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)
Belfast
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My soul fights a war
I can't explain
I can't cross over any more
All I see are dirty faces
Rain and wire
And common sense in pieces
But I try to see through Irish eyes, Belfast.
Look outside
Summer's lost and gone
It's a long walk
On a street of right and wrong
In every inch of sadness
Rock and tanks
Go hand in hand with madness
But I never saw a braver place, Belfast.
And it's sad when they sing
And hollow ears listen
Of smokin' black roses
On the streets of Belfast
And so say your lovers
From under the flowers
Every foot of this world
Needs an inch of Belfast
Who's to say
On whom Heaven smiles
Our different ways
We try harder to recognize
No more enchanted evenings
The pubs are closed
And all the ghosts are leaving
But you'll never let them shut you down,
Belfast.
And it's sad when they sing
And hollow ears listen
Of smokin' black roses
On the streets of Belfast
And so say your lovers
From under the flowers
Every foot of this world
Needs an inch of Belfast
The enemy is not at home
A jealous green
Streaks down this faulty diamond
No bloody boots or crucifix
Can ever hope to split this emerald island
But I never saw a braver place,
Belfast.
Elton John's song "Belfast" is a poignant tribute to the Northern Irish city, which at the time of its writing in the mid-1970s was in the grip of sectarian violence and political turmoil. The lyrics of the song are a reflection on the impact of this violence on the everyday lives of the people of Belfast, and on the resilience of the city in the face of adversity. The opening lines of the song express the sense of inner conflict felt by the singer, who is struggling to make sense of the violence all around him: "Deep inside my soul fights a war/I can't explain/I can't cross over any more." The reference to "Irish eyes" suggests that the singer is seeking to understand the situation from the perspective of the local people.
The song goes on to describe how the violence has impacted the city, with "dirty faces/Rain and wire/And common sense in pieces" all around. Despite this, the singer is struck by the courage and resilience of the people of Belfast, describing it as "the bravest place" he has ever seen. The recurring motif of "smokin' black roses/On the streets of Belfast" suggests the toll that the violence has taken on the people of the city. However, the final lines of the song express a sense of hope and determination, with the singer declaring that "you'll never let them shut you down, Belfast."
Overall, "Belfast" is a moving tribute to a city that has been through some of the darkest days of Northern Ireland's troubled history. Through its lyrics, the song captures both the pain and the resilience of the people of Belfast, and it remains a powerful statement of solidarity and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Deep inside
In the depths of my being
My soul fights a war
I am deeply conflicted
I can't explain
I struggle to find words to describe my feelings
I can't cross over any more
I am at a point of no return
All I see are dirty faces
The people I encounter are struggling and in despair
Rain and wire
The dreary and oppressive circumstances of the city
And common sense in pieces
Logic and reason are disregarded
But I try to see through Irish eyes, Belfast.
I attempt to understand the perspective of the Irish people in Belfast
Look outside
Observe the world around me
Summer's lost and gone
Hope and joy are absent
It's a long walk
The journey to peace and resolution is difficult and exhausting
On a street of right and wrong
The issues in Belfast are complex with no clear solutions
In every inch of sadness
Despair is pervasive everywhere
Rock and tanks
The reality of violence and conflict
Go hand in hand with madness
The negativity breeds insanity and unreasonable behavior
But I never saw a braver place, Belfast.
Despite the hardships, Belfast is a strong and resilient city
And it's sad when they sing
The music of Belfast reflects the sadness of the situation
And hollow ears listen
People may be deaf to the message behind the music
Of smokin' black roses
The thorny issues of Belfast that infect the city
On the streets of Belfast
The conflict is everywhere in the city
And so say your lovers
Those who have affection for the city of Belfast voice their opinion
From under the flowers
Even though there is strife, there are still those who cherish the city
Every foot of this world
The world as a whole
Needs an inch of Belfast
Every city needs a touch of Belfast's bravery and resilience
Who's to say
It is unclear
On whom Heaven smiles
Who is blessed by heaven
Our different ways
Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs
We try harder to recognize
We must work harder to understand each other
No more enchanted evenings
The past is gone and with it the optimism and hope
The pubs are closed
The gathering places for people to socialize and drink are shut down
And all the ghosts are leaving
The memories of the past are fading away
But you'll never let them shut you down,
Belfast will not be defeated by the past or present struggles
The enemy is not at home
The threat comes from outside the home
A jealous green
The anger and envy that fuels the conflict
Streaks down this faulty diamond
The city of Belfast is flawed and damaged, but still possesses value and beauty
No bloody boots or crucifix
Neither the Irish Republican Army nor the British Army can achieve a lasting solution
Can ever hope to split this emerald island
Nothing can truly separate Ireland, north or south
But I never saw a braver place,
Despite the turmoil, Belfast is still a place of strength and courage
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL BUCKMASTER, BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bob Whitworth
R.I.P. Paul Buckmaster, whose brilliant arrangements graced so many - but never enough - of Elton's songs. Nobody ever coaxed sounds from an orchestra as Buckmaster did.
1111Evangeline
The first 2 minutes of this song tells the story without words.
Marco Donati
One of Sir Elton John's masterpieces I prefer.Much more than a song.
katakisLives
Amazing song! the rich arrangement reminds me of another classic Elton album Blue Moves, with the long epic intro of Tonight.
Elaine Roberts
katakisLives love ireland ud go. There and have shell of a blast my relatives are there my grandmother was a Reagan in belfast iteland
Mark McDougall
Elton John's best work. Beautiful beautiful song.
Rogério Francisco de Farias
Música maravilhosa. Adoro Elton John. Meus filhos cresceram ouvindo Elton John.
Cl. G.
Ein wunderschönes Lied, großartig gesungen.
Pistachio
2020 needs Elton John more than ever.
Lankiri Thaba
The strings arrangement simply the best. One of Elton's masterpieces.