History Music / HonkyChateau

* {{Mondegreen}}: "Rocket Man" provides one of the most famous misunderstood lyrics in music: "Burning out his fuse up here alone". It was highlighted in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN1fVkeSUXE a 2012 commercial for Volkswagen.]]

-->--"'''Hercules'''"

In the United States, ''Honky Château'' would kick off a string of seven straight studio albums which would reach #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Oddly enough, it wouldn't go Platinum in the U.S. until 1995. It also amassed great critical acclaim, in both contemporary and retrospective reviews. It hit #357 on ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] in 2003, #359 on the 2012 list, and [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime2020 #251 on the 2020 list]].

The album was supported by two singles: "Rocket Man", and "Honky Cat". Both were Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Rocket Man" going triple-Platinum in the United States. "Rocket Man" also hit #2 in the United Kingdom, his highest-charting single in his home country for five years, and went Platinum there as well.

#"Rocket Man" (4:42)

* InTheStyleOf: "Honky Cat" was in the style of New Orleans blues musicians such as Music/DrJohn and Music/AllenToussaint.

It was the first of seven consecutive number one albums in America Elton John released; oddly enough, it wouldn't go Platinum in the U.S. in 1995. It also amassed great critical acclaim, in both contemporary and retrospective reviews. It hit #357 on ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] in 2003, #359 on the 2012 list, and [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime2020 #251 on the 2020 list]].

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: "Rocket Man" reduces what had been, for the previous decade, the wondrous feets of space exploration, into something akin to a tedious nine-to-five job.

Elton retreated to the Château d'Hérouville in France, to record his next work. The location would inspire the name of the title, which in turn would inspire a song, "Honky Cat".

''Honky Château'' is the fifth studio album recorded by English musician Elton John. It was released through DJM Records in the United Kingdom, and Uni Records in the United States, on 19 May 1972.

->''I'm getting bored''\\
''Being part of mankind''\\
''There's not a lot to do no more''\\
''This race is a waste of time''\\

''People rushing everywhere''\\
''Swarming 'round like flies''\\
''Think I'll buy a 44''\\
''Give 'em all a surprise''\\
\\
''Think I'm gonna kill myself''\\
''Cause a little suicide''\\
''Stick around for a couple of days''\\
''What a scandal if I died''
-->--"'''I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself'''"

[[caption-width-right:350:''"And I think it's gonna be a long, long time..."'']]

->"They said, 'get back, honky cat,\\
Better get back to the woods.'\\
But, I quit those days and my redneck ways,\\
And, oh, change is gonna do me good."
-->--"''''Honky Cat'''"

''Honky Château'' is the fifth album by English musician Music/EltonJohn, released on 19 May 1972 by DJM Records in Britain and Uni Records in the United States. It was recorded at the Château d'Hérouville in France - thus the name - and was the first of seven consecutive number one albums in America Elton John released, and that was before it reached Platinum status in 1995. It also amassed great critical acclaim, in both contemporary and retrospective reviews, that it is regularly featured in Magazine/RollingStone's Top 500 Albums lists.

Supported by two singles: "Rocket Man" and "Honky Cat".

"They said, 'get back, honky cat,\\

* LyricalDissonance: "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself", a lighthearted song about, [[SuicideAsComedy well]]...

* RefugeInAudacity: "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself", complete with a mid-song tapdance solo.