In 1970 the band was involved in an automobile accident which claimed the life of Nick Pantas, whom the band decided not to replace. After recovering from his injuries, Doug Thaler quit the band, and was replaced by Micky Lee Soule. (Upon leaving in 1972, Thaler moved to New York and got a job as a booking agent — Elf was one of the bands he booked. In 1983, he became co-manager of Mötley Crüe. Present day he works at Metropolitan Talent as an artist manager, working with artists such as Art Garfunkel, Bruce Hornsby & Ratdog).
Cover of Elf's debut self-titled album was produced by Deep Purple members Roger Glover and Ian Paice, who happened to see Elf auditioning in 1972. For the next few years, the band enjoyed mild success as an opening act for Deep Purple.
Dio both sang and played the bass guitar until, in 1973, bass player Craig Gruber was asked to join. The same year saw Feinstein quit the band, to be replaced by Steve Edwards. Feinstein formed a band called The Rods, which met with a moderate amount of success, touring with groups such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, as well as Metallica, before finally retiring from the music industry. He would not return to the music scene until 2004, when his band, Feinstein, released the album Third Wish on the Magic Circle Music label.
In 1974, Dio was asked by Glover to sing on his solo album The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast. Dio's rich, soulful voice gained the attention of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore who had just left Deep Purple and was looking for musicians for his first solo album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. He decided to use Elf for this album, and the band Rainbow was thus formed, with Blackmore replacing Edwards. After they finished recording the album, however, Driscoll, Gruber, and Soule were replaced by Cozy Powell, Jimmy Bain and Tony Carey, who played with Dio and Blackmore during the subsequent tour. In early 1975 percussionist Mark Nauseef joined Elf, but the group disbanded shortly afterwards
for the Slime singer's project see ELF.
Ain't It All Amusing
Elf Lyrics
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But I ain't gonna flatter you 'coz I don't really care
Ain't it all, ain't it all amusing
Now, now maybe if you get the sign, I might be a man
Baby you forgot the time, I'll do the best I can
Ain't it all, ain't it all, ain't it all amusing
Well, ain't it all, right, right, ain't it all amusing
Make me laugh.....
Hey, Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jill fell down and broke her crown
And that's the way it oughta.....
Well, ain't it all now, all now, all, ain't it all amusing
I say, ain't it all, right, ain't it all amusing
Oh, oh yeah
Oh, Baby if you flatter me, you might get somewhere
But I ain't gonna flatter you 'coz I don't really care
Ain't it all, ain't it all amusing
Ha-ha
Well, ain't it all, right, right, ain't it all amusing
All amusing
The song Ain't It All Amusing by ELF is a sardonic call-out to a person who is trying to impress the singer. The lyrics are straightforward, with the singer acknowledging that they might be persuaded by flattery, but they refuse to flatter the other person because they don't care enough. The chorus repeats the titular phrase "ain't it all amusing" several times, a cynical reference to the superficiality of social interactions and the people who seek validation through them.
The second verse takes a slightly more serious tone, with the singer hinting that if the other person recognizes their boundaries and respects them, they might be able to form a genuine connection. But the song quickly returns to its initial irony, with the singer interrupting their train of thought and exclaiming, "Make me laugh!" The song then concludes with a playful retelling of the nursery rhyme of Jack and Jill, emphasizing the absurdity of certain cliches.
Overall, Ain't It All Amusing is a wry commentary on human interactions and the societal norms surrounding them. The song invites the listener to question the motives behind their relationships and to look beyond superficial pleasantries.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby if you flatter me, you might get somewhere
If you compliment me, you may have a chance with me
But I ain't gonna flatter you 'coz I don't really care
I am not going to compliment you because I am not interested in you
Ain't it all, ain't it all amusing
Isn't it all entertaining and funny?
Now, now maybe if you get the sign, I might be a man
If you properly understand me, I might become interested in you
Baby you forgot the time, I'll do the best I can
You missed your chance, but I will try to make it work
Ain't it all, ain't it all, ain't it all amusing
It's still all pretty funny, isn't it?
Make me laugh.....
Entertain me
Hey, Jack and Jill went up the hill
Starting nursery rhyme
To fetch a pail of water
Continuing rhyme
Jill fell down and broke her crown
Continuing rhyme
And that's the way it oughta.....
Finishing the rhyme with a twist, implying that misfortune is expected and even entertaining
Well, ain't it all now, all now, all, ain't it all amusing
It's all pretty funny now, isn't it?
I say, ain't it all, right, ain't it all amusing
I'm telling you, it's all pretty amusing
Oh, oh yeah
Exclamation of excitement
Oh, Baby if you flatter me, you might get somewhere
Repeating the potential for flattery-based success
But I ain't gonna flatter you 'coz I don't really care
Repeating the lack of interest in flattery
Ain't it all, ain't it all amusing
Final repetition of the humor and entertainment of the situation
Ha-ha
Laughter
Well, ain't it all, right, right, ain't it all amusing
Final affirmation of the amusement and humor
All amusing
Summary of the song's theme
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICKEY SOULE, RONNIE DIO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind