While Taupin was still a boy, his father decided to try his hand at independent farming, and the family relocated again, this time to a run-down property called Maltkiln Farm in the north-Lincolnshire village of Owmby-by-Spital. Here a third brother, Kit, was born 11 years junior to Bernie. The family attended Holy Rood Catholic Church in the town of Market Rasen, where Bernie and Tony served as altar boys. Bernie attended school at Market Rasen Secondary Modern. Unlike his older brother, he was not a diligent student, although he showed an early flair for writing. At 15 he dropped out of school. He spent his teenage years hanging out with his friends, hitchhiking the country roads to attend youth club dances in the surrounding villages, playing snooker in the Aston Arms Pub in Market Rasen, and drinking ale well before his eighteenth birthday. He had worked at several part-time, dead-end jobs when, at the age of 17, he answered an advertisement that led to his collaboration with Elton John.
In 1967, he answered an advertisement for a lyric writer placed in the New Musical Express by Liberty records A&R man Ray Williams. Thus began the famous and well-loved songwriting team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The pair have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date, though John worked with other lyricists between 1977 and 1983. Taupin's lyrics include such memorable tunes as "Rocket Man", "Tiny Dancer", "Candle in the Wind", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", and 1970's "Your Song", their first hit.
In 1971, Taupin recorded a spoken-word album entitled Taupin, in which he recites some of his early poems against a background of impromptu, sitar-heavy music created by some members of Elton's band, including Davey Johnstone and Caleb Quaye. Side One is entitled "Child" and contains poems about his early childhood in southern Lincolnshire. The first poem, "The Greatest Discovery," which looks at his own birth through the eyes of his older brother, was also set to music by Elton John and included on the Elton John (album). There are poems about Taupin's first two childhood homes, Flatters and Rowston Manor, and others about his relationship with his brother and grandfather. Side Two includes a variety of poems of varying obscurity, from a marionette telling her own story to a rat catcher who falls victim to his prey. While the lyrics to Side One provide interesting insights into Taupin's childhood, the album makes for a tedious listening experience, and Taupin stated in interviews that he wasn't pleased with the results.
In 1980, Taupin recorded his first album as a singer, He Who Rides the Tiger. Although he demonstrated a more-than-adequate vocal ability, the album failed to make a dent in the charts. Taupin later suggested in interviews that he didn't have the creative control he would have liked over the album.
In 1987, he recorded another album entitled Tribe. The songs were co-written with Martin Page. "Citizen Jane" and "Friend of the Flag" were released as singles. Videos of both singles featured Taupin and then-wife Toni Russo, and the "Citizen Jane" video also included Toni's sister, actress Rene Russo. Once again, neither the album nor the singles made much of a dent in the charts.
In 1996, Taupin pulled together a band called Farm Dogs, whose two albums were conscious (and successful) throwbacks to the grittier, earthier sound of Tumbleweed Connection. While Taupin wrote the lyrics, the music was a collaborative effort among the band members. Their first album, 1996's Last Stand in Open Country, received critical praise but little airplay. As mentioned above, the title track was later recorded by Willie Nelson and Kid Rock for Nelson's 2002 album The Great Divide.
In 1998, Farm Dogs released its second and final album, Immigrant Sons. Again a respectable effort, the album went nowhere despite a tour of small clubs across America.
Approaching Armageddon
Bernie Taupin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I looked back on the last ten years
And how my life has changed
Aviator glasses protecting my eyes
Reflecting my emotions on seeing so many die
Death from either life or love
Strung out on a limb
To scotch and heroin
Never learned to turn the soil
Though I should have done
Daddy was a farmer and we were farmer's sons
But I had plans to plough the streets
A long way from the land
Leaving pool halls full of blood
To the sounds of acoustic bands
Razor blades and common trade
Throats cut on the working man
I've walked through life on broken glass
And I never gave a damn
For its harvest home and the church of England sings
When your approaching Armageddon
Let your baptism and penance
Be the only Lucifer to light your sins
When you've chosen the hard ride
Livin' on God's good side
Approaching Armageddon once again
Bolts of lightning shook me with the price of fame
Rock and roll affected me but country kept me sane
Universal gossip seared my wings
I always rode the roundabouts
But I never tried the swings
Married young and with my guns
I blew her out of my life
It's easy to hold on to time
But it's hard to keep a wife
I only learned to play three chords
My fingers weren't that long
I never wrapped my arms around the neck of someone strong
Moves of blue that strangled me drying up my pen
Til I was left to live my life on a scale from one to ten
Wasted days and endless nights
See the drunkard with the even tan
I was just about to leave the rails
When someone gave a damn
It's two years down and counting the couple on the wire
I've lived and lost and paid the cost
Of fighting fire with fire
Traces of the onetime sometimes cross my mind
But when there's little left you're cruel to be kind
I don't regret a single day
You see, some of it was fun
Ten years on I'm wiser
But I'm still a farmer's son
In Bernie Taupin's song "Approaching Armageddon," the singer takes us on a journey through their life, reflecting on the past decade and how much they have changed. The song opens with the singer stuck on a foreign runway, staring out into the rainy night and contemplating their journey. The aviator glasses protecting their eyes become a symbol of their emotional distance and protection from the world. The reflection quickly turns to the stark realities of death, both from a life lived recklessly and love lost.
The singer then reveals that they came from a family of farmers but never learned to "turn the soil," instead choosing to "plough the streets." They recount how they left behind a life of pool halls and acoustic bands for one filled with razor blades and working men struggling to survive. As they approach Armageddon, the end of the world, they suggest that the only way to light the darkness is through personal baptism and penance, rather than relying on outside forces.
Overall, "Approaching Armageddon" is a poignant reflection on life's journey, the choices we make, and the consequences we face. The singer's self-awareness is bittersweet, as they come to terms with what they've lost and gained along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
On a foreign runway delayed by the rain
I was stranded on a foreign runway because of bad weather
I looked back on the last ten years
I reflected on the events and changes of my life over the past decade
And how my life has changed
I realized how much my life has been transformed over the years
Aviator glasses protecting my eyes
I wore aviator glasses to shield my eyes from the bright sunlight
Reflecting my emotions on seeing so many die
As I look back, I feel a profound sense of sadness at the many deaths I have witnessed
Death from either life or love
People die either from living life or from matters of the heart
Strung out on a limb
People can be in precarious situations or be pushed to their limits
I've seen 'em turn from beer and pills
People often turn from alcohol and prescription drugs to harder substances
To scotch and heroin
Drinking whiskey and using heroin become a way of life
Never learned to turn the soil
I never learned how to farm, despite growing up on a farm
Though I should have done
Despite this, I probably should have been more connected to the land
Daddy was a farmer and we were farmer's sons
My father was a farmer, and my brothers and I grew up on the farm
But I had plans to plough the streets
However, I had dreams of making it in the city
A long way from the land
I am now a long way from where I grew up
Leaving pool halls full of blood
I left behind a life of violence and aggression in pool halls
To the sounds of acoustic bands
I moved on to a more peaceful and artistic environment
Razor blades and common trade
Some people feel trapped in a life of violence and desperation
Throats cut on the working man
Working-class people often suffer the most in society
I've walked through life on broken glass
I have faced great challenges and obstacles in my life
And I never gave a damn
Despite all this, I never lost sight of what was important
For its harvest home and the church of England sings
People turn to their faith in times of crisis
When your approaching Armageddon
When the world is coming to an end
Let your baptism and penance
Repent for your sins before it's too late
Be the only Lucifer to light your sins
Confess your sins to Lucifer, who will forgive you
When you've chosen the hard ride
When you've chosen to live a difficult life
Livin' on God's good side
Living a life that pleases God
Approaching Armageddon once again
The world is ending again
Bolts of lightning shook me with the price of fame
I realized the high cost of fame and the toll it takes on one's sanity
Rock and roll affected me but country kept me sane
While rock music shaped me, it was country music that kept me grounded
Universal gossip seared my wings
Rumors and gossip hurt me deeply
I always rode the roundabouts
I have always been one to go with the flow and take whatever comes my way
But I never tried the swings
I never took risks or tried anything new
Married young and with my guns
I got married young and wasn't ready for the responsibility
I blew her out of my life
I ended the marriage abruptly
It's easy to hold on to time
It's easy to stay in the past and not move on
But it's hard to keep a wife
It's difficult to maintain a long-lasting relationship
I only learned to play three chords
I'm not a sophisticated musician and only know a few basic chords
My fingers weren't that long
I am not naturally gifted in playing an instrument
I never wrapped my arms around the neck of someone strong
I never found a strong and supportive person in my life
Moves of blue that strangled me drying up my pen
I struggled to come up with new ideas or inspiration
Til I was left to live my life on a scale from one to ten
I was left to make decisions and live my life with limited choices
Wasted days and endless nights
I spent many days and nights without purpose or direction
See the drunkard with the even tan
I saw a lot of people who were alcoholics, and their skin had a uniform, tanned color
I was just about to leave the rails
I was spiraling out of control and close to hitting rock bottom
When someone gave a damn
Someone finally showed they cared and helped me turn things around
It's two years down and counting the couple on the wire
Two years have passed, and I'm still uncertain about my future
I've lived and lost and paid the cost
I've experienced great loss and faced the consequences of my actions
Of fighting fire with fire
Of facing challenges head-on or fighting aggression with aggression
Traces of the onetime sometimes cross my mind
Sometimes, I can't help but think about my past
But when there's little left you're cruel to be kind
When you don't have much, sometimes you have to make tough decisions that hurt others
I don't regret a single day
I wouldn't change anything that happened in my life
You see, some of it was fun
I also had a lot of good times
Ten years on I'm wiser
Now, ten years later, I know more and have learned a lot
But I'm still a farmer's son
Regardless of where I am or what I've done, the farming life will always be a part of me
Contributed by Emily I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.