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)
Born bad
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there ain't no use denying
It was me
Who put you through this misery
And I'd like to say I'm sorry
But I can't, no I can't
Nothing's gonna change me
Baby, that's the way I am
Always been the same, yes I was born bad
Never gonna change 'cause I was born bad
Only me to blame 'cause I was born bad
Yes I was born bad
Always been my habit, I was born bad
Just can't seem to help it, I was born bad
Always gonna happen, I was born bad
Cause I was born bad
I mistreat you
And you know I always cheat you
But that's me
And that's the it's always been
And I'd like to say I'm sorry
But I can't, no I can't
Nothing's gonna change me
Baby, that's the way I am
Elton John's song "Born Bad" is a confession of guilt from the singer who has mistreated his loved one. He acknowledges that he has caused her pain and that he is at fault. However, he also admits that he cannot change who he is and that he has always been this way. Despite his desire to apologize, he feels helpless in the face of his natural tendencies.
The chorus, "I was born bad, always been the same, yes I was born bad, never gonna change 'cause I was born bad, only me to blame 'cause I was born bad," emphasizes the idea that the singer's behavior is not something he can control. He is not using his circumstances as an excuse for his actions, but rather acknowledging that this is who he is and he cannot escape it.
The second verse, "I mistreat you, and you know I always cheat you, but that's me, and that's the way it's always been," further emphasizes his self-awareness and lack of ability to change. The line "that's the way it's always been" hints at a possible history of repeated behavior, which reinforces the idea of inevitability.
Overall, "Born Bad" is a poignant and honest reflection on the complexities of human behavior, and the struggle to reconcile one's nature with the desire to do right by the people we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been crying
You have shed tears expressing your pain.
And there ain't no use denying
There is no point in denying the situation that caused you pain.
It was me
I am the one responsible for your pain.
Who put you through this misery
I caused you to experience this agony.
And I'd like to say I'm sorry
I would like to express my regret about my actions.
But I can't, no I can't
However, I am incapable of doing so.
Nothing's gonna change me
I am set in my ways and cannot change for the better.
Baby, that's the way I am
This is a part of who I am as a person, and it will not change.
I was born bad
My nature is inherently flawed and has caused me to do wrong.
Always been the same, yes I was born bad
Since I was born, I have always been this way and will continue to be so.
Never gonna change 'cause I was born bad
It is impossible for me to change, as this is an inherent trait.
Only me to blame 'cause I was born bad
My actions have consequences, and I am solely to blame because of my nature.
Always been my habit, I was born bad
This behavior has become a part of my routine and has been the case since birth.
Just can't seem to help it, I was born bad
I am unable to control myself because of my nature.
Always gonna happen, I was born bad
This pattern of behavior will continue indefinitely because of my nature.
Cause I was born bad
My inherent nature is the cause of my wrongdoings.
I mistreat you
My actions towards you are disrespectful and harmful.
And you know I always cheat you
You are aware of my tendency to deceive and cheat you.
But that's me
These negative traits are a part of who I am as a person.
And that's the it's always been
This pattern of behavior has been present since the beginning.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEOFF BASTOW, PETE BELLOTTE
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.....