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)
Lion King-Be Prepared
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little down the line
The jungle and the plains and peaks
Are scheduled to be mine
I'm gonna be the ruler
Of most everything around
From the grandest of the mountains
My reign will be a super awesome thing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
I'm gonna be a noble king
Unscrupulously fair
I only need a little time
Perhaps a little hair
I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my roar
The fauna and the flora gonna swing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
No one saying do this
No one saying be there
No one saying stop that
No one saying see here
Free to run around all day
I'll be free to do it my way
No one saying do this
No one saying be there
No one saying stop that
No one saying see here
Free to run around all day
Free to do it my way
The time has come as someone said
To talk of many things
May be true
But I would rather stick to talking kings
It's easy to be royal
If you're already leonine
It isn't just my right
Even my left will be divine
The monarchy is waiting to go zing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
The song "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" from the Disney movie The Lion King, sung by Elton John, captures the optimistic and rebellious spirit of a young Simba, who can't wait to grow up and become the king of Pride Rock. The lyrics develop two major themes: the first is Simba's eagerness to assume the throne and rule over the vast savannahs that stretch out before him like an endless sea of possibilities; the second is his longing for freedom from the oppressive expectations and responsibilities that come with being a king.
The first verse describes Simba's aspirations for greatness as he surveys the vast expanse of his future kingdom. He envisages himself as the leader of everything and everyone, from "the grandest of the mountains to the humble common ground." He is excited to be in charge and reign over all that he surveys. The chorus of "My reign will be a super awesome thing, Oh, I just can't wait to be king" sums up Simba's enthusiasm for his impending reign. He thinks that everything will be perfect once he is king and all his troubles disappear.
In the second verse, Simba reveals that he wants to be a fair, just, and noble king. However, he acknowledges that he still has a lot to learn and practice before he can become the kind of king he wants to be. He talks about how he prepares for the role by practicing his roar and his regal posturing. However, despite his good intentions, his eagerness leads him to make some rash decisions when he is finally crowned, which ultimately leads to his downfall and exile.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" highlight Simba's youthful eagerness, innocence, naivety, and determination, which are some of the main themes of the movie. Additionally, the song provides an insight into Simba's psyche and his motivations, which help to explain his actions later in the movie.
Line by Line Meaning
Way behind the water hole
Far away from where I currently am
A little down the line
Sometime in the future
The jungle and the plains and peaks
Are scheduled to be mine
I will rule over all the land, from the forest to the mountaintops
I'm gonna be the ruler
Of most everything around
I will have complete control over everything and everyone
From the grandest of the mountains
To the humble common ground
I will have power over both high and low places
My reign will be a super awesome thing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
I am excited to be a great ruler
I'm gonna be a noble king
Unscrupulously fair
I will be a just ruler, but may resort to unethical means if necessary
I only need a little time
Perhaps a little hair
I just need a bit of time to prepare myself for my reign
I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I will be the most important and memorable king of all time
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my roar
I am practicing my kingly behavior and assertiveness
The fauna and the flora gonna swing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
Even the animals and plants will be excited for my rule
No one saying do this
No one saying be there
No one saying stop that
No one saying see here
Free to run around all day
I'll be free to do it my way
I will have the freedom to do anything I want without anyone telling me what to do
The time has come as someone said
To talk of many things
May be true
But I would rather stick to talking kings
Although there are many important topics to discuss, I would rather focus on the subject of kingship
It's easy to be royal
If you're already leonine
It is easier to be a good king if you are born with natural leadership qualities
It isn't just my right
Even my left will be divine
I have the right to be king, and even my less dominant hand will be amazing
The monarchy is waiting to go zing
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
Oh, I just can't wait to be king
The kingdom is eagerly anticipating my reign, and I am ecstatic to be king
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company, 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.....