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Bernie Taupin

 
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Bernie Taupin

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Lyricist, vocalist

Bernie Taupin is best known for his 30-year collaboration with pop star Elton John, although he has released several solo albums and has written lyrics for others. Taupin’s association with John has made him one of the most prolific lyricists of the 20th century. Although Taupin continues writing lyrics for John, he has also formed his own acoustic rock band. In 1996, he and four other musicians became the Farm Dogs, fulfilling a lifelong dream to have his own band. The group has released two albums, Last Stand In Open Country (1996) and Immigrant Sons (1998).

Born in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England on May 22, 1950, Taupin was raised in a rural community where men had limited employment opportunities. One either became a farmer, as his father had temporarily, or went to work in a factory in a neighboring town. Taupin left school at age 16 and held various jobs as a young man. He worked as a farm laborer, in a factory, and as an apprentice printer. Taupin admitted to B/V/boarc/that he was "insubordinate" and got himself fired from the printing job, partially because it seemed like an eternity before he would be a full-fledged printer.

Taupin’s songwriting style was influenced by literary and musical factors. He was an avid reader and enjoyed narrative poetry, including works by Alfred Lord Tennyson and Thomas Babington Macaulay. As a teen, he would listen to music in bed at night on a transistor radio.

He could pick up the American Forces Network, which was broadcast to the American military in England. He also listed to American music on Radio Luxembourg, a kind of "pirate" radio station. Taupin’s cousins lived in London, and when he visited them he discovered lots of interesting music by sorting through their piles of old 78 r.p.m. records. Some of his early musical influences included Leadbelly, Woodie Guthrie, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Later, he was inspired by Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, and Marty Robbins. Taupin appreciated the stories told through their music. Taupin credits Marty Robbins’ song "El Paso" as the tune that actually inspired him to write his own songs. Other influences, that were acknowledged during his acceptance of a 1997 ASCAP Golden Word Award, included John Lennon and Joni Mitchell.

As a young man, Taupin enjoyed writing and was encouraged in this effort by his mother. In 1967, after working at various jobs unsuccessfully, he went to London to respond to an ad in the New Musical Express. Placed by the new independent label Liberty Records, it sought artists and composers. Taupin has saved these first lyrics, penned in response to the ad, and may include them in afuture compilation project. Taupin told Billboard that those first few songs had names like "Coffee Colored Lady," "Year Of The Teddy Bear," and "Did Lightnin’Strike A Man," which he called, "all really horribly pretentious stuff."

Taupin began working with Elton John at age 17. His first lyric written in this joint effort was called "Scarecrow," a demo that was never recorded. John had been making demos at DickJames’ studio and used some of Taupin’s lyrics before they met in person. Finally, they were introduced at the studio; afterwards, they went to the nearby Lancaster Grill on Tottenham Court Road, where they agreed to do some songs together. Taupin never imagined that this would be the beginning of a long-term partnership. For the next year, he wrote lyrics and sent them to John from his home north of London. Eventually, Taupin moved to London and for a while lived at John’s parents’ home.

Developed Musical Rapport
It wasn’t long before the pair developed a musical rapport that would serve them for 30 years. Taupin talked with Paul Gambaccini in A Conversation with Elton John and Bernie Taupin during the early 1970s, and told him why he felt they had lasted as a team and would continue to for "a good long time … is because [we] can turn our ideas into anything, any sort of music." Taupin felt confident in John’s ability to interpret his

lyrics appropriately, although he would rarely give John input or suggest a particular mood or tempo. Taupin told Gambaccini, "The songs that I write give the idea of how they should be anyway, so it’s pretty easy to pick up the mood that should suit them."

By the time they worked together on the Tumbleweed album, which was released in 1970, Taupin and John had developed a style of collaboration in which Taupin worked alone, giving the lyrics to John who then developed the melodies. Taupin’s writing habits have since changed; where once he simply sat down and wrote unaccompanied, he now finds using a guitar helpful in the creative process. He plays chords on the guitar as he writes the lyrics. It was a real first for Taupin after forming the Farm Dogs when the members sat around in acircle equipped with guitars, and worked out the music as a group.

Taupin has written lyrics for hundreds of songs, many of which Elton John has created melodies for and recorded. Some of their hit songs include "YourSong," "Daniel," "Rocket Man," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and "Candle In The Wind." Their 1975 album, Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboywas autobiographical in nature: John was Captain Fantastic and Taupin was The Brown Dirt Cowboy. Taupin also released three solo albums during the 1970s and 1980s. He wrote lyrics for other artists too, including co-writing all ten songs on Alice Cooper’s 1978 album From The Inside. Taupin wrote the lyrics for "We Built This City," recorded by Starship in 1985 and "These Dreams," recorded by Heart in 1986. He has also penned lyrics for Melissa Manchester, Rod Stewart, John Waite, and others.

Taupin’s favorite songs with Elton John include "Sacrifice," 1989, and "The One," 1992. He also favors the original version of "Candle In The Wind," which was written as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe in 1973. Little did he know—as he told Gambaccini in the early 1970s, "I think [its] the best song we’ve ever written…. I think … its going to be the best thing we’ve ever done"—the full magnitude of his words would carry some 20 years hence. Taupin reworked the lyrics at John’srequest in 1997. The new version of "Candle In The Wind" was performed as a tribute by John at Princess Diana’s funeral and would go on to become the largest selling single ever, with sales of 35 million copies. John donated his proceeds to Princess Diana’s Memorial Fund, which supports her favorite charities and is expected to raise over 160 million dollars.

Taupin had a fascination with the American West as a child. He was interested in the history and, particularly, the people who lived during the time of the gunslingers. He read books about Billy The Kid and Wyatt Earp. This interest eventually led him to move to the United States, where he has lived for over 20 years. He settled in California, became a United States citizen, and now raises cutting horses on a ranch in Santa Ynez Valley, California. With his new lifestyle, Taupin has become the image of the Brown Dirt Cowboy.

In 1996, Taupin fulfilled another lifelong dream and formed his own band, the Farm Dogs. Now he is raising horses, strumming on a git-fiddle, writing lyrics, and crooning with his new rock band rooted in Americana and blues. He told Rickde Yampertofthe Tennessean, "I’ve come full circle." He has certainly come a long way from his rural roots in northern England. Although Taupin regrets not having started his own band earlier, he’s philosophical about his life. He told de Yampert, "I’m a great believer in things happening for a reason." Taupin continued, explaining that like every teenage kid, he had dreamed of being in a band. He speculated that perhaps he didn’t have the confidence in his musical ability at that age, something he later gained during his "apprenticeship" with John.

Debuted with Farm Dogs
Taupin’s Farm Dogs band mates include guitarists Jim Cregan and Robin LeMesurier, drummer Tony Brock and bassist, Tad Wadhams. Their 1996 debut album reflected Taupin’s interest in gunfighters and cowboy ballads, entitled Last Stand In Open Country. The themes explore the analogy between the Western gun-fighter and the man with a guitar. Taupin described the album at Discovery Records online as, "rootsy and authentic" and "blues, folk, country." The Los Angeles Times said Last Stand displayed "an earthiness of the acoustic settings andthe unrefined lead vocals by Taupin."

The band’s second album was released in February 1998, called Immigrant Sons. A Hollywood Reporter review by John Lappen described a February 1998 performance by the Farm Dogs as "a pastoral, calming experience." Lappen also noted that "Taupin sounded great; his raspy voice is perfect for this sort of material." He called the Farm Dogs "as cuddly as an old cur on a stormy night."

Taupin continues to write lyrics for John and he finds no difficulty in stretching his style to accommodate his long-time partner as well as the Farm Dogs. As he has done for 30 years, he writes his lyrics and sends them off to John. He told de Yampert that in order to write lyrics forJohn, "I just have to put myself in a different space and a different place and think about different things and subject matter." His latest effort with John was The Big Picture, a collection of standards dedicated to another of John’s deceased friends, Gianni Versace. The album was released almost simultaneously with the "Candle In The Wind" single, in 1997.

Selected discography

With Elton John
Elton John (includes "Your Song"), 1970, reissued, Rocket Records, 1996.
Tumbleweed 1970. reissued. Rocket Records. 1996.
Honky Chateau (includes "Rocket Man"), 1972, reissued, Rocket Records, 1996.
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player(mc\udes "Daniel," and "Crocodile Rock"), 1973, reissued, Rocket Records, 1996.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road[includes "Candle InThe Wind," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and "Bennie and The Jets"), 1973, reissue, PGD/Polygram, 1996.
Caribou (includes "Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me"), 1974, reissued, PGD/Polygram, 1996.
Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy, 1975, reissued, Rocket Records, 1996.
Blue Moves, 1976, reissued, MCA Records, 1988.
Two Low For Zero, 1983, reissued, MCA Records, 1992.
Breaking Hearts, MCA Records, 1984.
Sleeping With The Past (includes "Sacrifice"), MCA Records, 1989.
The One (includes "The One"), MCA, 1992.
Big Picture, PGD/Polygram, 1997.

Solo
He Who Rides The Tiger, 1980.
Tribe, 1987.

With the Farm Dogs
Last Stand In Open Country, Discovery Records, 1996.
Immigrant Sons, Sire Records, 1998.

Singles
"Candle In The Wind 1997," A & M. 1997.

Sources
Books
Billboard International Buyers Guide, BPI Communications, 1997.
Gàmbaccini, Paul, A Conversation With Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Flash Books, 1975.
Rees, Dafydd and Luke Crampton, Encyclopedia of Rock Stars, Dorling Kindersly, 1996.

Periodicals
Associated Press (London), December 11, 1997.
Associated Press (Los Angeles), July 10, 1996.
Billboard, May 31, 1997; September 27, 1997; October 4, 1997.
Hollywood Reporter, February 12, 1998.
Los Angeles Times, February 13, 1998.
New Yorker, August 26-September 2, 1996, p. 108-9.

Tennessean (Nashville, TN), January 23, 1998.
Toronto Sun, September 18, 1997.

Online
pathfinder.com/people/sp/intrigue97/25most/john.html
http://www.ascap.com
http://www.billboard.com
http://www.cdnow.com
http://www.cduniverse.com
http://www.discoveryrec.com
http://www.farmdogs.com
Additional material was provided by publicist Debra Brennan of Sire Records.
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AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Bernie Taupin

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  • Genres: Rock

Biography

The lyricist behind many of Elton John's most memorable pop hits, Bernie Taupin was born May 22, 1950, in rural Lincolnshire, England. The product of a farming family, his primary musical influence was the gunfighter ballads of Marty Robbins, marking the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the American west that surfaced as a recurring theme throughout his work as a songwriter. Taupin quit school at 16 to accept a job with a local newspaper, followed by a stint at a chicken ranch; at 17, he responded to a Liberty Records advertisement seeking new talent and although the label turned Taupin down, A&R exec Ray Williams suggested he team with aspiring singer/composer Reg Dwight, who months later adopted the name Elton John. Although the duo soon began writing for Dick James Music, they originally collaborated solely by mail and did not meet face-to-face until nearly half a year into their partnership; early efforts were recorded by pop singers, including Lulu, Roger Cook, and Brian Keith, and although John recorded several of their songs as a solo act as well, his 1969 debut LP Empty Sky failed to generate much interest.

John's self-titled 1970 album was the turning point; highlighted by the classic "Your Song," it made the singer an emerging superstar and although Taupin received comparatively little notice for his efforts, that same year he cut an eponymous solo LP of his own. Although John's 1971 record Tumbleweed Connection reflected the outlaw themes that so fascinated Taupin as a boy, 1972's Honky Chateau was the team's true commercial breakthrough, topping the American charts on the strength of the smash hits "Honky Cat" and "Rocket Man." Throughout the mid-'70s, John reeled off a remarkable series of Top Ten hits, including "Crocodile Rock," "Daniel," "Bennie and the Jets," "The Bitch Is Back," and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"; the first album ever to enter the American charts at number one, 1975's Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy featured Taupin's most autobiographical lyrics to date and launched the chart-topping "Philadelphia Freedom." However, relations between he and John were becoming increasingly strained and in the wake of 1976's Blue Moves, the singer began working with other lyricists.

Apart from John, Taupin relocated to Los Angeles and in 1980 issued his third solo album, He Who Rides the Tiger; that same year, he and the singer reunited for 21 at 33, although John continued collaborating with other writers as well. 1983's Too Low for Zero restored their partnership in full, yielding the hits "I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues." Still, despite subsequent chart entries like "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," "Nikita," and "Sacrifice," the duo's later work largely failed to recapture the spark of their creative peak. Independent of John, Taupin returned to the top of the charts in 1985 as the co-author of the Starship smash "We Built This City," and two years later issued the solo Tribe; in 1988, he also published his memoir, A Cradle of Haloes: Sketches of a Childhood. Taupin subsequently formed the Farm Dogs, a roots music-inspired group that issued a self-titled debut album in 1986. In the wake of Princess Diana's death the following year, he also rewrote the lyrics of the perennial "Candle in the Wind" in her honor; performed by John at the royal's funeral, the resulting single became one of the biggest chart hits of all time. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Bernie Taupin

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Bernie Taupin

Taupin attending the premiere of The Union at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Background information
Birth name Bernard John Taupin
Born 22 May 1950 (1950-05-22) (age 61) Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England
Origin London, England[1]
Genres Pop, rock music
Occupations Lyricist, singer-songwriter, poet
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1967–present
Associated acts Elton John, Alice Cooper, Long John Baldry

Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.

In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in England's music paper New Musical Express that was seeking new songwriters.[1] Around the same time Elton John submitted samples of his work to the paper, and the pair were brought together, collaborating on many projects since.[1][2]

Contents

Birth and childhood

Much of Taupin's childhood is reflected in his lyrics and poetry. He was born at Flatters Farmhouse which is located between the village of Anwick and the town of Sleaford in the southern part of Lincolnshire, England.[3] Of French ancestry, his father was educated in Dijon and was employed as a stockman by a large farm estate near the town of Market Rasen and his mother worked as a nanny, having previously lived in Switzerland.[4] The family later relocated to Rowston Manor, a significant step up from Flatters Farmhouse which had no electricity.[4][5]

Taupin's father decided to try his hand at independent farming and the family relocated again to the run-down Maltkiln Farm.[6] in the north-Lincolnshire village of Owmby-by-Spital. Taupin's 11-year younger brother, Kit, was born here.[4][5]

Bernie attended school at Market Rasen Secondary Modern. Unlike his older brother Tony who attended a Grammar School, Taupin was not a diligent student, although he showed an early flair for writing. At age 15, he left school and started work as a trainee in the print room of the local newspaper The Lincolnshire Standard with aspirations to be a journalist. He soon left and spent the rest of his teenage years hanging out with friends, hitchhiking the country roads to attend youth club dances in the surrounding villages, playing snooker in the Aston Arms Pub[7] in Market Rasen and drinking. He had worked at several part-time, dead-end jobs when, at age 17, he answered an advertisement that eventually led to his collaboration with Elton John.[4][5]

Early influences

Taupin's mother had studied French Literature and his maternal grandfather "Poppy" was a classics teacher and graduate of the University of Cambridge.[4] They taught him an appreciation for nature and for literature and narrative poetry, both of which influenced his early lyrics.[4][5] Taupin's upbringing also influenced his lyrics - in songs such as "Lady, What's Tomorrow?", "Your Song" and "Country Comfort". Taupin's unique blend of influences gave his early lyrics a nostalgic romanticism that fit perfectly with the hippie sensibilities of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Taupin sometimes wrote about specific places in Lincolnshire. For example, "Grimsby" on Caribou was a tongue-in-cheek tribute to a nearby port town often visited by Taupin and his friends. More famously, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" was inspired by Taupin's experiences in the dance halls and pubs of his youth. More often he wrote in more general autobiographical terms, as in his reference to hitching rides home in "Country Comfort." These autobiographical references to his rural upbringing continued after his departure for London and a life in show business, with songs such as "Honky Cat" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", in which he thinks about "going back to my plough."

Taupin's most important influence was his interest in America's Old West, imbuing Tumbleweed Connection and recent songs such as "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore". When Taupin and Elton decided to write an autobiographical album in 1975, Taupin dubbed himself "The Brown Dirt Cowboy", in contrast to Elton's "Captain Fantastic."

Collaboration with Elton John

Taupin with Elton John, 1971.

In 1967 Taupin answered an advertisement for talent placed in the New Musical Express by Liberty records A&R man Ray Williams who was searching for new talent. Elton John answered the same advert and although neither Bernie nor Elton passed the audition for Liberty Records Ray Williams recognised their respective talents and put them in touch with each other. The pair have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date. The team took some time off from each other for a while between 1977 and 1979, while Taupin worked with other songwriters, including Alice Cooper, and John worked with other lyricists, including Gary Osborne and Tom Robinson. (The 1978 single-only A side "Ego" was their only collaboration of note during the period, although John/Taupin B-sides such as "Lovesick" and "I Cry at Night" were issued with the respective singles "Song for Guy" and "Part-time Love" from the album A Single Man.)

John and Taupin resumed writing together on (at first) an occasional basis in 1980, with Taupin contributing only three or four lyrics each on albums such as The Fox, 21 at 33 and Jump Up! However, by 1983's Too Low for Zero, the two renewed their partnership on a full-time basis and from that point forward Taupin was again John's primary lyricist. (John often works with other lyricists on specific theatrical or film projects such as 1993's The Lion King, which featured lyrics by Tim Rice.)

Taupin's lyrics include such tunes as "Rocket Man", "Levon", "Crocodile Rock", "Honky Cat", "Tiny Dancer", "Candle in the Wind", "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", "The Bitch is Back", "Daniel", and 1970's "Your Song", their first hit. Hits in the 1980s include "I'm Still Standing", "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues", "Sad Songs (Say So Much)", and "Nikita." In the 1990s, Taupin and John had more hits, including "The One", "Simple Life", "The Last Song" and "Believe." In September 1997, Taupin rewrote the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for "Candle in the Wind 1997", a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.[8]

I thought it was very important to project it from a nation's standpoint. I wanted to make it sound like a country singing it. From the first couple of lines I wrote [which began "Goodbye England's Rose"], the rest sort of fell into place

“
”
Bernie Taupin on writing the lyrics
for "Candle in the Wind 1997"[8]

The 1991 film documentary Two Rooms described the John/Taupin writing style, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own and John then putting them to music, with no further interaction between the two. This however was a process that was to change considerably over the years. The process is still fundamentally the same, with John composing to Taupin's words, but the two interact on songs far more today, with Taupin joining John in the studio as the songs are written and occasionally during recording sessions.

Taupin and John had their first Broadway musical open in March 2006 with Lestat: The Musical. Taupin wrote lyrics for 10 songs (and an 11th completed non-album track "Across the River Thames") for John's 2006 album The Captain & The Kid (sequel to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy) and appeared on the cover with him for the first time marking their 40th anniversary of working together. ("Across the River Thames" was issued as an Internet-only download as a bonus with certain editions of The Captain and the Kid.) On 25 March 2007 Taupin made a surprise appearance at John's 60th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden, briefly discussing their 40-year songwriting partnership. Of Taupin's importance to their careers, as recorded on the Elton 60 - Live at Madison Square Garden DVD, John told the audience that without Taupin there probably wouldn't be an Elton John as the public has come to know him. Taupin and John also composed several songs for "The Union," a collaboration album between Elton and his longtime hero Leon Russell released in October 2010. They also collaborated on five original songs for the Miramax movie Gnomeo and Juliet, released in February 2011.

Collaboration with other artists

In addition to writing for Elton John, Taupin has also written lyrics for use by other composers, with notable successes including "We Built This City", which was recorded by Starship, and "These Dreams", recorded by Heart (both of which were collaborations with English composer/musician Martin Page). In 1978, he co-wrote the album From the Inside with Alice Cooper. Taupin has also sat in the producer's chair, helming American Gothic for singer-songwriter David Ackles. Released in 1972, it did not enjoy big sales, but the album was highly acclaimed by music critics in the US and UK. The influential British music critic Derek Jewell of the UK Sunday Times described the album as being "the Sgt. Pepper of folk." Of Ackles' four albums, it was the only one recorded in England rather than in the United States. Taupin and Ackles had become acquainted when Ackles was selected to be the co-headlining act for Elton John's 1970 American debut at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Taupin was mentioned specifically as being one of the reasons American Gothic was selected by the writers and editors for inclusion in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

In 2002, Willie Nelson and Kid Rock recorded "Last Stand in Open Country" for Nelson's album The Great Divide. The song was the title track of the first album from Taupin's band Farm Dogs (see below). Nelson's album included two other Taupin songs, "This Face" and "Mendocino County Line." The latter song, a duet between Nelson and Lee Ann Womack, was made into a video and released as the album's first single. The song won the 2003 Grammy for best vocal collaboration in country music. In 2004, he co-wrote Courtney Love's song "Uncool", from her 2004 debut solo album America's Sweetheart. In 2005, he co-wrote the title track to What I Really Want For Christmas with Brian Wilson for his first seasonal album. In 2006, he won a Golden Globe Award for his lyrics to the song "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" from the film Brokeback Mountain. The music of the song was composed by Argentine producer and songwriter Gustavo Santaolalla.

Works as a performer

Solo albums

With Farm Dogs

In 1971, Taupin recorded a spoken-word album entitled Taupin, in which he recites some of his early poems against a background of impromptu, sitar-heavy music created by some members of Elton's band, including Davey Johnstone and Caleb Quaye. Side One is entitled "Child" and contains poems about his early childhood in southern Lincolnshire. The first poem, "The Greatest Discovery," which looks at his birth from the perspective of his older brother Tony, was also set to music by Elton John and included on Elton's eponymous second album, Elton John. There are poems about Taupin's first two childhood homes, Flatters and Rowston Manor, and others about his relationship with his brother and grandfather. Side Two includes a variety of poems of varying obscurity, from a marionette telling her own story to a rat catcher who falls victim to his prey.[9] While the lyrics to Side One provide interesting insights into Taupin's childhood, the album makes for a tedious listening experience, and Taupin stated in interviews that he wasn't pleased with the results.[10]

In 1980, Taupin recorded his first album as a singer, He Who Rides the Tiger. Although he demonstrated a more-than-adequate vocal ability, the album failed to make a dent in the charts. Taupin later suggested in interviews that he didn't have the creative control he would have liked over the album. In 1987, he recorded another album entitled Tribe. The songs were co-written with Martin Page. "Citizen Jane" and "Friend of the Flag" were released as singles. Videos of both singles featured Rene Russo, the sister of Toni, his wife at that time.

In 1996, Taupin pulled together a band called Farm Dogs,[11] whose two albums were conscious (and successful) throwbacks to the grittier, earthier sound of Tumbleweed Connection. While Taupin wrote the lyrics, the music was a collaborative effort among the band members. Their first album, 1996's Last Stand in Open Country, received critical praise but little airplay. As mentioned above, the title track was later recorded by Willie Nelson and Kid Rock for Nelson's 2002 album The Great Divide. In 1998, Farm Dogs released its second and final album, Immigrant Sons. The album was unsuccessful despite a tour of small clubs across America.

Non-musical projects

In 1973, Taupin collected all his lyrics up through the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album into a book entitled Bernie Taupin: The One Who Writes the Words for Elton John. In addition to the lyrics from the albums, this book contained the lyrics to all the single B-sides, various rarities, and Taupin's 1970 spoken-word album. The songs are illustrated by various artists, friends, and celebrity guests such as John Lennon and Joni Mitchell. The book is in black & white except for the cover.

In 1977, Taupin collaborated with rock photographer David Nutter on, "It's A Little Bit Funny," adding text and helping chronicle Elton John's year-long, "Louder Than Concorde, But Not Quite As Pretty" world concert tour. The now-collectible book was published in hard and soft cover editions by Penguin Books. It collects the better part of one year's worth of personal adventures and memories of Elton and the band, aboard his private plane, on the beaches of Barbados, at backstage gatherings and in some quieter off-stage moments with friends (including some famous faces that Elton and Bernie met and palled around with in their travels).

In 1978, Taupin also appeared in an episode of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Meet Dracula, singing backup to Shaun Cassidy. In 1988, Taupin published an autobiography of his childhood entitled A Cradle of Haloes: Sketches of a Childhood.[5] The book was released only in England. It tells the tale of a childhood fuelled by fantasy in rural Lincolnshire in the 1950s and 1960s, ending in 1969 as Taupin gets on the train to seek his fortune in London.

In 1991, Taupin self-published a book of poems called The Devil at High Noon. In 1994, Taupin's lyrics up through the Made In England album were collected into a hardcover book entitled Elton John & Bernie Taupin: The Complete Lyrics, published by Hyperion. However, it doesn't appear that Taupin was intimately involved in this project, as it contains multiple misspellings and outright misrenderings of the lyrics. It is also missing some of the rarities and B-sides found in the earlier collection. As with the 1973 collection, the songs are illustrated by various artists, this time in full color throughout.

In 2009, Taupin debuted his American Roots Radio with Bernie Taupin - roots music show hosted by Taupin on satellite radio Sirius XM Radio's The Loft channel.

Personal life

Taupin married Maxine Feibelman in 1971 (they divorced in 1976).[12] In 1979, Taupin married Toni Lynn Russo, sister of actress Rene Russo. He and Russo divorced in 1991. Taupin married Stephanie Haymes, daughter of entertainers Dick Haymes and Fran Jeffries, on August 21, 1993. Taupin and Haymes divorced in 1998. In March 2004, Taupin married Heather Lynn Hodgins Kidd and they have two daughters, Charley Indiana and Georgey Devon.

Taupin has lived his dream of being a "Brown Dirt Cowboy". He moved to Southern California from England in the mid-1970s; since the 1980s, he has been living on a ranch north of Los Angeles near Santa Ynez, California. He co-owned a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles called "Cicada" with then-wife Stephanie Haymes. In the early 2000s, Taupin publicly displayed some of his paintings. He co-owned a PBR bucking bull named Little Yellow Jacket, which was recently retired as an unprecedented three-time world champion.[13] He is a vocal supporter of gay rights.[citation needed]

See also

Portal icon Poetry portal

References

  1. ^ a b c Billboard 4 Oct 1997, 30 Years of Music: Elton John with Bernie Taupin Billboard Magazine
  2. ^ Bernie Taupin Biography Songwriters Hall of Fame
  3. ^ Flatters Farmhouse - On his Very Spot
  4. ^ a b c d e f Elton John, Philip Norman, Fireside, 1991
  5. ^ a b c d e A Cradle of Haloes, Bernie Taupin, Aurum Press, 1988
  6. ^ Maltkiln Farm (former site) - onthisveryspot.com
  7. ^ Aston Arms Pub - On This Very Spot
  8. ^ a b The songwriters idea book. Writer's Digest Books p.103. http://books.google.com/books?id=aWm2iDGGsAIC&pg=PA103&dq=taupin+candle+in+the+wind+1997&hl=en&ei=02IWTZ-2Cc6GhQeWmt23Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDIQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=taupin%20candle%20in%20the%20wind%201997&f=false. "I thought it was very important to project it from a nation's standpoint. I wanted to make it sound like a country singing it. From the first couple of lines i wrote [ which began "Goodbye England's Rose"], the rest sort of fell into place." 
  9. ^ Bernie Taupin: The One Who Writes the Words for Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Jonathan Cape, 1973
  10. ^ A Conversation with Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Paul Gambaccini, Flash Books, 1974
  11. ^ http://www.farmdogs.com/
  12. ^ Market Rasen Today: News, Sport, Jobs, Property, Cars, Entertainments & More
  13. ^ Fried Twinkies, Buckle Bunnies & Bull Riders by Josh Peter, Rodale, 2005, pg 156.

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Elton John
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Copyrights:

Gale Musician Profiles. Contemporary Musicians © 1989-2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists. Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia on Answers.com. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Bernie Taupin.  Read more

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