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)
Scarecrow
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I'm flying in the air
But you're too high to frighten me
Pretend you didn't see me
Pretend you didn't need me
Pretend you didn't see me
Pretend you didn't need me
The sacred forgotten of yesterday's problems
Your wooden construction was meant for infliction
To penetrate pain with the thoughts from my mind
Can you see me scarecrow
Can you still feel free
For all your love scarecrow
And will you still be there tomorrow
And will you still be there tomorrow
Like moths around a light bulb, your brain is still bleeding
From visions and pictures of nature's young raincoat
If only my eyes were not pinned to your table
My arms would be grasping the lilies of summer
It's no good to be a scarecrow post
And I've said it before, and I'll say it some more
The lyrics of Elton John's Scarecrow describe a sense of freedom that comes with being detached from other people's judgment. The singer seeks this freedom by symbolically identifying with a scarecrow, an object that is simultaneously seen and unnoticed, one that is supposed to be frightening and thus keeps away the lost and the lonely. The singer acknowledges that being detached comes with a price, as one's thoughts become one's only companions. The line "Your wooden construction was meant for infliction" suggests that the singer has constructed a self-image of a scarecrow that is capable of inflicting pain with the thoughts from the mind; the scarecrow is a meta-symbol of the singer's mind, which can hurt itself if left unattended.
The singer questions whether the scarecrow can still feel free. The scarecrow, which is made to be frightening and thus lacks agency, is a stand-in for the singer's own sense of powerlessness in the face of societal norms. The line "If only my eyes were not pinned to your table" suggests that the singer is pinned down by someone else's point of view, someone who is not free to accept the singer's true identity. Despite the scarecrow being a symbol of detachment and freedom, the singer is ultimately seeking connection when asking "And will you still be there tomorrow?" The singer wants someone to love and accept them for who they are, but they feel they must first detach from society in order to achieve that.
Line by Line Meaning
You're too low to see me smiling
I am soaring high and happy, but you are too low to see the joy on my face.
When I'm flying in the air
I am soaring freely through the air.
But you're too high to frighten me
You may be towering above me, but your size does not intimidate me.
Pretend you didn't see me
Act as if you did not catch a glimpse of me.
Pretend you didn't need me
Act as if you do not require my presence.
To frighten away all the lost and the lonely
I am here to scare and chase off all those who feel lost and alone.
The sacred forgotten of yesterday's problems
Those who have been neglected and set aside due to yesterday's issues.
Your wooden construction was meant for infliction
Your harsh exterior seems purposely designed to cause pain and discomfort.
To penetrate pain with the thoughts from my mind
My powerful presence and penetrating thoughts can effectively alleviate pain.
Can you see me scarecrow
Do you notice and acknowledge my existence, scarecrow?
Can you still feel free
Despite your fears, are you still able to feel unrestrained and liberated?
For all your love scarecrow
Despite any harmful intent, I appreciate all the affection you have for me, scarecrow.
And will you still be there tomorrow
Will you continue to be present and by my side in the future, scarecrow?
Like moths around a light bulb, your brain is still bleeding
You are still fixated on certain thoughts and ideas, despite their negative impact on you.
From visions and pictures of nature's young raincoat
From images of innocent and pure natural beauty.
If only my eyes were not pinned to your table
If I were not stuck or attached to you, scarecrow.
My arms would be grasping the lilies of summer
I would be reaching for and enjoying the beauty of nature's flowers, if only I were not held back.
It's no good to be a scarecrow post
Being stuck in one place and unable to move or experience things freely is not a desirable state.
And I've said it before, and I'll say it some more
This is a message I have conveyed previously and will continue to express.
Contributed by Colin J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thor Hanson
Elton is the most wholesome person not just in music but in every good culture every time I put on a song I feel like he is always there comforting me he’s like the father I never had. Happy Birthday Elton🎂💝
Fomalhaut Eighteen
I can relate. I didn't have a father growing up so the men in music is what fathered me through the years.
MaccaLeeCyrus Chan
What an amazing song! I love Elton and Bernie ❤❤
Denny Burche
Elton John never disappoints me with his amazing music. He is fantastic at making good music, and he makes my day. Can't believe this is the first music Elton made with Bernie's lyrics.
DINIZ KLEIN
Elton John, eternamente uma estrela da música mundial. Do Brasil, com carinho !
thelegand 3477
Elton thank u for making my day brighter and your music is amazing
Matthew Peterkin [Aikuru Yamoto Theokey]
This is so incredible, I like the music and the music video, it is so outstanding, Elton John, your songs is getting better and better everyday. ⭐⭐⭐👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿😄😄😄
amangogna68
Beautiful song and great video. Happy Birthday Elton ! 🎂🎈🎉🎼🎹
Arlene Jamieson
Love love love Elton his voice is amazing xoxoxo
Wagner Cabrerisso
Happy birthday Sir Elton John !! The soundtrack of my entire life since long, long time ago.