Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a … Read Full Bio ↴Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist, and composer. Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967, John is one of the most successful artists of all time, having sold over 300 million records worldwide in a seven-decade career in music. He is acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, and his lasting impact on the music industry. John's music and showmanship have had a significant impact on popular music. His songwriting partnership with Taupin is one of the most successful in history.

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)

Breaking Down Barriers
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I recall how it used to be
In my younger days
I built a wall all around my heart
To keep the pain away
I built it tall, and I built it wide
I left no room for doubt
Your love still found its way inside
And couldn't get back out

I'm breaking down the barriers
Making up my mind
I'm breaking down the barriers of time
I'm taking down the barriers
And loving what I find
I'm breaking down the barriers that lie
Between your love and mine

I guess you know you were not the first
You may not be the last
But you have shown me a better way
And now I'm learning fast
You gotta go where the feeling flows
I take it while it's hot

You gotta give if you want to get
And I want all you got

Overall Meaning

The song "Breaking Down Barriers" by Elton John talks about a man who, after experiencing heartache and pain, decided to protect himself by building an emotional wall around his heart, making it impossible for anyone to penetrate. However, despite the wall he built, he eventually fell for someone's love and couldn't keep it out. The song's message is all about breaking down personal barriers and taking chances, even if it means getting hurt along the way.

Throughout the song, the artist describes his experiences in his younger years and the emotional damage that he went through. He built a wall so high that it left no room for doubt or any vulnerability. Nonetheless, his walls could not keep true love at bay, and he had to learn to break down the barriers protecting his heart by embracing the emotions he had been avoiding. In the end, he reflects on how he has learned to accept love and break down the barriers of time and distance.

Elton John's "Breaking Down Barriers" is a song about learning from life experiences and looking for love no matter the costs. The inner struggles that the artist talks about is something that many people can relate to. At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of love and acceptance, giving a message of hope that hearts can heal and barriers can be broken.

Line by Line Meaning

I recall how it used to be
I remember the past

In my younger days
When I was younger

I built a wall all around my heart
I closed myself off emotionally

To keep the pain away
To avoid being hurt again

I built it tall, and I built it wide
I made it strong and unbreakable

I left no room for doubt
I was certain about not letting anyone in

Your love still found its way inside
Despite my barriers, you managed to make me fall in love

And couldn't get back out
And now I can't stop feeling it

I'm breaking down the barriers
I'm opening up emotionally

Making up my mind
Deciding to do it

I'm breaking down the barriers of time
I'm not letting time get in our way