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)
Look Ma No Hands
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To make a champagne shower
Poach some horn and tusk
To build an ivory tower
Been to Philadelphia
The day it was closed
I walked to New Orleans
The skeletons they hung from the bushes and the trees
But not a skull among 'em said boo to me
In a time of wine and cheap cigars
I'm on top of the world
Top of the world Ma
Look Ma no hands
Look Ma ain't life grand
I'm a super power, I'm a handy man
Didn't I turn out, didn't I turn out to be
Everything you wanted Ma
Ain't you proud of me
It takes a silver tongue
To have the Midas touch
Not your alchemist
Making gold from rust
Been down in Roswell
When the Martians came
I sailed to Mandeville
Across Lake Pontchartrain
The song "Look Ma No Hands" by Elton John is a tribute to his mother, who always supported him and believed in him. The song is about the feeling of being on top of the world, with everything falling into place in life. Elton John reflects on his journey, from building an ivory tower to walking down a Louisiana road, and highlights the memorable moments that have brought him to where he is today. The lyrics "Look Ma no hands, look Ma ain't life grand" are a testament to the joy and freedom that come with success.
The song also touches on the concept of mortality, with the skeletons hanging from the bushes and trees representing death lurking in the background. Elton John seems unafraid of death, as he sings "not a skull among 'em said boo to me." The line "in a time of wine and cheap cigars" reflects the feeling of living life to the fullest and enjoying the fruits of one's labor. The chorus reinforces this sentiment, as Elton John declares himself a "super power" and a "handy man."
Line by Line Meaning
I'll take a rainy day
I can turn even a gloomy day into a joyous moment
To make a champagne shower
I can transform something ordinary and mundane into something extravagant and luxurious
Poach some horn and tusk
I have access to exotic resources and materials
To build an ivory tower
I can create something magnificent and impressive, regardless of the cost or consequences
Been to Philadelphia
I have traveled far and wide
The day it was closed
I have been to places and seen things that are off-limits or inaccessible to most people
I walked to New Orleans
I am not afraid to take on challenges or face adversity
Down a Louisiana road
I can navigate life's twists and turns with ease and grace
The skeletons they hung from the bushes and the trees
Even in dark, eerie situations, I remain unscathed and unafraid
But not a skull among 'em said boo to me
I am fearless and can handle whatever comes my way
In a time of wine and cheap cigars
Even in moments of excess and indulgence, I remain in control and on top of my game
I'm on top of the world
I am successful and accomplished
Top of the world Ma
I want to share my success with my mother
Look Ma no hands
I am so skilled and confident that I don't need to rely on anyone or anything
Look Ma ain't life grand
Life is full of surprises and opportunities, and I am grateful for all of it
I'm a super power, I'm a handy man
I am capable of achieving anything and solving any problem
Didn't I turn out, didn't I turn out to be
I have exceeded everyone's expectations, including my own
Everything you wanted Ma
I have fulfilled my mother's dreams and desires for me
Ain't you proud of me
I want my mother's validation and approval
It takes a silver tongue
I have a way with words and can charm anyone
To have the Midas touch
Like King Midas, I have the ability to turn everything I touch into something valuable
Not your alchemist
I don't need magic or sorcery to achieve greatness
Making gold from rust
I can turn even the most unremarkable and unexceptional things into something remarkable and unique
Been down in Roswell
I have even had close encounters with extraterrestrial life
When the Martians came
I am not afraid of the unknown or the unexpected
I sailed to Mandeville
I enjoy exploring new places and experiencing new things
Across Lake Pontchartrain
I am not afraid of taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN, 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.....