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)
Friends Never Say Goodbye
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With you along the road
And through it all there'd always be
Tomorrow's episode
Suddenly that isn't true
There's another avenue
Beckoning the great divide
Who's to say who's right or wrong
Whose course is braver run
Still we are, have always been
Will ever be as one
What is done has been done for the best
Though the mist in my eyes might suggest
Just a little confusion about what I'll lose
But if I started over I know I would choose
The same joy the same sadness each step of the way
That fought me and tought me that friends never say
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Suddenly that isn't true
There's another avenue
Beckoning, the great divide
I would choose
The same joy the same sadness each step of the way
That fought me and taught me that friends never say
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Never say goodbye
Elton John's "Friends Never Say Goodbye" is a song about the bittersweet experience of growing apart from a close friend. The song opens with the singer acknowledging the depth of the relationship shared with this friend and the many experiences they've had together along the way. However, there's a shift in the song as the singer recognizes that they're both headed in different directions and there's a "great divide" between them. The lyrics suggest that maybe there's been some kind of argument or disagreement, and the two friends are unsure of what their next steps should be.
The singer reflects on the fact that neither of them can truly say who's right or wrong, and both have to make their own choices about which direction to take. Throughout the song, the singer cycles through a series of emotions as they consider what's to come. They're sad to be losing this person they care about so deeply, but they take comfort in knowing that they've shared a unique connection that will always be a part of them. In the end, the singer comes to the realization that while things may change, the memories shared between them will always be a source of joy.
Overall, the song is a poignant meditation on the experience of growing apart from someone you care about deeply. While it's sad to say goodbye, the singer focuses on the fact that their friendship was a valuable part of their lives and will never truly be lost.
Line by Line Meaning
There isn't much I haven't shared
We've been through a lot together, and I've been open with you
With you along the road
You've been a constant presence in my life, helping guide me on my journey
And through it all there'd always be
No matter what we faced, I knew we would make it through together
Tomorrow's episode
There's always something new around the corner, a new adventure to tackle
Suddenly that isn't true
Things have changed and nothing is the same anymore
There's another avenue
There's a new path we must take, one that will lead us in different directions
Beckoning the great divide
This new path is creating a separation between us, a division that we can't ignore
Ask no questions, take no side
We don't need to take sides or defend ourselves, we can let this unfold without judgment
Who's to say who's right or wrong
There's no one person who can determine the truth or the correct path to take
Whose course is braver run
We each have to follow our own path, even if it's the harder one
Still we are, have always been
Despite everything, we are still connected and always have been
Will ever be as one
We will always be united in friendship, even if our paths diverge
What is done has been done for the best
We made the decisions we did because we thought it was for the best
Though the mist in my eyes might suggest
Even though it's hard, I'm trying to see through this emotional haze
Just a little confusion about what I'll lose
I'm unsure of what I'll be losing by taking this new path
But if I started over I know I would choose
Even if I could go back and change things, I would still make the same choices
The same joy the same sadness each step of the way
No matter where we end up, we'll always have both happy and sad memories of our time together
That fought me and tought me that friends never say
Our friendship has taught me that even if we go our separate ways, we'll never truly say goodbye
Never say goodbye
We'll always be friends, even if we don't talk every day
Never say goodbye
Our friendship will endure, regardless of what happens
Never say goodbye
We'll always be there for each other, no matter what
Never say goodbye
We won't let this new path tear us apart
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELTON JOHN, TIM RICE
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.....