Your Song

Another Story from the Jukebox

I love this exercise that Stories from the Jukebox is sponsoring. This week’s song is Your Song by Elton John. Going with non-fiction this week.

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Ok, not gonna lie. This is not one of my favorite songs, either in Elton’s catalog, or on the topic. Leon Russell did it so much better, with “A Song for You” (“I love you in a place where there’s no space or time, I love you for my life you are a friend of mine”). And Elton’s song “Harmony” is imho a much better love song. So that.

In 1970, Reggie Dwight was an “upstart crow”, as Shakespeare might have called him. After a stint as an errand boy for a London publishing company, he formed a band called Bluesology with some friends, namely saxophonist Elton Dean and singer Long John Baldry. Bluesology had some limited success as an opening act for R&B performers like the Isley Brothers, but was broken up by now. 

Reggie had changed his name to Elton John, in deference to his old bandmates, and had met a songwriter named Bernie Taupin, quite by chance. They were immediately compatible, and prolific. By 1970, Elton was beginning to gain some traction. He opened for Three Dog Night in March, and they loved “Your Song”. They recorded it before Elton did, but didn’t release it as a single, apparently out of respect for Elton. He released it (as a B-side to “Take Me to the Pilot”!), and “Your Song” became Elton John’s first big hit.

The first song from Elton John that I personally remember was an eerie, longish piece called “Madman Across the Water”. It was different. It was British, but not Beatles or Stones British. It was Roger Waters or Tull, but with this awesome piano and voice. In 1971 I found the album, listened to it over and again. This record had depth, life, soul. I really didn’t circle back to his earlier work. I heard “Your Song” as pop fluff. 

The next album from him was “Honky Chateau”, with the amazing song “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”. Then came “Daniel”, and then the Yellow Brick Road. I loved this guy. 

It’s no surprise that he later chose to live in my town, Atlanta, and become a Braves fan. Of course he did. I never had the chance to meet him, unfortunately. He and David Bowie quietly showed up at Smith’s Olde Bar at Piedmont and Monroe one night in 1995 or so, still an underground legend of a night. I wasn’t there. So that.

But back to “Your Song”. It has grown on me, as I have softened. Age does that to you. The tune opens with a beautiful piano lead. Elton’s voice is pure as maple syrup. The arrangement is quite good, using a simple throughline to an almost magical effect.

“I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.” To an edgy teenager whose only romantic experience had been stealing a kiss from Peggy behind Roger’s garage in Stone Mountain, these words were sappy, silly, superfluous. What made life happen was the exact opposite. Boys in basements with tools and machines, baseball fields, anything but sappy nonsense about how wonderful you make life. Life was wonderful without that noise.

Then, in 1986, my oldest son was born. Then another in 1989, then again in 2000 (yeah, I know, don’t judge). Now the lyrics made sense. “I don’t have much money but boy if I did…”. Yeah. The artist doesn’t get to decide how a song lands with an audience, I learned that a long time ago. You just write what you feel and let er rip. So that.

When I hear this song now it takes me back not to 1970 but to maybe 1995. The boys were a huge part of my life, and I had that girl, the one I thought would be forever. “It’s a little bit funny…” 

Can’t say it makes me nostalgic, but it is definitely a reminder of a simpler time, a somewhat more elegaic time. It reminds me that an artist can wear many faces, as can a man in full. 

Let’s just say I’m much more of a romantic now. If I was Galahad in 1970, when the song appeared, I’m now more like Lord Byron. Sans the absinthe. Or maybe Shelley, with the partner writing Frankenstein. Quieter, more able to find the wisdom in lyrics like “the sun’s been quite kind while I wrote this song.” And in that beautiful piano work. Very nice.

But I still prefer All Them Witches, not gonna lie. So that.