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Elton John (Kelowna)


Katie14377

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  • 2 months later...

Even though he may not be able to hit those high notes as he did in his prime, his expertise on the piano still shines. His music has so much meaning to me, a person who freely admits to being a Rocket Man.

Some people are happier alone. Elton John's music echos these sentiments.

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  • 2 months later...

Well, if one bases a rocket man in the original context by the original songwriter, Bernie Taupin, then a rocket man is simply a lone astronaut thinking of the family he left behind.

But in Elton John's case, I believe that his decision to remain responsible only to his music career justifies his pondering of what it would have been like to have raised a family, as he's doing in the song. His music career was really taking off at the time of the song. And his dedication to his music had not room for anything else, including love or family. He's sometimes saddened by this very thing in his other songs but he makes it obvious that he has no regrets.

Bernie Taupins, Rocket Man, was loosely based on a science fiction story by Ray Bradbury and many take Elton's version literally. I believe it to be an analogy of his personal life. His career is Mars, if you will.

So a rocket man, to me, is anyone who has left something important behind for something they feel more important and the realization that, sometimes, you can't have both and do either well.

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I have seen Elton over twenty times. From his flamboyant years to current. Of all of the concerts my favorite is still my very first one. It was November 28, 1974 at the Garden in NY when he began a run of 4 shows (first two at the Garden and next two at Nassau Colisseum). Anyway I was at the Thanksgiving show on the 28th. That night he introduced a special guest, John Lennon. It was like a dream come true. Never seeing Lennon and watching him perform with Elton was surely exciting. Sadly, that would be the last time Lennon would ever perform in public.

His flamboyancy peaked during his run of 7 shows at the Garden in 1976 when he first came out as the Statue of Liberty.

I saw him at his peak and at his lows (1980 he played to a half full house at the Palladium on 14th Street). Through the last 30 years of seeing him in concert I will say I never left disappointed.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Muzik....I wish to expound a little on the story behind Rocket Man. I heard Elton talk about this song back in the seventies and his pitch on it was one day Bernie Taupin was up early in the morning to watch one of the Apollo liftoffs on TV when he was inspired to write down the words to this song. Elton then took the lyrics and said it took him only half an hour to put music to them.

That is the story I recall Elton mentioning.

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  • 1 month later...

I think it's much more his answer to Ziggy Stardust, and space Odity 2001, about how the guy was just kida waiting to die after his life line went.

i am open the "Carear" theory though.

Another thing I was wondering about: the line "i'll be high as a kite by then", is that metaphorical? :drummer:

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