When Elton John secured a record deal for Michael Caine

Michael Caine has consistently been recognised for his superior acting in every single one of his films. Even if the movie doesn’t have the most air-tight script, Caine brings a certain level of dignity to his part that can’t be faked by any other actor in the business. Aside from his turns behind the camera, Caine has been interested in the music industry for as long as he has been acting.

Throughout his career, Caine has taken on the odd music job whenever given the chance. Whether it was singing alongside The Muppets or providing his spoken-word moments to his namesake track by the ska band Madness, Caine has been more than happy to step behind the vocal booth if the time calls for it.

The most vital musical venture he took on was when working on an episode of Parkinson, where Elton John was a guest star. After singing an impromptu take of ‘Knees Up Mother Brown’, Caine and John became fast friends when discussing music. With Caine holding his own with John in terms of obscure musical gems, John motioned for Michael Caine to get a record deal.

While meeting up in 2007, the germ of the deal began when Caine began to keep up with John’s record collection, being able to name the year, the artist, and any other piece of trivia that John threw at him. As Caine explains, “Elton said I should release my own compilation CD and immediately rang up Lucien Grainge, who ran Universal. ‘I’m going to get you a record deal,’ said Elton. And he did. Two minutes later, aged 74, I had a three-album deal.”

Released that same year, Cained featured an array of music organised by Caine of various songs played by a star-studded list of musicians. From jazz legend Stan Getz to Pretender Chrissie Hynde, the album featured some of the most laid-back takes on classic songs, from the standard ‘Summertime’ to the spiritual powerhouse of ‘Spiritual High’.

The album also features various takes on classic rock songs, like Eva Cassidy’s brilliant rendition of ‘Fields of Gold’ or Magnet’s take on Bob Dylan’s ‘Lay Lady Lay’. There are even a few surprises, such as the dramatic reworking of Nina Simone’s ‘Sinnerman’ into a house remix. Although Caine was not looking to become the next big star, the album holds up surprisingly well for a first effort, documenting different pieces of what makes the man tick musically.

Considering the massive amount of acting credits to his name, it’s mind-boggling how much Caine put into this album. Since the record saw a release in 2007, Caine was making films like Flawless and The Prestige while also reprising his role as Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan’s reworking of Batman in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

For all of the great acting chops that Caine has sported throughout the years, all those years of experience tend to also have a reasonably decent soundtrack. It may not redefine music by any means, but it’s definitely a nice piece to chill out to with a glass of fine wine, as Caine is wont to do.