Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a … Read Full Bio ↴Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist, and composer. Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967, John is one of the most successful artists of all time, having sold over 300 million records worldwide in a seven-decade career in music. He is acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, and his lasting impact on the music industry. John's music and showmanship have had a significant impact on popular music. His songwriting partnership with Taupin is one of the most successful in history.

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)

Wicked Dreams
Elton John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's written clear across the room
In silent words the blind could understand
I came here to relax and find
A sleep that soaks me up like surf and sand

And you appear as I descend
A soft outline all poised and feather light
I come into the darkness now

To conjure up a dream and close my eyes

Don't disturb me if you dare
Join me if you have the nerve
I'll show you where the best of me has been
Behind my eyes I'll wait for you
Imagine just what we could do
Come join me in my wicked dream

Don't send me back to real life
The daily grind just leaves me feeling numb

Leave me in my wicked dream
Where pressure cracks and beauty comes undone

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Elton John's song "Wicked Dreams" can be interpreted as a call to escape from the pressures and mundanity of everyday life. The writer seeks solace in sleep, looking to enter a deep state of relaxation that will wash over them like waves on the beach. As they sink into unconsciousness, they are met by a mysterious figure who enters their dreams in a "soft outline all poised and feather light."

The writer invites this presence to stay with them in the dream world, promising to show them their true self beyond the facade they present in waking life. There is a sense of danger and seduction as the writer urges the presence to "join me if you have the nerve," and offers to let them see "the best of me has been." It's clear that the dream world offers a space for the writer to shed their inhibitions and explore their deepest desires.

Throughout the song, there is a tension between the safety and comfort of the dream state and the harsh realities of the "daily grind." The writer fears being pulled back into the "pressure" of the real world and hopes to stay suspended in their "wicked dream" where "beauty comes undone."

Overall, "Wicked Dreams" can be seen as a commentary on the power of the subconscious mind to unlock hidden desires and emotions, and a longing to escape from the constraints of everyday life.

Line by Line Meaning

It's written clear across the room
The message is obvious and easily understandable

In silent words the blind could understand
The message is so evident, one doesn't need to see it to comprehend it

I came here to relax and find
I'm here to unwind and de-stress

A sleep that soaks me up like surf and sand
A deep slumber that takes me away like the waves on a beach

And you appear as I descend
You show up just as I'm falling asleep

A soft outline all poised and feather light
You're a delicate silhouette, graceful and serene

I come into the darkness now
I'm slipping into the realm of dreams

To conjure up a dream and close my eyes
To create a fantasy as I drift off

Don't disturb me if you dare
Don't interrupt my peaceful slumber, unless you're feeling bold

Join me if you have the nerve
If you're brave enough, come be a part of my dream

I'll show you where the best of me has been
I'll take you to a place where I'm at my finest