Happy birthday, Elton John! The iconic singer turned 77 years old today.
After 31 solo studio albums, five collaboration albums, and several soundtrack albums, it's an appropriate time to look back at his back catalog. John has released some iconic hits like “Your Song” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” that are still relevant in pop culture decades after they came out.
So, without further ado, here are his 10 best songs ever.
Honorable mentions: “Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”; “Candle in the Wind”; “Sacrifice”; “Sad Songs (Say So Much)
“I'm Gonna Love Me Again” (Rocketman Soundtrack)
It's hard to believe that over a half-century into his career, John is still capable of putting out bangers. His original song for the Rocketman soundtrack, “I'm Gonna Love Me Again,” is a beautiful message about self-love. It's perfect for the film and John's own life, making it one of the best and most personal songs he's written.
“The Bitch Is Back” (Caribou)
One of John's signature live songs, “The Bitch Is Back” is one of his finest upbeat songs. While John is known for his melodic ballads, he is also a rockstar.
From the opening guitar riff to John's repeated announcement that the “bitch is back,” the song is pretty much perfect. There
“I'm Still Standing” (Too Low for Zero)
Elton John's biopic, Rocketman, added new meaning to one of his older songs. “I'm Still Standing's” message is quite clear — John himself is still going.
But seeing his addictions depicted in his biopic reframed the song. Not only is John still a titan of the music industry, he is a survivor of addiction. Say what you want about him, John cleaned up his act in a major way. And we're all better for it.
And that Rocketman arrangement is quite good. Before it kicks into the familiar arrangement from John's Too Low for Zero, Taron Egerton sings a slower version that eventually morphs into the iconic song (with a pretty killer recreation of the music video).
With age, the song has gained new meaning. “I'm Still Standing” is one of John's most poignant songs written at a very important time in his life and career.
“Bennie and the Jets” (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
Everybody knows the iconic piano notes that open “Bennie and the Jets.” They are striking and were the perfect opener to John's live concerts on the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour.
While there isn't some significant deeper meaning to the song, “Bennie and the Jets” remains a classic from John's catalog.
“Tiny Dancer” (Madman Across the Water)
Once again, everyone knows “Tiny Dancer” from John's iconic opening arpeggios to the chorus.
The best part of “Tiny Dancer” is that it's a slow build. There is no rush by writers Bernie Taupin and John alike to get to the chorus. It's one of the best ballads ever and one widely associated with John (and for good reason!).
“Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting” (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
Another rock and roll song, “Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting” is another classic. The fast-paced rhythm of the verses to “Saturday Night's” is a stark reminder of John's rockstar capabilities.
It's a rock ballad that sounds like it's from the Rolling Stones. And yet, John's voice makes it distinctly his own. It's another song that soars when played live thanks to its tempo and fun lyrics. To date, this is John's best drinking song.
“Crocodile Rock” (Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player)
“Crocodile Rock” may be the silliest song John has written. There really is no substance to the song. It feels like it was written to be played in a live setting.
And to that end, it's a masterpiece. There wouldn't be any masterclasses taught on the composition of “Crocodile Rock,” but it remains an extremely fun live song.
Very few bands have a signature song that can get everyone moving and grooving like “Crocodile Rock” does. When John played it on his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, it captured the attention of everyone in attendance. It was like they were in a trance, singing the “la, la, la, la, la” refrains in unison.
I'm sure John got tired of playing the song live — it's not an especially challenging song to play. But I give him credit for putting up with it for decades for the betterment of his live concerts.
“Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me” (Caribou)
Another slow burn, “Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me” is another John classic. Yes, the George Michael version is great, but John's original is untouchable.
The angelic-like backing vocals in the choruses are powerful. John and Taupin really do some of their finest work on this song.
Above all else, the song's horn arrangement that backs John and the backup singers is what differentiates it from others. Yes, I'm sure some of John's other songs have used them before, but “Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me” has an epic feel to it. It's similar to what John did with the Lion King soundtrack years later.
“Rocket Man” (Honky Chateau)
Another one of John's signature songs, “Rocket Man” is a ballad about a lonely man stuck in space. Is this written as a metaphor for John's leap to stardom? It's possible.
Either way, it remains one of his signature songs, and it's well-deserved. It's fitting that a song about a man in space has the same epic scope as a sci-fi film.
“Your Song” (Elton John)
“Your Song” very well may be the greatest love song written. There's an earnestness and innocence in “Your Song” that's terribly missed in modern pop music.
“It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside/I'm not one of those who can easily hide/I don't have much money, but, boy. if I did/I'd buy a big house where we both could live,” John sings in the first verse.
As the song progresses, the background strings arrangement comes in louder. It brings together a beautiful song that reaches its crescendo when John belts out one final, “I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind” refrain.
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