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)
Val-Hala
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into the docks of dawn
While the sirens sit and comb their hair
And twiddle with their thumbs
Oh Thor above the mountain
Look down upon your children
This is their heaven where they´re told
Seek you find your place with me
Men of iron, men of steel
Only the brave hear the hammers ring
In the courts of the Queens, in the halls of the Kings
You can come to Val-hala in your own time
Come to Val-hala seek and you will find Val-hala
Come to Val-hala in your own time
Come to Val-hala seek and you will find Val-hala
There´s long boats in the harbour
Which arrive there every hour
With the souls of the heroes
Whose blood lies on the flowers
And this heaven is the home
Of every man who loves his sword
And he uses it for freedom
To preach the word of Thor
The song "Val-Hala" by Elton John is a deep and profound song that is full of mythical and mystical references. The song narrates the story of a group of seafarers who have docked their ships in the land of the afterlife, known as "Val-Hala". The song has a melancholic tune but the lyrics are full of hope and belief in the existence of an eternal place.
The song opens with a description of the seadogs who have come to the land of the afterlife, while the sirens twiddle with their thumbs. The seadogs are presented as brave and valiant men who have sailed their ships to reach this afterlife. The song then calls upon the gods, especially Thor, to look down upon the seadogs and give them their blessings. The afterlife in question is "Val-Hala", which can be interpreted as "the hall of the dead" or "the final resting place". The phrase "Bring their galleons" can be interpreted as meaning that the seafarers bring their treasures and valuable possessions to the afterlife.
The chorus of the song repeats an invitation to "come to Val-hala" several times, which signifies that the afterlife is only accessible to those who seek it out. The song mentions longboats arriving in the harbour with the souls of heroes who have given their lives for a greater cause. The afterlife is seen as a place where every man who loves his sword is welcome, and where he can use it for freedom and to preach the word of Thor. The lyrics of the song invoke the Norse mythology and create a vivid picture of the afterlife, which is the final resting place for the valiant seafarers.
Line by Line Meaning
The seadogs have all sailed their ships
All the seafarers have anchored their vessels in Valhalla.
Into the docks of dawn
They have arrived at the shores of Valhalla at dawn.
While the sirens sit and comb their hair
The mermaids are idle and simply passing their time.
And twiddle with their thumbs
They are not doing anything important.
Oh Thor above the mountain
The singer is addressing the Norse god Thor who is believed to live in the mountains.
Look down upon your children
The singer is calling upon Thor to watch over his followers.
This is their heaven where they´re told
Valhalla is the afterlife for warriors who have died honourably in battle.
To bring their galleons
They are instructed to bring their boats and weapons to Valhalla.
Seek you find your place with me
The singer is inviting the listeners to find their place in the world of Valhalla.
Men of iron, men of steel
The warriors who belong in Valhalla are strong and unyielding.
Only the brave hear the hammers ring
Only the courageous can hear the sounds of the blacksmiths who make weapons in Valhalla.
In the courts of the Queens, in the halls of the Kings
Valhalla is a place of great majesty, where the powerful reside in luxury and splendour.
You can come to Val-hala in your own time
The singer is saying that anyone can enter Valhalla when they have passed on.
Come to Val-hala seek and you will find Val-hala
He encourages the listeners to seek out Valhalla and they will find it.
There´s long boats in the harbour
There are many boats that have docked in Valhalla's harbour.
Which arrive there every hour
Countless warriors arrive in Valhalla, one after the other.
With the souls of the heroes
The warriors who died a heroic death on the battlefield end up in Valhalla.
Whose blood lies on the flowers
The flowers in Valhalla are stained red with the blood of these warriors.
And this heaven is the home
Valhalla is the ideal destination for those who devoted their lives to being warriors.
Of every man who loves his sword
Valhalla is a place where swords are cherished, and those who love them are welcome.
And he uses it for freedom
Warriors in Valhalla use their swords to fight for freedom and justice.
To preach the word of Thor
Thor's followers in Valhalla spread his gospel and worship him as their god.
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.....