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)
Shine On Through
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have cursed the stars above
That lead my heart to you
But as hard as I try
Still my love will not die
And the stars still shine on through
And the stars still shine on through
Now this ship's too hard to steer
The tide has turned, turned on you
I have been through the lies
That I've seen in your eyes
But the truth still shines on through
But the truth it still shines, shines on through
So shine, shine on through the days we have to fill
Though we took our love so daringly
And gave it up uncaringly
There are feelings left not even we can kill
Oh my friend
So at last we reach the end
The lights go down on cue
I have wasted my time
But it tasted oh so fine
That my love still shines, shines on through
And my love still shines, shines on you
At first glance, Elton John's song "Shine On Through" may seem like a simple love song featuring the typical themes of love, loss, and longing. However, upon closer inspection, the song seems to delve deeper into the complexities of love and relationships, especially when things don't go as planned.
The song's opening lines speak of a love that is almost cursed, with the singer blaming the stars above for leading his heart to the wrong person. Despite trying hard to let go of this love, it persists, and the stars continue to shine on through. This speaks to the idea that love is not always logical, and that even when we know we should move on, our hearts can find it difficult to let go.
The second verse expresses a feeling of helplessness, as the singer realizes that the ship of their relationship is too hard to steer, and the tide has turned against them. They have seen the lies in their partner's eyes, but they cannot ignore the truth, which still shines through. This verse highlights the idea that relationships require effort and compromise from both parties, and that sometimes even when we try our best, things may not work out.
The final verse speaks to the finality of the relationship, with the lights going down on cue. However, despite the wasted time and the bitter end, the love between them still shines on through. This can be interpreted as a message of hope, that even after heartbreak, we can still hold onto the positive memories and love that we shared with another person.
Overall, "Shine On Through" is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the universal experience of love and its complexities.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my love
Addressing the person he loves
I have cursed the stars above
Expressing regret for feeling angry at fate for bringing them together
That lead my heart to you
Explaining that fate led the singer’s heart to the person he loves
But as hard as I try
Recognizing that his efforts to forget or move on from the person he loves have been in vain
Still my love will not die
Acknowledging that he still loves the person deeply despite all efforts
And the stars still shine on through
Indicating that despite everything, their love persists
Oh my dear
Addressing the person he loves affectionately
Now this ship's too hard to steer
Comparing their relationship to a ship that has become difficult to direct or control
The tide has turned, turned on you
Indicating that their fortunes have taken a negative turn
I have been through the lies
Admitting he has experienced deceit from the person he loves
That I've seen in your eyes
Adding that these lies were evident in the person’s eyes
But the truth still shines on through
Acknowledging that despite the hurt, the truth still remains
So shine, shine on through the days we have to fill
Encouraging them to carry on in their relationship despite the difficulties they face together
Though we took our love so daringly
Noting that they were bold in pursuing their relationship
And gave it up uncaringly
Acknowledging that they have both made mistakes by carelessly ending their love
There are feelings left not even we can kill
Highlighting the fact that their love is too strong to be entirely extinguished
Oh my friend
Addressing the person he loves as a friend as well as a lover
So at last we reach the end
Recognizing that their time together may be coming to an end
The lights go down on cue
Painting a metaphorical picture of the end of their romantic relationship
I have wasted my time
Admitting that he may have spent too much time on this relationship
But it tasted oh so fine
Reflecting that the time spent with his love was enjoyable despite the eventual outcome
That my love still shines, shines on through
Reaffirming his love for the person despite the current situation
And my love still shines, shines on you
Indicating that his love is directed towards the person he is addressing
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELTON JOHN, GARY ANTHONY OSBORNE
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.....