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)
Only When You Leave
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your closet's all cleared out
You say you're goin' to Jacksonville
Cause our love's all worn out
You're searching in my eyes
To try and find a tear
But the well of my forgiveness
You might still look pretty
In that lacy little dress
But I think you've got your signals crossed
If you think that I'm a mess
I ain't gonna die, I ain't gonna cry
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
You can take the car, but you won't break my heart
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
I ain't gonna shake, I ain't gonna break
I ain't gonna fall down on my knees
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
It's like a prime time movie
You play the part so well
You do believe you're Heaven sent
And livin' here is hell
I hear it's hot in Florida
And it's raining here tonight
But the sun's gonna shine tomorrow
And I'm gonna do alright
You might still look pretty
In that lacy little dress
But I think you've got your signals crossed
If you think that I'm a mess
I ain't gonna die, I ain't gonna cry
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
You can take the car, but you won't break my heart
Oh, and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
I ain't gonna shake, I ain't gonna break
I ain't gonna fall down on my knees
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
You might still look pretty
In that lacy little dress
But I think you've got your signals crossed
If you think that I'm a mess
I ain't gonna die, I ain't gonna cry
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
You can take the car, but you won't break my heart
And darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
I ain't gonna shake, I ain't gonna break
I ain't gonna fall down on my knees
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
"Only When You Leave" by Elton John is a song about a relationship that has come to an end. The opening lines describe a scene where the singer's partner is packing their bags, clearing out their closet, and expressing their intention to leave for Jacksonville because their love has worn out. This suggests that the relationship has reached a point of no return, where both parties acknowledge that it is time to move on.
The next verse delves into the emotional aftermath of the breakup. The partner searches for signs of sadness or regret in the singer's eyes, but the singer reveals that their capacity for forgiveness has dried up over the years. It seems that the relationship has been filled with turmoil and hurt, leading to the singer's emotional detachment and inability to show vulnerability anymore.
The chorus is a defiant response from the singer. They assert their resilience and refuse to let the breakup break them down. They won't die or cry, nor wear their heart on their sleeve. Despite the pain, they won't allow their ex-partner to break their heart. The request to turn the lights out when leaving signifies a symbolic closing of this chapter and moving forward.
The second verse compares the situation to a prime time movie, where the partner plays the role of someone who believes they are perfect while living in a state of misery. The singer acknowledges the difficult circumstances they are in, expressing that it is raining where they are while remarking that it's hot in Florida, emphasizing the contrasting emotions and experiences they are going through.
The repetition of the chorus reinforces the singer's determination to remain strong and not let the breakup define them. They reiterate that the partner is mistaken if they think the singer is a mess. The final repetition of the chorus emphasizes the singer's decision to move on, wishing for the lights to be turned off as a metaphorical way of closing the door on the past and finding solace in returning to bed, both literally and figuratively.
Overall, "Only When You Leave" explores the aftermath of a failed relationship and the singer's refusal to allow themselves to be consumed by pain and vulnerability. It speaks to the idea of resilience and the ability to find strength in moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Your bags out on the bed
You have packed your bags and are ready to leave
Your closet's all cleared out
You have already removed all your belongings from the closet
You say you're goin' to Jacksonville
You claim that you're leaving for Jacksonville
Cause our love's all worn out
Because our love has become tired and faded
You're searching in my eyes
You are looking into my eyes, trying to find a hint of sadness
To try and find a tear
In hopes of witnessing me cry
But the well of my forgiveness
However, my capacity to forgive
Has dried up with the years
Has diminished over time
You might still look pretty
You may still appear beautiful
In that lacy little dress
In that delicate dress
But I think you've got your signals crossed
You have misunderstood the situation
If you think that I'm a mess
If you believe I am broken or distraught
I ain't gonna die, I ain't gonna cry
I will not die, I will not shed tears
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
I will not openly display my emotions
You can take the car, but you won't break my heart
You may take the car, but you will not shatter my heart
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
Please turn off the lights when you depart, my love
I ain't gonna shake, I ain't gonna break
I will not tremble, I will not collapse
I ain't gonna fall down on my knees
I will not surrender or beg
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
If everything has been said, I am going back to bed
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
If everything has been spoken, I am going back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
Please turn off the lights when you depart, my love
It's like a prime time movie
It feels like a television drama
You play the part so well
You convincingly play the role
You do believe you're Heaven sent
You genuinely perceive yourself as divinely chosen
And livin' here is hell
Yet living in this situation is torturous
I hear it's hot in Florida
I've heard that Florida is experiencing high temperatures
And it's raining here tonight
Meanwhile, it is currently raining here
But the sun's gonna shine tomorrow
However, the sun will shine tomorrow
And I'm gonna do alright
And I will manage just fine
You might still look pretty
You may still appear beautiful
In that lacy little dress
In that delicate dress
But I think you've got your signals crossed
You have misunderstood the situation
If you think that I'm a mess
If you believe I am broken or distraught
I ain't gonna die, I ain't gonna cry
I will not die, I will not shed tears
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
I will not openly display my emotions
You can take the car, but you won't break my heart
You may take the car, but you will not shatter my heart
Oh, and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
Please turn off the lights when you depart, my love
I ain't gonna shake, I ain't gonna break
I will not tremble, I will not collapse
I ain't gonna fall down on my knees
I will not surrender or beg
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
If everything has been said, I am going back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
Please turn off the lights when you depart, my love
You might still look pretty
You may still appear beautiful
In that lacy little dress
In that delicate dress
But I think you've got your signals crossed
You have misunderstood the situation
If you think that I'm a mess
If you believe I am broken or distraught
I ain't gonna die, I ain't gonna cry
I will not die, I will not shed tears
I won't wear my heart out on my sleeve
I will not openly display my emotions
You can take the car, but you won't break my heart
You may take the car, but you will not shatter my heart
And darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
And my love, please turn off the lights when you depart
I ain't gonna shake, I ain't gonna break
I will not tremble, I will not collapse
I ain't gonna fall down on my knees
I will not surrender or beg
So if everything's been said I'm heading back to bed
If everything has been said, I am going back to bed
Oh and darlin' turn the lights out when you leave
Please turn off the lights when you depart, my love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Humberto Mendoza
"Only When You Leave"
Laying in the after glow,
I only want to learn what you know,
But now you're leaving...
How many hearts must you break?
How many calls must I make?
But now you're leaving...
In this world, all that I choose has come unbearable
But love is in your touch
Ooh, it's killing me so much
Only when you leave
I need to love you
And when the action has all gone
I'm just a little fool enough to need you
Fool enough too long
Only when you leave, you'll leave in danger
Oh, I'll make sure that you pay
So give a little passion to a stranger
And take this soul away
I only want to make this things last,
So how could this have gone so fast?
And now you're leaving...
How many times must I learn?
It' s only when you've gone that I burn,
And now you're leaving...
In the end, all that I left has come unbearable
It's hard to change your mind,
So leave it all behind
Only when you leave
I need to love you
And when the action has all gone
I'm just a little fool enough to need you
Fool enough too long
Only when you leave, you'll leave in danger
Oh, I'll make sure that you pay
So give a little passion to a stranger
And take this soul away
Kenneth Robinson
Holy crap!! Tony never got the respect he deserved for his amazing vocals!! Wow. This performance was epic back then and now I really appreciate this group and Tony's vocals.
cyclist7s
Unfortunately not a one of these guys is left in the band!!!!! Spandau ballet is no longer spandau ballet!!!!! What a bunch of B. S.!!!!!!! Just another case of people not being able to get along with each other and everyone that was a fan of theirs has to suffer!!!!!! They were great!!!!!!!!
Laurence Music & Sights 🎶
I was only 16, in France, they were an underrated band, despite the rumours, the diamant voice of the singer could go on and on during a whole concert, no fake, pure talent. Still fascinated by his solo albums
Fck Uyo
17 in Australia, Live Aid blew me away.
Laurence Music & Sights 🎶
You are damn so lucky as I ve exchanged here about mind blowing Freddie Mercury s performance at Live Aid. I m French, living at 12 km from the Eurockéennes site at the bottom of the Vosges Mountain range...warm greetings
Fck Uyo
@Laurence Music & Sights 🎶 It was pretty amazing for a country boy living in the sticks, not that there's been much to top it in the interim...
Laurence Music & Sights 🎶
Oups the chip was invented in 1974 I guess, remembering my daddy...wikipedia SOS
Denise Gore
Such a pure voice. He sounds as great live as he does on a recording. That just doesn't happen.
Chiara Scura
Agree…!!
Giorgia Rozza
He sounds like if he was in playback!