20 Legendary Songs from Icon Sir. Elton John
With his biopic “Rocketman” opening this coming weekend, Sir Elton John wrote in The Guardian, “Some studios wanted to tone down the sex and drugs so the film would get a PG-13 rating. But I just haven’t led a PG-13 rated life. I didn’t want a film packed with drugs and sex, but equally, everyone knows I had quite a lot of both during the 70s and 80s, so there didn’t seem to be much point in making a movie that implied that after every gig, I’d quietly gone back to my hotel room with only a glass of warm milk and the Gideon’s Bible for company.”
John’s off-stage persona at times was just as big as his onstage one. And it onstage career is legendary.
John has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. He has 58 top 40 hits, 27 top 10 singles, and seven consecutive number-one albums in the United States. John a byproduct of Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Fat Dominos, Little Richard and Bob Dylan (although he would add Boch and Beethoven) is credited for influencing musicians from Hip Hop like Q-Tip and Eminem, to R&B like Prince and Mary J. Blige to Rock like Freddy Mercury and to Pop like Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus. Along with writing partner Bernie Taupin, Sir Elton John has carried the tradition of writing movingly beautiful, iconic, and all out fun songs.
Before we get to the list of the best Elton John songs, I must give a shout out to both my parents who separately taught me to love Elton John by forcing me to listen to their cassette tapes, vinyls and yes, their signing. They also probably will tell me I got the placement for many on this list wrong.
Here are our 20 best Elton John songs:
[1] Tiny Dancer (1971)
[2] Your Song (1970)
[3] Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (1972)
[4] Bennie and the Jets (1974)
[5] Levon (1971)
[6] Rock Man (I Think It’s Going To Be a Long, Long Time) (1972)
[7] Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting (1973)
[8] Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word (1976)
[9] Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
[10] Take Me To The Pilot (1970)
[11] I’m Still Standing (1983)
[12] Candle In The Wind (1974)
[13] Crocodile Rock (1972)
[14] Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (featuring George Michael) (1991)
[15] Daniel (1973)
[16] Burn Down the Mission (1975)
[17] The Bitch Is Back (1974)
[18] Ego (1978)
[19] Border Song (1970)
[20] I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues (1983)
#
