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)
The Ballad Of Blind Tom
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No! The kid's a freak
But that kid he don't care none
His black hands resting on the keys
Hoppin' like a big old frog
And hissin' like a train
Entertaining royalty
All points east, west and in-between
General he's a fine old man
Treat him like his own
Boy wouldn't know from money
Just throw old Blind Tom a bone
From the times of King Cotton
May we present to you
All you Jim Crow monkeys
From Harlan County down to Tuscaloo
Play me anything you like
I'll pay it back to you
Be careful what you call me though
Some things cut clear on through
I may be an idiot
I may be a savant
I didn't choose this life for me
But it's something that I want
Cocks that old big head aside
Grunts a word or two
Keeps 'em guessin' every night
Is he really gonna make it through
Faint hearts with their fans out
Starched collars and cigars
He weren't no use for slavin'
I wouldn't want him in my yard
Play me anything you like
I'll pay it back to you
Be careful what you call me though
Some things cut clear on through
I may be an idiot
I may be a savant
I didn't choose this life for me
But it's something that I want
Play me anything you like
I'll pay it back to you
Be careful what you call me though
Some things cut clear on through
I may be an idiot
I may be a savant
I didn't choose this life for me
But it's something that I want
The Ballad of Blind Tom is a tribute to a real person who lived during the 19th century, Thomas Wiggins, and who was known as "Blind Tom." He was a musical prodigy, who could replicate any sound he heard on the piano, including imitating the sound of trains, birds, and other animals. He was also blind and had other developmental disabilities, which made him a target of ridicule and condescension. The lyrics describe Blind Tom as someone who defied the expectations of society and pursued his passion for music regardless of his disabilities and the prejudices he faced.
The first verse of the song portrays Blind Tom as a source of wonder and amazement, but also as a freak. Despite this, he remains indifferent to the opinions of others and focuses on his music, with his "black hands resting on the keys." The second verse refers to the times of slavery and segregation in the United States, when black people were treated as inferior and subjected to discrimination. The lyrics speak of "Jim Crow monkeys" and "King Cotton," highlighting the racist attitudes prevalent at the time.
The chorus of the song emphasizes Blind Tom's determination to pursue his passion for music, come what may. He tells his audience that he will play anything they like and pay it back to them, but warns them to be careful what they call him because some things "cut clear on through." He acknowledges that he may be seen as both an idiot and a savant, but declares that he didn't choose his life, yet it's something he wants.
Overall, The Ballad of Blind Tom celebrates the resilience and talent of a remarkable person who overcame adversity and prejudice to become a renowned musician, and in doing so, challenges societal norms and expectations of ability, race and class.
Line by Line Meaning
Say that boy's a wonderment
People say that this boy is amazing
No! The kid's a freak
Actually, this child is abnormal
But that kid he don't care none
The child doesn't care about what people say
His black hands resting on the keys
His hands, which are black, are resting on the piano keys
Hoppin' like a big old frog
He jumps around like a big frog
And hissin' like a train
He makes noises like a train
Entertaining royalty
He performs for the rich and powerful
All points east, west and in-between
He entertains people from all over
General he's a fine old man
He refers to a general who is a nice old man
Treat him like his own
Treat him like he's family
Boy wouldn't know from money
The child doesn't understand the value of money
Just throw old Blind Tom a bone
Just give him a little something
From the times of King Cotton
Referring to the era of cotton production and slavery
May we present to you
We would like to introduce you to
All you Jim Crow monkeys
Addressing the racist people who segregate blacks
From Harlan County down to Tuscaloo
Referring to various places in the southern United States
Play me anything you like
I can play any music you want
I'll pay it back to you
I'll return the favor
Be careful what you call me though
Just be cautious with how you address me
Some things cut clear on through
Some things can be hurtful
I may be an idiot
I might seem stupid
I may be a savant
But I might also be a genius
I didn't choose this life for me
I didn't choose to be this way
But it's something that I want
But I want to live this life
Cocks that old big head aside
He tilts his head to the side
Grunts a word or two
He makes some noises
Keeps 'em guessin' every night
He keeps people guessing about his abilities
Is he really gonna make it through
People wonder if he will be able to finish his performance
Faint hearts with their fans out
Referring to the scared people fanning themselves
Starched collars and cigars
Referring to the wealthy and powerful individuals in the audience
He weren't no use for slavin'
He couldn't be used for slave labor
I wouldn't want him in my yard
I wouldn't want him living near me
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.....