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.
Born On The Fourth Of July
Bernie Taupin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Outside my window in the rain
I play checkers, I'm sick of checkers
I'm sick of pain
Marchin', I hear marchin'
Outside my window in the rain
I play checkers, I'm sick of checkers
Mondays, every Monday, sees my hollow eyes
I liked Hank Williams, he died, Hank Williams
I'm still alive, I'm still alive
Blood red and blue, your flags on view
Ticker tape rains on Fifth Avenue
Some colored kid will shine your shoes
Some orphan screams in a chow line queue
For the whitewash and the tar brush don't lie
Hey lucky, you to be born on the fourth of July
Callin' storm, warnings callin'
From Calvary to Bunker Hill
Pontius Pilate turned the tarot
And the reaper killed and the reaper killed
Glory wave, old glory
Sand Creek to Gettysburgh
From Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon
For the brave new world, for the brave new world
It's last request for protest time
Some long haired kid on the subway line
With a beaten guitar and a lot of time
We shall overcome, well we never shall
It's flags on lapels and faded decals
Max Yasga and puka shells
Dungarees and dying causes
Body bags and pregnant pauses
Day glow poster of Joan Baez
Meditating, dating, yoga and EST
Bells and flowers and beads of incense
Well, none of that nuts makes any sense
For the whitewash and the tar brush don't lie
Hey lucky, you to be born on the fourth of July
The lyrics of Bernie Taupin's song, "Born On The Fourth Of July," are rich in emotions, images and historical allusions. The song tells a story about a character who is sick of checkers game and pain, listening to the marching troops outside his window. He is haunted by the memories of everyday life and his favorite musician, Hank Williams, who has died. The song also refers to the American symbol of the flag, highlighting how it represents not only political values, but also the suppression of the marginalized communities like colored kids who shine shoes or orphans who queue in the chow line.
The lyrics also reference historical events such as the Calvary to Bunker Hill march and Sand Creek to Gettysburg battle, and figures like Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon- reflecting the widespread protests, conflicts, and political movements that shaped American history. As the song progresses, the character mentions the various counterculture movements of the 1960s and '70s- from protests against the Vietnam War (represented by the "long-haired kid with a beaten guitar") and popular protests slogans like "we shall overcome" to cultural phenomena like meditation, dating, and EST.
Overall, "Born On The Fourth Of July" tells the story of an American trying to cope with the turmoil and suffering of the changing times, both personally and communally, and questioning what it means to be lucky to be born on the fourth of July.
Line by Line Meaning
Marchin', I hear marchin'
I hear the sound of marching outside my window
Outside my window in the rain
The sound of the marching is happening outside while it's raining
I play checkers, I'm sick of checkers
I'm bored of playing checkers
I'm sick of pain
I'm tired of experiencing pain
Mondays, every Monday, sees my hollow eyes
Every Monday, I look tired and worn out
I liked Hank Williams, he died, Hank Williams
I used to like Hank Williams but he is now dead
I'm still alive, I'm still alive
I have survived while Hank Williams has not
Blood red and blue, your flags on view
The American flags are visible everywhere in their red and blue colors
Ticker tape rains on Fifth Avenue
Confetti rains down on Fifth Avenue
Some colored kid will shine your shoes
A child of color will work as a shoe shiner
Some orphan screams in a chow line queue
There are orphans in line waiting for food
For the whitewash and the tar brush don't lie
It's impossible to hide the truth with whitewashing and covering up
Hey lucky, you to be born on the fourth of July
You are fortunate to have been born on Independence Day
Callin' storm, warnings callin'
Storm warnings are being called out
From Calvary to Bunker Hill
The conflicts span from biblical times to the American Revolution
Pontius Pilate turned the tarot
Pontius Pilate used tarot cards
And the reaper killed and the reaper killed
People have died throughout history and continue to die
Glory wave, old glory
The American flag waves proudly
Sand Creek to Gettysburgh
The conflicts span from the Sand Creek massacre to Gettysburg
From Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon
The conflicts span from Andrew Jackson through the presidency of Richard Nixon
For the brave new world, for the brave new world
Struggles for a better future continue
It's last request for protest time
It's time for one final protest
Some long haired kid on the subway line
A young hippie on the subway
With a beaten guitar and a lot of time
He has a worn-out guitar and lots of free time
We shall overcome, well we never shall
Although we keep trying, we may never fully overcome our struggles
It's flags on lapels and faded decals
People are displaying their patriotism through wearing flags and stickers
Max Yasga and puka shells
People are wearing the latest fashion trends like Max Yasga and puka shells
Dungarees and dying causes
People are wearing denim jeans and fighting for dying causes
Body bags and pregnant pauses
There are fatalities and uncomfortable silences
Day glow poster of Joan Baez
People have posters of Joan Baez in bright colors
Meditating, dating, yoga and EST
People are practicing meditation, dating, yoga and EST (now called Landmark Forum)
Bells and flowers and beads of incense
People are using bells, flowers, and incense as part of their spiritual practice
Well, none of that nuts makes any sense
All these fads seem nonsensical
Contributed by Brooklyn F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.