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 Danny Bailey
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In cold blood, in the lobby of a downtown motel
Killed him in anger, a force he couldn't handle
Helped pull the trigger that cut short his life
And there's not many knew him the way that we did
Sure enough he was a wild one, but then aren't most hungry kids, oh, oh?
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
Dillinger's dead, oh
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
We're running short of heroes back up here in the hills
Without Danny Bailey we're gonna have to break up our stills
So mark his grave well 'cause Kentucky loved him
Born and raised a proper, I guess life just bugged him, and he
Found faith in danger, a lifestyle he lived by
A running-gun youngster in a sad, restless age, oh, oh
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead
I guess the cops won again, oh
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
The Ballad Of Danny Bailey is a poignant song by Elton John that tells the story of a young man named Danny Bailey who was killed by a punk with a shotgun in cold blood in a downtown motel. The lyrics suggest that Danny was a "wild one" who lived life on the edge and had found faith in danger. He was a "running-gun youngster in a sad, restless age". Despite his recklessness, the song also implies that Danny had a certain charm and charisma that made him beloved by those who knew him. The line "Born and raised a proper, I guess life just bugged him" suggests that Danny had the potential for a good life, but circumstances led him down a different path.
However, Danny's tragic fate doesn't go unnoticed. The song mourns the loss of a hero and the fact that they are "running short of heroes back up here in the hills". The lyrics also suggest that without Danny's presence, life may soon become more difficult for those left behind - "Without Danny Bailey we're gonna have to break up our stills". The song emphasizes the senseless violence that ends Danny's life and the futility of the authorities' attempts to bring justice. The chorus repeats the refrain "now it's all over Danny Bailey and the harvest is in" which serves as a reminder that Danny's life was cut short and that his potential will never be fully realized.
Line by Line Meaning
Some punk with a shotgun killed young Danny Bailey
Danny Bailey was murdered by an unruly delinquent at a motel lobby, who shot him with a shotgun.
In cold blood, in the lobby of a downtown motel
Danny Bailey was mercilessly killed with a weapon in the reception of a motel located in the city center.
Killed him in anger, a force he couldn't handle
Danny was killed in a fit of rage, and there was nothing he could do to avoid his fate.
Helped pull the trigger that cut short his life
The perpetrator was not alone, they had an accomplice that helped them pull the trigger, extinguishing Danny Bailey's life.
And there's not many knew him the way that we did
Danny Bailey was not widely known, but the few who did knew him well.
Sure enough he was a wild one, but then aren't most hungry kids, oh, oh?
Danny was indeed a rebellious teen, but that is fairly common for adolescents who seek to fulfill their basic needs.
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
Danny Bailey's life is over, and his tale is coming to an end.
And the harvest is in
The metaphorical harvest of life has been reaped for Danny Bailey, and it is complete.
Dillinger's dead, oh
Dillinger has also met his demise, possibly alluding to the gangster John Dillinger, who was killed by law enforcement agents.
I guess the cops won again
The police triumphed over criminals once more, and the artist seems to lament it.
We're running short of heroes back up here in the hills
In the rural area which the song refers to, there is a lack of heroic figures to honor or remember.
Without Danny Bailey we're gonna have to break up our stills
Danny Bailey was important enough for the locals to consider discontinuing their illicit distilling operations in his wake.
So mark his grave well 'cause Kentucky loved him
Danny Bailey was appreciated and missed by those in his home state, where he was raised.
Born and raised a proper, I guess life just bugged him, and he
Although Danny was brought up well, life somehow got the better of him.
Found faith in danger, a lifestyle he lived by
Danny appeared to be drawn to perilous situations, and embraced such a lifestyle.
A running-gun youngster in a sad, restless age, oh, oh
Danny Bailey belonged to a generation of troubled youth attracted to firearms, contributing to a widespread feeling of unease and anxiety.
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
The song repeats that Danny Bailey's story has reached its end, and nothing else will come of it.
And the harvest is in
Once again, the metaphorical harvest of life has been completed.
Dillinger's dead
The mention of Dillinger's death is repeated, as if to underline the finality of it all.
I guess the cops won again, oh
The artist's lament is once again expressed, emphasizing the police's triumph over criminals.
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
The song ends with the repetition that Danny Bailey's life has concluded, and everyone's expectations for him have been fulfilled.
And the harvest is in
Finally, the metaphorical harvest aspect of the song is repeated one last time, concluding the story.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tony Saunders
This is an absolute classic ballad so here's the words for the next generation to learn
"The Ballad Of Danny Bailey"
Some punk with a shotgun killed young Danny Bailey
In cold blood, in the lobby of a downtown motel
Killed him in anger, a force he couldn't handle
Helped pull the trigger that cut short his life
And there's not many knew him the way that we did
Sure enough he was a wild one, but then aren't most hungry kids
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
We're running short of heroes back up here in the hills
Without Danny Bailey we're gonna have to break up our stills
So mark his grave well `cause Kentucky loved him
Born and raised a proper, I guess life just bugged him
And he found faith in danger, a lifestyle he lived by
A running gun youngster in a sad restless age
Claude Bernardin
This is one of the best deep album cuts he ever recorded. The end piano is to die for! The arrangement is top-of-the-line. The performances of all involved are a plus. The storytelling by Bernie is some of his best. It remains a classic, and one of the most outstanding songs on yellow brick road.
Stacie Purcell
Yes! (Hi 😊)
Marin Family
To me, only Elton & Billy Joel can portray such beautiful emotion with their piano playing talent
Taylor
It’s sad how you only hear about the bigger songs on the album like “Saturday’s all right for fighting”, “goodbye yellow brick road” and Bennie and the jets”, and never hear about this song and others like “sweet painted lady” and “grey seal”. The entire album was great and it’s not until you get the entire thing on vinyl or CD that you hear all of them in all their glory. Sad these gems aren’t done justice.
Keith Jones
Lots of his lesser known songs are the biggest for me!
ftsjr
The entire album is a masterpiece.
Mark
It rivals Abbey Road ...
Craig De Remigis
I think it's a major inspiration for Bat Out Of Hell.
Alice Cooper's From The Inside album is quite similar. It was co-written & produced by Bernie Taupin.
Danny Bailey
I agree
john kiernan
You are too !!