Elton John Quotes:

I grew up conservative because my mum was a conservative, and when I finally realized what conservatives were, I changed my mind immediately.

Topics: Mind, Conservative, Grew Up

I'm going to fight for human rights, whether I do it silently behind the scenes or vocally so that I get locked up. I can't just sit back; it's not in my nature. I can't sit back and blindly ignore it, and I won't.

source: - "When Elton met Jake". Interview with Jake Shears, www.theguardian.com. November 12, 2006.

Topics: Fighting, Rights, Behind The Scenes

Ask anyone. If it hadn't been for Elvis, I don't know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me.

Topics: Music, Would Be, Popular Music

If you write great songs with meaning and emotion, they will last for ever because songs are the key to everything.

source: - "When Elton met Jake". Interview with Jake Shears, www.theguardian.com. August 21, 2006.

Topics: Song, Writing, Keys

Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.

source: - "When Elton met Jake". Interview with Jake Shears, www.theguardian.com. August 21, 2006.

Topics: Music, Healing, People, Music And Healing

I didn't have sex until I was 23 and that was with a man. I made up for lost time after that in a hurry. I wish I could have had sex when I was, like, 14, 15 or 16 because that's such an exciting age to have sex.

Topics: Sex, Men, Wish, Lost Time

And I'm afraid, in this day and age, trust, which I count so, you know, I love loyalty. I love trust.

Topics: Birthday, Loyalty, Age, Loyalty Love, Trust Love

I grew up in the Fifties and early Sixties, which were still quite conservative, and I wasn't given any information about sex or anything like that; I went out with girls at school because one had to. I didn't experiment with sex for quite a long time.

Topics: Girl, Sex, School

There is nothing wrong with going to bed with someone of your own sex. People should be very free with sex, they should draw the line at goats.

Topics: Sex, Gay, People, Funny Sex, Great Sex

We have a society where every hit maker and TV presenter is gay.

Topics: Gay, Tvs, Makers, Presenter

There's a time for everyone, If they only learn, that the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn.

source: - Song: Can You Feel The Love Tonight

Topics: Moving, Kaleidoscope, Turns

I love drag queens and I love going to see them perform because those people have got so much character and bravery. Such balls! I love people with balls.

Topics: Queens, Character, People, Drag Queen

Johnny, can't you come out to play in your empty garden?

Topics: Garden, Play, Empty

I think religion has always tried to turn hatred towards gay people. Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. But there are so many Christian people I know who are gay and love their religion.

Topics: Christian, Gay, Thinking, Organised Religion, Gay People

My mum always used to buy a record every Friday.

Topics: Friday, Records, Used

What we should be doing as musicians is trying to bring people together.

Topics: People, Trying, Together

I was more ashamed that I couldn't work the washing machine than the fact that I was taking drugs.

Topics: Drug, Machines, Facts, Washing Machines

We can't keep thinking of gay people as being ostracised; we can't keep thinking of Muslim people as being ostracised because of the fundamentalism that occurs in Islam. Muslim people have to do something about speaking up about it. We can't judge a book by its cover.

Topics: Book, Gay, Thinking, Judging A Book By Its Cover

I want to do a musical movie. Like Evita, but with good music.

Topics: Movie, Music, Want, Evita

The world is near escalating to World War Three and where are the leaders of each religion? Why aren't they having a conclave; why aren't they coming together?

Topics: War, Leader, Together, Escalating

I was just genuinely shy. I'd always been a shy kid.

Topics: Kids, Shy

Instead of more violence why isn't there a meeting of religious leaders. It's all got to be dialogue - that's the only way. Get everybody from each religion together and say 'Listen, this can't go on. Why do we have all this hatred?'

Topics: Religious, Hatred, Leader, Religious Leaders

Everything I thought I'd hate about having children - the crying, the screaming - nothing fazes me. I love it all, and it's relaxed me.

Topics: Children, Hate, Cry

I do like my rock stars to be a little larger than life. I don't mind the earnest ones at all, but I do like a bit of individuality.

Topics: Stars, Rocks, Individuality

I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life. I love the food. I love the people. I love the attitudes of Italians.

Topics: Attitude, Italian, People

It's the circle of life, and it moves us all, through despair and hope, through faith and love, 'till we find our place, on the path unwinding.

source: - Song: Circle Of Life 2

Topics: Moving, Circles, Funeral, Lion King, Circle Of Life

I am totally against the war but violence is part of mankind and it's going to happen, but as musicians I think we've got to step up and say 'come on'.

Topics: War, Thinking, Musician

The AIDS disease is caused by a virus, but the AIDS epidemic is not. The AIDS epidemic is fueled by stigma, by hate, by misinformation, by ignorance, by indifference. Science has accomplished miracles over the past 20 years, and science can now end this disease - but it cannot end the epidemic. We need more than medicine. We can do something about these things. We need to speak out about the changes we need to make in our society.

Topics: Hate, Ignorance, Past, Aids Epidemic

Dave and I as a couple seem to be the acceptable face of gayness, and that's great. I've got to use that power to try and do what I can - or we have - to try to make the situations in Russia and Poland better.

Topics: Couple, Russia, Trying, Gayness

The great thing about rock and roll is that someone like me can be a star.

source: - "Biography / Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

Topics: Inspirational, Stars, Rocks

Nothing should be an issue when it comes to sexuality in the first place. Music is the one artform where people feel comfortable coming out.

Topics: Issues, People, Firsts

Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids, in fact it's cold as hell.

Topics: Kids, Facts, Mars

It's so easy to write songs about misery and hard times and sadness. It's much more difficult to write songs about happy and chirpy stuff.

Topics: Song, Writing, Sadness

It's very important to have two tiaras when you're on the road; you never know when you'll be invited to something really formal.

Topics: Two, Important, Tiaras

The work became like the drug addiction, the clothes, anything in my life. It became - it's become an addiction. I'm addicted to working.

Topics: Clothes, Addiction, Drug

I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I collected all the little stickers and put them in my book. But the reality is that organised religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate.

Topics: Beautiful, Jesus, Teaching, Organised Religion, Lemmings

Onstage it was always comfortable for me because that's where I felt at home. Offstage it was a different situation. I was still shy offstage and unfortunately, my shyness and my inability to communicate and really have great conversations or be part of the gang - in inverted commas - led me to the drug addiction, which, you know, blighted my life for 16 years because I thought by doing that it would make me join in.

Topics: Home, Years, Addiction, Inability To Communicate

Live for each second without hesitation

source: - Song: I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Topics: Ambition, Hesitation

I suspected my homosexuality, but I'd never acted out on it because I was afraid of sex. It's awful to be afraid of sex.

Topics: Sex, Awful, Homosexuality

I just wish more of my fellow queers would come out sometimes. It's nice out here, you know?

Topics: Nice, Gay, Wish

My mother encouraged me and was very great about me being gay, but she always encouraged me to follow my musical dreams, which I'm very grateful for.

Topics: Mother, Dream, Grateful

I've only been interested in the artistic side of life.

Topics: Sides, Artistic

I don't think there can ever be too many messages about AIDS. If you stop the education process, then people are going to think the problem is all over and done with. They'll think that it's OK to go and have sex again. Education is essential, especially among young people.

Topics: Sex, Thinking, People

I think people should be free to engage in any sexual practices they choose; they should draw the line at goats though.

source: - "Biography / Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

Topics: Sex, Thinking, Practice

I don't think you can recreate anything from the past. You can not do it. If you're going to go out and imitate a Motown sound, you can't do it, it's impossible because of the studios and players involved and the atmosphere.

Topics: Past, Player, Thinking, Motown

Once you have people around you who don't question you, you're in a dangerous place.

source: - "Elton John Thinks Miley Cyrus Is Like A Candle In The Wind", www.huffingtonpost.com. September 16, 2013.

Topics: People, Dangerous, Dangerous Places

I've watched other people singing, I've become a much better singer. I've become a singer that plays the piano instead of a piano player that sings.

Topics: Player, Piano, People

People with HIV are still stigmatized. The infection rates are going up. People are dying. The political response is appalling. The sadness of it, the waste.

Topics: Sadness, People, Political, Infection

I'm not bored with my life. I'm not just making the records and touring, I would find that boring.

Topics: Bored, Records, Boring

Bands today have to learn their craft by putting the hard work in that we did when we were young performers.

Topics: Hard Work, Reality, Band

It seems to me, sorry seems to be the hardest word.

Topics: Song, Sorry, Hardest

I don't have a computer. I am the Luddite of rock'n'roll, I don't have a portable phone. I write things down.

Topics: Writing, Phones, Rocks

I've got to think about what I'm going to say very carefully. There's two avenues of thought: Do you stop everyone going, ban all the artists coming in from Russia? But then you're really leaving the men and women who are gay and suffering under the antigay laws in an isolated situation. As a gay man, I can't leave those people on their own without going over there and supporting them. I don't know what's going to happen, but I've got to go.

Topics: Gay, Artist, Men

People say, "You should write lyrics" and I say I'm quite happy not to, because I like being part of that process where you write your version of what someone else's lyrics are saying to you, and that enjoyment has never changed.

Topics: Writing, People, Never Change

Fame attracts lunatics.

Topics: Fame, Lunatic

I have an optimistic view of everything. You have to, otherwise you'd go nuts.

source: - "A Q&A With Elton John". Billboard Interview, www.billboard.com. November 16, 2004.

Topics: Optimistic, Views, Nuts

I'm the ultimate record fan. I still go out and buy records.

Topics: Fans, Records, Stills

I love the way the American trade magazines never give anybody a bad review because they're afraid the advertising will be taken out. It's so hysterical.

Topics: Taken, Giving, Magazines

I like Stevie Wonder. I usually wind up playing the same old tapes in the car.

Topics: Wind, Car, Tape

I think that's the graveyard of musicians, playing cabaret. I think I'd rather be dead than work in cabaret. It's just so depressing.

Topics: Depressing, Thinking, Musician, Cabaret

On Keith Richards: He's like a monkey with arthritis.

Topics: Culture, Arthritis

I'll even pay sometimes for a woman that's ugly.

Topics: Honesty, Ugly, Pay

Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways.

Topics: Honesty, Redneck, Way

I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don't know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East -- you're as good as dead.

Topics: Jesus, Gay, Men, Human Problems

To fight the violence we must be brave, hold on strong to the love God gave.

Topics: Religious, Strong, Fighting

We were both very much the same. We were both very impulsive. We both loved life. We both loved shopping. We both had a love of clothes, obviously, because he was the designer that I kind of wore forever and ever.

Topics: Shopping, Clothes, Forever, Impulsive

I'm not everybody's cup of tea. But sometimes criticism can be hurtful. Be respectful. I'm a good piano player, I can sing well, I write good songs. If you don't like it, fair enough. But give me a break.

Topics: Song, Writing, Player, Be Respectful

I'm lucky enough and wealthy enough to be able to buy photographs and buy art that inspires me from day to day. I don't want a Picasso on my wall; it's great art, but it's dead art to me. I'd rather have a photograph by someone I've never heard of that really inspires me.

Topics: Art, Wall, Inspire

I'm addicted to working. I mean, I have a list of 100 countries I want to play in. I'm basically killing myself by travelling so much, for no reason whatsoever.

Topics: Country, Mean, Play, Killing Myself

I went to a mixed school and I can't remember being bullied at school, ever. I was quite large, in those days. Usually, if you're going to be a bully, you'll pick on someone who is small. I didn't bully anybody, and I don't remember being bullied.

Topics: Bullying, School, Remember, Being Bullied

I love every minute of fatherhood, staying up all night, changing nappies, kids crying, I find it really funny and inspiring. It connects you to the world in a new way.

Topics: Dad, Kids, Night, Being A Dad, Nappies

I just go into the studio, look at the lyrics for the first time when I put them on the piano, and go. If I haven't got it within 40 minutes, I give up. It's never changed, the thrill has never gone, because I don't know what I'm going to get next.

source: - "Biography/ Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

Topics: Giving Up, Piano, Looks

I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, and that was it. I didn't ever want to be anything else. I just started banging away and semi-studied classical music at the Royal Academy of Music but sort of half-heartedly.

Topics: Half, Want, Littles

If I was to say what I am, I'd be a Labour man. I like Tony Blair a lot, I think he's a good man. And in America I'd definitely be a Democrat; I'd never be a Republican.

Topics: Men, Thinking, America

Some men kneel and pray, I like women and I like wine.

Topics: Religious, Wine, Men

Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organised religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate.

Topics: Gay, Views, People

And there are men behind bars who pray for the light and there are men in the suburbs who pray for the night.

Topics: Men, Night, Light

Blue jean baby, LA lady, seamstress for the band. Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man. Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand.

Topics: Baby, Men, Blue, Music Man

You can cage the songbird, but you can't make her sing. And you can trap the free bird, but you'll have to clip her wings.

source: - Song: Cage The Songbird, Album: Blue Moves

Topics: Wings, Bird, Cages, Songbirds

Don't let the sun go down on me.

source: - Song: Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Topics: Rejection, Sun, Handshake, Letting Go Of Anger, Losing Everything

Someone saved my life tonight, sugar bear, you almost had your hooks in me, didn't you dear?

Topics: Rejection, Tonight, Sugar

After claws and feathers, he took skin and bone, shaped it like an hour glass and made the angels moan.

Topics: Religious, Angel, Glasses, Skin And Bones, Hour Glasses

He'd been drinking in a bar downtown, when he thought he heard a choir of angels singing in the Tiki Lounge. And that's when he got religion.

Topics: Religious, Drinking, Angel, Angels Singing

Holy Moses, let us live in peace. Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease. There's a man over there, what's his colour I don't care, he's my brother, let us live in peace.

Topics: Religious, Brother, Men

I just sit there and make up songs and sing to [my son] in gibberish. I'm very good at gibberish now.

Topics: Fathers Day, Song, My Son, Fathers Day Images, Fathers Day Inspirational

You should never take more than you give

Topics: Giving, Should

Goodbye Norma Jean From the young man in the 22nd row Who sees you as something more than sexual More than just our Marilyn Monroe

Topics: Goodbye, Men, Young

If there's a God in heaven, what's he waiting for? If He can't hear the children, then he must see the war.

Topics: Religious, Children, War

Some kneel and lie to God.

Topics: Religious, Lying, Religion

A couple of sounds that I really like are the sounds of a switchblade and a motor bike.

Topics: Couple, Order, Law

I grew up at my grandmother's house, and she had a beautiful garden. I used to hate mowing the lawn and weeding, which is what you do when you're a kid. I loathe gardening, but I love gardens, and I have two beautiful gardens.

Topics: Beautiful, Weed, Hate, Loathe, Mowing The Lawn

I'm glad I've given up drugs and alcohol. It would be awful to be like Keith Richards. He's pathetic. It's like a monkey with arthritis, trying to go onstage and look young.

Topics: Alcohol, Drug, Trying, Arthritis

Better to build a bridge than a wall.

source: - "Elton John and Darren Walker on Race, Sexual Identity and Leaving the Past Behind". Interview with Philip Galanes, www.nytimes.com. November 28, 2014.

Topics: Wall, Bridges

Unless you show off you're not going to get noticed.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Shows, Showing Off

Don't judge the picture by the frame, every man is not the same

Topics: Men, Judging, Adages

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

source: - Song: Your Song, Album: Rocket Man

Topics: Friendship, World, Life Is

Love is the key we must turn, truth is the flame we must burn.

source: - Song: Love Song Leslie Duncan, Album: Tumbleweed Connection

Topics: Love, Keys, Flames

I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put into words, how wonderful life is, now you're in the world.

Topics: Music, Mind, World, Wonderful Life, Rouge

Welcome to the world of bullshit, my dear. You have arrived.

Topics: Bullshit, World, Welcome

Sometimes when I’m flying over the Alps I think, 'that’s like all the cocaine I sniffed.'

source: - "Sixty things for Sir Elton's 60th", news.bbc.co.uk. March 23, 2007.

Topics: Thinking, Flying, Alps

For me music is so passionate. I have to give it my all every time I go onstage.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Giving, Passionate, Music Is

The less I say the more my work gets done.

source: - Song: Philadelphia Freedom Elton John Bernie Taupin, Album: One Night Only, 2000

Topics: Done

That's just a part of being an artist: you can't write great stuff all the time, because if you did, then you'd be inhuman. The human side of people is that sometimes they fail.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

Topics: Writing, Artist, People

I've always wanted to smash a guitar over someone's head. You just can't do that with a piano.

source: - "Biography/ Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

Topics: Guitar, Piano, Wanted

I am the most well-known homosexual in the world.

Topics: World, Well Known, Homosexual, Most Well Known

Don't be afraid to let her into your heart and when your down, don't try to carry the whole world on your shoulders.

Topics: Heart, Trying, World, World On Your Shoulders

I really appreciate my performing so much better, as I get older. I don't take it for granted anymore. I really relish it and love it.

source: - "Elton John Interview GNOMEO AND JULIET". Interview with Christina Radish, collider.com. February 7, 2011.

Topics: Appreciate, And Love, Granted

I had no balance in my life. I was this one person onstage and this person offstage, who really didn't know much about living.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Balance, Persons, Knows

Talk to each other. Never go to bed when you're angry with each other. Lady Antonia Frasier who was married to Harold Pinter said they never went to bed on an argument.

source: - "Elton John, James McAvoy, Emily Blunt Interview, Gnomeo & Juliet". Movies Online Interview, www.moviesonline.ca.

Topics: Bed, Married, Argument, Pinter, Antonia

I'm 57, I can't look like a 30-year-old. You try to hold age at bay, but there comes a point when you just have to give up gracefully.

Topics: Giving Up, Years, Age

I used to take hostages in my relationships and not let people be independent. It always ended in disaster, because you take away people's identity and they end up full of resentment.

Topics: Independent, People, Identity

You and your oven are capable of great things,Remember, no two ovens are the same.

Topics: Two, Remember, Ovens

How dare you refer to my beautiful children as 'synthetic'. And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF - a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children, your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again.

source: - @eltonjohn, www.instagram.com. March 15, 2015.

Topics: Beautiful, Dream, Fashion, Ivf, Legion

At heart I've always been a music fan. That part of me has never changed since I was a little kid, sitting in a room watching a record go round, looking at the colour of the labels.

source: - "A star is reborn". Interview with Amy Raphael, www.theguardian.com. September 19, 2004.

Topics: Heart, Kids, Fans, Music Fans

There's a lot of hate in the world.

source: - Interview with Dotson Rader, parade.com. February 17, 2010.

Topics: Hate, World

Drunk all the time, feeling fine on elderberry wine.

source: - Song: Elderberry Wine Elton John Bernie Taupin, Album: Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

Topics: Wine, Drunk, Alcohol

Sweet freedom whispered in my ear, you're a butterfly, and butterflies are free to fly, fly away, high-away, bye-bye.

source: - Song: Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Topics: Sweet, Butterfly, Bye, Fly Away, Bye Bye

I never thought of myself as being handsome or good-looking or whatever.

Topics: Handsome, Looking Good

Ever since I had that interview in which I said I was bisexual it seems twice as many people wave at me in the streets.

Topics: Bisexual, People, Interviews

The whole point of being in this business and being blessed and being successful is that you're able to do things for your friends or your family, which means that they can have something special in their lives, too.

source: - "Larry King Live", transcripts.cnn.com. January 25, 2002.

Topics: Business, Blessed, Mean, Something Special

George W. Bush was passionate about AIDS. And we had a 10-minute talk at the interval of a concert at the Kennedy Center about AIDS. And I was astonished about how well-informed he was and his commitment to AIDS. And so it's the typical thing of don't judge a book by its cover until you have read the book.

source: - Source: www.pbs.org

Topics: Book, Commitment, Judging, Judging A Book By Its Cover

I've been coming to America since 1970, and it's like my second home, but I've never felt such a divided country, ever. I didn't think it would get to this point, and it breaks my heart.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

Topics: Country, Heart, Home, Breaking My Heart

I was sitting in the classroom trying to look intelligent in case the teacher looked at me.

source: - Song: Teacher I Need You Elton John Bernie Taupin, Album: Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

Topics: Education, Teacher, Intelligent

From the start, I've always admired Eminem's thinking. That's the reason I wanted to appear on the Grammys with him when I was asked. Eminem has the balls to say what he feels and to make offensive things funny. That's very necessary today in America, with people being muzzled and irony becoming a lost art. Artists like Eminem who use their free speech to get a point across are vitally important. There just aren't many people in the world with balls that big and talent that awesome.

source: - "Eminem's Homophobic 'Rap God' Lyrics Spark Media Frenzy". www.hollywoodreporter.com. October 18, 2013.

Topics: Art, Thinking, America, Lost Art

I'm a very wealthy man.

Topics: Men, Wealthy

We live in an age, in an era where there is so much negativity, there is so much violence in the world, there is so much unrest and people are at war, that I wanted to promote the word love and red signifies love.

Topics: Love, Birthday, War

She's got electric boots, a mohair suit, you know I read it in a magazine.

source: - Song: Bennie and The Jets

Topics: Art, Media, Suits You

I get bombed for breakfast in the morning, I get bombed for dinner.

source: - Song: Social Disease Elton John Bernie Taupin, Album: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973

Topics: Morning, Alcohol, Drug

He [Ryan White] had a kind of angelic aura about him. And his family, too, it's like, they are going through all this suffering, and I'm living this "Life of Riley" and I'm complaining about everything, and they are living this horrific life and complaining about nothing.

source: - "Elton John on AIDS: Compassion is Part of the Cure". "PBS Newshour", www.pbs.org. July 24, 2012.

Topics: White, Suffering, Complaining

I'm a juvenile product of the working class, who's best friend floats in the bottom of a glass.

Topics: Class, Glasses, Alcohol, Juvenile

Don't you know I”m still standing better than I ever did. Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid. I'm still standing after all this time.

source: - Song: I'm Still Standing Elton John Bernie Taupin, Album: Rocket Man

Topics: Kids, Feelings, Littles

When people go to rehab and come out, they go through a difficult period, a lot of people. I never had that. I was so glad to be rid of all that crap that for me, to learn again and to function as a human being and learn how to participate in the human race again was just pure joy.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Race, People, Joy, Pure Joy

As a child, as a teenager, I was kind of not allowed to wear fashionable clothes.

Topics: Children, Teenager, Clothes, Fashionable Clothes

You know, it's a very treatable disease. You shouldn't feel ashamed. But I'm afraid that's carried on very much so from the first days of AIDS, when it was basically a gay disease. And then, of course, you know, it affected everybody.

source: - "Elton John on AIDS: Compassion is Part of the Cure". "PBS Newshour", www.pbs.org. July 24, 2012.

Topics: Gay, Disease, Firsts

You don't know being a performer what kind of performance you're going to give. You know you can give a certain quality of performance, but as I grow older I'm much more content in my own skin because when I come offstage, I have a balance in my life.

source: - "Elton John, James McAvoy, Emily Blunt Interview, Gnomeo & Juliet". MoviesOnline Interview, www.moviesonline.ca. January 2011.

Topics: Giving, Balance, Skins

Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane. I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain and I can see Daniel waving goodbye. God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes. They say Spain is pretty though I've never been, well Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen. And he should know, he's been there enough. Lord I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much.

source: - Song: Daniel My Brother

Topics: Goodbye, Travel, Eye, Best Place

Hold me closer tiny dancer, count the headlights on the highway. Lay me down in sheets of linen, you had a busy day today.

source: - Song: Tiny Dancer

Topics: Dancer, Today, Tiny, Linen, Busy Day

I'm enjoying everything in my life, but I think the element of surprise in show business is what makes us really love it, because one day you're sitting by the phone waiting to do something or not doing anything, and the next day you've got the chance of a lifetime. Those little phone calls don't come up so often, but when they come up, it's fantastic.

source: - "Elton John, James McAvoy, Emily Blunt Interview, Gnomeo & Juliet". MoviesOnline Interview, www.moviesonline.ca.

Topics: Thinking, Phones, Next Day, Element Of Surprise

I'm not going to Russia and tell them to go to hell and think - that's not the way things are done. You chip away at something and you hope that there will be dialogue and that the situation can get better. You don't just go in there with guns blazing and say well, to hell with you because they're going to say to hell with you and get out of the country.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Country, Gun, Russia

I have a lot of money stashed away, but I do live my life from day to day.

Topics: Living My Life, Day To Day, Lots Of Money

Love's like a junkie, addiction's a fact. Passion's a monkey, you can't keep off your back.

source: - Song: Sleeping With The Past, Album: Sleeping With The Past, 1989

Topics: Love, Passion, Addiction

Once I'd heard 'Modern Times' by Bob Dylan, it really changed the way I wanted to make records.

Topics: Records, Bob, Way, Modern Times

I do work a lot. I mean, most of my income, I would say, comes from live performances. And then you've got publishing, you've got record royalties.

Topics: Mean, Income, Records, Live Performance

If you don't understand hip-hop, you just have to see it being recorded.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

I was incredibly confident on stage because that's where I loved to be. But offstage, there was no balance. I was a little shy kid that went onstage. And I always said, cocaine was the drug that made me open up. I could talk to people. But then it became the drug that closed me down. So it started out by making me talk to everyone, and then ended up by me isolating myself alone with it; which is the end of the world, really.

source: - Source: www.wbur.org

Topics: Kids, People, Drug

I think performers are all show-offs anyway, especially musicians. Unless you show off, you're not going to get noticed.

Topics: Thinking, Musician, Rock N Roll

Onstage, it was always comfortable for me, because that's where I felt at home. Offstage, it was a different situation. I was still shy offstage.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Home, Different, Shy

When a rumor doesn't go away it's not a rumor

Topics: Rumor, Going Away

Children are extremely important. They are the future of the world.

source: - "Elton John Interview GNOMEO AND JULIET". Interview with Christina Radish, collider.com. February 7, 2011.

Topics: Children, Important, World

Until I can visualise what the lyrics are about and see the story or whatever, I can't hear the melody.

source: - "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". Interview with Myles 'Mylo' MacInnes, www.theguardian.com. February 3, 2005.

Topics: Stories, Melody, I Can

I've got that resilient thing inside me. But I wasn't a happy bunny.

Topics: Bunnies, Resilient

I've reached the stage of my life where learning is so important to me. I go through the past enough when I play my old songs on stage. And I don't mind doing that. But I want to think about the future.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

Topics: Song, Past, Thinking, Old Song

I'm still as fascinated with the music business as ever. I'd love to do an electronic album like Prodigy or Underworld. I really like that sort of music.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

Topics: Music Business

You can beat her, but don't mistreat her. Oh, don't believe that woman please.

source: - Song: Don't Trust That Woman Cher Lady Choc Ice, Album: Leather Jackets, 1986

Topics: Believe, Violence, Beats, Mistreat

I love people who expect me to wear great, feathery costumes- and I do it. It's like an actor getting into his costume for his part. I don't really feel that part until I'm into whatever I'm going to wear.

Topics: People, Expectations, Actors

My mantra is if you raise money, don't waste it.

source: - Source: www.wbur.org

So I am deeply saddened and shocked over the current legislation that is now in place against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community here in Russia. In my opinion, it is inhumane and it is isolating.

source: - "VIDEO: Elton John Denounces Russia’s Anti-Gay Law at Moscow Concert" by Asawin Suebsaeng, www.motherjones.com. December 7, 2013.

Topics: Gay, Bisexual, Russia, Inhumane, Transgender

What a scandal, if I die. Yeah, I'm gonna kill myself, get a little headline news.

Topics: Suicide, News, Littles

The worst thing you can do to a child, and I've seen it happen so many times, is the silver spoon.

Topics: Children, Spoons, Silver, Silver Spoons

And I talked to my doctor, and I must admit, you know, I'm sometimes quite renowned for my outbursts and I was just very frustrated, maybe a little frightened.

source: - Interview with Larry King, transcripts.cnn.com. January 25, 2002.

Topics: Doctors, Frustrated, Littles, Renowned

I hate to say this, but I always listen to the music and the instrumentation first, and then grab on to the lyrics later.

source: - "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". Interview with Myles 'Mylo' MacInnes, www.theguardian.com. February 3, 2005.

Topics: Hate, Firsts, I Hate, Instrumentation

Rocket Man, burning out his fuse up here alone.

source: - Song: Rocket Man '03

Topics: Men, Burning, Rockets

I find that so many of my peers of my age don't listen to anything new. But I love the new. I love the energy of the new, the energy of the new act. The young are so important. The young give you the energy, and if you don't notice the young, and you don't give them credit and you don't listen to all sorts of music, then you're missing out on something.

source: - "Interview: Elton John Talks Gnomeo And Juliet And His Long Career". Interview with Cole Haddon, www.mtv.com. February 09, 2011.

Topics: Giving, Missing, Important, Missing Out

When your persona begins to take over your music and becomes more important, you enter a dangerous place. Once you have people around you who don't question you, you're in a dangerous place.

source: - "Elton John Thinks Miley Cyrus Is Like A Candle In The Wind". www.huffingtonpost.com. September 16, 2013.

Topics: People, Important, Dangerous, Dangerous Places

An agent is a person who is sore because an actor gets 90% of what they make.

Topics: Funny, Actors, Agents

Take me to the pilot of your soul.

source: - Song: Take Me To The Pilot Elton John Bernie Taupin

Topics: Expression, Soul, Pilots

I really don't need the public's money. I'd like to have something on the internet with charitable donation optional, where anyone can download my music for free.

Topics: Needs, Internet, Donation, Optional, Downloads

When I say I don't have to write pop songs anymore, there's no way I'm going to get on the radio at 60 years of age unless I'm doing a duet with [Lady] Gaga or I was on All of the Lights, which was a Kanye West record that managed to get on the radio.

source: - "Elton John confirms film project based on his life" by Matthew Taylor, www.theguardian.com. January 2, 2012.

Topics: Song, Writing, Light, Pop Song

Because, I figured that, because I was a successful man, I was wealthy, I was, you know, seemingly intelligent - even that I am not intelligent enough to ask for help.

Topics: Successful, Intelligent, Men, Successful Man

What record companies do these days is drain the blood dry of an album, take six singles off it, and harm the longevity of artists' careers by doing it.

source: - "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". Interview with Myles 'Mylo' MacInnes, www.theguardian.com. February 3, 2005.

Topics: Artist, Blood, Careers, Record Companies

As Elton John, my days on pop radio are over, and I know that and I accept it and I'm not unhappy about it.

source: - "Elton John confirms film project based on his life" by Matthew Taylor, www.theguardian.com. January 2, 2012.

Topics: Unhappy, Radio, Accepting

I have no one to leave the money to. I'm a single man. I like spending my money.

source: - "Sir Elton John: 'I spent £30m in 20 months'", www.theguardian.com. November 15, 2000.

Topics: Men, Single Man, Spending

I'm very relaxed. I have a family, I have a partner of 20 years, I have a wonderful life; nothing could be better.

Topics: Years, Wonderful, Partners

I am such a Luddite when it comes to making music. All I can do is write at the piano.

source: - Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

Topics: Writing, Piano, Can Do

There is such a thing as good interference from your record label. I don't think I get enough interference from my record label.

source: - "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". Conversation with Mylo, www.theguardian.com. February 3, 2005.

Topics: Thinking, Labels, Records, Record Labels

Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees as an artist.

source: - "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". Interview with Myles 'Mylo' MacInnes, www.theguardian.com. February 3, 2005.

Topics: Artist, Tree, Woods

If you're stuck at piano and you're not a lead guitarist or a lead vocalist, you're kind of at a nine-foot plank then and you should do something about it.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Piano, Feet, Nine, Vocalist

I've had an amazing professional life, personal life, but at 64 to have a son who gives us that much love and enjoyment is, wow!

source: - "Elton John confirms film project based on his life" by Matthew Taylor, www.theguardian.com. January 2, 2012.

Topics: Son, Giving, Wow, Much Love, Professional Life

But you know, I have a pretty good relationship with the press and the paparazzi. It's just when they step over the line that, you know, enough's enough.

Topics: Good Relationship, Lines, Steps

I tour as many countries as possible, and I've toured every state in America, plus every province in Canada.

source: - "Elton John's incredible life: Rock icon on fatherhood, fame, addiction and his brush with death". Interview with Gavin Martin, www.mirror.co.uk. September 13, 2013.

Topics: Country, America, Canada

I'm 27 years clean, and when you get clean, you see things in a different way. It makes your life so much more manageable.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

Topics: Different

It was Scotty Moore's guitar riff [in "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"] when he was doing The Steve Allen Show that got me into rock music.

Topics: Love You, Rocks, Guitar, Scotty

I had to learn how to function as a human being. And I really enjoyed that process.

source: - "A More Reflective Leap On Elton John's 'Diving Board'". "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross, www.npr.org. September 23, 2013.

Topics: Process, Function, Humans

So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do You see I've forgotten, if they're green or they're blue Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean Yours are the sweetest eyes, I've ever seen.

source: - Song: Your Song, Album: Rocket Man

Topics: Song, Mean, Eye, Excuse Me, Rouge

It was also great to have the Backstreet Boys appear on stage with me because I have gotten to know them all a little bit just recently, and not only are they great performers, but they also very hard working professionals and really nice guys.

Topics: Nice, Hard Work, Boys, Backstreet Boys, Backstreet

If there is a better singer in England than Craig David, then I am Margaret Thatcher.

source: - "Biography/ Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

Topics: Singers, England, Ifs

Well, I've had my fair share in Britain of battling the tabloids.

Topics: Tabloids, Share, Britain

And I agreed with that, and I couldn't wait to change my name anyway, because I'm not too fond of the name of Reginald. It's a very kind of '50s English name.

Topics: Names, Waiting, Affection

I spent the last week of Ryan's life in Indiana, Indianapolis, with Jeanne and Andrea, Jeanne, his mother, Andrea, his sister, and some other beautiful people who came. And it taught me a lesson.

source: - "Elton John on AIDS: Compassion is Part of the Cure". "PBS Newshour", www.pbs.org. July 24, 2012.

Topics: Beautiful, Mother, People, Andrea, Indianapolis

Shock waves to a tired brain, sends that hungry lady to my door again. She's my shelter from the storm when I feel the rain, entertaining white powder.

source: - Song: White Lady White Powder, Album: 21 At 33

Topics: Rain, Tired, Doors, Shelter From The Storm

I've always been a fan, so my enthusiasm has always been great, but it's never going to be the same as it was from 1970 to 1975. You cannot repeat that, but you can get inspired by searching, by being mystified.

source: - "Mylo: Would you ever play Glastonbury? Elton: Oh no - I'm too like the Queen Mother". Interview with Myles 'Mylo' MacInnes, www.theguardian.com. February 3, 2005.

Topics: Fans, Enthusiasm, Inspired

I've always enjoyed and loved playing live. I relish and cherish it more than anything else because you never know what the performance is going to be.

source: - "Elton John Interview GNOMEO AND JULIET". Interview, collider.com. February 7, 2011.

Topics: Cherish, Performances, Enjoyed

I guess that's why they call it the blues, time on my hands could be time spent with you.

source: - Song: I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Topics: Sadness, Hands, Time Spent

I don't have to compete in the charts. I can just be myself as a musician, a songwriter and play with the musicians that I really love.

Topics: Play, Musician, Songwriters

When Little Richard used to stand up and play it was just fabulous, and Liberace had the candlesticks and the rings and the gift of the gab. The piano's is the most ungainly rock' n' roll instrument of all time but those two people transcended it, as did Jerry Lee Lewis.

source: - "When Elton met Jake". Interview with Jake Shears, www.theguardian.com. 12 November, 2006.

Topics: Rocks, Play, Two

It was Elvis that got me interested in music. I've been an Elvis fan since I was a kid.

Topics: Kids, Fans

It turned out so well because it was the first album that I could identify with in terms of lyrics. ("Captain Fantastic") It was passionate...I could associate myself with every song...It's a unique album in our history. This was the story of us..."Curtains", the lyrics to that are so beautiful because it sums up our friendship so much, and our relationship.

Topics: Beautiful, Song, Unique

I’ve never had a writer’s block, but still I think: Is it going to happen this time? You never know what you’re going to get; you just put your fingers on the keys and hope.

Topics: Block, Thinking, Keys

Rock and roll came in and changed my life and changed the whole music scene forever, and then I grew to love R&B and Motown and all black music, gospel music. But I never dismiss any form of music. I listen to everything.

source: - "Interview: Elton John Talks Gnomeo And Juliet And His Long Career". Interview with Cole Haddon, www.mtv.com. February 09, 2011.

Topics: Rocks, Rock And Roll, Forever, Gospel Music, Motown

A great editor is the most valuable thing you can have as an artist because, as you said, sometimes you get too close to something. I think, apart from your talent, that's why you have the career you have - because you have great people behind you.

source: - Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

Topics: Thinking, Artist, People