Hard Times (Plan B song) explained

"Hard Times" is the seventh single from British rapper and songwriter Plan B's second studio album, The Defamation of Strickland Banks. On 19 May 2011, it was released as a digital download, featuring newly recorded vocal parts by Elton John and Paloma Faith, recorded as a charity single with all the proceeds benefiting victims of the 2010 Pakistan floods and 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.^[1]

Track listing

• Digital download^[2]

1. "Hard Times" (featuring Elton John & Paloma Faith) - 4:05

• Promotional CD single

1. "Hard Times" (featuring Elton John & Paloma Faith) - 4:05
2. "Hard Times" (Live) (featuring Elton John & Paloma Faith) - 5:44
3. "Hard Times" (Edit) - 3:48

Personnel

• Plan B – vocals, producer^[3]

Production^[3]

• David McEwan – producer
• Eric Appapoulay – additional producer
• Mark "Top" Rankin – engineer, mixing

Additional musicians (single version)

• Elton John – piano, vocals
• Paloma Faith – vocals

Additional musicians (album version)^[3]

• Tom Wright-Goss – guitar
• Eric Appapoulay – bass, backing vocals
• Richard Cassell – drums
• Everton Newson – violin
• Louisa Fuller – violin
• Sally Herbert – violin
• Warren Zielinski – violin
• Bruce White – viola
• Sonia Slany – viola
• Ian Burdge – cello

Notes and References

1. Web site: CHARITY RELEASE: 'HARD TIMES' FT. SIR ELTON JOHN AND PALOMA FAITH . 23 May 2011 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120311193521/http://www.time4planb.co.uk/story/charity_release_hard_times_ft._sir_elton_john_and_paloma_faith . 11 March 2012 .
2. Web site: Hard Times (Featuring Elton John and Paloma Faith): Plan B: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads . Amazon.co.uk . 2012-09-16.
3. Web site: Relationships for track: Hard Times. MusicBrainz .
4. Web site: CHART: CLUK Update 28.05.2011 (wk20) CHART LOG UK: NEW ENTRIES UPDATE . Zobbel.de. 2012-09-16.
5. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/hard-times-feat-elton-john/id438418931 Hard Times (feat. Elton John & Paloma Faith) - Single by Plan B itunes.apple.com/gb/