Throughout his career, Elton John has not been a stranger to adversity. From dealing with addiction to coming to terms with his sexuality in the public eye, this pop star has seen it all. Here are three John staples that have the sonic power to get you through just about anything in life.
“The B*tch Is Back”
This is the ultimate hype up song, especially when you need to convince yourself that you’re back and better than ever. If you listen to the lyrics, it becomes clear that John himself is “the b*tch,” but he doesn’t seem to have a problem with that.
As Elizabeth J. Rosenthal shares in her book, His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John, this song is John’s acknowledgment of his role as a live performer.
“‘The B*tch Is Back’ is a testament to Elton’s ability to poke fun at himself,” she explains. “He understood that he was the ‘b*tch’ and reveled in this role during live performances.”
“I’m Still Standing”
One of the most enduring songs in John’s catalog, “I’m Still Standing” appears on John’s album Too Low for Zero. In the lyrics, John sings about being a “survivor” after what one could assume is the breakup of a romantic relationship.
Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I’m still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind.
Regardless of what the song was originally written about, this one can easily be applied to any difficult life situation.
“Someone Saved My Life Tonight”
Although the story behind this song is a little bit dark, to say the least, it’s a reminder that things can always get better. Released as a single in 1975, this song recounts the time when John nearly married a woman, Linda Woodrow, in 1970.
He did eventually get married to Renate Blaue in 1984. However, at the time, Taupin and John’s friend, Long John Baldry, knew marriage wasn’t the right choice. About a month before the wedding, the two creatives sat John down and convinced him to call it off.
As the singer told The Guardian, his initial attempt to get out of the event involved a gas oven.
“I really had staged a completely ridiculous suicide bid that involved sticking my head in a gas oven,” John explained. “Rather than tell my fiancée I’d made a mistake, that was my brilliant plan to try and get out of the wedding.”
Photo by: George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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Author: Em Casalena
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