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Elton wrote Rocket Man during the 'Honky Château' sessions in January 1972 at the Château d'Hérouville studio in Paris, France, and it was performed live for the first time at Elton's concert at the Royal Festival Hall on February 5, 1972, almost two months before its release as a single in the UK. On April 28, 1972, the morning of his concert at the University of Houston, TX, Elton and his band visited the NASA Space Center. Following a simulated Moon landing, a real rocket man, Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, gave them a tour of the facility. The 2021 performance of 'Cold Heart' by singer Dua Lipa contributed to hooking the classic on the global No.1 single, Elton's first in the UK in 25 years. In 2022, the song was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry with 3 million sales in the US and triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).