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)
Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Screaming on the inside
Give me your water, help me survive
Gonna miss the sunlight
When I lose my eyesight
Give me my red shoes, I want to dance
They search for an answer
Back then I was handsome
Back then he was ignorant
And shave off the years now, it's all inside my head
The boy in the red shoes is dancing by my bed
Put them in a box somewhere, put them in a drawer
Take my red shoes, I can't wear them anymore
Had garlands in the wings back then
All the pretty little things back then
Calling out my name, oh what fame brings
After curtain calls and bows
I can't see the front row now
Hand me my red shoes just one more time
They pushed aside our presence
They refused to go the distance
Back then I was Sigmund
Back then he wouldn't listen
The lyrics to Elton John's song Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes convey a sense of desperation and longing for the past, as well as a frustration with those who don't understand the singer's current situation. The first two lines suggest that the singer is in a dark place emotionally, and is struggling to cope with their inner turmoil. They ask for someone's help, and suggest that without it they will be unable to survive. The reference to missing the sunlight when they lose their eyesight is a metaphor for missing the good things in life when one is too consumed by darkness to enjoy them.
The second verse revolves around the singer's memories of a time when they were in their prime, and had everything going for them. However, an "old man" didn't listen to their problems or offer them any guidance, and now the singer is left feeling lost and alone. They want to relive their past glory, but realize that it is impossible to turn back time. The refrain of "give me my red shoes, I want to dance" is a plea to recapture the joy and energy of youth.
In the final verse, the singer laments how those in authority have neglected or rejected them, despite their talent or potential. They compare themselves to Sigmund Freud, who was also not appreciated in his time. The request to have the red shoes one last time is a final attempt to hold onto the past, but ultimately they must accept that they can't wear them anymore.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm stoned in the twilight
I am lost and confused, unable to find my way through the darkness
Screaming on the inside
Feeling intense emotions that I am unable to express or communicate
Give me your water, help me survive
Asking for help and support to get through a difficult time
Gonna miss the sunlight
Awareness of a change that is coming, and a longing for what will be lost
When I lose my eyesight
Acknowledgment of a potential future disability or limitation
Give me my red shoes, I want to dance
Seeking joy and pleasure in life despite hardship or pain
They search for an answer
Others are trying to find a solution or explanation for something
But that old man wouldn't listen
Someone in a position of authority or experience ignored advice or warnings
Back then I was handsome
Reminiscing about a time when one was young, attractive, or admired
Back then he was ignorant
Looking back, recognizing that someone else was unaware or uninformed
And shave off the years now, it's all inside my head
Trying to remember a past that is distant and perhaps distorted by time and memory
The boy in the red shoes is dancing by my bed
Reflecting on a memory or dream that is vivid and emotionally resonant
Put them in a box somewhere, put them in a drawer
Acknowledging that the past is over and that it is time to move on
Take my red shoes, I can't wear them anymore
Letting go of something that was once cherished but has lost its meaning or usefulness
Had garlands in the wings back then
Recalling a time in the past when one was celebrated or adored
All the pretty little things back then
Memories of youthful beauty, charm, and promise
Calling out my name, oh what fame brings
The mixed blessings of public recognition, admiration, and scrutiny
After curtain calls and bows
Life going on after a moment of triumph or achievement
I can't see the front row now
Loss of the ability to appreciate or engage with what is happening in the present moment
Hand me my red shoes just one more time
A desire to relive a past moment of happiness or excitement, even if only in memory
They pushed aside our presence
Feeling neglected, marginalized, or dismissed by others
They refused to go the distance
Others were unwilling to make the effort or sacrifice necessary to support or help
Back then I was Sigmund
Comparing oneself to a famous and influential figure from the past
Back then he wouldn't listen
Feeling ignored or unheeded by someone in one's past
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.....