Bernie Taupin was just 17 years old when a newspaper advertisement in 1967 unexpectedly connected him with the young musician who would become Elton John. Growing up in rural northern England, Taupin had few opportunities to pursue an artistic career, despite developing a deep appreciation for literature, poetry, and storytelling. In this engaging interview, the legendary lyricist reflects on the unlikely circumstances that launched one of popular music's most celebrated songwriting partnerships. What makes the conversation particularly rewarding is Taupin's willingness to revisit his earliest creative struggles, explain the inspiration behind familiar songs, and challenge some of the mythology surrounding his career.
The discussion begins with Taupin's upbringing and the influences that shaped his approach to writing. His mother and grandfather encouraged his literary interests, introducing him to narrative poetry and adventurous stories long before he understood how popular songs were constructed. American country music eventually provided the missing connection, demonstrating how storytelling could work within a musical framework. Taupin recalls discovering artists such as Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, and the Louvin Brothers through recordings circulating in postwar England. His admission that he initially had little understanding of songwriting makes his eventual success especially fascinating. The account also provides valuable historical context for the musical environment of the 1960s, although some of his broader observations about influential British musicians are presented as personal interpretations rather than extensively examined historical arguments.
The story of Taupin's first connection with Elton John offers several entertaining revelations. Responding to an advertisement placed by Liberty Records representative Ray Williams, Taupin submitted an awkward introductory letter accompanied by lyrics he now considers embarrassingly primitive. Those writings eventually reached Reg Dwight, who would become Elton John, although Taupin humorously questions the familiar story that they were selected from an enormous stack of submissions. His memories of living in bunk beds at Elton's mother's house provide an amusing glimpse into their modest beginnings, while the account of their unsuccessful attempts to write commercial songs for established singers reveals how long it took them to discover their artistic identity. The arrival of Steve Brown, who encouraged them to concentrate on their more personal material, becomes a significant turning point, leading to "Skyline Pigeon" and the creative momentum that followed.
The interview becomes especially compelling when Taupin examines how individual songs developed. His explanation of "Rocket Man" connects its central concept to Ray Bradbury's science fiction and recalls how its opening lines appeared while he was driving to visit his parents. Without anything to write on, he repeatedly recited the words until he could finally record them. A similarly spontaneous encounter with the aftermath of a shooting in New York helped inspire the beginning of "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," although the unfinished lyrics remained untouched for an extended period. These recollections illustrate how Taupin collected fragments of experience and imagination rather than following a rigid songwriting schedule. The discussion also addresses "Tiny Dancer" and Elton's remarkable ability to transform lyrics into melodies quickly, giving viewers a clearer appreciation of the creative independence that defined their partnership.
A particularly insightful section focuses on "Your Song" and the unconventional simplicity that Taupin believes explains its enduring appeal. Rather than consciously constructing verses and choruses according to established formulas, he describes writing something resembling an intimate daydream, allowing the emotional sincerity to determine its shape. The interviewer reinforces this discussion by examining the song's structure and playing familiar passages, helping connect Taupin's explanations to recognizable musical examples. Taupin also emphasizes that neither songwriter deliberately pursued commercial hits, despite Elton's fascination with chart positions. His description of their relentless early schedule of writing, recording, and touring reveals how sustained creative activity helped sharpen their abilities. However, the conversation occasionally accepts Taupin's romantic view of artistic instinct without exploring more deeply how musical arrangement, revision, and commercial considerations influenced the finished recordings.
The broader discussion of creativity provides another valuable perspective on Taupin's personality. He explains why recording studios eventually became restrictive environments for him, particularly once his lyrical responsibilities were complete and he had little direct involvement in production. His preference for handwritten lyrics, physical instruments, and organic recording methods reflects a longstanding attachment to traditional creative practices. His admiration for Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty further illustrates his appreciation for distinctive voices and direct, memorable language. These observations are interesting, although his sweeping dismissal of modern computer-based recording feels unnecessarily generalized. The interviewer largely allows those opinions to pass without examining the creative possibilities that contemporary production technology can offer.
The conversation's final stretch shifts toward Taupin's independent artistic ambitions and personal identity. He discusses how writing his memoir, Scattershot, encouraged him to explore more autobiographical material, eventually inspiring his solo album Sea of No Mercy. His explanation of wanting complete control over the writing, musical atmosphere, and sequencing offers an illuminating contrast to his decades of collaboration with Elton. He also discusses recording "That Was Me" for a documentary, working with his daughter and Brandi Carlile on album tracks, and removing a song because it disrupted the project's overall flow. The closing reflections on American citizenship, his years working with horses, and his enthusiasm for baseball reveal an identity far removed from his rural English childhood. Although this extended personal discussion moves away from the central songwriting partnership, it provides a thoughtful portrait of an artist who continues to evolve independently of his most famous achievements.
Pros
- Taupin's detailed recollections of answering the 1967 newspaper advertisement, meeting Elton John, and struggling through their earliest songwriting attempts provide an unusually personal account of their creative beginnings.
- Stories about sharing a cramped bedroom, working at Dick James Music, and receiving encouragement from Steve Brown bring humor and historical texture to the partnership's formative years.
- The explanations behind "Rocket Man," "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," "Tiny Dancer," and "Your Song" offer fascinating insights into inspiration, lyrical development, and Elton's melodic instincts.
- The discussion of handwritten lyrics, evolving songwriting methods, and the partners' respect for each other's creative independence provides meaningful insight into their enduring collaboration.
- Musical examples and the interviewer's questions about song structure help make abstract creative concepts more accessible and engaging.
- Taupin's candid reflections on literary influences, artistic independence, studio environments, and the pressures of commercial songwriting reveal a thoughtful and distinctive creative philosophy.
- The exploration of Scattershot and Sea of No Mercy demonstrates how Taupin's personal experiences continue influencing his work beyond his collaborations with Elton John.
Cons
- The interview occasionally moves into lengthy personal tangents about recording technology, sports, national identity, and lifestyle, reducing the time devoted specifically to the partnership's musical achievements.
- Some historical anecdotes and disputed songwriting legends rely entirely on Taupin's recollections, with limited independent context or examination of alternative accounts.
- The discussion of artistic instinct and the absence of commercial ambition could benefit from deeper questions about the practical decisions, revisions, and musical arrangements behind the recordings.
- Taupin's criticism of contemporary digital recording is broad and largely unchallenged, leaving an otherwise interesting discussion of changing creative methods somewhat one-sided.
- The promotional interruption disrupts the early historical narrative, while the closing discussion of upcoming releases occasionally shifts the conversation away from its strongest retrospective material.
Bernie Taupin delivers an absorbing and frequently revealing account of the experiences, literary influences, and creative independence that helped shape his extraordinary partnership with Elton John. His vivid memories of their humble beginnings and the spontaneous inspiration behind beloved songs provide the interview's greatest rewards, while the personal reflections reveal an artist whose ambitions extend well beyond his most celebrated collaborations. Despite occasional digressions and some missed opportunities for deeper musical analysis, this is a thoughtful, entertaining conversation that offers music enthusiasts a richer understanding of the songwriter behind so many enduring classics.
