Elton John stands as one of the most flamboyant and successful artists in history. While fans know his massive hits, his personal life features incredible stories of transformation and unique obsessions. For instance, he legally changed his name because he associated his birth name with a sad time in his life. Furthermore, he owns enough pairs of glasses to wear a different set every day for over 600 years. Prepare to step onto the yellow brick road.
Elton John
His parents named him Reginald Kenneth Dwight at birth. However, in 1972, he legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John. Specifically, he took his first name from saxophonist Elton Dean and his last name from singer Long John Baldry.
He chose the middle name Hercules after a horse. To illustrate, he took the name from a horse featured in the popular British sitcom Steptoe and Son. This choice added a touch of humor to his official new identity.
Elton John owns a collection of over 250,000 pairs of glasses. Originally, he started wearing them as a tribute to his idol, Buddy Holly. Paradoxically, he did not need glasses at first, but wearing them constantly eventually made his eyesight worse.
He does not write the lyrics to his own songs. Instead, he has collaborated with lyricist Bernie Taupin for over 50 years. Usually, Taupin writes the words first, and then Elton sits at the piano to compose the melody in as little as 20 minutes.
Remarkably, he composed the melody for “Your Song” in just ten minutes. Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics over breakfast at Elton’s mother’s house. Soon after, Elton read the sheet and finished the music before the morning was over.
He holds the record for the best-selling physical single of all time. His 1997 version of “Candle in the Wind” sold over 33 million copies. Furthermore, all global proceeds from the song went toward Princess Diana’s favorite charities.
Elton John has performed the 1997 version of “Candle in the Wind” only once. He sang it at Princess Diana’s funeral in Westminster Abbey. Since then, he has vowed never to sing those specific lyrics again unless her sons personally ask him.
He acts as the godfather to many famous children. For example, his godchildren include Sean Lennon and Brooklyn Beckham. This makes him one of the most well-connected “uncles” in the entertainment industry.
He once owned his favorite childhood soccer team, Watford FC. He became the chairman in 1976 and invested millions to help the club. Today, he remains an Honorary Life President with a stadium stand named after him.
Elton John was a child prodigy who could play by ear at age three. Reportedly, he learned to play “The Skater’s Waltz” perfectly after hearing it once. Consequently, he won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age eleven.
He names his tour pianos after famous female singers. Over the years, he has performed on pianos named Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin. Moreover, his most expensive piano features LED screens and cost 1.3 million dollars.
He guest-starred as himself in the action movie Kingsman: The Golden Circle. In the film, he uses his stage skills to fight off kidnappers. Later, he stated that he had a “blast” playing a parody of himself.
He helped Eminem stay sober during the rapper’s recovery from addiction. The two formed a friendship after performing together in 2001. In addition, Elton acted as a mentor and checked in on him weekly for over a year.
Surprisingly, he does not own a smartphone. Despite his massive wealth and active social media presence, he prefers to use an iPad to FaceTime his children. Indeed, he values his privacy and finds phones too intrusive.
Finally, his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour became a massive success. It earned over 900 million dollars and spanned five years. As a result, this global trek allowed him to say goodbye to his fans in over 300 cities.
