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)
slave
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Driven by a man with a bullwhip in his hand, in his hand
And I've taken just as much as I can stand, I can stand
Oh, we've got to free our brothers from their shackles yeah if we can, if can
Most nights I have to watch my woman cry, oh she cries
Every day I watch the colonel smile, oh he smiles
His painted ladies riding in from town, in from town
Slave! Slave.
To fight the violence we must be brave,
Hold on strong
To the love God gave, slave
There's a rumor of a war that's yet to come, yet to come
That may free our families, free our families and our sons, and our sons
It may lay green lands to barren wastes, all the waste, all the waste
Oh the price of release is a bitter blow to face, ah to face
Slave! Slave.
To fight the violence we must be brave,
Hold on strong
To the love God gave, slave
Slave! Oh slave.
To fight the violence we must be brave,
Hold on strong
To the love God gave,
Slave! Slave.
To fight the violence we must be brave,
Hold on strong
To the love God gave, slave
The song "Slave" by Elton John is a powerful commentary on the issue of slavery and the oppressive systems that have existed throughout history. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the harsh reality of slavery, with a river of sweat running through the land as a result of the brutal work that slaves were forced to endure. The image of a man with a bullwhip in his hand emphasizes the violent and cruel nature of slavery.
The singer of the song expresses his own struggles with the system, saying that he has taken as much as he can stand. He recognizes the need to free his brothers from their shackles and stands in solidarity with other slaves who are suffering. The singer's personal life is also affected by slavery, with his woman crying most nights and the colonel who oversees the slaves constantly smiling.
Despite the bleakness of the situation, the song also has a message of hope. The singer speaks of a rumor of a coming war that may lead to the end of slavery and the freedom of families and sons. However, he acknowledges that the price of release may be a bitter blow to face. Ultimately, the song is a call to arms for those who have been oppressed to fight the violence with bravery and hold on to the love that God gave them.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a river running sweat right through our land, through our land,
There's suffering and pain that runs deeply through our country, inflicted by slave owners and their cruel ways.
Driven by a man with a bullwhip in his hand, in his hand
The torturous work is enforced by a man wielding a bullwhip, a symbol of the brutal force used to maintain slavery.
And I've taken just as much as I can stand, I can stand
The singer has reached his limit and can no longer tolerate the oppression and cruelty of the slave owner.
Oh, we've got to free our brothers from their shackles yeah if we can, if can
It's the responsibility of all people to work towards freeing slaves and ending the practice of slavery.
Most nights I have to watch my woman cry, oh she cries
The singer's significant other deeply feels the weight of the injustice and suffering caused by slavery.
Every day I watch the colonel smile, oh he smiles
The slave owner appears happy and content, seemingly unaware of the harm and misery he is inflicting on others.
His painted ladies riding in from town, in from town
The women who visit the slave owner likely participate in and benefit from the continuation of slavery.
Oh I swear one day I'm gonna burn the whore house to the ground, to the ground
The singer expresses his anger and determination to end the cycle of abuse and exploitation perpetuated by the slave owner and his associates.
Slave! Slave.
The word 'slave' is repeated as a call to attention and reminder of the ongoing crisis of slavery.
To fight the violence we must be brave,
Ending the violence and oppression of slavery requires courage and bravery from all who oppose it.
Hold on strong To the love God gave, slave
Despite the pain and hardship experienced by slaves, they must hold onto the hope and love that God has given them as they work towards freedom.
There's a rumor of a war that's yet to come, yet to come
The singer alludes to a hypothetical future where the issue of slavery is resolved through conflict or other means.
That may free our families, free our families and our sons, and our sons
This potential conflict could result in the emancipation of slaves, and the release of their entire families from bondage.
It may lay green lands to barren wastes, all the waste, all the waste
However, the cost of such a war could be devastating and result in destruction for all, including the land and resources that were once fruitful.
Oh the price of release is a bitter blow to face, ah to face
Even if slaves are ultimately freed, the emotional and physical toll of the experience will leave lasting scars.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
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.....