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)
Cry to Heaven
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was lying in the gutter all torn
There's a white flag flying on a tall building
But the kids just watch the storm
Their dirty faces pressed on the windows
Shattered glass before their eyes
There's a mad dog barking in a burned out subway
No birthday songs to sing again
Just bricks and stones to give them
Wrap them up in your father's flags
And let them cry to heaven
There are many graves by a cold lake
As the beds were when your babies are born
And your rag doll sits with a permanent grin
But the kids just watch the storm
I saw a black cat tease a white mouse
Until he killed it with his claws
Seems a lot of countries do the same thing
Before they go to war
The lyrics to Elton John's song Cry to Heaven describe the horrors of war and its effects on innocent children. The song starts with the singer finding a black beret lying torn in the gutter of the street, symbolizing the chaos and destruction caused by the war. The white flag flying on a tall building represents surrender and the end of the conflict, but the children still watch the storm, implying that despite the end of the war, they still bear the brunt of its impact.
The second verse describes the scene through the eyes of the children as they witness the shattered glass and the madness of war in the burned-out subway where the sniper sleeps at night. The third verse talks about how there are no birthday songs to sing again and how the children are left with just bricks and stones as their toys. The singer suggests wrapping them up in their father's flags, implying that they have lost their fathers to war and the only thing left to do is to cry to heaven.
The final verse brings forth the sad reality of war as the singer talks about how a black cat teases a white mouse until it finally kills it with its claws, akin to how many countries go to war with each other. Elton John's Cry to Heaven is a poignant reminder of the toll that wars take on the lives of innocent people and the lasting impact it leaves on them.
Line by Line Meaning
I found a black beret on the street today
Elton John found a symbol of revolution, but it was damaged and discarded on the street.
It was lying in the gutter all torn
The beret was in poor condition and was treated poorly, symbolic of the decay of the revolutionary spirit.
There's a white flag flying on a tall building
A sign of surrender and defeat flies above, while destruction and chaos continue below.
But the kids just watch the storm
People are powerless to stop the violence and chaos around them, and are becoming desensitized and unfeeling.
Their dirty faces pressed on the windows
The children are trapped inside and are only able to look out at the world, unable to change or protect themselves from what they see.
Shattered glass before their eyes
The world outside is broken and dangerous, and the children are helpless to avoid the destruction and violence they see.
There's a mad dog barking in a burned out subway
The world is a dangerous and unpredictable place, with many threats and dangers lurking.
Where the sniper sleeps at night
Even in places of supposed safety, danger and violence can still occur at any moment.
No birthday songs to sing again
The celebratory songs of life are replaced by the sounds of war and conflict.
Just bricks and stones to give them
Instead of gifts and celebrations, the children only have rubble and destruction around them.
Wrap them up in your father's flags
The children are left to cling to the symbolic remains of their fathers' efforts, with nothing new to hold onto in their current situation.
And let them cry to heaven
The only release the children have is to pray and hope for a better life, as they are unable to change their circumstances on their own.
There are many graves by a cold lake
The cold and cruel reality of death is apparent all around the children, with many people dying in the ongoing warfare.
As the beds were when your babies are born
Death and new life are always intertwined, even in the midst of war and destruction.
And your rag doll sits with a permanent grin
Even the objects of childhood joy are twisted and distorted by the constant violence and destruction around the children.
I saw a black cat tease a white mouse
Innocent creatures are forced to fight or be killed, representing the broader reality of war and conflict.
Until he killed it with his claws
The weaker creature is eventually destroyed, as is often the case in war and conflict.
Seems a lot of countries do the same thing
The violence and brutality of war is a global phenomenon, with nations and individuals alike engaging in similar behavior.
Before they go to war
The buildup of tension and aggression often leads to war and violence, leaving innocent people to suffer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AeroLambShaki999
This is a terrific song. It's truly one of Elton's underrated gems.
James Noble
I like it even though it's almost interchangeable with Shoot Down The Moon. Its almost the same song in terms of tempo , structure, melody, even the '80s synth bells
jens christensen
This is One of he’s Best song ever. I guess it says all😀👍
Marcel Philips
Absolutely true... Been singing it since 1985...
Dee Jay
Underrated song, It would be nice if Elton performs this song nowadays on his concerts. I think this song suits his current voice very well.
MrKerves
one of the best songs from Elton
Manoel de Paula
Essa música é para mim uma viagem aos melhores de todos os meus sonhos... Os melhores anos de minha vida... A mais doce ventura... Desde os anos 80 embala meus melhores sentimentos!!!!
Aubin de MONTFALCON
I love the Ice on Fire album. An unfortunately totally forgotten album. Lots of gems in it !
Jorge Franco
Siempre me encanto esta maravillosa cancion, son de las menos conocidas, pero que fueron piedras preciosas dejadas por el en cada LP, como por ejemplo: suit of wolves o shoot the mon, deberian tener millones de reproducciones, gracias Reginald POR ENDULZAR NUESTROS OIDOS Y LLEVARNOS A VOLAR
Luis Alberto Rivas Ocampos
mis respetos a esta "LEYENDA VIVA de la música popular.... por favor Eltón john,, cuidate y sé feliz,, te nesecitamos por mucho tiempo,, tus músicas marcaron mi vida entera,.. mi infancia, juventud,.. y espero que toda la vida.....grande John