Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a … Read Full Bio ↴Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist, and composer. Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967, John is one of the most successful artists of all time, having sold over 300 million records worldwide in a seven-decade career in music. He is acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, and his lasting impact on the music industry. John's music and showmanship have had a significant impact on popular music. His songwriting partnership with Taupin is one of the most successful in history.

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)

Memory Of Love
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here am I standing by
To see if you still love me
Why conceal? You still feel
The need to push and shove me

Take love for better, take love for worse
But never ever take love for granted
Make love and promise it will always be

More than just a memory of

Love will grow, it comes and goes
Emotions can deceive you
Well, this I vow, here and now
My love will never, never, never leave you

Take love for better, take love for worse
But never ever take love for granted
Make love and promise it will always be
More than just a memory of love

Take love for better, take love for worse
But never ever take love for granted
Make love and promise it will always be
Ours for all eternity and promise it will always be
More than just a memory of love

More than just a memory
More than just a memory of love
More than just a memory
More than just a memory of love

More than just a memory
More than just a memory of love
Always in my memory
More than just a memory of love

Always in my memory
Always in my memory of love

Always in my memory
Always in my memory of love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elton John's song "Memory of Love" explore the ups and downs of a relationship and the importance of never taking love for granted. The song's narrator expresses their desire to know whether or not their partner still loves them, despite their tendency to push and shove. The lyrics suggest that love can be complicated and fleeting, but that true love endures even through tough times.

The chorus emphasizes the need to never take love for granted and to make a promise to keep it strong and alive. In the second verse, the singer admits that emotions can be deceiving, but that their love will never leave their partner. The repeated line "More than just a memory of love" reinforces the idea that love is something to be cherished and remembered, not just a fleeting feeling.

Line by Line Meaning

Here am I standing by
I am here waiting to see if you still love me

To see if you still love me
I am waiting to confirm if you continue to love me

Why conceal? You still feel
You shouldn't hide your feelings because you still have them

The need to push and shove me
You have the urge to fight with me

Take love for better, take love for worse
Love is not always perfect, but you should accept it in all its forms

But never ever take love for granted
Do not overlook or undervalue love, it is precious

Make love and promise it will always be
Make a commitment that love will last forever

More than just a memory of
Love should be more than just a recollection

Love will grow, it comes and goes
Love can develop and disappear unexpectedly

Emotions can deceive you
Feelings can be misleading and tricky

Well, this I vow, here and now
I promise you right now