History Music / EltonJohn

* VocalEvolution: His throat surgery in 1987 changed his voice from a tenor to a baritone, and it's only deepened since. He has rarely used his trademark falsetto range since the voice change.

* AdamWesting: In ''KingsmanTheGoldenCircle''.

* BuryYourGays: "All the Girls Love Alice," the ballad of a teenage lesbian prostitute who tragically dies young.

** Before being signed, Elton sang on soundalike low-budget recordings of famous songs of the day marketed to Woolworth's stores, similar to the "Drew's Famous" or "Countdown Singers" albums one finds at department stores nowadays. Occasionally, to capitalize on Elton's later success, you'll find albums like "Chartbusters Go Pop!" or "16 Legendary Covers" featuring these recordings. Witness his covers of "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4okU1j9he2Q Spirit In The Sky]]" by Norman Greenbaum, or, erm, "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tmKSg5g8S0 Young, Gifted And Black]]" by Music/ArethaFranklin!
** He also covered Music/FleetwoodMac's "Don't Stop" for a ''Rumours'' tribute album in [[TheNineties 1998]].

** Elton made two notable attempts at suicide -- one after heiress girlfriend Linda Woodrow falsely told him she was pregnant and that he was the father, then suggested he choose between her or his music -- as documented in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"[[note]]Bernie Taupin refers to this, with some dark humor, as Elton's "Woody Allen attempt" due to Elton leaving the gas on the the kitchen, but unintentionally leaving the windows open[[/note]] and once in Los Angeles in 1975 intentionally in front of his visiting mother and grandmother, who were joining him for the unveiling of his star at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and concert at Dodger Stadium, by downing fifty valium and attempting to drown himself in the hotel pool.[[note]]Elton recalls that at the sight of this, and thinking Elton was acting a bit melodramatic, his knowing grandmother deadpanned, "Well, I guess we'd better get going, then."[[/note]]

* EpicRocking: His most notable examples include "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", "Carla/Etude/Fanfare/Chloe", "Tonight", "Gulliver/Hay Chewed/Reprise". However, he tends to have at least one song on most of his albums that passes the six-minute mark. For example, ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'' has the 6:42 "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" and the 6:18 "Curtains". He insisted on the former being the only single from the album, and refused to let it be edited in length. It became a huge hit despite its lengthy running time.
* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: In 1992, he got a hair implant as he switched from CampGay to StraightGay. The orange hair dye is emblematic of his switch from "reflective singer-songwriter Elton" to the glam period of 1972-76.

* NoTitle: "This Song Has No Title" is--paradoxically enough--an aversion.

* ProtestSong: Some of his songs have subtle elements of this. "Daniel" is a UsefulNotes/VietnamWar vet (although it's subtle; a cut verse would have made this clearer), while "Ticking," an account of a gun massacre that killed fourteen people, is a protest of UsefulNotes/AmericanGunCulture. Furthermore, as mentioned above, "Belfast" is a protest against UsefulNotes/TheTroubles in Northern Ireland.
* RagsToRiches: "Levon," to the extent that anyone can make sense of the lyrics, is apparently one of these stories; Levon's father, Alvin Tostig, is a poor man with high expectations for his son, Levon himself has apparently made a fortune selling party supplies (especially cartoon balloons), and his son Jesus has ambitions far beyond the party store that Levon can't quite accept.

** "The Bitch Is Back." Often, his outrageous costumes and goofy glasses ran on this, in a more clean-cut way, along with RuleOfFun and UpToEleven. WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck suits, EiffelTower hats, six-foot tall Mohawks, the glasses that lit up E-L-T-O-N. His 50th birthday saw him attend a costume party in a Louis XIV costume with a giant wig, where he had to be lifted off a truck via a crane. And that was ''after'' he toned down the costumes/glasses.

* RockstarSong: "Bennie and the Jets," "I'm Gonna Be a Teenage Idol" and some others, including the entire ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'' and ''The Captain & the Kid'' albums.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."
* SelfTitledAlbum: His second album, and his [[BreakthroughHit breakthrough]].

** His 1973 album, ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player'' was reportedly named after a joking response Elton made to his friend Creator/GrouchoMarx when the comedian teased him that it would make more sense for the singer to call himself John Elton. The album cover takes it further, showing a couple buying tickets outside a marquee to a nighttime movie, with a poster of ''[[Creator/TheMarxBrothers Go West]]'' on display to the right.

* VocalRangeExceeded: By Elton's 1986 "Tour De Force" concert tour promoting ''Leather Jackets'', one in which Elton and his band would be accompanied for part of the set list by a symphony orchestra, Elton would suffer increasing vocal problems due to frequent marijuana and alcohol abuse, bulimic binging and purging and drug-fueled vocal oversinging and misuse, culminating in the recording of the concert film and live album ''Live In Australia'', where he very clearly is struggling throughout the concert from vocal strain and laryngitis. Doctors would soon discover non-cancerous, though career-threatening, nodules in his throat. Surgery done in 1987 would prove successful, but would vocally put Elton out of commission for several months. When he returned by late 1987 at a Prince's Trust concert special, his tenor vocal range [[VocalEvolution would be lowered to a baritone]].
* WordSaladLyrics: "Levon", "Take Me to the Pilot", "Solar Prestige a Gammon". The latter was a deliberate attempt to invoke TheWalrusWasPaul, and, like many other examples of the trope, got heavily analysed anyway.

Changing his name by deed poll to "Elton Hercules John" in 1970 (''Elton'' for saxophonist Elton Dean, ''John'' for a singer Reg's old band Bluesology backed up, Long John Baldry, and ''Hercules'', well from a racehorse in BritCom ''Series/SteptoeAndSon''), Elton (with Bernie's lyrics in tow) would gain a reputation as a singer-songwriter-pianist par excellence. By 1972, he had begun to wear increasingly flamboyant costumes, clothes and eyeglasses, which became a trademark for him until the mid-[[TheEighties 1980s]]. He became an unexpected superstar, with a string of highly successful albums such as ''Tumbleweed Connection'', ''Madman Across the Water'', ''Honky Chateau'', ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player'', ''Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad'' (a double), and ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy''. His success tapered by the late-[[TheSeventies 1970s]], especially after outing himself in 1976. In the meantime, he appeared in the film ''Born to Boogie'' as himself, and in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' singing "Pinball Wizard".

Changing his name by deed poll to "Elton Hercules John" in 1970 (''Elton'' for saxophonist Elton Dean, ''John'' for a singer Reg's old band Bluesology backed up, Long John Baldry, and ''Hercules'', well from a racehorse in BritCom ''Series/SteptoeAndSon''), Elton (with Bernie's lyrics in tow) would gain a reputation as a singer-songwriter-pianist par excellence. By 1972, he had begun to wear increasingly flamboyant costumes, clothes and eyeglasses, which became a trademark for him until the mid-[[TheEighties 1980s]]. He became an unexpected superstar, with a string of highly successful albums such as ''Tumbleweed Connection,'' ''Madman Across the Water,'' ''Honky Chateau,'' ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player,'' ''Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad'' (a double), and ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.'' His success tapered by the late-[[TheSeventies 1970s]], especially after outing himself in 1976. In the meantime, he appeared in the film ''Born To Boogie'' as himself, and in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' singing "Pinball Wizard."

He has had numerous comebacks in TheEighties and TheNineties, and successfully rehabilitated himself from drugs, alcohol and bulimia in 1991. He later helped score ''Disney/TheLionKing'' with Tim Rice in 1994 (winning an Oscar), and co-authored several Broadway musicals, including ''The Lion King,'' ''Lestat'', ''Aida,'' and ''Billy Elliot''. He received a star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame in 1975, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and was [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever knighted]] in 1998. A theatrical revue of his songs, featuring Sir Elton in concert amid elaborate staging, films and props, titled "The Red Piano,'' opened in Las Vegas in 2004 and closed in 2009.

He has performed at Live Aid, Live 8, the Freddie Mercury Concert For Life and the Concert For Diana. He has also performed at the funeral for Princess Diana in 1997, singing a revised rendition of his 1973 hit "Candle In The Wind." "Candle In The Wind 1997," produced by Beatles producer Sir George Martin, became the most successful single of all time at 37 million copies, all royalties donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

* ''BillyElliot The Musical'' (2005)

* ''TheRoadToElDorado'' (2000)

** Elton made two notable attempts at suicide -- one after heiress girlfriend Linda Woodrow falsely told him she was pregnant and that he was the father, then suggested he choose between her or his music -- as documented in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"[[note]]Bernie Taupin refers to this, with some dark humor, as Elton's "Woody Allen attempt" due to Elton leaving the gas on the the kitchen, but unintentionally leaving the windows open[[/note]] and once in Los Angeles in 1975 intentionally in front of his visiting mother and grandmother, who were joining him for the unveiling of his star at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and concert at Dodger Stadium, by downing fifty valium and attempting to drown himself in the hotel pool.[[note]]Elton recalls that at the sight of this, and thinking Elton was acting a bit melodramatic, his grandmother deadpanned, "Well, I guess we'd better get going, then."[[/note]]

** Elton made two notable attempts at suicide -- one after heiress girlfriend Linda Woodrow falsely told him she was pregnant and that he was the father, then suggested he choose between her or his music -- as documented in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"[[note]]Bernie Taupin refers to this, with some dark humor, as Elton's "Woody Allen attempt" due to Elton leaving the gas on the the kitchen, but unintentionally leaving the windows open[[/note]] and once in Los Angeles in 1975 intentionally in front of his visiting mother and grandmother, who were joining him for the unveiling of his star at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and concert at Dodger Stadium, by downing fifty valium and attempting to drown himself in the hotel pool.[[note]]Elton recalls that at the sight of this, and thinking Elton was acting a bit melodramatic, his grandmother deadpanned, "Well, I guess we'd better get going, then."[[//note]]

** Elton made two notable attempts at suicide -- one after heiress girlfriend Linda Woodrow falsely told him she was pregnant and that he was the father, then suggested he choose between her or his music -- as documented in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"[[note]]Bernie Taupin refers to this, with some dark humor, as Elton's "Woody Allen attempt" due to Elton leaving the gas on the the kitchen, but unintentionally leaving the windows open[[/note]] and once in Los Angeles in 1975 intentionally in front of his visiting mother and grandmother, who were joining him for the unveiling of his star at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and concert at Dodger Stadium, by downing fifty valium and attempting to drown himself in the hotel pool[[note]]Elton recalls that at the sight of this, and thinking Elton was acting a bit melodramatic, his grandmother deadpanned, "Well, I guess we'd better get going, then."[[//note]].

** Elton made two notable attempts at suicide [[WordOfGod which often come up in interviews and documentaries about him]] -- one after heiress girlfriend Linda Woodrow falsely told him she was pregnant and that he was the father, then suggested he choose between her or his music -- as documented in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"[[note]]Bernie Taupin refers to this, with some dark humor, as Elton's "Woody Allen attempt" due to Elton leaving the gas on the the kitchen, but unintentionally leaving the windows open[[/note]] and once in Los Angeles in 1975 intentionally in front of his visiting mother and grandmother, who were joining him for the unveiling of his star at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and concert at Dodger Stadium, by downing fifty valium and attempting to drown himself in the hotel pool[[note]]Elton recalls that at the sight of this, and thinking Elton was acting a bit melodramatic, his grandmother deadpanned, "Well, I guess we'd better get going, then."[[//note]].

** Bernie Taupin at the time of the latter album's release noted that ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'' was a very "up" album about failure, while ''The Captain & the Kid'' was a low-key album about success.

** His 1973 album, ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player'' was reportedly named after a joking response Elton made to his friend GrouchoMarx when the comedian teased him that it would make more sense for the singer to call himself John Elton. The album cover takes it further, showing a couple buying tickets outside a marquee to a nighttime movie, with a poster of ''[[TheMarxBrothers Go West]]'' on display to the right.

Elton is chairman of Watford Football Club, and founding chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), which he founded in 1992 after the death of Ryan White.

Just someone his mother might know.''\\
-- "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"

Changing his name by deed poll to "Elton Hercules John" in 1970 (''Elton'' for saxophonist Elton Dean, ''John'' for a singer Reg's old band Bluesology backed up, Long John Baldry, and ''Hercules'', well [[NonIndicativeName from a racehorse in BritCom]] ''Series/SteptoeAndSon''), Elton (with Bernie's lyrics in tow) would gain a reputation as a singer-songwriter-pianist par excellence. By 1972, he had begun to wear [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes increasingly flamboyant]] costumes, clothes and [[MakingASpectacleOfYourself eyeglasses]], which became a trademark for him until the mid-[[TheEighties 1980s]]. He became an unexpected superstar, with a string of highly successful albums such as ''Tumbleweed Connection,'' ''Madman Across the Water,'' ''Honky Chateau,'' ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player,'' ''Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad'' (a double), and ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.'' His success tapered by the late-[[TheSeventies 1970s]], especially after [[AmbiguouslyGay outing himself]] in 1976. In the meantime, he appeared in the film ''Born To Boogie'' as himself, and in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' singing "Pinball Wizard."

He has had numerous comebacks in TheEighties and TheNineties, and successfully rehabilitated himself from drugs, alcohol and bulimia in 1991. He later helped score ''Disney/TheLionKing'' with Tim Rice in 1994 (winning an Oscar), and co-authored several Broadway musicals, including ''The Lion King,'' ''Lestat'', ''Aida,'' and ''Billy Elliot.'' He received a star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame in 1975, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and was [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever knighted]] in 1998. A theatrical revue of his songs, featuring Sir Elton in concert amid elaborate staging, films and props, titled "The Red Piano,'' opened in Las Vegas in 2004 and closed in 2009.

He is well-known for his deft sense of humor, massive spending sprees and very public tantrums. He is also well-known for wearing [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes odd costumes]] and [[MakingASpectacleOfYourself crazy glasses]], especially in TheSeventies. His fortune is estimated at £175 Million, making him one of the most successful musicians of all time.

Good friends with fellow piano man Music/BillyJoel, [[DreamTeam with whom he has toured sporadically since the 1990s]].

* AmbiguouslyGay: He kept his sexuality well hidden until he outed himself in 1976.
** "Well hidden" as in: when, mid-1970s, someone asked him, in an interview, if he was gay, his first reaction was "surprisingly, despite the clothes, no one asked that one before". His second reaction was "yes, I am".
* AnythingThatMoves: He led a promiscuous sex life in the 1970s and '80s.
* TheAtoner: Elton has taken the fact that he had not only escaped an overdose death in TheEighties via his drug and alcohol addictions but that his substance-impaired promiscuous behavior hadn't left him HIV-positive, to be a sign that he was meant to do good with his fortunate position. He has also felt he did far too little in TheEighties to advocate AIDS prevention, due to his selfishness and vices. This has been part of the reason that not long after cleaning up his life in 1990, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
* BadassBaritone: Despite his TenorBoy past, his voice ultimately got deep enough to rival RickAstley's.

* BecomingTheMask: As a child, he had good eyesight, but started wearing glasses in homage to his childhood hero Music/BuddyHolly. [[BlindWithoutEm After more than 40 years, his eyesight has deteriorated to the point that he really needs those glasses]].
* BiTheWay: He tried to pass himself off as bisexual for a while, before admitting he was only into men.

* CampGay
** StraightGay: From TheNineties on.

* CoolOldGuy: Has taken to collaborating with rock bands like Alice in Chains and Fall Out Boy in his later years.

* [[ComicStrip/DanDare Dan Dare (Pilot Of The Future)]]
* DeadpanSnarker: He and Bernie Taupin definitely show signs of this, Elton in interviews and on talk shows, Taupin in particular in his blog on [[http://www.berniejtaupin.com/ his official website]].
** SelfDeprecation: Elton is also known for this, especially about his sexuality.

* DrivenToSuicide: Averted in 1969, before Elton was popular. Elton was engaged to be married to a woman named Linda Woodrow, but began contemplating suicide. This led to an attempt discovered by Bernie Taupin, who was his flatmate at the time. This later inspired the song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight". (The "someone" in the lyrics, written by Taupin, actually refers to Long John Baldry, who talked Elton out of getting married.)
** During Elton John Week in 1975, at the height of his fame, Elton took 60 Valium pills and dove into a hotel swimming pool in front of his mother and grandmother. In an [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8080705/Elton-John-interview.html interview]] decades later, he denied it was a serious suicide attempt, saying that "it was typical me. There was no way I was going to kill myself doing that." Sure enough, he was back to playing a stadium concert two days later.

** Elton's longtime bassist, Bob Birch, suffering through incredible physical pain following a near-fatal hit-and-run car accident he went through in 1995, tragically ended his life in August 2012.
* EmbarrassingFirstName: Would you buy an album by Reginald Dwight? Subverted by the release of his comeback album ''Reg Strikes Back'', which flopped for reasons unrelated to this.

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: In 1992, he got a hair implant as he switched from CampGay to StraightGay.
** The orange hair dye is emblematic of his switch from "reflective singer-songwriter Elton" to the glam period of 1972-76.

* HairTriggerTemper: He is notorious for his outbursts, as captured in his husband David Furnish's 1995 documentary ''Tantrums and Tiaras''.
* IdolSinger: Up to a point. He was something of a teen idol in TheSeventies, during the glam period.
** "I'm Going to Be a Teenage Idol" from ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player'' is a depiction of one. It was written in tribute to Elton's friend Music/MarcBolan at the height of "[=TRexstacy=]".

* LyricalDissonance: "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself", "Since God Invented Girls", "Angeline".

* MakingASpectacleOfYourself: The TropeCodifier.

* MommasBoy: He admitted to being one in part of "Tantrums and Tiaras".
* {{Mondegreen}}: Dear Lord, Elton is the ''king'' of the mondegreens.
* MoralityPet: Arguably, he's one for none other than ''Music/{{Eminem}}''.
* NobodyOver50IsGay: While coming out ''long before'' he was fifty, he nonetheless makes this trope his bitch and then dances on its grave. Raising two kids [[CoolOldGuy in his sixties]] with his husband doesn't hurt either.

* RefugeInAudacity: "The Bitch Is Back."
** Often, his outrageous costumes and goofy glasses ran on this, in a more clean-cut way, along with RuleOfFun and UpToEleven. WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck suits, EiffelTower hats, six-foot tall Mohawks, the glasses that lit up E-L-T-O-N. His 50th birthday saw him attend a costume party in a Louis XIV costume with a giant wig, where he had to be lifted off a truck via a crane. And that was ''after'' he toned down the costumes/glasses.

* ReligionRantSong: "If There's a God in Heaven (What's He Waiting For?)" qualifies as a type 1.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: In one notorious, drug-fueled episode, he asked the manager of a hotel he stayed in to ''do something about the wind outside.''

** His TenMinuteRetirement from the road in 1977; he didn't tour again until 1979, and even then, it was a low-key piano-and-percussion tour with Ray Cooper. He returned to full rock and roll band performance mode in 1980.

* SesameStreetCred: He once played "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" with [[Series/TheMuppetShow The Electric Mayhem]].
** His songs from ''Disney/TheLionKing'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'' may count, too. He also appeared on a ''TotallyMinnie'' video.
** He executive produced and contributed music to ''WesternAnimation/GnomeoAndJuliet.''
* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Elton had cocaine, marijuana and alcohol habits from the mid-Seventies to 1990, and, as mentioned above, had quite the promiscuous sex life back in the day.
* ShoutOut: "Levon" was named in tribute to Levon Helm of Music/TheBand.

** Then reinforced when he himself had a son on a Christmas day: Zachary Jackson ''Levon'' Furnish-John.
* SirSwearsALot
* SmallNameBigEgo: "Ego".

* ThisIsASong: "This Song Has No Title", "Your Song".
** "Step Into Christmas" opens with the line "Welcome to my Christmas song."

* TwoFirstNames: Both his given name, Reginald Dwight, and his stage name, Elton John, provide examples.

* VitriolicBestBuds: With Music/BillyJoel.
** With Music/RodStewart at least since [[TheSeventies the 1970's]].

* WellDoneSonGuy: His biological father, according to WordOfGod, was an overly strict Royal Air Force trumpet player who berated Elton's interests in rock music, was unaffectionate towards him, and wanted him to dress conservatively and take a "proper" job. He did not allow Elton to play football in the yard for fear of trampling the garden in the lawn, and he constantly argued and fought with Elton's mother at home. Elton was terrified of him, and was happy when the pair split up; he and his stepfather had a much better relationship than Elton and his biological father. His biological dad wrote letters to Elton's supportive mom requesting Elton "get this silly rock and roll nonsense out of his system", berated Elton's talent in interviews in preference to Elton's half-brothers, and would never come to see Elton perform after the performer became a superstar. [[FreudianExcuse Much of the flamboyancy Elton took to as a rock star was in rebellion of his father's wishes]]. The relationship between Elton and his father (though written by outside lyricists) reflected in the lyrics to songs like "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy", "Nobody Wins", "Made in England", and as RealitySubtext to his songs in the ''Film/BillyElliot'' musical.

* EpicInstrumentalOpener: "Funeral for a Friend".

* VocalEvolution: His throat surgery in 1987 changed his voice from a tenor to a baritone, and it's only deepened since. He has also rarely never used his trademark falsetto range since the voice change.

** He executive produced and contributed music to ''WesternAnimation/GnomeoAndJuliet''.

* VocalEvolution: His throat surgery in 1987 changed his voice from a tenor to a baritone, and only deepened since. He has also rarely to never used his trademark falsetto range since the voice change.

He has had numerous comebacks in TheEighties and TheNineties, and successfully rehabilitated himself from drugs, alcohol and bulimia in 1991. He later helped score ''Disney/TheLionKing'' with Tim Rice in 1994 (winning an Oscar), and co-authored several Broadway musicals, including ''The Lion King,'' ''Lestat'', ''Aida,'' and ''Billy Elliot.'' He received a star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame in 1975, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and was [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever knighted]] in 1998. A theatrical revue of his songs, featuring Sir Elton in concert amid elaborate staging, films and props, titled "The Red Piano'', opened in Las Vegas in 2004 and closed in 2009.

* TheAtoner: Elton has taken the fact that he had not only escaped an overdose death in TheEighties via his drug and alcohol addictions but that his substance-impaired promiscuous behavior hadn't left him HIV-positive, to be a sign that he was meant to do good with his fortunate position. He has also felt he did far too little in TheEighties to advocate AIDS prevention, due to his selfishness and vices. This has been part of the reason that not long after cleaning up his life in 1990, he founded the Elton John Aids Foundation.

* PopStarComposer: With Tim Rice for Disney's ''Disney/TheLionKing'' and Dreamworks' ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado''. Also provided music for ''WesternAnimation/GnomeoAndJuliet'', the film of which he co-executive produced.
* ProtestSong: Some of his songs have subtle elements of this. "Daniel" is a UsefulNotes/VietnamWar vet (although it's subtle; a cut verse would have made this clearer), while "Ticking", an account of a gun massacre that killed fourteen people, is a protest of UsefulNotes/AmericanGunCulture. Furthermore, as mentioned above, "Belfast" is a protest against UsefulNotes/TheTroubles in Northern Ireland.
* RagsToRiches: "Levon", to the extent that anyone can make sense of the lyrics, is apparently one of these stories; Levon's father, Alvin Tostig, is a poor man with high expectations for his son, Levon himself has apparently made a fortune selling party supplies (especially cartoon balloons), and his son Jesus has ambitions far beyond the party store that Levon can't quite accept.
* RefugeInAudacity: "The Bitch Is Back".

* RockstarSong: "Bennie and the Jets", "I'm Gonna Be a Teenage Idol" and some others, including the entire ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'' and ''The Captain & the Kid'' albums.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: In one notorious, drug-fueled episode, he asked the manager of a hotel in stayed in to ''do something about the wind outside''.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

Changing his name by deed poll to "Elton Hercules John" in 1970 (''Elton'' for saxophonist Elton Dean, ''John'' for a singer Reg's old band Bluesology backed up, Long John Baldry, and ''Hercules'', well [[NonIndicativeName from a racehorse in BritCom]] ''Series/SteptoeAndSon''), Elton with Bernie's lyrics in tow) would gain a reputation as a singer-songwriter-pianist par excellence. By 1972, he had begun to wear [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes increasingly flamboyant]] costumes, clothes and [[MakingASpectacleOfYourself eyeglasses]], which became a trademark for him until the mid-[[TheEighties 1980s]]. He became an unexpected superstar, with a string of highly successful albums such as ''Tumbleweed Connection'', ''Madman Across the Water'', ''Honky Chateau'', ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player'', ''Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad'' (a double), and ''Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy''. His success tapered by the late-[[TheSeventies 1970s]], especially after [[AmbiguouslyGay outing himself]] in 1976. In the meantime, he appeared in the film ''Born To Boogie'' as himself, and in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' singing "Pinball Wizard".

He has had numerous comebacks in TheEighties and TheNineties, and successfully rehabilitated himself from drugs, alcohol and bulimia in 1991. He later helped score ''Disney/TheLionKing'' with Tim Rice in 1994 (winning an Oscar), and co-authored several Broadway musicals, including ''The Lion King'', ''Lestat'', ''Aida'', and ''Billy Elliot''. He received a star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame in 1975, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and was [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever knighted]] in 1998. A theatrical revue of his songs, featuring Sir Elton in concert amid elaborate staging, films and props, titled "The Red Piano'', opened in Las Vegas in 2004 and closed in 2009.

He has performed at Live Aid, Live 8, the Freddie Mercury Concert For Life and the Concert For Diana. He has also performed at the funeral for Princess Diana in 1997, singing a revised rendition of his 1973 hit "Candle In The Wind". "Candle In The Wind 1997", produced by Beatles producer Sir George Martin, became the most successful single of all time at 37 million copies, all royalties donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

** His 1973 album, ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player'' was reportedly named after a joking response Elton made to his friend GrouchoMarx when the comedian teased him that it would make more sense for the singer to call himself John Elton. The album cover takes it further, showing a couple buying tickets outside a marquee to a nighttime movie, with a poster of ''Film/GoWest'' on display to the right.

** His 1973 album, ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player'' was reportedly named after a joking response Elton made to his friend GrouchoMarx when the comedian teased him that it would make more sense for the singer to call himself John Elton. The [[http://www.recordsale.de/cdpix/e/elton_john-dont_shoot_me_im_only_the_piano_player(djm_records).jpg album cover of the album takes it further, showing a couple buying tickets outside to a nighttime movie, with a poster of ''Film/GoWest'' hanging to the right of the marquee.