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)
Not Me
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stood on certain ground
A picture of true happiness
Confidence so effortless
No brighter could be found
Mereb: Oh no
That trouble me today
I knew all there was to know
Love worn lightly
Put on show
My conquests on display (Mereb: I can't believe he's changing)
And who'd have thought that (Mereb: Oh no)
Confidence could die?
Not me, not me (Mereb: Not me, not me)
That all I took for granted was a lie?
Not me, not me
And who'd have guessed
I'd throw my world away
To be with someone I'm afraid will say (Mereb: This can never)
Not me, not me (Mereb: Be)
Mereb: He's in love
But he's not the only one
Who'll be changed
Aida: I shall not envy lovers
But long for what they share
Amneris: An empty room is merciless
Don't be surprised if I confess
I need some comfort there
Aida and Amneris: And who'd have thought
That love could be so good?
Not me, not me
And show me things I never understood
Not me, not me
Who'd have guessed he'd throw his world away
To be with someone till his dying day
Not me, not me
Radames, Amneris, Aida: And who'd have thought
That love could be so good?
Not me, not me (Mereb: Not me, not me)
My/his secrets and my/his passions understood
Not me, not me (Mereb: Not me, not me)
Who'd have guessed I'd/he'd throw my/his world away
To be with someone till my/his dying day
Not me, not me (Mereb: This can never be)
The lyrics of "Not Me" by Elton John, from the musical "Aida," explore themes of self-discovery and love. Radames, the male lead, reflects on his past as a confident conqueror of women, his realization that his confidence was based on a lie, and his current fear of losing everything for the sake of love. The supporting characters, Mereb and Amneris, provide commentary on love and jealousy, while Aida remains silent.
Radames opens the song by expressing his past confidence in himself and his happiness, which he thought was genuine. However, he now realizes that he never questioned his true feelings, and his confidence was a facade to impress those around him. This self-reflection is a sign of his growth and willingness to challenge his beliefs. Radames then expresses his fear of losing everything for the sake of love, proving that his newfound insecurity stems from his newfound self-awareness. The repeated phrase "Not me" demonstrates Radames' disbelief that he could throw away everything he once considered important.
Mereb and Amneris add to the song's themes through their own perspectives. Mereb comments on Radames' change of heart while Amneris talks about her need for comfort in an empty room, exhibiting her own unfulfilled romantic desires. Aida does not speak but is present in the song, demonstrating the quiet impact of love on all characters.
Line by Line Meaning
I once knew all the answers
At one point in my life, I was sure of everything
I stood on certain ground
I was extremely confident in my beliefs
A picture of true happiness
I projected the image of a perfect and happy life
Confidence so effortless
My confidence came naturally and effortlessly
No brighter could be found
I was the epitome of success and happiness
Oh no
An expression of shock and disbelief
I never asked the questions
I never questioned my beliefs or the world around me
That trouble me today
The things that bother me now were never on my mind before
I knew all there was to know
I thought I had all the knowledge and experience I needed
Love worn lightly
I treated love as something casual and unimportant
Put on show
I flaunted my romantic conquests to others
My conquests on display
I liked to show off my past romantic experiences
I can't believe he's changing
I am shocked that this person is undergoing a transformation
And who'd have thought that
I never would have predicted that
Confidence could die?
My confidence has diminished and disappeared
Not me, not me
I never thought this would happen to me
That all I took for granted was a lie?
Everything that I thought was guaranteed and true turned out to be false
And who'd have guessed
I would have never predicted
I'd throw my world away
I would abandon my beliefs and plans for someone else
To be with someone I'm afraid will say
I worry that the person I want to be with will reject me
Be
Expressing fear and doubt about the future
He's in love
This person is experiencing love and affection
But he's not the only one
Others will also go through changes as a result of this love
Who'll be changed
Love has the power to transform people
I shall not envy lovers
I will not feel jealous of those in love
But long for what they share
I desire to experience the same type of love that they have
An empty room is merciless
Being alone can feel harsh and unforgiving
Don't be surprised if I confess
I am about to reveal something personal and private
I need some comfort there
I require someone or something to make me feel less lonely
And show me things I never understood
Love has opened my eyes to new experiences and perspectives
My/his secrets and my/his passions understood
The person I love understands me in a way that no one else does
Who'd have guessed I'd/he'd throw my/his world away
It's surprising that I/he would give up so much for love
To be with someone till my/his dying day
I/he want(s) to spend the rest of my/his life with this person
This can never be
Expressing doubt and uncertainty about the future of the relationship
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Len Sterk
Can't believe this version isn't on Spotify yet
JeansBlue60
I´m so happy having a genius like him!
motorcars1000
just heard this on radio 2 absolutely gorgeous
baronboyscout
He's the Mozart of our time. We will all pass but his new music will be enjoyed by generations to come.
scott mcphee
The Greatest Melody Writer Ever In Popular Music