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 ChĆ¢teau (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 Ā£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 ChĆ¢teau (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)
Benny and the Jets
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
Ooh, but they're so spaced out
Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh, Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive
Let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong
Oh, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh, but they're so spaced out
Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie, she's really keen
She's got electric boots
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
Bennie and the Jets
Oh, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh, but they're so spaced out
Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie, she's really keen
She's got electric boots
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets, Jets, Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
The lyrics of Elton John's famous song Bennie and the Jets are undeniably intriguing and slightly ambiguous. The opening lyrics encourage children to 'shake it loose together' as the spotlight hits something that can change the weather. The 'fatted calf' is to be killed and electric music awaits. Candy and Ronnie are people who appear spaced out, but it is the weird and wonderful Bennie and the Jets that capture the attention. Bennie, referred to as 'she', is an eccentric character with electric boots and a mohair suit who was read about in a magazine. The song continues with the idea of plugging into the faithless, who might be blinded but Bennie makes them ageless. The characters are encouraged to fight their parents on the streets to determine who is right and who is wrong. The song ends by repeating the chorus, emphasizing the popularity of Bennie and the Jets.
The meaning behind the song is somewhat disputed. One interpretation is that the song is about a fictional band by the name of Bennie and the Jets. Bennie is the lead singer who has captivated the crowds with her eccentricity and musical aura. Her electric boots and mohair suit are metaphors for her power as a performer. The crowd is encouraged to plug in and join the band as they fight against the traditional values of their parents. The chorus is a repetition of the name of the band as a way of emphasizing its popularity.
Another interpretation is that the song comments on the nature of fame and the cult of celebrity culture. The idea that people will follow those who are weird and wonderful rather than those who are normal and conventional is evident in the lyrics. The characters Candy and Ronnie may represent groupies or fans who are obsessed with these strange and fascinating characters. The song suggests that this response to fame is ageless and that the search for something different and exciting is universal.
Overall, while the true meaning of the song may remain enigmatic, it is undeniable that Bennie and the Jets have captured the public's imagination with their weird and wonderful persona.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey kids, shake it loose together
Let's dance together and have fun
The spotlight's hitting something That's been known to change the weather
The spotlight is shining on something very special and powerful
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight So stick around
Tonight is a special celebration and we should stay and enjoy it
You're gonna hear electric music Solid walls of sound
You will be amazed by the loud and exciting music we are about to play
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet Ooh, but they're so spaced out Bennie and the Jets
Have you seen Candy and Ronnie? They're so out of it, but they're here to see Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful Oh, Bennie she's really keen She's got electric boots A mohair suit You know I read it in a magazine, oh Bennie and the Jets
Bennie and her Jets are unique and amazing, especially with her electric boots and mohair suit that were highlighted in a magazine
Hey kids, plug into the faithless Maybe they're blinded But Bennie makes them ageless We shall survive Let us take ourselves along
Even if people do not believe in us, Bennie's music will make them feel young and we will survive. Let's come together and enjoy the music
Where we fight our parents out in the streets To find who's right and who's wrong
Let's take this confrontation to the streets and stand up for what we think is right
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
We are all here to see Bennie and the Jets, and we are going to have a great time
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets, Jets, Jets
We can't stop talking about Bennie and the Jets, and how great they are
Contributed by Jordan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@L.K-19
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Uh but they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong
Oh Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh but they're so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh but they're so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Jets, Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
@CaptnButterVenom
My guilty pleasure: singing those high notes at the end when I'm alone
@idsiuclanleader
hehe hehe lol
@dougsingleton5498
same.
@etsyosbourne4120
what I was doing when I read this comment. BENNIE BENNIE
@SonoFelice-
Played this on my Wii U today while everyone was gone and sang... a lot.
@sinbrujo
this comment had me cracking up bc thats exactly what i do. good stuff, mang.
@FloatJohnFire
This is one of the few songs in existence where you can drunkenly sing during karaoke night, and have it sound better than if you were sober.
@zact.s9553
That's true with all songs tho
@itspenguin7187
@@jasonreimer9769 I- I'm not going to even start...
@jasminehouston-burns1691
@@itspenguin7187 Where do you even finish with that?