Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a … Read Full Bio ↴Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist, and composer. Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967, John is one of the most successful artists of all time, having sold over 300 million records worldwide in a seven-decade career in music. He is acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, and his lasting impact on the music industry. John's music and showmanship have had a significant impact on popular music. His songwriting partnership with Taupin is one of the most successful in history.

John was raised in the Pinner suburb of London and learned to play piano at an early age, forming the blues band Bluesology in 1962. After leaving Bluesology in 1967 to embark on a solo career, John met Taupin after they both answered an advert for songwriters. For two years, they wrote songs for other artists, and John worked as a session musician for artists. John released his debut album Empty Sky in 1969, and a year later formed the Elton John Band and released his first hit single, "Your Song".

John's critical success was at its peak in the 1970s when he released a streak of chart-topping albums in the US and UK, which began with Honky Château (1972) and culminated with Rock of the Westies (1975). John continued his success in the 1980s and 1990s, having several hit singles and albums in both decades, and has continued to record new music since then. He has also had success in musical films and theatre, composing music for The Lion King, Aida, and Billy Elliot the Musical. In 2018, John began his ongoing farewell tour Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which is scheduled to conclude in 2023. The 2019 biopic Rocketman dramatized his life and career.

Outside of music, John is an HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser and has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised over £300 million since its inception, and a year later he began hosting his annual Foundation Academy Awards Party, which has since become one of the biggest high-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. John was the chairman and director of Watford F.C, from 1976 to 1987, and again from 1997 to 2002, and is an honorary life president of the club. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, John developed a severe addiction problem to drugs and alcohol but has been sober since 1990. He entered into a civil partnership with Canadian filmmaker David Furnish in 2005; they married after same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014.

John has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart and US Billboard Hot 100, including nine number-ones in the UK and US, as well as seven consecutive number-one albums in the US. His tribute single "Candle in the Wind 1997", a rewritten version of his 1974 single in dedication to Princess Diana, sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling chart single of all time. In 2021, John became the first solo artist with UK Top 10 singles across six decades.

John has received numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards; including for Outstanding Contribution to Music; two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, a Disney Legend Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and is a fellow of The Ivors Academy. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to music and charitable services in 1998 and was appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) in 2020.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_John

Solo studio albums
Empty Sky (1969)
Elton John (1970)
Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
Madman Across the Water (1971)
Honky Château (1972)
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Caribou (1974)
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
Rock of the Westies (1975)
Blue Moves (1976)
A Single Man (1978)
Victim of Love (1979)
21 at 33 (1980)
The Fox (1981)
Jump Up! (1982)
Too Low for Zero (1983)
Breaking Hearts (1984)
Ice on Fire (1985)
Leather Jackets (1986)
Reg Strikes Back (1988)
Sleeping with the Past (1989)
The One (1992)
Made in England (1995)
The Big Picture (1997)
Songs from the West Coast (2001)
Peachtree Road (2004)
The Captain & the Kid (2006)
The Diving Board (2013)
Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
Regimental Sgt. Zippo (2021)

All The Nasties
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If it came to pass that they should ask
What could I tell them
Would they criticize behind my back
Maybe I should let them
Oh if only then and only then
They would understand
They'd turn a full-blooded city boy
Into a full-blooded city man

If they could face it
I could take it in their eyes
Oh I know I'd make it
Their tiny minds
And sacred cows, just fake it
Oh if only then and only then
They would understand
They'd turn a full-blooded city boy
Into a full-blooded city man

But I know the way they want me
In the way they publicize
If they could turn their focus off
To the image in their eyes
Maybe it would help them, help them understand
Maybe it would help them, help them understand
Maybe it would help them, help them understand
That a full-blooded city boy
Is now a full-blooded city man

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Oh my soul

Oh my soul
Oh my soul

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "All The Nasties" by Elton John are about the pressure put on a person to conform to societal expectations. The singer of the song is questioning whether he should conform to the expectations of those around him or whether he should follow his own path.

The first verse speaks about the fear of being criticized behind one's back. The singer wonders whether he should let others judge him or whether he should try to make them understand. The second verse uses the metaphor of a full-blooded city boy turning into a full-blooded city man to describe the process of moving away from expectations and following one's own path.

The chorus expresses the singer's frustration with those who judge him based on appearances rather than understanding who he really is. He wishes they could see beyond the image they have of him and instead recognize his true self. The repeated refrain of "Oh my soul" emphasizes the inner turmoil the singer is experiencing as he struggles with these issues.

Overall, "All The Nasties" is a song that reflects the struggle of many people to assert their individuality in the face of societal pressure to conform.

Line by Line Meaning

If it came to pass that they should ask
In the instance that they inquire

What could I tell them
What information could I provide

Would they criticize behind my back
Would they express judgment in secrecy

Maybe I should let them
Perhaps I should allow them

Oh if only then and only then
What an ideal circumstance it would be

They would understand
They would have comprehension

They'd turn a full-blooded city boy
They'd transform a boy from the city

Into a full-blooded city man
Into a man from the city

If they could face it
If only they could confront it

I could take it in their eyes
I could handle their scrutiny

Oh I know I'd make it
I am certain I would endure