Anyway, yesterday I found myself digging into the life of Elton John's lyricist - Bernie Taupin. Nowadays, at the age of 69, he lives in California with his tall American wife and their two young daughters - but he was born and grew up in Lincolnshire, England.
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| Owmby-by-Spital parish church in April 2015 |
Young Taupin mooched around, went to village dances and discos and often ended up playing pool in "The Aston Arms" in Market Rasen which is where his old secondary school is located. His life seemed to be going nowhere until he answered an ad in "The New Musical Express". The ad was seeking songwriters.
Elton John who was then just plain Reginald Dwight responded to the same ad and then some time in 1967 the pair of them met up in London. I believe their first dual composition was a song called "Scarecrow".
It is said that Bernie wrote the words and Elton then wrote the music that made the words come alive. It was a strange kind of alchemy. Neither of them have been particularly forthcoming about the process but obviously it worked brilliantly for fifty years. Bernie shunned the limelight as Elton gloried in it.
Back in April 2015 I parked my car in Owmby-by-Spital and walked along Church Lane, totally unware that this was where Bernie Taupin grew up. Amongst very many song lyrics, he wrote this:-
And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind
That I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world
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| Bernie Taupin's childhood home in Owmby-by-Spital (Google Streetview) |
Very familiar lyrics. Ah, the golden age of music, as far as I'm concerned - the 60s and 70s, that is :)
ReplyDeleteOwmby-by-Spital is quite a mouthful - how does that sound phonetically? Do you drop any parts of it, as is done with "Worcestershire"?
No parts are dropped. It is pronounced just as it is spelt. I imagine that local people simply refer to the village as Owmby.
Deleteit was land that belonged to the Knights Hospitaller theres quite a lot of places surrounding Lincoln with that connection , nearest i think is Spital in the Street just up the A15 at Caenby Corner
DeleteThank you Kate. The name "Spital" is derived from "Hospital". I understand that long ago there was a indeed a hospital there though the meaning of the word may have changed with the passing centuries.
DeleteI like Elton John and the songs he sings. They've been an awesome duo.
ReplyDeleteMuch, much longer than Lennon and McCartney.
DeleteSo, you fell down the internet rabbit hole! I've taken that trip a few times. I can understand your interest in Bernie Taupin. He and Elton are responsible for an amazing selection of music. I enjoyed reading about his background here and how he and Elton met one another. As they say, the rest is history.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good way of putting it - a rabbit hole - as in Alice in Wonderland.
DeleteThe partnership between Taupin and Elton has been a partnership made in heaven. What a brilliant songwriter Bernie Taupin is. The two were meant to be.
ReplyDeleteYes. Magic and enduring.
DeleteI didn't know any of this, but now, if questions about Elton John Bernie Taupin come up in the next pub quiz, I'll be the one to get that point for our team!
ReplyDeleteWhere did Bernie Taupin grow up?
DeleteWhat was Elton John's birth name?
In which Lincolnshire market town will you find "The Aston Arms"?
These questions are bound to come up.
Prolific? The Dixie Dean of song writing. You fell down a very interesting rabbit hole YP.
ReplyDeleteAs a Hull City supporter I would prefer to say the Chris Chilton of songwriting.
DeleteDid he score sixty goals in a season too? Bernie wrote lots of songs for famous people and groups even Heart who I once saw on my travels in Birmingham.
DeleteChris Chilton scored 222 goals for The Tigers. Not quite as prolific as William Ralph Dean but he was playing for Hull!
DeleteTTo be honest I'd never heard of Bernie Taupin. I've heard of Elton John (and even knew he was Reg Dwight) but his songs have passed me by.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't post about Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich. You would probably have preferred such a blogpost.
DeleteWell I'd have learned that he had a 'middle' name.
DeleteIt's nice if you can find that particular niche in life that gives you fulfillment isn't it. Tom Grandson has found his in music and my youngest son has found his in nursing.
ReplyDeleteI have only ever been to Lincoln once for our eldest son's passing out parade when he was in the RAF. Looked like a lovely place, we managed to find time to visit the Cathedral and had to head back home.
Briony
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Lincoln Cathedral was the tallest building in the world for many years. It is magical when one's work is also one's pleasure.
DeleteOwmby is just up the road from my village.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that Bernie Taupin departed a long time ago. You could have invited him over for tea.
DeleteEverybody comes from somewhere, don't we?
ReplyDeleteI will absolutely admit that Elton and Bernie are one of the most amazing songwriting teams the world has probably ever known. I mean- truly.
But for whatever reason, the music never truly resonated with me. But it surely has with millions of others. I respect and admire that tremendously.
My relationship with their music is rather like yours but "Tumbleweed Connection" was special - back in the early days before all the razzmatazz happened.
DeleteI think I had all their LPs in my collection when I was younger. I used to love singing along with my hairbrush as the mic.
ReplyDeleteWas the hairbrush plugged in to an amp?
DeleteGenius is a strange, alchemic thing. They were so brilliant together, kind of like Lennon and McCartney. It's a matter of balance, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteBalance and timing I think. The circumstances are probably vital.
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