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)
Spirit in the Sky
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna go to the place that's best
When they lay me down to die
Goin' on up to the Spirit in the sky
Goin' on up to the Spirit in the sky (Spirit in the sky)
That's where I'm gonna go when I die (When I die)
When I die and they lay me to rest
Prepare yourself, you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend named Jesus
So you know that when you die
It's gonna recommend you to the Spirit in the sky (Spirit in the sky)
Gonna recommend you to the Spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die (When I die)
When you die and they lay you to rest
You gonna go to the place that's the best
Never been a sinner, I've never sinned
I've got a friend named Jesus
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with the Spirit in the sky
Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
I'm Gonna go to the place that's the best
The lyrics to Elton John's "Spirit in the Sky" speak about the afterlife and the belief in going to a heavenly place when one dies. The singer states that when he dies, he will go to the best possible place, which he believes is the Spirit in the sky. He emphasizes the importance of having Jesus as a friend, as this will ensure entry into this heavenly place. The song suggests that a life without sin is necessary to gain entry into the Spirit in the sky. The chorus repeats the idea of going to the Spirit in the sky in death, and also mentions recommending others to this place.
The lyrics reflect a belief in a specific religious ideology, likely Christianity, and the concept of heaven and the afterlife. It is a song that encourages listeners to behave righteously, as this is believed to facilitate entry into heaven. The lyrics also reflect a sense of hope and positivity, as the idea of going to the best possible place in death suggests an optimistic outlook on life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I die and they lay me to rest
When I pass away and my body is buried
Gonna go to the place that's best
My soul will go to the best place possible
When they lay me down to die
When my final moments on Earth come
Goin' on up to the Spirit in the sky
My soul will ascend to Heaven
That's where I'm gonna go when I die (When I die)
I will go to Heaven when I pass away
Prepare yourself, you know it's a must
You must be ready for the afterlife
Gotta have a friend named Jesus
One must be close to Jesus
So you know that when you die
You can be sure that when you pass on
It's gonna recommend you to the Spirit in the sky (Spirit in the sky)
Jesus will speak up for you to reach Heaven
Never been a sinner, I've never sinned
I have led a life free of sin
He's gonna set me up with the Spirit in the sky
Jesus will guide me to reach Heaven
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Norman Greenbaum
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oishikadatta5128
For every classic rock song there's a regular version and an Elton John version
@rela000
Love this - didn't know Elton John had a recording of it.
@Jonathan_J_Lalrinfela
Oóo
@peterhernandez8945
Never knew Elton made a version of this song, its alright
@coupe662
Its awesome🙏
@TheRunner75
@@coupe662 No sorry. This is NOT awesome. Yes, Elton's singing is OK but the band comes far behind the original version. Please listen to the fuzz guitars which probably boosted this song to the #1 position. The EJ version backed this song to an ordinary pop-rock song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi_3GtQN2IA
@coupe662
@@TheRunner75 hello
Trust me, Ive heard it Many times, the original that is. However. Dinding out that Elton sings one of my favorite songs, Remains awesome. And will always😊👍
@nyobunknown6983
Elton was a highly skilled professional musician who supported himself with studio work before he became famous.
@bruce92106
Extraterrestrial brought me here - at 64 who growing up during all of Elton's rock out rocking the world this is the first time I ever heard this or even knew he made it? Just goes to show - what I don't know. ☺️
Btw don't believe the negative critics Extraterrestrial is a real good movie.
@JeffChurch_Daddy
Love this version. I just .. do. Elton has an echoing voice that makes it touches my heart