It’s impossible to talk too long about the success of Elton John as a recording artist without mentioning Bernie Taupin, his longtime songwriting partner. If you only know just a little about John’s career, you probably still know these facts: Taupin writes the lyrics and hands them off to John, who then comes up with the music to accompany them.
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You can’t argue with the success that they’ve enjoyed, which is why John hasn’t recorded too many songs without Taupin providing the lyrics. But there are a few in his catalog which have snuck through with songwriting credits other than John/Taupin. (By the way, we’re not counting cover songs of previously-released material for the sake of this list, which is why there’s no “Pinball Wizard” or “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” and also no duets, which eliminates stuff like “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.”) Let’s take a look at five of those non-Taupin numbers, each of which found varying degrees of success on the pop charts.
1. ”Mama Can’t Buy You Love” (1979)
For all their success, John and Taupin came to a bit of a crossroads in their personal relationship as the ‘70s progressed, which led to the decision to temporarily split up their songwriting partnership. On A Single Man, released in 1978, John wrote exclusively with lyricist Gary Osborne. But it was a different partnership that scored John his first Top 10 US hit without Taupin. Long an admirer of Philly Soul, John decided to work with Thom Bell, one of the chief architects of that sound. Unfortunately, John and Bell clashed, and what was intended to be a full album turned into an EP. But at least “Mama Can’t Buy You Love,” a silky piece of soul/disco written by LeRoy Bell and Casey James and featuring The Spinners on backing vocals, emerged from the sessions.
2. “Little Jeannie” (1980)
John worked with several different writers for the 1980 album 21 at 33. Taupin is credited on three tracks, while singer/songwriters Tom Robinson and Judie Tzuke also contribute to the writing. Gary Osborne only wrote three of the songs on the record with John, but he delivered the single that would turn into a Top 5 US hit. “Little Jeannie” again finds John delivering a soul-flavored single, one that’s deepened by the excellent saxophone work of Jim Horn. The song finds the narrator enamored with the titular girl, and features John belting out, And I want you to be my acrobat, which is the kind of off-kilter line that seems to be Osborne channeling Taupin.
3. “Blue Eyes” (1982)
On the 1982 album Jump Up!, John once again bounced among different lyricists. Taupin delivered the words for the most iconic track, the John Lennon tribute “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny),” and there’s even one song written with Tim Rice, which would presage another important collaboration for John. But Gary Osborne hung around to deliver the finest piece of work he ever managed with John in the torch song “Blue Eyes.” With that title, you might expect a Sinatra-esque piece of work, and John does indeed go into crooning mode at several points in the song. Give credit to Osborne for knocking out direct but effective love-song lyrics, which John then adorns with a melody that smoothly drifts from resigned to urgent and then back again.
[RELATED: What Is the Meaning Behind the Song “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John?]
4. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994)
John wasn’t the first pop star to write for animated movies, but you can make the case that he did it more successfully than just about anybody this side of Randy Newman when he penned the music for The Lion King. And he found in Tim Rice a writing partner that gave him straightforward but heartfelt lyrics that translated very well to John’s open-hearted melodies. There’s also a lot to be something for John’s ability to deliver the song. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” which nabbed Oscars for John and Rice, takes on a far more romantic vibe when he’s belting out the tune, as opposed to the version that’s found in the actual film.
5. “Circle of Life” (1994)
John’s innate ability to take lyrics and put them in the best possible musical setting is in evidence with this song from The Lion King. According to Tim Rice, John had completely composed the music in less than two hours after Rice handed him the lyrics. What he delivered was a melody that’s subtle in the verses, but then emerges into a chorus as vast as the plains. Thus, an anthem was born, one that has undeniable singalong qualities. The Lion King, of course, went on to become a massively successful musical, and it’s hard to imagine any of that happening without the simpatico working relationship between Rice and John and the indelible worldwide impact of the last two songs mentioned on this list.
Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney
