Well Dave, yer TIMJ chum here, is on record as a minor Elt-ist. However, this is a classic, that I've always enjoyed. Being a confirmed superficialist, I never really contemplated the song's meaning...that is until now. Fine words as ever, sir, tinged with your customary wit and poignancy. Well played fella, well played...
@ian38018 That's an interesting question. I guess it doesn't directly attack her per se, it's more about Elton and complications in his head getting sorted out. It was also before fame and fortune, who knows - maybe she was doing him a favour or trying to support him or something?
@21schizoid Well thank you very much indeed, sir. A lot of songs - for me, anyway - have annoying lyrics, and I used to cringe at Your Song and loads of Elton's. I never really rated Taupin, but I completely got Elton - the man can take anything and make an earworm, yet he's never been a looker, a good singer or a pianist of note. Who cares; when it works, it works in o-so-many-ways that computer-generated Ibiza crap never will come near! I'm no Elton fan, but still he has a few classics IMHO
Yay - I just found a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someone_Saved_My_Life_Tonight. The clip here is Ab, I don't know when (or that he'd had) vocal surgery, but I think he tends to sing at the limit of his range. Wish I could find a clip of him singing in that key, although to be honest, F is a quite a drop. He'd be better just a tad down - probably G or F sharp because of the op. LOL, my granny could sing this in F!
@daved As I pointed out on another Jam recently, a German student teacher at my old alma mater, used Rocket Man for a full discussion on words, meanings and all other related literary aspects. I've never forgotten any of the lyrics to this day and it still rates as one of my favourite toons. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm more of an 'Elt' than I thought, but it's very much the older stuff...just as I am with Mr Stevie Wonder in fact...
When I think of those East End lights, muggy nights, the curtains drawn in the little room downstairs.
Prima Donna -(Lord, you really should have been there)- sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair, ⁢'s one more beer and I don't hear you anymore.
We've all gone crazy lately- my friends out there rolling round the basement floor.
& someone saved my life tonight sugar bear, you almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear?
You nearly had me roped & tied, altar-bound, hypnotised
I never realised the passing hours of evening showers, a slip noose hanging in my darkest dreams
I'm strangled by your haunted social scene; just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen.
It's four o'clock in the morning, damn it! Listen to me good: I'm sleeping with myself tonight!
Saved in time! thank God my music's still alive!
@21schizoid Appreciated, mate. You can't deny the soundtrack of your life. If a pop song somehow got past the cooler than ice hepcat filtration process, then it'll one day appear on TIMJ ;-) with the associated confession/explanation (of course)!
Fascinating synopsis. We need more comments/ discussions like this on TIMJ. ( mind you, I'd never have time to read half of them if we did, so I should be grateful for the "great jam"..."glad you like it" brigade, really !) Neve had a clue what this song was about but I always loved the gradual emotive climb towards the crescendo. Not over-keen on Elton but this is my favourite.
@debutch I know what you mean, sharing an earworm or jam is one thing,and a pretty good thing it can be too, especially with a back story. But I also quite like other aspects like meandering threads, or insights into the tune. You are right, though, if all the jams were like that it would take too long to read. It's all about balance eh ;) Thanks for the comment; it is really appreciated.
This jam is an example of a pop song that I disliked for ages, then when I discovered what it was about, and found out the lyrics were not la-la- teen-love stuff, I changed my mind - 180 degrees - and then it helped me and my mates through certain life events to become a fairly important work on that personal level. I wondered if it might make jammers on this site take a look & reconsider their opinion like I did. Maybe it will also help someone get through something...?
24 Comments (since 13 Aug 2014)
ian38018
I wonder what Linda thought when she heard the song.
21schizoid
Well Dave, yer TIMJ chum here, is on record as a minor Elt-ist. However, this is a classic, that I've always enjoyed. Being a confirmed superficialist, I never really contemplated the song's meaning...that is until now. Fine words as ever, sir, tinged with your customary wit and poignancy. Well played fella, well played...
daved
@ian38018 That's an interesting question. I guess it doesn't directly attack her per se, it's more about Elton and complications in his head getting sorted out. It was also before fame and fortune, who knows - maybe she was doing him a favour or trying to support him or something?
daved
@21schizoid Well thank you very much indeed, sir. A lot of songs - for me, anyway - have annoying lyrics, and I used to cringe at Your Song and loads of Elton's. I never really rated Taupin, but I completely got Elton - the man can take anything and make an earworm, yet he's never been a looker, a good singer or a pianist of note. Who cares; when it works, it works in o-so-many-ways that computer-generated Ibiza crap never will come near! I'm no Elton fan, but still he has a few classics IMHO
daved
Yay - I just found a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someone_Saved_My_Life_Tonight. The clip here is Ab, I don't know when (or that he'd had) vocal surgery, but I think he tends to sing at the limit of his range. Wish I could find a clip of him singing in that key, although to be honest, F is a quite a drop. He'd be better just a tad down - probably G or F sharp because of the op. LOL, my granny could sing this in F!
21schizoid
@daved As I pointed out on another Jam recently, a German student teacher at my old alma mater, used Rocket Man for a full discussion on words, meanings and all other related literary aspects. I've never forgotten any of the lyrics to this day and it still rates as one of my favourite toons. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm more of an 'Elt' than I thought, but it's very much the older stuff...just as I am with Mr Stevie Wonder in fact...
daved
When I think of those East End lights, muggy nights, the curtains drawn in the little room downstairs. Prima Donna -(Lord, you really should have been there)- sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair, ⁢'s one more beer and I don't hear you anymore. We've all gone crazy lately- my friends out there rolling round the basement floor. & someone saved my life tonight sugar bear, you almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear? You nearly had me roped & tied, altar-bound, hypnotised
daved
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear: You're a butterfly & butterflies are free to fly, fly away, high away, bye-bye.
daved
I never realised the passing hours of evening showers, a slip noose hanging in my darkest dreams I'm strangled by your haunted social scene; just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen. It's four o'clock in the morning, damn it! Listen to me good: I'm sleeping with myself tonight! Saved in time! thank God my music's still alive!
daved
@21schizoid Appreciated, mate. You can't deny the soundtrack of your life. If a pop song somehow got past the cooler than ice hepcat filtration process, then it'll one day appear on TIMJ ;-) with the associated confession/explanation (of course)!
daved
@ian38018 Considering there was a story where an ex-gay-lover of Elton killed himself, I would reckon that she probably would not have this one on her playlist LOL! Maybe she WAS a dominating queen, rather than Elton just being mixed up on the head. She ought to have knocked out an exposé... at the very least!
debutch
Fascinating synopsis. We need more comments/ discussions like this on TIMJ. ( mind you, I'd never have time to read half of them if we did, so I should be grateful for the "great jam"..."glad you like it" brigade, really !) Neve had a clue what this song was about but I always loved the gradual emotive climb towards the crescendo. Not over-keen on Elton but this is my favourite.
21schizoid
@daved Dear Dr Dave. Please book me in for a further therapy sesh...standard regular user discount applies... ;-D
21schizoid
@decarter Ah DC, I'm piloting 'Great Jam. Now bugger off, I'm trying to eat my pork pie'... Needs refining, but I reckon I'm onto something... :-D
daved
@21schizoid Natch ;)
daved
@21schizoid So refined!
21schizoid
@daved Ha! Cheers pal. Refined is my middle name... :-D
ridevine04
I never knew the background to that song either, very enlightening, every day is a school day here on TIMJ!
ian38018
@debutch @daved @21schizoid @ridevine04 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIv8-uo9nVA
daved
@ian38018 That's brilliant. Glad she moved on.
daved
@debutch I know what you mean, sharing an earworm or jam is one thing,and a pretty good thing it can be too, especially with a back story. But I also quite like other aspects like meandering threads, or insights into the tune. You are right, though, if all the jams were like that it would take too long to read. It's all about balance eh ;) Thanks for the comment; it is really appreciated.
daved
This jam is an example of a pop song that I disliked for ages, then when I discovered what it was about, and found out the lyrics were not la-la- teen-love stuff, I changed my mind - 180 degrees - and then it helped me and my mates through certain life events to become a fairly important work on that personal level. I wondered if it might make jammers on this site take a look & reconsider their opinion like I did. Maybe it will also help someone get through something...?
Axol
Great introduction - made me look at it differently - thanks
daved
@Axol Thanks. Glad you got a new spin on it.