Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a … Read Full Bio ↴Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist, and composer. Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967, John is one of the most successful artists of all time, having sold over 300 million records worldwide in a seven-decade career in music. He is acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, and his lasting impact on the music industry. John's music and showmanship have had a significant impact on popular music. His songwriting partnership with Taupin is one of the most successful in history.

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)

Take Me to the Pilot
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you feel that it's real I'm on trial
And I'm here in your prison
Like a coin in your mint
I am dented and I'm spent with high treason

Through a glass eye your throne
Is the one danger zone
Take me to the pilot for control

Take me to the pilot of your soul

Take me to the pilot
Lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot
I am but a stranger

Take me to the pilot
Lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot
I am but a stranger

Na na na, na na na
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na, na na na
Na na na na na na na na

Well I know he's not old
And I'm told, and I'm told he's a virgin
For he may be she
What I'm told and I'm never, never for certain

Through a glass eye your throne
Is the one danger zone
Take me to the pilot for control
Take me to the pilot of your soul

Take me to the pilot
Lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot
I am but a stranger

Take me to the pilot
Lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot
I am but a stranger

Na na na, na na na
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na, na na na
Na na na na na na na na

Through a glass eye your throne
Is the one danger zone
Take me to the pilot for control
Take me to the pilot of your soul

Take me to the pilot
Lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot
I am but a stranger

Take me to the pilot
Lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot
I am but a stranger

Na na na, na na na
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na, na na na
Na na na na na na na na
(Na na na, na na na)
(Na na na na na na na na)
(Na na na) take me, (na na na) take me
(Na na na na na na na na) ooh, oh
(Na na na) take me, (na na na) take me
(Na na na na na na na na) yeah, yeah
(Na na na) take me, (na na na) take me
(Na na na na na na na na)

(Na na na, na na na)
(Na na na na na na na na)

Overall Meaning

"Take Me To The Pilot" is a song by Elton John that was released in 1970. The song is about a person who is willing to do anything to be with their significant other, even if it means being locked up in prison with them. The first verse begins with the line "If you feel that it's real I'm on trial," which suggests that the singer feels like they are being tested by their partner. The singer then compares themselves to a coin that is "dented and spent with high treason."

The second verse starts with the line "Through a glass eye your throne is the one danger zone." This could be interpreted as the partner having a certain power over the singer that they must be careful with. The chorus repeats the line "Take me to the pilot" several times, which could be referencing the idea of being led to a leader or guide who will control them for good. The "pilot" could be seen as a metaphor for someone who will lead the singer to better things, or as a literal pilot who will physically transport them somewhere.

Overall, "Take Me To The Pilot" is a song about the desire to be with someone even in difficult circumstances, and the need for guidance and leadership to reach that goal.

Line by Line Meaning

If you feel that it's real I'm on trial
If you trust what I convey then my words will be judged

And I'm here in your prison
I am trapped in your beliefs and perceptions

Like a coin in your mint
I'm processed and shaped according to your liking

I am dented and I'm spent with high treason
I'm damaged and depleted as I challenge your authority

Through a glass eye your throne
Your position of power is perceived through a distorted lens

Is the one danger zone
Your authority and control represents a risk

Take me to the pilot for control
Guide me towards the captain of the ship to take over

Take me to the pilot of your soul
Show me the navigator of your deepest thoughts and emotions

Take me to the pilot
Show me the way to take charge

Lead me through the chamber
Guide me through the path that you follow

I am but a stranger
I am an outsider in your world