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.
Blitz Babies
Bernie Taupin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bedding down in a bunker on the warden's knee
Trying to play it cool and act my age
As the war birds swooped and the blitzkrieg raged
But you can't really blame it on Friday night
If the radio's dead and they've doused the lights
Old Churchill told us we'll stay free
Blitz babies, born to be crazy
Kids, too young to fight
Spitfires hummin', Messerschmidt's a comin'
Doodlebugs dancin' on the West End nights
Blitz babies, England made us
Listen to your labor lies
Now we're older ships on our shoulders
Working men, spit into the unions eyes
But you can't really blame it on Friday night
When the blinds are down for the comin' fight
My old man's crowing through his cockney pride
Sayin' just remember, boy, God's on our side
Chased through the rubble as the buildings shook
For breaking into houses, stealing rasion books
The hard hats tanned us, they took our names
As we whistled at the WAF's and watched the flames
The song Blitz Babies, written by Bernie Taupin, is a reflective and personal recollection of life in London during the bombing campaigns of World War II. The lyrics depict a young boy's experience of hiding in bomb shelters, trying to stay calm amidst the chaos of war. The first two verses outline the scenario of air raid sirens screaming and gunfire erupting overhead. The chorus refers to the generation of children born into this war and how they grew up under the threat of the enemy planes soaring above. The final verse describes how the young boys eventually became working men, proud of their roots but also seemingly disillusioned with the political and labor system that they felt did not fully appreciate their sacrifices during the war.
The lyrics of Blitz Babies are a poignant reminder of the impact that wars have on ordinary people's lives, especially children who grow up quickly in a time of crisis. The words are not overly sentimental but rather a matter of fact account of the events that took place during the Second World War. The song has a catchy and upbeat tune that can potentially obscure the dark lyrical themes. Still, the tone of the music adds to the sense of defiance and resilience that the people of London displayed during this time, and the song remains a powerful tribute to their bravery and spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember running as the siren screamed
I remember running for shelter as soon as the sirens went off.
Bedding down in a bunker on the warden's knee
We used to find safety in bunkers with the warden's assistance during the bombings.
Trying to play it cool and act my age
Even as kids, during difficult times of war, we tried to behave maturely and stay calm.
As the war birds swooped and the blitzkrieg raged
It was chaotic with the constant airstrikes and bombings happening.
But you can't really blame it on Friday night
The bombings were not based on specific days or events.
If the radio's dead and they've doused the lights
If the radio and lights are off, there's not much to do except wait for the war to end.
Old Churchill told us we'll stay free
Winston Churchill used to inspire and motivate us with his speeches and make us believe that we would succeed.
Just lay the blame on Germany
We were taught to blame Germany for starting the war and orchestrating attacks.
Blitz babies, born to be crazy
We were reckless and daring since the bombings started as we had less to lose.
Kids, too young to fight
Even though young, we had to fight against the enemy and protect our country.
Spitfires hummin', Messerschmidt's a comin'
The sound of the RAF's Spitfire engines and the Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt was terrifying.
Doodlebugs dancin' on the West End nights
We would sight the German flying bombs called doodlebugs and fear for our safety and lives.
Blitz babies, England made us
The war changed and shaped us by our experiences growing up in England during the bombings.
Listen to your labor lies
We were told to believe in the ideologies of labor unions, despite the class barriers and prejudices.
Now we're older ships on our shoulders
As adults, we bear the weight of our past experiences and traumas from the war.
Working men, spit into the unions eyes
Working-class men who feel neglected and exploited can be resentful towards labor unions.
Chased through the rubble as the buildings shook
We would run through the destruction caused by the bombings while buildings crumbled and shook around us.
For breaking into houses, stealing rasion books
Surviving meant breaking into homes and stealing food, as rationing was in place due to the war.
The hard hats tanned us, they took our names
The authorities would catch us, put us to work, and register our identities.
As we whistled at the WAF's and watched the flames
We would distract ourselves from the fear and horror by courting women and watching buildings burn.
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.