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)
You Can Make History
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can feel the years crawling through my skin
And if I doubt myself I can count on the rain
To cover the tears of this aging game
But I can count on you to play your part
I don't miss a beat of your animal heart
And when you push from behind I know I can
And oh babe, you can make history young again
You could rewrite, you could decide
The things that should or shouldn't have been
You could look at me in the scheme of things
Oh babe, you could make history young again
I can watch the weeks sweeping by
I can recollect the hearts hanging out to dry
When the world shuts down I can touch my fears
I can hear lost youth ringing in my ears
But I lost nothing when I gained you
You just blew me away with yesterdays news
When you run your fingers down my spine
It's like throwing a switch on the hands of time
Ancient minds, ancient lives
Got a way of coming around
If I knew then what I know now
I'd make it back to you somehow
The lyrics to Elton John's song "You Can Make History" are an introspective look at growing older and the fear and uncertainty that comes with it. The opening lines describe the physical and emotional toll that passing time can take, but the singer finds solace in their relationship with another person, who they can rely on to be a steady and supportive presence. They acknowledge their own doubts and insecurities but find comfort in the knowledge that their partner will always be there to push them forward.
The chorus speaks to the transformative power of love and the idea that, with the right person by your side, you can recapture some of the vitality and energy of your youth. The singer imagines a world in which their partner could rewrite history and change the course of their lives, and they express a sense of awe and gratitude for the depth of their connection. The final verse reflects on the way that the past is always present, and how the choices we make can shape our lives in unexpected ways.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder of the importance of human connection and the ways in which love can offer a sense of continuity and meaning in a world that is constantly changing.
Line by Line Meaning
I can feel the time closing in
I am aware that time is passing quickly and I am getting older
I can feel the years crawling through my skin
I can physically sense the effects of aging on my body
And if I doubt myself I can count on the rain
When I am feeling down, I can rely on the comfort of nature to make me feel better
To cover the tears of this aging game
To hide the emotional pain that comes with getting older
But I can count on you to play your part
I know I can rely on you to support me and help me through difficult times
I don't miss a beat of your animal heart
I am deeply connected to you and can sense your emotions and feelings
And when you push from behind I know I can
When you encourage and support me, I feel empowered to face any challenge
Cover a mountain with the palm of my hand
I feel like I can accomplish anything, no matter how difficult or daunting it may seem
And oh babe, you can make history young again
You have the power to change the past and create a bright and hopeful future
You could rewrite, you could decide
You have the ability to shape your own destiny and make your own choices
The things that should or shouldn't have been
You have the power to fix mistakes and right wrongs
You could look at me in the scheme of things
You can see the bigger picture and understand how we fit into the world
Oh babe, you could make history young again
You have the potential to be a force for positive change and create a better world
I can watch the weeks sweeping by
I am conscious of the passage of time and how quickly it goes by
I can recollect the hearts hanging out to dry
I remember past struggles and hardships that were never resolved
When the world shuts down I can touch my fears
When everything is going wrong, I am forced to confront my deepest fears
I can hear lost youth ringing in my ears
I am haunted by memories of my youth that will never return
But I lost nothing when I gained you
You are so valuable to me that nothing else matters in comparison
You just blew me away with yesterdays news
You surprise and delight me with your unique perspective and outlook on life
When you run your fingers down my spine
Your touch is electric and sends shivers down my back
It's like throwing a switch on the hands of time
You have the power to halt the passage of time and make me feel young and alive again
Ancient minds, ancient lives
The experiences and wisdom of our ancestors are still relevant and important today
Got a way of coming around
The lessons of the past have a tendency to repeat themselves
If I knew then what I know now
I wish I could go back in time and use the knowledge I have gained to make different choices
I'd make it back to you somehow
I would do anything to be with you and have you by my side
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melanie Hentschel
Gosh, I love Elton of the 90s, sober, matured, genuinely happy and absolutely adorable! And I love this song so much.
EmpressDougla
Good God what an amazing song 😍
Ernie
God, I love this record! This song is just gorgeous, it's my most played song right now 2021. Sir Elton John is a true living legend. What a catalog of phenomenal music!
loveinspired7
My God, how I love this song! 🎵💙
VoyageOne1
My FAVOURITE 90's song from Elton.
Matthew Lai
The <something about the way you look tonight> is very nice too.
ken karwoski
What underrated Elton John song!
Keith Webb
Light, breezy, and wonderful. Perfect.
AeroLambShaki999
This man is a true icon.
ryansmom64
Love this song! I am just hearing it for the first time now and it's already one of my favorites!