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)
Easy as Life
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lyrics by Tim Rice
This is the moment when the gods expect me
To beg for help but I won't even try
I want nothing in the world but myself to protect me
But I won't lie down, roll over and die
All I have to do is put my longing to one side
Tell myself that love's an ever-changing situation
Passion would have cooled and all the magic would have died
It's easy, it's easy
Until I think about him as he was when I last saw him
And how he would have been were I to be with him today
Tender in his manner and my self-consolation
All I ever wanted and I'm throwing it away
It's easy, easy as life
All I have to do is to pretend I never knew him
On those very rare occasions when he steals into my heart
Better to have lost him when the ties were barely binding
Better the contempt of the familiar cannot start
It's easy, it's easy
Until I think about him as he was when I last touched him
And how he would have been were I to be with him today
Those very rare occasions don't let up, they keep on coming
All I ever wanted and I'm throwing it away
It's easy, it's easy as life
And then I see the faces of a worn defeated people
A father and a nation who won't let a coward run
Is this how the gods reward the faithful through the ages
Forcing us to prove that all the hardest things we've done
Are easy, so easy
And though I'll think about him until the earth draws in around me
And though I choose to leave him for another kind of love
This is no denial, no betrayal, but redemption
Redeemed in my own eyes and in the pantheon above
It's easy, it's easy, it's easy as life
These lyrics from the song "Easy as Life" by Elton John and Tim Rice revolve around the internal turmoil of the singer who is torn between her love for a man and protecting herself. The song begins with her acknowledging that this is the moment when the gods expect her to plead for help, but she won't do so. She is determined to protect herself and will not fall down or surrender to love. She contemplates about how easy it would be to forget about her love for him and convince herself that love is an ever-changing emotion that eventually cools down with time.
Despite her attempts to move on, the singer is unable to forget about her love for the man. She thinks about him and remembers how tender he was when she last saw him. She also reflects on how he would have been if she were with him today. The singer attempts to convince herself that it is easy to pretend that she never knew him and move on. However, she knows that she is only fooling herself, and that it is better to have lost him when they were barely binding than to have the contempt of the familiar surface.
The song concludes with her seeing the faces of worn-out and defeated people who do not give up in the face of adversity. She is forced to prove that the hardest things she's done are easy. She acknowledges that she will always think about the man until the end but chooses to leave him for another kind of love, which is not a denial or betrayal but rather redemption.
Overall, the song "Easy as Life" deals with the complexities of love and the internal struggle one goes through when they have to let go of it or face the consequences of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the moment when the gods expect me
I am facing a critical moment in my life, and it feels like a divine intervention is necessary.
To beg for help but I won't even try
Despite the difficulty of my situation, I am determined to handle it on my own without asking for help.
I want nothing in the world but myself to protect me
My primary concern is my own safety and wellbeing, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to ensure it.
But I won't lie down, roll over and die
I refuse to give up or succumb to the challenges I am facing, and I will fight with all I have to survive and thrive.
All I have to do is to forget how much I love him
If I can just convince myself that I don't love someone anymore, then I can move on and let go of the past.
All I have to do is put my longing to one side
If I can suppress my intense desire and yearning for someone, then I can free myself from their hold.
Tell myself that love's an ever-changing situation
If I can view love as a fluid and dynamic emotional state, then I can avoid getting stuck in one pattern or outcome.
Passion would have cooled and all the magic would have died
If I had stayed with someone, our intense feelings for each other would have faded, and the enchantment we once had would have vanished.
It's easy, it's easy
I keep telling myself that what I am doing is simple and straightforward, even though deep down it is much more complicated.
Until I think about him as he was when I last saw him
Whenever I remember the last time I saw someone I love, it stirs up difficult emotions and makes me long for them even more.
And how he would have been were I to be with him today
I imagine what it would be like to be with someone I love in the present moment, and it fills me with a sense of longing and nostalgia.
Tender in his manner and my self-consolation
I recall how gentle and loving someone was with me, and it provides me with some comfort and solace in my current pain.
All I ever wanted and I'm throwing it away
Despite all my desires and hopes, I am choosing to let go of someone I love, and it feels like I am squandering a precious opportunity.
All I have to do is to pretend I never knew him
If I can erase all my memories and feelings for someone, then I can avoid the pain and heartache that comes with loving them.
On those very rare occasions when he steals into my heart
Even though I try to forget someone, there are still moments when my heart overflows with love for them, and it catches me off guard.
Better to have lost him when the ties were barely binding
It is easier to lose someone when our connection is not that strong, rather than after we have invested a lot of time, energy, and emotion into the relationship.
Better the contempt of the familiar cannot start
It is better to cut ties with someone before we start to resent them or become overly familiar with them, which can lead to contempt and bitterness.
Until I think about him as he was when I last touched him
Whenever I remember the last time I touched someone, it brings back vivid memories of their physical presence and makes me ache for them.
Those very rare occasions don't let up, they keep on coming
No matter how hard I try to forget someone, there are still moments when my love for them resurfaces, and it feels like an endless cycle of pain and joy.
And then I see the faces of a worn defeated people
When I look around me, I see how others have struggled and suffered, and it puts my own challenges into perspective.
A father and a nation who won't let a coward run
I am inspired by the bravery and resilience of others, who refuse to give up or back down in the face of adversity.
Is this how the gods reward the faithful through the ages
I wonder if my devotion and faithfulness will be rewarded or if I am destined to face more trials and tribulations.
Forcing us to prove that all the hardest things we've done
Perhaps the reason we face difficult challenges is to prove our own strength, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity.
Are easy, so easy
Despite the difficulty and complexity of what I am going through, I know that I am strong enough to handle it and that it will get easier with time.
And though I'll think about him until the earth draws in around me
Even if I live a long and full life, I know that I will always remember and cherish the love I had for someone, and it will stay with me until the end.
And though I choose to leave him for another kind of love
Although I am choosing to move on and pursue a different kind of love, I know that the memories and feelings I have for someone will always be a part of me.
This is no denial, no betrayal, but redemption
Letting go of someone I love is not a sign of denial or betrayal, but rather a form of redemption, as it allows me to grow, evolve, and heal.
Redeemed in my own eyes and in the pantheon above
By facing my challenges and choosing to move on and let go of someone I love, I am redeeming myself in my own eyes and potentially in the eyes of a higher power or the wider world.
It's easy, it's easy, it's easy as life
Despite the emotional complexity and pain involved in letting go of someone I love, I know that it is a natural and necessary part of life, and that ultimately, it will get easier with time.
Contributed by Sophie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
grandchelsy
I can't stop listening this song.. it's so good.
Mike Smith
I love how he records the demo's prior to having others sing the actual track. They are recorded as though they're going on his own releases - amazing.
Action Media Productions
Mike Smith well said
Daniel E.
Saw this musical live yesterday... Almost cried when they sang "Easy as life", "Elaborate lives" and "Gods love Nubia". :]
scott mcphee
The Greatest Melody Writer Ever In Popular Music
Júlio César
Fantastic song!!!
Miroslava Chovanová
krásná, krásná píseň.
Raul Escobar
Excelente aporte.
Marc Escuro
This is the Elton John demo version. It's a rare find.
2503eltonjohn1947
WOW!