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)
American Triangle
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Young boy just starting out
So much history in this landscape
So much confusion, so much doubt
Been there drinking on that front porch
Angry kids, mean and dumb
Looks like a painting, that blue skyline
'Western skies' don't make it right
'Home of the brave' don't make no sense
I've seen a scarecrow wrapped in wire
Left to die on a high ridge fence
It's a cold, cold wind
It's a cold, cold wind
It's a cold wind blowing, Wyoming
See two coyotes run down a deer
Hate what we don't understand
You pioneers give us your children
But it's your blood that stains their hands
Somewhere that road forks up ahead
To ignorance and innocence
Three lives drift on different winds
Two lives ruined, one life spent
In Elton John's song American Triangle, the lyrics paint a picture of the contradictions and complexities surrounding sexuality, history, identity, and culture in America. The opening lines describe a young boy playing in his backyard, highlighting the innocence of youth. However, the second line, "So much history in this landscape, so much confusion, so much doubt," reveals that there is a darker history underlying the beauty of the landscape. The next lines describe the anger and hostility present in the place, highlighting how harmful narrow-mindedness and prejudice can be. The lyric "God hates fags where we come from" is a striking indictment of the discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community that still exists in many parts of America.
The chorus of the song is a stark realization that phrases like "Western skies" and "Home of the Brave" do not automatically make the actions within those environments "right" or "sensible." The lyrics mention a scarecrow left to die on a fence, representing something neglected, forgotten, and unwanted. The phrase "It's a cold, cold wind blowing, Wyoming," emphasizes the use of place in the song to display the harsh reality of America's social and political climate. The bridge serves to condemn the lack of understanding and empathy that leads to the destruction of people's lives. The final lines are a somber reminder of the impact of ignorance and innocence: three lives torn apart.
Line by Line Meaning
Seen him playing in his backyard
An innocent young boy playing in his own backyard is introduced.
Young boy just starting out
The boy is just starting off his life, with the world ahead of him.
So much history in this landscape
The landscape is rich with history and significance.
So much confusion, so much doubt
However, there is also a great deal of confusion and uncertainty in this place.
Been there drinking on that front porch
The artist himself has been present in this place.
Angry kids, mean and dumb
He has witnessed angry and ignorant kids.
Looks like a painting, that blue skyline
Despite the harshness of the environment, the view is picturesque and beautiful.
God hates fags where we come from
However, there is also a lot of discrimination and bigotry in the area.
'Western skies' don't make it right
The beauty of the Western skies doesn't excuse or justify the issues in this place.
'Home of the brave' don't make no sense
The idea of America being the 'Home of the Brave' doesn't really make sense to the artist in light of what he's seen.
I've seen a scarecrow wrapped in wire
The singer has seen disturbing sights, such as a scarecrow left to die on a fence.
Left to die on a high ridge fence
This imagery is meant to shock the listener and convey the severity of the situation.
It's a cold, cold wind
The environment in this place is hostile and unwelcoming.
It's a cold, cold wind
This repetition emphasizes the unwelcome and uninviting nature of this place.
It's a cold wind blowing, Wyoming
The harshness and severity of Wyoming is being emphasized, as it is the setting of the song.
See two coyotes run down a deer
The artist sees nature at work, but there is a sense of unease and fear.
Hate what we don't understand
There is a pervasive sense of hatred and mistrust for anything that is different or not understood.
You pioneers give us your children
The singer is addressing the idea of sacrifice that is often attached to the concept of pioneers.
But it's your blood that stains their hands
However, this sacrifice comes at a cost, and the pioneers cannot escape the consequences of their actions.
Somewhere that road forks up ahead
The artist is suggesting that there is a point of decision that will soon be reached.
To ignorance and innocence
The two paths represent ignorance and innocence.
Three lives drift on different winds
The three main characters of the song are all headed in different directions in life.
Two lives ruined, one life spent
The final line delivers a bleak assessment of the situation, with two out of the three lives being tragic.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN, BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Harthen
on Sacrifice
not like todays crap
Peter Harthen
on Sacrifice
Even at 56 years old, this music still sounds so good to me, how music should sound.....