Elton's Song by Elton John

Album: The Fox (1981)

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As the title implies, this is a very personal song for Elton. Lyrics for most of his songs came from Bernie Taupin, but this one had a lyric written by Tom Robinson, a British singer whose songs include "2-4-6-8 Motorway" and "(Sing If You're) Glad To Be Gay." Unlike Taupin, Robinson is gay, and wrote words that Elton could relate to on that level.

Elton was not yet public in his homosexuality (he would marry a woman in 1984), and the song is not gender-specific. Elton, however, heard it as a boy-meets-boy love song, and says it reminded him of a 1968 movie called If, which is set at a school for boys in England. "It was the first gay song that I actually recorded as a homosexual song," Elton told Rolling Stone.
Directed by Russell Mulcahy, the music video presented a very clear interpretation of this song, showing a schoolboy pining for a male classmate.

Comments: 1

Larry from Central NjA plaintive ode to unrequited love, but unique (well, for 1980) in that it was written from the perspective of a boy pining for another boy. I think this is one of Elton’s most underrated songs and a true gem. While I prefer the tandem of Bernie & Elton, this is a really well written song and musically, the composition is beautiful and fits the lyrics so well. Without question, this is worth a download.

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