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)
Sleeping With The Past
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's stolen your tears one by one
You're proud to love him, it's a foolish sign
You're a broken heart at the scene of the crime
And the night drags on, and the fever burns
Come to your senses, everybody learns
You sleep in sweet fire lost and blue
Don't go sleeping with the past
Don't go praying he'll come back
Take a deep breath and deny
You could love a man like that
Don't go sleeping with the past
Don't go waking with a dream
There's no tenderness that's left
In the cracks you step between
If it looks like rain, if it makes no sound
It's an echo of pain on common ground
Love's like a junkie, addiction's a fact
Passion's a monkey you can't keep off your back
But he takes love and he turns it cold
He's just an iceman honey, ain't got no heart of gold
But he sees you and he runs from you
Come on and shake this shadow that you're clinging to
And he'll hurt you
And he'll run from you
Come on and shake this shadow that you're clinging to
In Elton John’s song, “Sleeping With The Past,” the lyrics depict a picture of a toxic relationship. The first stanza paints the picture of a partner who comes and goes as he pleases, taking a piece of the singer's heart each time he leaves. Despite the pain, the singer remains invested in the relationship, believing that loving him is a badge of honor. The following stanzas acknowledge the fact that the singer is aware of the suffering this man brings into her life, but their addiction to each other is too strong to ignore. The lyrics then warn against dwelling on the past and the hope that the man will return. Instead, they encourage the singer to let go, to take a deep breath, and to deny the feeling of an attachment to a man who brings pain.
In the last section of the song, the lyrics serve as a warning to the singer about the nature of the man she’s involved with. He sees her and runs from her; he's cold-hearted and has no intention of giving his heart to her. Yet, the singer remains trapped in the illusion of love, clinging to the shadow of the relationship rather than facing the harsh reality that their love is doomed from the start. The song ultimately tells the story of the struggle to break free from a toxic relationship and to find the strength to let go of the past and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a thief he's come, like a thief he's gone
He entered your life unexpectedly and left just as swiftly, leaving you feeling robbed.
He's stolen your tears one by one
He has caused you emotional pain and taken away any happiness you had.
You're proud to love him, it's a foolish sign
Despite knowing the relationship is not healthy, you still stick around because you do not want to feel alone.
You're a broken heart at the scene of the crime
You are hurt and devastated by the actions of the person you love and you are left feeling like a victim.
And the night drags on, and the fever burns
Time seems to move slowly and the pain of the situation intensifies as you dwell on it.
Come to your senses, everybody learns
Eventually you will realize the situation is not good for you and you will move on.
You sleep in sweet fire lost and blue
You are unable to escape the passionate feelings you have for this person, but it is causing you distress and confusion.
You're an empty doll in the power of a fool
You feel like you have lost your identity in the relationship and are being controlled by someone who is not worth your affection.
Don't go sleeping with the past
Do not dwell on the past or hold onto a relationship that is no longer good for you.
Don't go praying he'll come back
Do not waste your time and energy hoping for someone who has already hurt you to return and cause more pain.
Take a deep breath and deny
Take a moment to reflect and acknowledge that you deserve better than the situation you are in.
You could love a man like that
Realizing that you are capable of loving someone who is not worth your time and affection.
Don't go waking with a dream
Do not hold onto a fantasy of a relationship that does not really exist.
There's no tenderness that's left
The love and care that was once present in the relationship has disappeared.
In the cracks you step between
The situation is unstable and you are constantly on edge, walking on thin ice.
If it looks like rain, if it makes no sound
Even if the situation appears calm on the surface, there is still underlying pain and discomfort.
It's an echo of pain on common ground
The pain you are feeling is a common experience that others have gone through before you.
Love's like a junkie, addiction's a fact
Love can be addictive and hard to let go of, even when it is not healthy for you.
Passion's a monkey you can't keep off your back
The strong feelings you have for this person are hard to control and are constantly lingering in the back of your mind.
But he takes love and he turns it cold
The person you love has caused the love to sour and become cold, leaving you hurt and alone.
He's just an iceman honey, ain't got no heart of gold
The person you love is not capable of giving you the care and affection that you need and deserve.
But he sees you and he runs from you
The person you love knows that they are hurting you and cannot deal with the consequences, so they run away instead of facing the issue head on.
Come on and shake this shadow that you're clinging to
Let go of the negative emotions and influences that are holding you back from moving on and finding happiness.
And he'll hurt you
Continuing the relationship will only lead to more pain and heartache.
And he'll run from you
The person you love will continue to avoid the issue instead of confronting it together and trying to find a solution.
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.....