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)

Razor Face
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Has anybody here seen Razor Face
I heard he's back looking for a place to lay down
Must be getting on
Needs a man who's young to walk him round
Needs a man who's young to walk him round

Oh it must be hard for the likes of you to get by
In a world that you just can't see through

And it looks so cold
How does it feel to know you can't go home
How does it feel to know you can't go home

Come on Razor Face my old friend
I'll meet you down by the Truck Stop Inn
With a bottle of booze in the back of my car
You're a song on the lips of an aging star

Razor Face, ooo amazing grace
Protects you like a glove
And I'll never learn the reason why
I love your Razor Face

Has anybody here seen Razor Face
I heard he's back looking for a place to lay down
Must be getting on
Needs a man who's young to walk him round
Needs a man who's young to walk him round

Come on Razor Face my old friend
I'll meet you down by the Truck Stop Inn
With a bottle of booze in the back of my car
You're a song on the lips of an aging star

Razor Face, ooo amazing grace
Protects you like a glove
And I'll never learn the reason why
I love you Razor Face, woo
Love you Razor Face
Love you Razor Face
Love you Razor Face
Love you Razor Face, woo
I just love you Razor Face, woo

Just love you Razor Face, woo
Razor Face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Elton John's song Razor Face paint a picture of an aging man who is struggling to navigate through life on his own. The singer, who is an old friend of Razor Face, is aware of the struggles his friend is going through and offers to be a support system for the man. The song is an ode to the idea of true friendship and unconditional love.

The singer highlights how difficult it must be for Razor Face to go through life with all its complexities without anyone to guide him. The singer empathises with his friend and acknowledges how tough it must be for Razor Face to feel alone in a world that he can't understand. The singer's gesture to meet Razor Face at a local truck stop and offer him a bottle of booze is an indication of the depth of their friendship. The singer recognises Razor Face's love for the bottle as a coping mechanism, and he offers it as a means of comfort and support.

The chorus of the song, "Protects you like a glove," And "I love your Razor Face," reinforces the idea of the singer's unconditional love and support for his friend. Despite Razor Face's imperfections, which are evident from his unfavourable moniker, the singer loves him and his Razor Face. The song highlights the true essence of relationships, which transcend beyond surface-level perfection.

Line by Line Meaning

Has anybody here seen Razor Face
Is there anyone who knows the whereabouts of Razor Face?

I heard he's back looking for a place to lay down
I heard that Razor Face has returned and is searching for a place to rest.

Must be getting on
He must be old now.

Needs a man who's young to walk him round
He requires a young man to accompany him.

Oh it must be hard for the likes of you to get by
It must be difficult for someone like you to live a successful life.

In a world that you just can't see through
In a world that you don't understand or can't navigate through.

And it looks so cold
It seems harsh and unwelcoming.

How does it feel to know you can't go home
How does it feel to be unable to return to where you belong?

Come on Razor Face my old friend
Razor Face, my long-time companion,

I'll meet you down by the Truck Stop Inn
I will rendezvous with you at the Truck Stop Inn.

With a bottle of booze in the back of my car
I have some alcoholic beverages in the back of my car.