The Meaning Behind Elton John's Song

June 2024 · 3 minute read

Following his ultimate U.S. concert at Dodger Stadium, enthusiasts are curious to understand the meaning behind Elton John's vintage hit "Take Me to the Pilot."

Allison DeGrushe - Author

On Nov. 20, 2022, legendary singer and pianist Elton John performed his final live performance in North America as a part of his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour." The reside show, which took place at Dodger Stadium, housed greater than 50,000 fanatics and included a number of famous person guests like Dua Lipa, Kiki Dee, and Brandi Carlile.

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OK, we know you may be experiencing extreme FOMO; then again, there is no want to because the three-hour concert is to be had to movement on Disney Plus! So, head on over to the service, press play on Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium, and sing alongside to his vintage hits like "Rocket Man," "I'm Still Standing, "and "Take Me to the Pilot."

Speaking of "Take Me to the Pilot," the 1970 music has been a staple at Elton's concerts for decades, yet fans can never reasonably figure out what the song approach. On that observe, let's destroy it down.

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What is the meaning of Elton John's song "Take me to the Pilot"?

Like most of his songs, Elton collaborated together with his friend, acclaimed songwriter Bernie Taupin, on "Take Me to the Pilot." While the iconic vocalist wrote the song, Bernie penned the lyrics to the October 1970 hit. Regarding the song's lyrics and general message, many (together with Elton John himself) in finding the verses to be cryptic and just about incomprehensible.

In 2005, the then 58-year-old Elton spoke about the song and said, "in the early days, there were a lot of inquiries about 'What does this song mean? What does that song mean?' and in the case of 'Take me to the pilot/Lead me through the chamber/Take me to the pilot/I am but a stranger,' I have no idea! You're on your own, I tell you."

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OK, we give Elton a move since he did not write the lyrics, however what about Bernie? Does he have any insight relating to the meaning of "Take Me to the Pilot"? Unfortunately, the lyricist is just as clueless as the singer. According to AlbumLinerNotes.com, Bernie admitted he had "no idea" what the song was once about.

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"I used to hear about David Bowie throwing words into a hat, picking them out, and putting them together," Bernie mentioned. "The great revolutionary poets did that; I’m sure Baudelaire and Rimbaud were so stoned out of their minds, they just threw things together and went 'Wow! That sounds good.'"

Bernie concluded, "It’s how they sound together, you don’t have to worry about whether it rhymes or whether the meter’s great. It’s just how it feels here and now. The perfect example of that is 'Take Me To The Pilot.' If anybody can tell me what that song’s about, it’d be great. But hey, it worked."

Although the lyrical meaning is outwardly non-existent, we will be able to all agree that "Take Me to the Pilot" stays one in every of Elton John's biggest songs — it's a wild showstopper that we could play for hours on finish with out getting unwell of it.

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