its run was over, “It’s Now or Never” registered more than twenty million purchases.

Elvis didn’t write “It’s Now or Never,” but he conceived it based on the Neapolitan song, “O Sole Mio.” He wasn’t shy about pointing that out in concert, going so far as to preface his performance of his own single with a faithful rendition of the original.

So when Sting staged an Elvis-themed benefit concert for the Rainforest Foundation in 1995, it was only fitting that “It’s Now  or Never” was presented in a similar live arrangement, “O Sole Mio” and all.

There were plenty of artists on hand to take a swing at the verses; in the recording below, you’ll hear Sting kick things off before quickly handing the baton to Bruce and then to Billy Joel. But for the opening “O Sole Mio,” they turned to the late, great Jessye Norman, who turned in a breathtaking performance before joining the rest of the roster on the lighter, newer song.

To this day, those two lines and shared choruses represent the only time Bruce has ever covered “It’s Now or Never” in concert, but if all we’re destined to get is an ensemble number, at least we got quite the ensemble.

It’s Now or Never
First performed: April 12, 1995 (New York City, NY)
Last performed: April 12, 1995 (New York City, NY)