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)
Leather Jackets
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're locked up in the rock
Is the golden age dead and gone
Are the hands stuck on the clock
Can you talk to Buddy's bones
When you spin a forty five
The king ain't dead, he's just asleep
Somewhere in the after life
And look at them boys in leather jackets
Second skin, not fade away
Danger girls love leather jackets
Play back to back, and that'll be the day
Leather jackets, that'll be the day
We all need to smell the heat
You know that things go better with chrome
Is Memphis real or just a song
Three thousand miles from home
Be a cool jerk, don't work
When fashion makes you change
Keep the faith, don't waste
Another nickel on another name
And idolize twisted cars
Like taxi cabs and spiders
Eternity's just down the road
They're looking for more riders
The song Leather Jackets by Elton John is a reflection on the nostalgia of past eras, where the central question asks whether the golden age is over or not. The opening verse asks if people are still praying to the same people when they are imprisoned. The song then reflects on whether the glory days are over, as demonstrated through the metaphorical symbolism of clock hands being stuck. The lyrics also contemplate whether people can still communicate with legends like Buddy Holly through music when they listen to his records.
The chorus centers around reflecting on the symbolic power of leather jackets. It captures the idea that clothes represent a state of mind or a place in society. Leather jackets, especially in the world of music, are a way of signaling masculinity and toughness, which adds to their enduring popularity. The chorus then goes on to note that even though a lot of these garments are temporarily in vogue, they will always have timeless appeal. The song's final verse speaks to the power of fashion and how it changes people. The lyrics encourage listeners to be themselves, even if that means being out of step with the current trends. They also note how important it is to keep moving forward in life, regardless of the obstacles we might face on the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you pray to someone new
Do you seek help from a different being in times of trouble
When you're locked up in the rock
When you are in prison or confined in a difficult situation
Is the golden age dead and gone
Is the era of greatness over and finished
Are the hands stuck on the clock
Is time not moving forward or making progress
Can you talk to Buddy's bones
Can you communicate with the remains of Buddy Holly
When you spin a forty five
When you play a vinyl record
The king ain't dead, he's just asleep
Elvis Presley is not truly gone, he still lives on in spirit
Somewhere in the after life
In the realm of the deceased
And look at them boys in leather jackets
Observe those guys who wear leather jackets
Second skin, not fade away
Leather jackets are like a second skin and will never go out of style
Danger girls love leather jackets
Women who like to take risks are attracted to leather jackets
Play back to back, and that'll be the day
Play music continuously, and it will seem timeless
Leather jackets, that'll be the day
Leather jackets are iconic and will always be trendy
We all need to smell the heat
We all need to experience the intensity of passion
You know that things go better with chrome
You know that things look and work better with shiny metal
Is Memphis real or just a song
Is the significance of Memphis tangible or just a musical concept
Three thousand miles from home
Far away from familiarity
Be a cool jerk, don't work
Be a laid-back person, don't stress too much
When fashion makes you change
When you let the latest trend influence your behavior or choices
Keep the faith, don't waste
Keep your beliefs, don't squander your time or resources
Another nickel on another name
Spend more money on another product or brand that's the same as the rest
And idolize twisted cars
And admire cars that have been modified or customized
Like taxi cabs and spiders
Such as iconic vehicles like taxis and the Alfa Romeo Spider
Eternity's just down the road
Death and immortality are in the near future
They're looking for more riders
They're searching for more people to join them on the journey towards eternity
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.....