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 Wasteland
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The things I've done, the places that I've been
This life of mine seemed surreal at times
Wasted days and nights in someone else's mind
Could it be I'm not for real?
I've slapped my face to check out how I feel
There's hostages to prove it's true
Come on Robert Johnson
Though we're worlds apart
You and I know what it's like
With the devil in our heart
You sold your soul at the crossroads
Kept a little of mine on hand
I'm wading out this muddy water
Been stranded in the Wasteland
Rattling chains all around my bed
Ghosts can laugh but they're already dead
I'm not dying and I'm far from gone
The blues man spent his candle but his pain lives on
The Wasteland by Elton John is a song that speaks to the desire to understand one's place in the world and the journey of self-discovery. The lyrics start off by expressing a feeling of disbelief in the life that one has lived and the places they've been. The phrasing "this life of mine seemed surreal at times" suggests that the singer questions the authenticity of their experiences, and wonders if they could be a figment of someone else's imagination. The next few lines reveal the singer's desperation for some kind of evidence of their existence, "could it be I'm not for real? I've slapped my face to check out how I feel." At times, the feeling of not knowing oneself, and questioning one's reality can lead to a sense of hostage-taking, as if one is held ransom by their own identity.
The second half of the song shifts to a dialogue between Elton John and Robert Johnson, two musicians who are separated by worlds but united by their shared struggles with the depths of emotion. They are both bluesmen, haunted by the devil, and seeking redemption through their music. The lyrics reference Robert Johnson's legendary myth of selling his soul at the crossroads to become the king of the blues, while Elton John admits to keeping a little of his own soul on hand. The act of doing so suggests a reluctance to give in entirely to the pressures of fame and success, and the lyrics leave room for the idea that even though we may feel adrift or lost at times, in the end, our legacy remains.
Line by Line Meaning
Some days I think it's all a dream
At times, everything in my life seems like it is just an illusion.
The things I've done, the places that I've been
I have accomplished many things and traveled to different places.
This life of mine seemed surreal at times
My life can seem strange and unusual at moments.
Wasted days and nights in someone else's mind
I have spent countless hours lost in thoughts or consumed by someone else's actions.
Could it be I'm not for real?
I sometimes question whether or not I am living a genuine life.
I've slapped my face to check out how I feel
I have even resorted to physically hurting myself to confirm if I am truly alive or not.
There's hostages to prove it's true
There are people who can attest to the validity of my existence.
Who lives behind the mask was never proved
However, there are still those who doubt my true identity and character.
Come on Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson, who sold his soul to the devil, can relate to the struggles I have faced.
Though we're worlds apart
Even though we come from different backgrounds and eras, we share a common bond.
You and I know what it's like
We both understand the weight and gravity of making a deal with the devil.
With the devil in our heart
Our souls are marked by this pact and we carry it with us.
You sold your soul at the crossroads
Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil at a crossroads in exchange for musical talent.
Kept a little of mine on hand
I, too, have sacrificed a part of myself for my own personal gain.
I'm wading out this muddy water
I am slowly but surely freeing myself from the sins of my past and the consequences of my actions.
Been stranded in the Wasteland
However, I still find myself lost in a barren and desolate place.
Rattling chains all around my bed
I am haunted by my past and the people I've hurt.
Ghosts can laugh but they're already dead
The people I've wronged may mock me, but ultimately, they can no longer feel pain.
I'm not dying and I'm far from gone
Despite my struggles, I am still alive and refuse to give up just yet.
The blues man spent his candle but his pain lives on
Although Robert Johnson is no longer with us, his music lives on and his struggles still resonate with people today.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN, 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.....