More often than not, a musician’s favorite song they ever wrote isn’t the same one that’s the most popular with the public, and that’s certainly true of Elton John’s favorite (and least favorite) songs in his catalogue. Since his 1969 debut, Empty Sky, John and his long-time co-writer Bernie Taupin have continued to define the capabilities of piano-forward rock music, from rousing and flamboyant romps to sentimental ballads.
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The pianist has amassed countless hits over his decades-long career, including many that enjoy frequent airtime even to this day. But most of these ubiquitous songs didn’t make the cut when John was listing his all-time favorite songs he wrote during a 2024 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with Brandi Carlisle.
Elton John Includes Secret Track in His List of Favorite Songs
Selecting a favorite song isn’t always an easy task for a songwriter. The track that resonates with them the most might not be the most popular or vice versa. Depending on what was going on while they were writing the song, revisiting those feelings might be difficult. Elton John seemed stumped when Stephen Colbert asked him about his favorite songs during a visit to The Late Show.
The pianist’s answers, in turn, stumped us. He didn’t list classics like “Tiny Dancer” or “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”. Instead, John went to a song he never released because, well… “I write songs that have no Bernie lyrics, and they’re very dear to me. ‘Your Bum is Like a Magnet’ is one,” he offered, prompting Brandi Carlisle to start laughing nearby. “Oh, you’re going to talk about ‘Your Bum is Like a Magnet’ right now?” She joked.
John transitioned to the more serious part of his answer with a mention of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, which John released to tremendous success in 1975. The album topped the charts for seven weeks, thanks to hits like “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”, “We All Fall in Love Sometimes”, and “Curtains”, all of which John included in his list.
“Obviously ‘Your Song’,” John continued, “because it was the first hit I ever had.” He added “Blessed” from his 1995 album, Made in England.
He Ended His List of Five With One Least-Favorite Track
As Elton John listed off his favorite songs he ever wrote to Stephen Colbert, he got to his fifth song and let out a groan. “Not f***ing ‘Crocodile Rock’, I know that.” The 1972 track from Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player is a crowd favorite. However, John has stated numerous times he can’t wait to stop playing the track. During a 2021 episode of Deeney Talks, John said the last time he ever plays that song, “I will probably throw a party. But people love to hear it. It was written as a kind of joke, as a pastiche. And it became a big hit, and people love to sing along with it.”
“Who am I to say, ‘I am not going to play it?’” He continued. “I play to amuse people and to entertain people. But I have to say, when the last show is done at the end of the tour, I will never ever sing that song again.”
Photo by Rino Petrosino\Mondadori Portfolio by Getty Images
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