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)

Can I Put You On
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I work for the foundry for a penny and a half a day
Like a blind street musician I never see those who pay
It's dirty work in Birmingham
Better deal for a Sheffield man
If he can rivet then his kids can buy
Candy from the candy man

And the van that comes around weekends

Selling fancy city things
Sold by the man with the trilby hat
And the whiskers spread like wings
You can hear him sing
Oh you can hear him sing
Can I put you on, people can I put you on
Tell you that I love you people
Sing a salesman's song and put you on

And a second cousin works in the pits in Newcastle on Tyne
And he don't care if it rains outside, there's coal dust on his mind
It's dirty work in Manchester
But the crew gets paid its gelt
Bang on the bell on Friday
You buys a little something for yourself

And the van that comes around weekends
Selling fancy city things
Sold by the man in the trilby hat
And the whiskers spread like wings
You can hear him sing
Oh you can hear him sing
Can I put you on, people can I put you on

Tell you that I love you people
Sing a salesman's song and put you on

Overall Meaning

The song "Can I Put You On" by Elton John depicts the struggles of the working-class in England during the 1970s. The first verse describes the life of a foundry worker who earns a meager wage of a penny and a half a day. The worker is compared to a blind street musician who never sees those who pay him. This comparison highlights the idea that the worker is invisible in society and is taken for granted. The lyrics then describe the differences in working conditions for a worker in Birmingham and Sheffield, indicating that some locations offer better opportunities for workers. The last line of the verse suggests that the worker's children may not have access to basic luxuries like candy unless he can earn more money.

The second verse describes a second cousin who works in a coal mine in Newcastle. This verse emphasizes the harsh working conditions that coal miners endure, working in the rain with coal dust on their minds. The mention of Manchester highlights the thought that although some areas have difficult working conditions, the workers are still able to provide for themselves and their families. The last line of the verse suggests that the worker can buy something for themselves after a week of hard work.

The chorus of the song talks about a salesman who sells fancy city things from a van, highlighting the commercialization of society. The salesman's trilby hat and whiskers spread like wings are symbolic of his attempts to impress and lure potential customers. The song's title, "Can I Put You On," refers to the salesman's desire to put his audience onto his products, making them attractive to consumers.

Overall, "Can I Put You On" is a reflective song that highlights the challenges working-class people in England faced during the 1970s. It captures the bleak and mundane elements of everyday life that leave little hope or chance for social mobility.

Line by Line Meaning

I work for the foundry for a penny and a half a day
I have a low-paying job at a foundry

Like a blind street musician I never see those who pay
I work hard, but never see the benefits

It's dirty work in Birmingham
My job is filthy

Better deal for a Sheffield man
People in other cities get paid more for the same work

If he can rivet then his kids can buy
If he's skilled, his children can have candy

Candy from the candy man
Kids love candy

And the van that comes around weekends
A truck visits on weekends

Selling fancy city things
It sells luxury items

Sold by the man with the trilby hat
It's sold by a man wearing a specific type of hat

And the whiskers spread like wings
His beard is very long

You can hear him sing
He sings loudly