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 Measure of a Man
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This broken heart has turned to stone
Go hang your glory on the wall
There comes a time when castles fall
And all that's left is shifting in the sand
You're out of time, you're out of place
Look at your face
This coat that fits you like a glove
These dirty streets you learned to love
So welcome back my long lost friend
You've been to hell and back again
God alone knows how you crossed that span
Back on the beat, back to the start
Trust in your heart
That's the measure of a man
It's the fire in the eyes, the lines on the hand
It's the things you understand
Permanent ties from which you once ran
That's the measure of a man
You've come full circle, now you're home
Without the gold, without the chrome
And this is where you've always been
You had to lose so you could win
And rise above your troubles while you can
Now you can love, now you can lose
Now you can choose
That's the measure of a man
It's the fire in the eyes, the lines on the hand
It's the things you understand
Permanent ties from which you once ran
That's the measure of a man
You've come full circle, now you're home
Without the gold, without the chrome
And this is where you've always been
You had to lose so you could win
And rise above your troubles while you can
Now you can love, now you can lose
Now you can choose
That's the measure of a man
In Elton John's song, The Measure of a Man, the lyrics are reflective of the story of someone who has been through the trials of life. The opening lines, "These battered hands are all you own, this broken heart has turned to stone," suggest that the person has been through the hard times and has emerged with scars that have made him tougher. As the song progresses, it celebrates the person's strength and resilience.
The singer goes on to describe his friend's journey. He talks about the coat that fits him like a glove, the dirty streets he learned to love, and the battle-worn face that's the measure of a man. He welcomes his friend back from his journey through hell, acknowledging the trials he's faced and overcome. The lyrics speak of the permanent ties from which he once ran and the fire in his eyes that reflects his strength.
The song concludes with the person having come full circle, now home without the gold or chrome. The singer acknowledges that his friend had to lose to win and rise above his troubles. Now he can love and lose again, and he can choose his path. The measure of a man is his ability to rise above adversity, face obstacles head-on, and emerge stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
These battered hands are all you own
These hands that have endured struggles and hardships are the only possession you have left
This broken heart has turned to stone
The emotional pain has caused the heart to become numb and unfeeling
Go hang your glory on the wall
Display the achievements and successes for all to see and admire
There comes a time when castles fall
Eventually, even the greatest symbols of power and wealth will crumble and fall
And all that's left is shifting in the sand
The remaining pieces are unstable and uncertain, prone to change and movement
You're out of time, you're out of place
Feeling lost and disoriented, with no clear direction or purpose
Look at your face
Examine yourself and your life, and see the decisions and actions that have led you to this point
That's the measure of a man
The true worth and character of a person is revealed in moments of hardship and adversity
This coat that fits you like a glove
The familiar garment that provides comfort and security, fitting perfectly
These dirty streets you learned to love
Finding beauty and meaning in the less glamorous and less traveled paths of life
So welcome back my long lost friend
Inviting and embracing the part of oneself that was lost along the way
You've been to hell and back again
Having experienced difficult and traumatic situations, and come out the other side
God alone knows how you crossed that span
Only a higher power could understand the extent of the struggles and hardships that were overcome
Back on the beat, back to the start
Returning to the rhythm and routine of life, starting fresh
Trust in your heart
Believe in your instincts and emotions
That's the measure of a man
The true worth and character of a person is revealed in moments of hardship and adversity
It's the fire in the eyes, the lines on the hand
The visible signs of passion, drive, and experience that make up a person's character
It's the things you understand
The knowledge and wisdom gained from life experiences and struggles
Permanent ties from which you once ran
The relationships and connections that were once avoided or rejected, but now recognized as essential
You've come full circle, now you're home
After a long journey, finding oneself back where they started, but with new perspective and understanding
Without the gold, without the chrome
Lacking the symbols of wealth and status, but finding fulfillment and meaning in other ways
You had to lose so you could win
Suffering and setbacks were necessary to achieve greater success and happiness
And rise above your troubles while you can
Overcoming challenges and difficulties, taking advantage of the opportunity to do so
Now you can love, now you can lose
Having the freedom to experience the highs and lows of life
Now you can choose
Having the power to make decisions and forge one's own path
That's the measure of a man
The true worth and character of a person is revealed in moments of hardship and adversity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sir
These battered hands are all you own
This broken heart has turned to stone
Go hang your glory on the wall
There comes a time when castles fall
And all that's left is shifting in the sand
You're out of time, you're out of place
Look at your face
That's the measure of a man
This coat that fits you like a glove
These dirty streets you learned to love
So welcome back my long lost friend
You've been to hell and back again
God alone knows how you crossed that span
Back on the beat, back to the start
Trust in your heart
That's the measure of a man
It's the fire in the eyes, the lines on the hand
It's the things you understand
Permanent ties from which you once ran
That's the measure of a man
You've come full circle, now you're home
Without the gold, without the chrome
And this is where you've always been
You had to lose so you could win
And rise above your troubles while you can
Now you can love, now you can lose
Now you can choose
That's the measure of a man
It's the fire in the eyes, the lines on the hand
It's the things you understand
Permanent ties from which you once ran
That's the measure of a man
You've come full circle, now you're home
Without the gold, without the chrome
And this is where you've always been
You had to lose so you could win
And rise above your troubles while you can
Now you can love, now you can lose
Now you can choose
That's the measure of a man
william sims coleman jones jr
Happy Father’s Day to my father William Sr.
Dad's Legacy
He’s been gone 22 years this June but how he lived his life is still resonating strong in my mind, heart and soul.
❤️
He was quiet and small man but lead with a quiet certainty and crooked smile. I wrote these 10 lessons down back when my dad fell ill.
🙏
I review them often and especially when I think I’m going astray. I hope you find them valuable and helpful to you.
👌
Dignity - live with grace no matter the persecution or circumstances.
🙏
Defiance - live for what is the right thing to do even if it means sacrificin
🙏
Congruency - do what you say and say what you do and be true to that always. 🙏
Hope - one of the greatest gifts we can give to others is the hope for a better tomorrow.
🙏
Service/giving - our existence is in enriched by being service of and giving to others.
🙏
Gratitude - find gratitude in all that life brings - the good and the bad.
🙏
Butterfly - what we do has a ripple effect on those that we see more importantly those that we don’t.
🙏
Forgiving - Live life with forgiveness in your heart for the wrongs that were done because they helped make you who you are.
🙏
Love - love is the core of life.
🙏
Humanity is one - we are all connected and nothing we do is without impact. 🙏
🙏
Happy Father’s Day dad - thanks for the gift of being your son. I still miss you! ❤️
Rex Rathtar
It's the best apart from:
Gonna Fly Now
Eye of the Tiger
Burning Heart
No Easy Way Out
Hearts on Fire
Other than that, yeah, the best.
Unless you include instrumentals as well and then it goes even lower down the list.
Simon Feros
This is my favourite Elton John song by a mile. We can all relate to it. Written for Rocky, but it applies to us all. There is a Rocky within each of us.
Ryan Alexander
Yes brother 💪🏽
Fulguro Geek
Amazing song the only thing is that it is not an elton john song. He was only the interpret on this one. Still his best song anyways hehehe
Ferdie Nantes
Amen to that.
Tonys mma class
There is also paulie in each of us lol not everyone is rocky
INDRANIL BANERJEE
Right said. 👍🏻
"There's Rocky within each of us."
Pierre
Not having this song available on Spotify is a war crime
Kevin
Yeah what's up with that? Just looked for it.
Jacob Durant
That’s why I am here.
Frab
Playlists exist right