{"id":3975,"date":"2021-10-06T16:08:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T23:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/?p=3975"},"modified":"2021-10-06T16:09:25","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T23:09:25","slug":"your-song-a-brief-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/2021\/10\/06\/your-song-a-brief-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Song: A brief history"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold BCX0 SCXP66308138\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP66308138\">Who wrote &#8216;Your Song&#8217;?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Like with most\u00a0Elton\u00a0songs, he wrote the\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">melody of the song while\u00a0Bernie\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0wrote\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">the lyrics.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">The song was written in 1967 and included on\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Elton&#8217;s self-titled second album.\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0was\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">just 17 when he wrote it.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">It was one of the first songs Elton wrote with\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">. They met after a record company gave\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Elton some of\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin&#8217;s<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0lyrics to work with.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Eventually, they moved into Elton&#8217;s parents&#8217;\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">house, where they started working together.\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">The original lyrics have coffee stains on them.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8220;The original lyric was written very rapidly on\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">the kitchen table of Elton&#8217;s mother&#8217;s\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">apartment in Northwood Hills in the suburbs\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">of London, if I recall, on a particularly grubby\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">piece of exercise paper,&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0later said.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0wrote the song&#8217;s lyrics after having breakfast on\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">the roof of 20 Denmark Street, London, where Elton\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">worked for a music publishing firm as an office boy.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">This inspired the line: &#8220;I sat on the roof and kicked off\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">the moss&#8221;.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">The lyrics express the romantic feelings of an innocent\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">person. Elton sings a straightforward love-song at the\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">beginning: &#8220;It&#8217;s a little bit funny this feeling inside \/ I&#8217;m\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">not one of those who can easily hide \/ I don&#8217;t have\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">much money but boy if I did \/ I&#8217;d buy a big house\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">where we both could live.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Elton has said that this song\u00a0is not\u00a0about\u00a0anyone in\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">particular, and\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Taupin<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0has refused to reveal the identity of\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">the person, if they even exist. He told\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Rolling Stone<\/span><\/i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">: &#8220;I\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">always thought &#8216;Your Song&#8217; was written about one of his\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">girlfriends, and when I asked him that, he just said, &#8216;No it\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">wasn&#8217;t!&#8217; He gets fairly defensive.&#8221;<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">He told\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Music Connection<\/span><\/i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0in 1989: &#8220;It&#8217;s\u00a0like the perennial\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">ballad &#8216;Your Song,&#8217; which has got to be one of the most\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">na\u00efve and childish lyrics in the entire repertoire of music,\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">but I think the reason it still stands up is because it was real\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">at the\u00a0time.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8220;That was exactly what I was feeling. I was 17 years\u00a0old\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">it was coming from someone whose outlook on love or\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">experience with love was totally new and na\u00efve.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXP225983895 BCX0\">Elton didn&#8217;t\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"AdvancedProofingIssue SCXP225983895 BCX0\">actually record<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXP225983895 BCX0\">\u00a0it first<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Before he was a huge success, Elton worked as a\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">songwriter and studio musician, and was briefly\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">the warm-up act for US rock band Three Dog\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Night.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Three Dog Night recorded &#8216;Your Song&#8217; on their\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">1970 album\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">It\u00a0<\/span><\/i><i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Ain&#8217;t<\/span><\/i><i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0Easy<\/span><\/i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">However, they decided not to release it as a\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">single in order to give the young Elton his big\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">chance of making a success of himself, and it\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">worked.\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold BCX0 SCXP67121313\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP67121313\">How did it perform in the charts?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\">Surprisingly, the song only reached number 7\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\">in the UK and number 8 in the US, but it has\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\">gone on to become one of Elton&#8217;s most\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP267776082\">celebrated songs.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold BCX0 SCXP2413450\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP2413450\">Who has covered &#8216;Your Song&#8217;?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">MANY artists over the\u00a0years!<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Elton himself has released updated versions, including a\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">duet with Alessandro\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Safina<\/span><b><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">in 2002. He also performed it\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">with Billy Joel in 2001 at a tribute show following the 9\/11\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">attacks.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Other covers include:<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211;\u00a0Rod Stewart<\/span>\u200b<br \/>\n<span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Ellie Goulding (used in the 2010 John Lewis Christmas\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">advert, a number two hit single)<\/span>\u200b<br \/>\n<span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Lady Gaga<\/span>\u200b<br \/>\n<span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Billy Paul<\/span>\u200b<br \/>\n<span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Harry Connick Jr<\/span>\u200b<br \/>\n<span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8211; Ewan McGregor (in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">Moulin Rouge<\/span><\/i><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold BCX0 SCXP67341699\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP67341699\">It was used in the John Lewis\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold BCX0 SCXP67341699\" lang=\"EN-CA\" xml:lang=\"EN-CA\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP67341699\">Christmas advert<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">For 2018, Elton John\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">appeared in the John\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">L<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">ewis Christmas advert<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">, in which it showcased\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">his rise to fame and success while performing\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">&#8216;Your Song&#8217; over the years.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">It showed how being given a piano at a young\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">age helped him become the superstar he is\u00a0<\/span><span data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\">today.<\/span>\u200b<\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\">Watch the ad <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=DShEAPKV0EU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold BCX0 SCXP66308138\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-usefontface=\"false\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun BCX0 SCXP66308138\">Source: https:\/\/www.smoothradio.com\/features\/the-story-of\/your-song-elton-john-lyrics-meaning-facts\/\u200b<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"post-excerpt\">Who wrote &#8216;Your Song&#8217;? Like with most\u00a0Elton\u00a0songs, he wrote the\u00a0melody of the song while\u00a0Bernie\u00a0Taupin\u00a0wrote\u00a0the lyrics.\u200b The song was written in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":79929,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/79929"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3975"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3977,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975\/revisions\/3977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/aphasiaprogram\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}