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)
Young Man's Blues
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days
You know in the old days
When a young man was a strong man
All the people they'd step back
When a young man walked by
It's the old man
He's got all the money
And a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days
I said nothing
Everybody knows that a young man ain't got nothin'
Everybody!
Everybody knows that a young man ain't got nothin'
He got nothin'
Nothin'
Take it easy on the young man
They ain't got nothin' in the world these days
I said they ain't got nothin'
They got sweet f*** all
Elton John's song "Young Man's Blues" speaks to the struggles of modern youth, particularly in terms of economic disparity. The lyrics begin by lamenting the lack of opportunities available to young men today, noting that "a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days." This sense of disillusionment is compounded by the fact that in the past, young men were seen as strong and capable, whereas now they are often overlooked and undervalued.
The second stanza takes a more pointed tone, with John specifically calling out the system that has led to this state of affairs. In the past, society respected and revered strong young men, but today the real power lies with the wealthy old men who control the world's resources. This disparity is felt deeply by young people who feel that they have nothing to offer in the face of such overwhelming wealth and power.
Taken as a whole, "Young Man's Blues" is a sobering reflection on the state of modern society, and the challenges that young people face. It speaks to the hopelessness and frustration that can result from feeling powerless in the face of larger economic forces, and the need for society to re-engage with the values that once made strength and capability a source of respect and admiration.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh well a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days
These days, a young man has nothing to his name
I said a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days
I repeat, young men have nothing in this world
You know in the old days
During the past times
When a young man was a strong man
When young men were viewed as powerful beings
All the people they'd step back
All people would give way in deference
When a young man walked by
When a young man passed through
But you know nowadays
But these days
It's the old man
Old men
He's got all the money
Are wealthier
And a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days
Leaving the young man with no possessions
I said nothing
Absolutely nothing
Everybody knows that a young man ain't got nothin'
Everyone is aware that young men are penniless
Everybody!
Listen up, everyone
He got nothin'
He owns nothing
Nothin'
Absolutely nothing
Take it easy on the young man
Be kind to young men
They ain't got nothin' in the world these days
They possess nothing
I said they ain't got nothin'
I repeat, they have nothing
They got sweet f*** all
To put it bluntly, they have absolutely nothing
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.....