Elton John performed “ Little Dancer » for its lyricist Bernie Taupin, who joins the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.
When Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994, he called Bernie Taupin on stage and presented him with his award. “ Without him, this trip would not have been possible.John said at the time. I feel a bit like I’m cheating here by accepting this award. Without Bernie Taupin, there would never have been an Elton John. And I would like him to come and give him this award. »
Three decades later, John took the stage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to welcome Taupin to the institution in a more formal way. “ Our success is what it is, you all know itJohn said during Taupin’s induction speech, recounting their nearly 60-year collaboration. Over the years we have grown and grown and grown. We’ve climbed mountains we never thought possible, and we’ve reached heights we never thought possible. And in all that time, we never really argued. He was disgusted by my behavior, yes, that’s obvious. But to this day, our partnership continues to grow. » John then confirmed that the duo had just completed a new album in Los Angeles.
Arriving on stage to receive his award, Taupin declared with a laugh: “ I have to follow Jimmy Page », in reference to the dazzling tribute paid by the Led Zeppelin guitarist to Link Wray. He thanked John and spoke about his lifelong love of songwriting, listing all his sources of inspiration, from Howlin’ Wolf to Merle Haggard.
After Taupin’s speech, John sat down at the piano for a rendition of ” Little Dancer “. The lyrics to this song were written by Taupin in 1971 as a tribute to his first wife, Maxine Feibelman, and other women he met on John’s first American tour.
“ We arrived in California in the fall of 1970 and it seemed the people were beamingsaid Taupin. I think I was trying to capture the spirit of that era, embodied by the women we met, especially in the clothing stores, restaurants and bars of the Sunset Strip. They were free spirits, sexy, very ethereal in the way they moved. »
The single did not enter the US Top 40 upon its release, but it quickly became a fan favorite and a staple at John’s concerts. A whole new generation discovered the song when Cameron Crowe used it in a pivotal scene in the film Almost famous.
The song ” Little Dancer » was performed during the 330 concerts that John performed as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour between 2018 and 2023.
