The song is practically all piano and vocal, and all the more impressive for that; the white Gospel type "choir" is a master stroke; Elton did all the vocals; Dave Hentschel played ARP synthesiser, the only other instrument on the track.
It may be that lyricist Bernie Taupin was inspired by the Whitman shooting, albeit indirectly. The film Targets (also known as Before I Die") was based loosely on the Clock Tower Massacre. It was released barely two years after the tragedy, having been made in almost indecent haste.
The unnamed gunman in the song murdered fourteen people in his killing spree before being shot dead by the police. Whitman killed fourteen people in similar fashion before he too was shot: prior to the massacre he stabbed his mother and his wife to death.
When he performed "Ticking" at the Christenhof Castle, Sweden, on his 2003 tour, Elton introduced the song saying it dealt with violence in America around 1973; when Bernie wrote the lyrics we thought things would get better not worse, things have got worse, so it's more relevant today than ever, and at the end, he said simply "No guns." The song though makes a statement not only about American society but about society worldwide, and about human nature. In spite of the problems Mankind faces in the 21st Century, most people, certainly in the West, in Japan, and other advanced nations, have never had it so good. Yet the problems of survival, and eking out a mere existence have been replaced by increasing psychological and social problems. Indiscriminate knifings, shootings and even mass murders by outwardly sane and rational people are often triggered by the most trivial of stimulae such as an angry glance or being "dissed" in some abstruse manner. No one knows who is ticking, and will explode suddenly and without notice.
A true masterpiece, running to 7 minutes, 28 seconds, this was and remains one of Elton's most under-rated as well as one of his most powerful songs. (thanks, Alexander Baron - London, England, for all above)
Ticking
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"He's always taken interest in the subjects that he's taught"
So what was it that brought the squad car screaming up your drive
To notify your parents of the manner in which you died
At St. Patrick's every Sunday, Father Fletcher heard your sins
"Oh, he's unconcerned with competition he never cares to win"
But blood stained a young hand that never held a gun
"Now you'll never get to Heaven" Mama said
Remember Mama said
Ticking, ticking
"Grow up straight and true blue
Run along to bed"
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
They had you holed up in a downtown bar screaming for a priest
Some gook said "His brain's just snapped" then someone called the police
You'd knifed a Negro waiter who had tried to calm you down
Oh you'd pulled a gun and told them all to lay still on the ground
Promising to hurt no one, providing they were still
A young man tried to make a break, with tear-filled eyes you killed
That gun butt felt so smooth and warm cradled in your palm
Oh your childhood cried out in your head "they mean to do you harm"
"Don't ever ride on the devil's knee" Mama said
Remember mama said
Ticking, ticking
"Pay your penance well, my child
Fear where angels tread"
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
Within an hour the news had reached the media machine
A male Caucasian with a gun had gone berserk in Queens
The area had been sealed off, the kids sent home from school
Fourteen people lying dead in a bar they called the Kicking Mule
Oh they pleaded to your sanity for the sake of those inside
"Throw out your gun, walk out slow just keep your hands held high"
But they pumped you full of rifle shells as you stepped out the door
Oh you danced in death like a marionette on the vengeance of the law
"You've slept too long in silence" Mama said
Remember Mama said
Ticking, ticking
"Crazy boy, you'll only wind up with strange notions in your head"
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
The song "Ticking" by Elton John tells the tragic story of a troubled young man who ultimately meets his demise at the hands of the law. The song opens with the description of the young man as “an extremely quiet child,” someone who had always taken an interest in his studies rather than in causing trouble. However, the next lines reveal that the story is about this child's fate, and the rest of the song proceeds to explore how and why he ended up in such a violent situation.
The lyrics describe various people who had interacted with the young man – his teachers, his priest, and his parents – all of whom appear to have had positive things to say about him, with the exception of his parents, who are shown to have been harsh in their criticism. Despite their concerns, the young man's behavior initially seems to reflect the positive feedback he received from others, but ultimately his underlying troubles and emotions emerge in violent and destructive ways.
Throughout the song, there are repeated references to the sound of ticking, creating a sense of urgency and foreboding. Whether the ticking represents the passage of time or the inevitability of the young man's fate is left to interpretation, but it serves to underscore the tragic nature of the story.
Overall, "Ticking" is a powerful and haunting song that explores themes of violence, isolation, and the destructive potential of repressed emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
An extremely quiet child' they called you in your school report
Your introverted behavior during childhood made the people around you label you as an extremely quiet child.
He's always taken interest in the subjects that he's taught
You were always curious to learn about the subjects that you were taught, which made the teachers happy.
So what was it that brought the squad car screaming up your drive
The presence of a police car raises the question of what could have happened at your house.
To notify your parents of the manner in which you died
The visit of the police officers to your house is a notification to your parents of your death and the way in which you died.
At St. Patrick's every Sunday, Father Fletcher heard your sins
During Sunday masses at St. Patrick's church, Father Fletcher listened to your confessions and the sins that you committed.
"Oh, he's unconcerned with competition he never cares to win"
Father Fletcher formed an opinion of you as someone who is disinterested in winning competitions or being overly competitive.
But blood stained a young hand that never held a gun
You were involved in a violent situation that left blood on your hands despite you never having held a gun before.
And his parents never thought of him as their troubled son
Your parents never viewed you as a son with troubling behavior which led to the violent situation you were involved in.
"Now you'll never get to Heaven" Mama said
Your mother, after hearing of your death, expressed regret by saying that your actions might have led to you not being able to go to heaven.
Remember Mama said
Your mother must have had many conversations with you, and what she said remains with you.
Ticking, ticking
The 'ticking' is an allusion to the ticking of a clock, a reminder that time is passing and life is short.
"Grow up straight and true blue
Your mother asked you to grow up and be a truthful and righteous person.
Runalong to bed"
She asked you to go to bed, a reminder of the innocence of childhood.
They had you holed up in a downtown bar screaming for a priest
You were trapped in a bar downtown and demanded to see a priest.
Some gook said "His brain's just snapped" then someone called the police
Someone referred to you as 'gook' and commented that your mind was unstable, leading to the police being informed.
You'd knifed a Negro waiter who had tried to calm you down
You stabbed an African American waiter who tried to calm you down during the altercation in the bar.
Oh you'd pulled a gun and told them all to lay still on the ground
You drew a gun and instructed everyone in the bar to lie on the ground in a violent display of authority.
Promising to hurt no one, providing they were still
You promised not to harm anyone in the bar as long as they followed your orders of staying still.
A young man tried to make a break, with tear-filled eyes you killed
One young man tried to escape your control, and you killed him while crying.
That gun butt felt so smooth and warm cradled in your palm
You found comfort in holding the gun, feeling its smoothness and warmth, possibly due to it being a weapon of power and control.
Oh your childhood cried out in your head "they mean to do you harm"
The memory of your childhood echoed through your mind, causing you to feel that everyone around you wanted to hurt you.
"Don't ever ride on the devil's knee" Mama said
Your mother warned you to never let evil take control of you.
Ticking, ticking
The ticking sound serves as a reminder that life is short and that one must pursue good throughout their time in this world.
"Pay your penance well, my child
Your mother asked you to perform an act of penance for your actions, to make things right.
Fear where angels tread"
She encouraged you to be cautious of dangerous and negative influences, even one's with good intentions.
Within an hour the news had reached the media machine
The news of the incident had spread far and wide, reaching the media in just an hour.
A male Caucasian with a gun had gone berserk in Queens
The incident involving a violent rampage in Queens was attributed to a white man with a gun.
The area had been sealed off, the kids sent home from school
In response to the incident, the area was closed and children were sent home from school for safety measures.
Fourteen people lying dead in a bar they called the Kicking Mule
A total of 14 people died in the shooting at Kicking Mule Bar and its aftermath.
Oh they pleaded to your sanity for the sake of those inside
Those outside the bar begged for the sake of the innocent people trapped inside for you to come out safely.
"Throw out your gun, walk out slow just keep your hands held high"
The people outside urged you to surrender peacefully, asking you to throw your gun away and walk out with your hands in the air.
But they pumped you full of rifle shells as you stepped out the door
The police shot you multiple times with rifles as you exited the building, leading to your death.
Oh you danced in death like a marionette on the vengeance of the law
Your body convulsed and moved around after being shot, likening it to a marionette controlled by the justice system's vengeance.
"You've slept too long in silence" Mama said
Your mother expresses regret that you did not speak about your troubles or warning signs of the violence that was to come.
Crazy boy, you'll only wind up with strange notions in your head"
She warns that if you don't speak up and share your thoughts, you might end up with strange and dangerous ideas.
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
Once again, the song ends with a reminder of the ticking of the clock, reminding listeners that time is always ticking away.
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.....