Helped by a video promoting the song on MTV, "I'm Still Standing" became a big hit for John on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at No. 1 in Canada and Switzerland, No. 4 in the UK and No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Although "I'm Still Standing" is often seen as a statement of John's resilience, Taupin wrote the lyrics with a specific person in mind.
“It's perhaps one more example of the original idea being interpreted by everyone into something quite different. I think people see it as an anthem based on Elton's strong sense of survival in the face of adversity. Which, believe me, is perfectly fine by me. In fact, it's probably infinitely more interesting, perhaps, than what it was initially written about. Which, if my memory serves me correctly, it was a sort of kiss off to an old girlfriend. You know the sort of thing, 'Don't you worry about me, I'll be perfectly fine.' Unlike George Jones' 'She Thinks I Still Care,' where, in fact, he really did, I really didn't.“
The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was shot in Cannes and Nice on the Côte d'Azur in France. It also features the colours of the Flag of France. Arlene Phillips, who choreographed the video, said her work on the video is one of the proudest moments in her entire career (via the Channel 5 pop-documentary, Britain's Favourite 80s Songs, on 25 December 2021).
Bruno Tonioli, later a judge on hit shows Strictly Come Dancing for BBC (UK) and Dancing with the Stars for ABC (US), appears as one of the dancers in the video.
Initially, John was supposed to take part in the choreography for the music video, but that plan was later scrapped as he recalls in his autobiography:
Visibly stunned by my demonstration of the moves I’d honed on the dance floors of Crisco Disco and Studio 54, the choreographer Arlene Phillips went pale and suddenly scaled down my involvement in that side of things, until all I really had to do was click my fingers and walk along the seafront in time to the music.[9]
It was due to be shot over the course of two days, but a camera full of the first day's film was ruined, when Mulcahy accidentally fell into the sea with it. Therefore, it had to be filmed again on another day. During the shoot for the video, John came across Duran Duran. He complained he was exhausted at having been up since 4 o'clock in the morning. Simon Le Bon decided John should have a martini. "So I did," John later recalled, "I had six."[10]
In his book, Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran, Andy Taylor writes of the experience:
There were lots of celebrities around in Cannes and one day we discovered that Elton John was in town, filming the video for his song "I'm Still Standing". This was before Elton became teetotal, so he was still a steaming party animal. We went up to see him at his hotel and spent the afternoon getting blasted on martinis. We decided it would be a laugh to get him drunk and we were slinging the drinks down him. "Ooh, you are lovely boys," he screeched, loving every minute of it. We got him so drunk that eventually he went upstairs and threw a wobbler in his suite. It caused all sorts of chaos, but it was a great party.
The next morning, John awoke with a hangover and wandered into his personal assistant's room – which was "leveled" – and asked him "What happened?" His assistant laughed: "You happened!"
In 2019, the original 16mm film negatives were re-scanned and the computer graphics were recreated, forming a newer remastered version of the promotional video. This version of the video serves as the ending to the 2019 biopic Rocketman, with Taron Egerton (portraying John) rotoscoped in to recreate memorable scenes from the original music video. It was also re-released standalone on John's YouTube channel.
I'm Still Standing
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your blood, like winter, freezes just like ice
And there's a cold, lonely light that shines from you
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
And did you think this fool could never win?
Well look at me, I'm a-coming back again
I got a taste of love in a simple way
You just fade away
Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did?
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
And I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Once I never coulda hoped to win
You starting down the road, leaving me again
The threats you made were meant to cut me down
And if our love was just a circus, you'd be a clown by now
You know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
And I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Don't you know that I'm still standing better than I ever did?
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
And I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing
In Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing,” the singer is reveling in his newfound strength and independence after a challenging relationship. The opening lines of the song set the stage for the rest to follow, with John declaring that his ex-lover could never truly know what it’s like to be him. The imagery in the lines “Your blood, like winter, freezes just like ice / And there's a cold, lonely light that shines from you” paints a vivid picture of an unfeeling, detached partner. John juxtaposes this image with his own of a survivor, someone who’s been through the ringer but is still standing tall. In the chorus, John repeats the phrase “I’m still standing” as a kind of mantra, reminding himself of the resilience he’s built up over time.
The song’s verses chronicle the ups and downs of John’s relationship with his ex, including the period where he felt like a “fool” who could never come out on top. However, in the second verse, John asserts that he’s not just surviving but thriving without his ex. He compares his ex to a clown, reinforcing the perception that they’re not someone he takes seriously anymore. Finally, the melody of the song is upbeat, blending elements of pop and rock to create a celebratory tone that matches the lyrics. Overall, the song is a testament to the power of perseverance and strength in adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
You could never know what it's like
The pain that I went through is unimaginable to you
Your blood, like winter, freezes just like ice
Your heart is cold and emotionless as if frozen by winter
And there's a cold, lonely light that shines from you
Your aura emits a cold, lonely light
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
You'll end up in a bad state like the shipwreck you try to conceal behind your fake persona
And did you think this fool could never win?
You thought I was foolish and incapable of winning,
Well look at me, I'm a-coming back again
But look at me now, I'm making a comeback
I got a taste of love in a simple way
I experienced love in a simple and uncomplicated manner
And if you need to know while I'm still standing
And if you want to know why I'm still standing
You just fade away
It's because you just faded away from my life
Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did?
Don't you realize that I'm still standing stronger than before?
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I look like I survived against all odds and feel youthful and invigorated
And I'm still standing after all this time
And I'm still standing despite everything that has happened
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm moving on with my life without you occupying my thoughts
Once I never coulda hoped to win
Initially, I never thought I had a chance of winning
You starting down the road, leaving me again
You are leaving me once more by going down a separate path
The threats you made were meant to cut me down
The threats you made were meant to bring me down
And if our love was just a circus, you'd be a clown by now
If our relationship was a circus, you would be the clown as you made a joke out of our love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Bernie Taupin, Elton John
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@debratounzen9850
This is my theme song for myself and my battle with stage IV cancer for the FOURTH time and I'm STILL STANDING after SIX YEARS
@craftmania000
keep strong !!!!!!!!!!
@kurtianpaulvigafria4068
Stay Strong!!!
@mrdilophosaursr410
Stay strong man
@tarkhann_
stay strong brother
@istoleyourkneecaps2425
Remain strong!!!
@JSAVACADO
A timeless anthem for everyone fighting pain & hate. Elton is a true king.
@Chad_Thundernuts
🙏❤
@grasking
Let's not forget Bernie Taupin the man who wrote the lyrics.
@charlesmcelravyjr.2129
The HATE. . PAIN WE CAN DEAL WITH