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)
Bitter Fingers
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I really need a song boys to stir those workers up
And get their wives to sing it with me just like in the pubs
When I worked the good old pubs in Stepney
Oh could you knock a line or two together for a friend
Sentimental tear inducing with a happy end
And we need a tune to open our season at Southend
It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers
So much to prove, so few to tell you why
Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing
At the keyboard player's hollow haunted eyes
It seems to me a change is really needed
I'm sick of tra-la-las and la-de-das
No more long days hacking hunks of garbage
Bitter fingers never swung on swinging stars, swinging stars
I like the warm blue flame, the hazy heat it brings
It loosens up the muscles and forces you to sing
You know it's just another hit and run from the tin pan alley twins
And there's a chance that one day you might write a standard lads
So churn them out quick and fast and we'll still pat your backs
'Cause we need what we can get to launch another dozen acts
Are you working
It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers
So much to prove, so few to tell you why
Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing
At the keyboard player's hollow haunted eyes
It seems to me a change is really needed
I'm sick of tra-la-las and la-de-das
No more long days hacking hunks of garbage
Bitter fingers never swung on swinging stars, swinging stars
It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers
So much to prove, so few to tell you why
Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing
At the keyboard player's hollow haunted eyes
It seems to me a change is really needed
I'm sick of tra-la-las and la-de-das
No more long days hacking hunks of garbage
Bitter fingers never swung on swinging stars, swinging stars
La-de-das, swing stars, swinging stars
It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers
So much to prove, so few to tell you why
Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing
The lyrics to Elton John's song Bitter Fingers portray the struggles of a musician who is on the circuit, performing at various clubs and trying to write songs that will move their audiences. The singer of the song is trying to come up with a new hit song that will inspire workers and their wives to sing along with him. He turns to his friends and fellow musicians for help, but finds that they are also dealing with their own bitter struggles of writing music in a competitive and cutthroat industry.
The lyrics also touch on the pressures that musicians face to churn out hit songs quickly and efficiently, even if those songs lack depth or substance. The singer laments the lack of artistic creativity and originality in the music industry, with performers and songwriters forced to mimic each other's styles and sounds in order to maintain popularity. In the end, the song seems to suggest that a change is needed in the music industry, with greater emphasis placed on innovation and artistic expression.
Overall, Bitter Fingers is a poignant and introspective song that offers a window into the struggles, hopes, and anxieties of musicians in the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going on the circuit, I'm doing all the clubs
I'm performing at a lot of clubs to try and make it big in the music industry.
And I really need a song boys to stir those workers up
I need a song that will energize and excite the audience.
And get their wives to sing it with me just like in the pubs
I want to connect with the audience and make them feel like we're all singing together.
When I worked the good old pubs in Stepney
I have experience performing in pubs in the past.
Oh could you knock a line or two together for a friend
Can you help me write a song?
Sentimental tear inducing with a happy end
I want the song to be emotional, but ultimately have a positive message.
And we need a tune to open our season at Southend
I need a new song to perform at my upcoming show in Southend.
Can you help us
Can you assist me in creating this song?
It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers
It's difficult to write music when you're feeling uninspired or down.
So much to prove, so few to tell you why
I have a lot to prove in the music industry, but not enough support or guidance.
Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing
There are older and more experienced musicians who mock and belittle me.
At the keyboard player's hollow haunted eyes
They specifically make fun of the keyboard player's lack of enthusiasm and energy.
It seems to me a change is really needed
I need to make a change in my approach to music if I want to be successful.
I'm sick of tra-la-las and la-de-das
I'm tired of writing meaningless and generic songs.
No more long days hacking hunks of garbage
I refuse to spend long hours creating uninspired and terrible music.
Bitter fingers never swung on swinging stars, swinging stars
Negative feelings won't lead to success or fame.
I like the warm blue flame, the hazy heat it brings
I enjoy the feeling of inspiration and creativity that comes with making music.
It loosens up the muscles and forces you to sing
Music helps me relax and find my voice.
You know it's just another hit and run from the tin pan alley twins
There are many people in the music industry who are only interested in making quick money and don't care about creating meaningful art.
And there's a chance that one day you might write a standard lads
There's a possibility that one day I'll write a classic song.
So churn them out quick and fast and we'll still pat your backs
Just keep writing songs quickly and we'll give you praise regardless of their quality.
'Cause we need what we can get to launch another dozen acts
The music industry is always looking for new talent to promote.
Are you working
Are you currently writing music?
La-de-das, swing stars, swinging stars
I'm tired of generic songs and negative attitudes, and want to create something more original and meaningful.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernard J.P. Taupin
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.....