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)
Crocodile Rock
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me and Suzie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
But the years went by and the rock just died
Suzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
But they'll never kill the thrills we've got
Burning up to the Crocodile Rock
Learning fast as the weeks went past
We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
I remember when rock was young
Me and Suzie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
Elton John's Crocodile Rock is a fun, nostalgic song that celebrates the joys of youthful rock and roll bingeing. The lyrics reminisce about that golden era in one's life when everything is light, joyous, and free-spirited. The opening line introduces this theme with moving honesty, “I remember when rock was young,” before diving into memories of a past relationship led by the singer and his girlfriend, Suzie.
Narratively, the song's central idea is that even as one grows older and moves on to different interests, they can never really forget the youthful exuberance of that era dominated by joyous rock and roll tunes. Even as the singer moves on and grows older, unable to recapture that early thrill, he still cherishes that era and mourns its passing. Throughout the song, he fondly recalls the "Crocodile Rock," finding solace in the memories of that wild dance.
The song is an upbeat blend of rock n' roll, pop, and country. "Crocodile Rock" starts with a piano melody and a bass line, which form the backbone of the song while the guitar solo is included in the chorus. The song speaks to Elton's early albums and his life in the early 70s, which saw the birth of the disco and punk movements. The song provided a marked break from the heavy rock and roller that defined much of the UK rock scene at the time. The line "Crocodile Rocking is something shocking" has been associated with the style of dance known as the "hand jive."
Line by Line Meaning
I remember when rock was young
The singer reminisces about his youth, a time when rock music was new and popular.
Me and Suzie had so much fun
The singer and his friend Suzie enjoyed each other's company and had a lot of fun together.
Holding hands and skimming stones
The singer and Suzie spent time together enjoying simple yet enjoyable activities like holding hands and skimming stones.
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
The artist had a car and a home of his own, providing him with a sense of independence and freedom.
But the biggest kick I ever got
The most exciting and enjoyable experience the artist ever had was...
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
...dancing and enjoying a new style of music called the Crocodile Rock.
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
While other kids were listening to and dancing to popular rock music, the singer was enjoying and dancing to the unique style of the Crocodile Rock.
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
The artist and Suzie were dancing energetically and joyfully to the Crocodile Rock.
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
The artist describes the Crocodile Rock as something very exciting and different from other styles of music and dance.
When your feet just can't keep still
The Crocodile Rock makes it impossible for the artist and others to stand still - it's so fun and catchy!
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
The singer states that he has never had a better time than when he was dancing and enjoying the Crocodile Rock, implying that he is not likely to have such a good time again.
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
The artist expresses excitement and enthusiasm for his memories of Friday nights spent dancing and having fun.
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
The singer remembers how Suzie looked when she wore tight dresses on these fun Friday nights.
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
The singer emphasizes how amazing and enjoyable the Crocodile Rock was on these fun Friday nights.
But the years went by and the rock just died
As the years passed, the popularity of rock music decreased.
Suzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Suzie left the artist and moved away with a man from a different country.
Long nights crying by the record machine
The artist suffered from heartache and sadness, spending long nights listening to music and feeling sorry for himself.
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
The singer reminisces about his car and favorite clothes, things that used to bring him happiness and freedom.
But they'll never kill the thrills we've got
The singer states that his memories of the fun times he had with Suzie and dancing to the Crocodile Rock will always stay alive and bring him joy.
Burning up to the Crocodile Rock
The artist still feels an intense passion and love for the Crocodile Rock as he remembers it.
Learning fast as the weeks went past
The artist and Suzie were quick to learn and enjoy the new dance style of the Crocodile Rock as they continued to go out and dance.
We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last
The artist and Suzie believed that the Crocodile Rock would stay popular and enjoyable for a long time to come.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernie Taupin, Elton John
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.....