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)
Tambourine
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I see your face
I'm charged with a power
Of amazing grace
I flip the switch signal
On the permanent dream
Like the palm of my hand
On a tambourine
Dumb rocks filling up
My poor head
Did you just say
What I thought you said
First cat back here gets the cream
And bounce a little river
Of my tambourine
Smack in the middle
Toss it in the air
I don't care
You can play me everywhere
Roll and rattle
When I'm out of steam
You got my head ringing like a tambourine
A curveball coming
That I didn't see
A flash flood washing
Out a dried up creek
A went in mud
But I came out clean
Like a Baptist banging
On a tambourine
Smack it in the middle
Toss it in the air
I don't care
You can play me everywhere
Roll and rattle
When I'm out of steam
You got my head ringing like a tambourine
You're a spinning-round gypsy in the moonlight
Cymbals flashing in the firelight
I'm freefalling into a dream
My hidden heart banging
Like the tambourine
Smack in the middle
Toss it in the air
I don't care
You can play me everywhere
Roll and rattle
When I'm out of steam
You got my head ringing like a tambourine
Roll and rattle
When I'm out of steam
You got my head ringing like a tambourine
The lyrics of Elton John's song "Tambourine" are filled with imagery and metaphors that convey a sense of exhilaration and joy. The singer describes the feeling of being uplifted and empowered when he sees the face of someone he loves. It is as if he is flying, charged with a power that resembles the grace of a divine force. The switch signal mentioned refers to turning on a permanent dream, a state of bliss and happiness that he experiences when he's with this person.
The chorus compares the sensation to smacking a tambourine in the middle and tossing it in the air. It symbolizes the carefree and playful nature of their relationship. The tambourine becomes a metaphor for the singer's head, implying that the person has a profound impact on his thoughts and emotions. They make his head ring like a tambourine, signifying the exhilarating and fulfilling effect they have on his life. The verses also mention unexpected challenges and obstacles, but the singer comes out unscathed, just like a Baptist banging on a tambourine.
Overall, "Tambourine" portrays a sense of freedom, joy, and a deep emotional connection between two individuals. It celebrates the transformative power of love and the ability of a single person to bring immense happiness and contentment. The tambourine becomes a symbol of happiness, creativity, and the ability to find beauty and music in even the simplest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
It feels like I'm flying
I feel an overwhelming sensation of joy and freedom
When I see your face
Your presence brings me happiness and excitement
I'm charged with a power
I am filled with a strong and exhilarating energy
Of amazing grace
An extraordinary sense of beauty and elegance surrounds me
I flip the switch signal
I activate the signal to ignite intense emotions
On the permanent dream
On the everlasting vision I hold dear
Like the palm of my hand
With complete control and familiarity
On a tambourine
On a rhythmic instrument, creating vibrant sounds
Dumb rocks filling up
Senseless thoughts overwhelming my mind
My poor head
My confused and troubled mind
Did you just say
Is it true that you uttered
What I thought you said
The same words I believed I heard
First cat back here gets the cream
The first person to return here receives the reward
And bounce a little river
And create a small flowing stream
Of my tambourine
Of rhythmic sounds from my instrument
Smack in the middle
Directly in the center
Toss it in the air
Throw it up high
I don't care
I am indifferent
You can play me everywhere
You have the ability to use me in any situation
Roll and rattle
Spin and make noise
When I'm out of steam
When I lack energy or enthusiasm
You got my head ringing like a tambourine
You have my mind filled with lively and vivid thoughts
A curveball coming
An unexpected and challenging situation approaching
That I didn't see
That I was unaware of
A flash flood washing
A sudden and overwhelming surge taking away
Out a dried up creek
From a previously dried and lifeless waterway
A went in mud
I was stuck in the mire
But I came out clean
Yet, I emerged unscathed and pure
Like a Baptist banging
Similar to a Baptist worshipper fervently playing
On a tambourine
On a rhythmic instrument, expressing devotion
You're a spinning-round gypsy in the moonlight
You possess a playful and unpredictable nature
Cymbals flashing in the firelight
The sounds and sights of exuberance and passion
I'm freefalling into a dream
I am completely immersed in a fantastical vision
My hidden heart banging
My deeply concealed emotions pulsating
Like the tambourine
Similar to the rhythmic instrument, resonating with intensity
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELTON JOHN, BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN
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.....