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)
Gone To Shiloh
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little Dan and Becky waved goodbye
They're gonna have to share the weight together
Idle hands will see a good farm slowly die
Gone to Shiloh
For the Union
Shoulder to shoulder
Gone to Shiloh
Hope springs eternal
When flags and bullets start to fly
April's come and the air smells fresh with rain
They watched his shadow fade around the bend
He's headed for a different kind of thunder
And the stunned surprise in the eyes of dying men
Gone to Shiloh
For the Union
Shoulder to shoulder
Side by side
Gone to Shiloh
Time passes slowly
When flags and bullets start to fly
The old black rooster sang him down that dirt road
His step seemed bold, his manner fancy-free
I pray we see him alive and well in the fall here
Than that God-forsaken place in Tennessee
Gone to Shiloh
For the Union
Shoulder to shoulder
Side by side
Gone to Shiloh
Men stand united
When flags and bullets start to fly
After all of this
If we should prevail
Heaven help the South
When Sherman comes their way
The lyrics to Elton John and Leon Russell's song Gone to Shiloh paint a vivid picture of the American Civil War, focusing on the human side of the conflict. Luther, Little Dan, and Becky are leaving for Shiloh, a significant battle site, to join the Union Army and fight the Confederacy. The lyrics depict the challenges faced by those left behind, including the struggle to maintain a farm without Luther's help. It also points out the unity and camaraderie that exists among the soldiers fighting side by side for a common cause. The lyrics use vivid imagery to convey the horrors of war, with dying men looking stunned and surprised as thunder rolls in.
The verse that follows describes the fresh scent of rain and the soldiers' reaction to Luther's departure, watching his shadow fade around the bend. They know he is headed towards different kinds of thunder, facing the uncertainty of death and destruction with bravery and determination. The black rooster's song symbolizes a call to arms, and the lyrics emphasize the hope that Luther will return alive and well in the fall. The lyrics vividly capture the patriotism, heroism, and human experience of the American Civil War.
Line by Line Meaning
Luther left us first light Friday morning
Luther departed early on Friday morning.
Little Dan and Becky waved goodbye
Dan and Becky bid him farewell.
They're gonna have to share the weight together
They will have to share the responsibility among themselves.
Idle hands will see a good farm slowly die
If they don't work hard, their farm will not thrive.
Gone to Shiloh
Luther has gone to join the Union army at Shiloh.
For the Union
He has enlisted with the Union army.
Shoulder to shoulder
He will be fighting alongside his fellow soldiers.
Side by side
His comrades in arms will be fighting beside him.
Hope springs eternal
There is still hope, especially during the tumultuous times of war.
When flags and bullets start to fly
In the midst of armed conflict.
April's come and the air smells fresh with rain
It's the beginning of spring and the rainfall has made the air fresh.
They watched his shadow fade around the bend
As he walked away, his shadow slowly disappeared from their view.
He's headed for a different kind of thunder
He is going towards a different kind of danger, warzone.
And the stunned surprise in the eyes of dying men
The shock and surprise of those who are dying during the war.
Time passes slowly
Time seems to move slowly during war.
The old black rooster sang him down that dirt road
An old rooster serenaded him along the dirt road.
His step seemed bold, his manner fancy-free
He departed with confidence and a relaxed gait.
I pray we see him alive and well in the fall here
I hope he returns home safely in the autumn.
Than that God-forsaken place in Tennessee
I would rather him return home than die in Tennessee, a place known for horror.
Men stand united
Men are united in war.
After all of this
After all the struggles and challenges.
If we should prevail
If we win this war.
Heaven help the South
The South will need divine intervention to recover.
When Sherman comes their way
When General Sherman and his army approach the South.
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.....