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)
Saint
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or hang out with the crowd
Sitting on the stoop like a little girl
Who took the wrong road into town
But you got that short cut way about you
And no one's gonna stare you down
You cook much better on a lower flame
You burn much better when the sun goes down
And heaven can wait
But you ought to be a saint
I got your very best intentions
Helping me along
And if I ever fail to mention
You were an overnight sensation
Well take it from me
My baby's a saint
My baby's a saint
I believe you were a new arrival
On the fast train passing through
And you traded in your luck for survival
To sweeten up the witch's brew
You had a better way of working magic
A little mystery in your eyes
Instead of rolling over you remained the same
You took the whole world by surprise
The lyrics to Elton John's song "Saint" describe a powerful and intriguing woman who does not follow the crowd or spend her time in limbo. She has a unique, "shortcut" way about her that commands attention and respect, and is not afraid to take risks in life. The singer believes this woman has the potential to be a saint, given her good intentions and ability to thrive under pressure.
The second verse suggests that this woman is not originally from the town the singer is from, but rather arrived on a fast train and traded her luck for survival. She has a way of working magic that is mysterious and captivating, and has taken the world by surprise with her unorthodox approach to life. Despite any obstacles she may face, she remains true to herself and does not conform to societal norms.
Overall, the lyrics celebrate the strength, resilience, and uniqueness of this woman, and suggest that she has the potential to be a saint. They also highlight the singer's admiration for her and his belief that she has had a significant impact on his life.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't pass your time in limbo
You are not idling away your time without any purpose
Or hang out with the crowd
You do not associate yourself with the common folks
Sitting on the stoop like a little girl
You do not spend time lazing around like an immature person
Who took the wrong road into town
You have not succumbed to a life of wrongdoings
But you got that short cut way about you
You possess the skill to complete tasks more efficiently
And no one's gonna stare you down
Nobody can intimidate you
You cook much better on a lower flame
You perform better when you are more restrained
You burn much better when the sun goes down
You do well when there is less light on you
And heaven can wait
There is no urgency to take yourself to a better place
But you ought to be a saint
You deserve the admiration and respect of society
I got your very best intentions
I understand that you mean well
Helping me along
Assisting me in my journey through life
And if I ever fail to mention
In case I forget to acknowledge
You were an overnight sensation
You became famous suddenly and unexpectedly
Well take it from me
Believe me when I say
My baby's a saint
The one I love is a person of great moral character
My baby's a saint
The one I love is a person of great moral character
I believe you were a new arrival
I think you only recently entered my life
On the fast train passing through
Making quick progress through life
And you traded in your luck for survival
You had to trade one good thing for another in order to survive
To sweeten up the witch's brew
To make a bad situation a little bit more bearable
You had a better way of working magic
You had unique and extraordinary talents
A little mystery in your eyes
You had an enigmatic quality to your personality and behavior
Instead of rolling over you remained the same
You did not compromise or give in to adversity
You took the whole world by surprise
You amazed everyone with your abilities or actions
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: 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.....