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)
Snake in the Grass
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down by the river, ahh
Without a warning, ahh
Who'd ever guess you'd come across a snake in the grass
Every day now, ahh
You take a walk here, ahh
What do you say now, ahh
Stop and watch where you're putting your feet, my sweet
I don't want to do anything bad
But you make me mad and I might bite your face, bite neck, bite arms, bite bite
'Cause I'm, oh, a snake in the grass, oh
A snake in the grass
Looking around you, ahh
You never see me, ahh
You'll get a surprise, ahh
Should you get entangled with a snake in the grass
Under my thick skin, ahh
I can be lonely, ahh
Please can I come in, ahh
And end my sad existence as a snake in the grass
Under my thick skin, ahh
I can be lonely, ahh
Please can I come in, ahh
And end my sad existence as a snake in the grass
Stop and watch where you're putting your feet, my sweet
I don't want to do anything bad
But you make me mad and I might bite your face, bite neck, bite arms, bite bite
'Cause I'm, oh, a snake in the grass, oh
A snake in the grass
Elton John’s song Snake in the Grass is about the idea that evil can hide in unexpected places, similar to how a snake can be hiding in the grass. The lyrics describe a beautiful morning down by the river, where one may take a walk every day without any warning of the danger that may be lurking. The song’s protagonist warns that if you’re not careful and don’t watch where you’re putting your feet, you may encounter an evil-minded snake, who may hide and strike when you least expect it. The singer even describes himself as a “snake in the grass,” indicating that anyone can carry the potential for evil.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of loneliness and a desire for human connection, even in the case of a snake. The singer asks to be let in and to end his sad existence as a snake in the grass. It’s possible to interpret this as a metaphor for people who may hide their true selves out of fear of being judged or rejected. The song encourages people to be mindful of who and what surrounds them, and to not let their guards down too easily.
Line by Line Meaning
Beautiful morning, ahh
It's a lovely day, with the sunlight shining down
Down by the river, ahh
We're standing beside the water, enjoying nature's peacefulness
Without a warning, ahh
Suddenly, something happens that we didn't expect
Who'd ever guess you'd come across a snake in the grass
We were surprised to find a dangerous threat that was hidden from sight
Every day now, ahh
This happens repeatedly, on a regular basis
You take a walk here, ahh
We are strolling in this area that is known to have a hazard
What do you say now, ahh
What should we do if we encounter danger?
If you should meet an evil-minded snake in the grass
Watch out for a malicious and deceitful threat that blends in with its surroundings
Stop and watch where you’re putting your feet, my sweet
Be careful where you step, my dear, don't underestimate the danger
I don't want to do anything bad
I don't intend to harm you, but circumstances might force me to
But you make me mad and I might bite your face, bite neck, bite arms, bite bite
If you provoke me, I could react violently and cause physical harm
'Cause I'm a snake in the grass, oh
I'm a hidden threat that can cause harm when least expected
Looking around you, ahh
You may not notice me, as I blend in with my surroundings
You'll get a surprise, ahh
If we were to encounter each other, you might not expect my true nature
Should you get entangled with a snake in the grass
If you find yourself in trouble with a hidden threat, seek help immediately
Under my thick skin, ahh
I have a tough exterior that hides my true nature
I can be lonely, ahh
I am isolated and alone, seeking companionship
Please can I come in, ahh
Can you accept me despite the danger I represent?
And end my sad existence as a snake in the grass
Can I find redemption and escape my dangerous nature?
Contributed by Liliana J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stevencathrine284
Full of admiration for this guy. Start at the bottom and become a legend. Very few legends will emerge from "The Crap Factor".
@mikee758
No video with this an sounds AWFUL to go with it!
@richardvollin
I deeply appreciate your uplifting, and positive comment.
It's a decent transfer, and in stereo too.
My sincerest apologies for not living up to your (otherwise) exacting Hi-Fidelity standards.
I will attempt to find better source material in the future.
This one was uploaded at 320 kbps, which is the largest my Mac will allow.
What sort of video did you want me to include?
Perhaps I can find some snakes slithering through grass to improve it's appeal.
Thanks for your critique, I'll try harder next time.
@mikee758
Well youyube being a visual media i just like to see the artist actualy singing the song, if not well yes on this occasion snakes would be better than staring at an album cover. Otherwise i wouldnt take it too personaly, im listening through phones and i dont think i have ever heard Elton do such a bad effort or sing a worse song, it sounded like it could have been just about anyone and a corney old thing out of the 50s to go with it. So regardless of sterio or hi fi, as they say, You cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear. Under COMMENTS it says 'share your thoughts' so i did.
@richardvollin
mikee758
I didn't take your comment personally.
And yes, I would have enjoyed a video to go along as well, but...
As there are no existing visuals to compliment the song (outside of the album cover itself), this will have to suffice.
There might be a performance video of the original band (Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mich & Tich) doing the song here on YouTube somewhere.
And your thoughts are welcome.
As for Elton, he did these 'knock-off' songs to supplement his income as a session musician, in addition as songwriter for Dick James in the late '60s.
Some of them were sow's ears !
@Treviscoe
richardvollin Hi Richard, thanks for uploading this, and I agree it is a decent transfer; it says a lot for your stereo and the good care you take of your old records.
If you're interested in Elton's covers before he hit the big time, somewhere on the Net there's a great cover version of the Blue Mink hit "Good Morning Freedom" which he did with Clare Torry (who later sang on the Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon"