Pianist reveals surprising list of favorites in interview and confirms that he plans a party to never play a 1970s hit again
Elton John revealed his list of five favorite songs during his participation in the program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2024, alongside the singer Brandi Carlile. The selection was surprising because it did not include widely known hits such as “Tiny Dancer” or “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”.
The first song mentioned by the pianist was a commercially unreleased instrumental composition called “Your Bum is Like a Magnet”which provoked laughter from Carlile. John explained that he usually composes songs without lyrics Bernie Taupinhis songwriting partner since 1969, and that these creations have special value for him.
John highlighted three tracks from the album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy from 1975 among his favorites. The album reached the top of the charts for seven consecutive weeks and generated hits such as “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”, “We All Fall in Love Sometimes” and “Curtains”all included in the musician’s list.
The fourth choice was “Your Song”the first great commercial success of Elton John. The pianist justified its inclusion due to the historical importance of the track in his career. The fifth favorite mentioned was “Blessed”from the album Made in England released in 1995.
When completing the list of five favorites, John expressed his aversion to “Crocodile Rock”released in 1972 on the album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player. The musician let out a groan before declaring that this would be his choice for worst song. Although the song is popular among the public, John has repeatedly expressed his desire to stop performing it live.
In a 2021 episode of the podcast Deeney Talks, Elton John stated that when playing “Crocodile Rock” for the last time, he will probably throw a party to celebrate. The pianist explained that the song was composed as a parody, but ended up becoming a huge commercial success that the public loves to sing along to. John acknowledged that he continues to perform the song to entertain the audience, but assured that after the end of his last tour, he will never sing it again.
Since her debut album Empty Sky in 1969, Elton John and Bernie Taupin established a lasting partnership that redefined the possibilities of piano-centric rock music. The duo created compositions ranging from whimsical, energetic numbers to sentimental ballads. The pianist accumulated countless hits over his decades-long career, many of which continue to receive frequent radio play to this day.
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Elton John
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
