Elton John

[UofTOrange]

Thanks for getting me to listen to EJ again, it's been a while and it's all good stuff

 

[Rip76]

Sure thing...

next week:

Steely Dan

 

[mr. sunshine]

While we're on the subject, I've always theorized that Elton comes out of the closet about halfway through Captain Fantastic. You can hear it.

 

[WorsterMan]

In reply to:

'I've always theorized that Elton comes out of the closet about halfway through Captain Fantastic. You can hear it."


Always kind of wondered when he gave clues about this... thanks for the tip - I will have to go back and listen to CF&BDC again.

 

[gecko]

I always thought "Ticking" was one of his best.

 

[Rip76]

I'm wondering about the "clues" too, since Taupin writes the lyrics.

 

[wedgie]

I don't have a lot of time for a detailed analysis of this coming out issue. But clues are abound.On not wanting to get married. Two songs of note.BTW EJ is Captain Fantastic and BT is the Brown Dirt Cowboy. BT's writing reflects this.

And if memory serves EJ does come out in CFATBDC.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

When are you gonna come down
When are you going to land
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man

You know you can't hold me forever
I didn't sign up with you
I'm not a present for your friends to open
This boy's too young to be singing the blues

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough

Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road

What do you think you'll do then
I bet that'll shoot down your plane
It'll take you a couple of vodka and tonics
To set you on your feet again

Maybe you'll get a replacement
There's plenty like me to be found
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground



Someone Saved My Life Tonight


"When I think of those East End lights, muggy nights
The curtains drawn in the little room downstairs
Prima Donna lord you really should have been there
Sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair
And it's one more beer and I don't hear you anymore
We've all gone crazy lately
My friends out there rolling round the basement floor

And someone saved my life tonight sugar bear
You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear
You nearly had me roped and tied
Altar-bound, hypnotized
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear
You're a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly
Fly away, high away, bye bye

I never realised the passing hours of evening showers
A slip noose hanging in my darkest dreams
I'm strangled by your haunted social scene
Just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen
It's four o'clock in the morning
Damn it listen to me good
I'm sleeping with myself tonight
Saved in time, thank God my music's still alive

And I would have walked head on into the deep end of the river
Clinging to your stocks and bonds
Paying your H.P. demands forever
They're coming in the morning with a truck to take me home
Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight
Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight
Someone saved my life tonight
So save your strength and run the field you play alone"

And someone saved my life tonight sugar bear
You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear
You nearly had me roped and tied
Altar-bound, hypnotized
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear
You're a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly
Fly away, high away, bye bye

 

[Bookman]

In reply to:

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---

 

[WorsterMan]

In reply to:

"Paying your H.P. demands forever"

I always thought this lyric was rather odd & esoteric. I don't think HP stands for Hewlett Packard... thinking about it now, in light of what is being discussed here, I think it means Hetrosexual ***** or being straight.

 

[HornHawk]

Read this:The Link

Should give you some more insight to what was going on in Elton's life (and explains the HP demands).

 

[Rip76]

i was gonna say "high price."

 

[The Muzzler]

Not too long ago....I saw a piece of archive video of Elton and Bernie in late 1970? It showed Elton with a piece of paper with the "Tiny Dancer" lyrics Bernie had created on them. He is explaning to the interviewer how he wants to structure the song. He taps a bit on the paino, and about 5 minutes later....there is the song!.....Amazing talent!

 

[WorsterMan]

I agree Rip - it is very likely "High Price"... Now that I know the origin / context of the lyrics, I know I will listen to that song a little differently in the future.

It's funny, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" used to remind me of one of my brother's old girlfriends. Now it will remind me of EJ's state of mind when he wrote the song. When the song was released in 1975, my brother was a student at UT and recently had broken off a long relationship with a controlling, head case ***** and the song was very timely for him... almost had your hooks in me, nearly had me roped and tied, one more beer and I don't hear you anymore, sweet freedom whsipered in my ear, etc.....

 

[Texanne]

When I hear "Someone Saved my Life Tonight," it makes me think of a Texas football player from the 1970s named James Yates. His nickname was "Sugar Bear."

I like Elton John OK, but Shadowdancer is his greatest fan. I think we own everything Elton John ever recorded. There's a bit of hero-worship going on.

 

[The Muzzler]

Everytime I hear "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"....I think back to my divorce from Mrs. Satan in 2003....."...sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair..." I can picture her there now!

 

[madscientist]

nobody has mentioned my favorite: funeral for a friend. good driving song.

 

[The Muzzler]

madscientist.....you are correct...my apologies...Funeral For a Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding is definately in my top ten......but in all fairness, EJ/BT have so many excellent songs that one may slip through the cracks on occasion!