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)

Are We Laughing
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes, huh
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand
Kicked in my face

But I've come through
And I need to go on and on and on and on

We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cos we are the champions, oh
Of the world

(We are the champions, my friends) we are the champions
(And we'll keep on fighting till the end) just keep on fighting
(We are the champions) we are the champions
(We are the champions) oh, we are the champions
No time for losers
'Cos we are the champions

(We are the champions, my friends) oh, we are the champions
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cos we are the champions

(We are the champions, my friends) thank you everybody, oh we are the champions
(And we'll keep on fighting till the end) keep on fighting
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cos we are the champions

Liza: Thanks Freddie, we just wanted to let you know we were thinking about you. Stay safe.
Of the world, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "We Are One" convey a message of strength, resilience, and perseverance. The first verse describes the struggles that the singer has faced and overcome, including paying his dues and enduring bad mistakes and being kicked in the face. By stating that he's "done his sentence, but committed no crime", he asserts that he has faced hardship without deserving it. However, despite these difficulties, he has come through, and he needs to continue onward. Then, the chorus comes in, and its message is clear: "We are the champions." The singer and his friends will continue fighting no matter what, and they have no time for "losers." The song's final lines, "Of the world, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," further emphasize this point - they are not just champions of their individual battles, but of the world as a whole.

Overall, Elton John's "We Are One" is a celebratory anthem of strength and resilience in the face of adversity. It acknowledges that setbacks and failures are a part of life, but what matters is how one responds to them. The song's message is empowering and motivates listeners to keep going, to keep fighting, and never give up.

Line by Line Meaning

I've paid my dues
I've been through hardships

Time after time
Repeatedly and persistently

I've done my sentence
I've done my time

But committed no crime
I am innocent

And bad mistakes, huh
I have made mistakes

I've made a few
I have not been perfect

I've had my share of sand
I've been oppressed and beaten down

Kicked in my face
I've been mistreated and disrespected

But I've come through
I've survived and triumphed

And I need to go on and on and on and on
I am determined to keep going

(We are the champions, my friends) we are the champions
We are winners