"I'm Still Standing" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Elton John | ||||
from the album Too Low for Zero | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 3 July 1983 | |||
Recorded | September–December 1982 | |||
Genre | Synth-pop [1] | |||
Length | 3:02 | |||
Label | Geffen (US), Rocket (UK) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin | |||
Producer(s) | Chris Thomas | |||
Elton John singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"I'm Still Standing" on YouTube |
"I'm Still Standing" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, from John's 1983 studio album Too Low for Zero . [2] It was the second single released from the album in the UK, and the first single released in the United States.[ citation needed ]
Helped by a video promoting the song on MTV, "I'm Still Standing" became a big hit for John on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at No. 1 in Canada [3] and Switzerland, [4] No. 4 in the UK [5] and No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100. [6]
Although "I'm Still Standing" is often seen as a statement of John's resilience, Taupin wrote the lyrics with a specific person in mind.
It's perhaps one more example of the original idea being interpreted by everyone into something quite different. I think people see it as an anthem based on Elton's strong sense of survival in the face of adversity. Which, believe me, is perfectly fine by me. In fact, it's probably infinitely more interesting, perhaps, than what it was initially written about. Which, if my memory serves me correctly, it was a sort of kiss off to an old girlfriend. You know the sort of thing, 'Don't you worry about me, I'll be perfectly fine.' Unlike George Jones' 'She Thinks I Still Care,' where, in fact, he really did, I really didn't." [7] [8]
The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was shot in Cannes and Nice on the Côte d'Azur in France. It also features the colours of the flag of France in graphics. Arlene Phillips, who choreographed the routines performed on location in the video, said her work is one of the proudest moments in her entire career (via the Channel 5 pop-documentary, Britain's Favourite 80s Songs, on 25 December 2021).
Bruno Tonioli, later a judge on hit shows Strictly Come Dancing for BBC (UK), Dancing with the Stars for ABC (US) and Britain's Got Talent for ITV (UK), appears as one of the dancers in the video.
Initially, John was supposed to take part in the choreography for the music video, but that plan was later scrapped as he recalls in his autobiography:
Visibly stunned by my demonstration of the moves I’d honed on the dance floors of Crisco Disco and Studio 54, the choreographer Arlene Phillips went pale and suddenly scaled down my involvement in that side of things, until all I really had to do was click my fingers and walk along the seafront in time to the music. [9]
It was due to be shot over the course of two days, but a camera full of the first day's film was ruined when Mulcahy accidentally fell into the sea with it. Therefore, it had to be filmed again on another day. During the shoot for the video, John came across Duran Duran. He complained he was exhausted at having been up since four o'clock in the morning. Simon Le Bon decided John should have a martini. "So I did," John later recalled, "I had six." [10]
In his book, Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran, Andy Taylor writes of the experience:
There were lots of celebrities around in Cannes and one day we discovered that Elton John was in town, filming the video for his song "I'm Still Standing". This was before Elton became teetotal, so he was still a steaming party animal. We went up to see him at his hotel and spent the afternoon getting blasted on martinis. We decided it would be a laugh to get him drunk and we were slinging the drinks down him. "Ooh, you are lovely boys," he screeched, loving every minute of it. We got him so drunk that eventually he went upstairs and threw a wobbler in his suite. It caused all sorts of chaos, but it was a great party. [11]
The next morning, John awoke with a hangover and wandered into his personal assistant's room – which was "leveled" – and asked him "What happened?" His assistant laughed: "You happened!" [10]
In 2019, the original 16mm film negatives were re-scanned and the computer graphics were recreated, forming a newer remastered version of the promotional video. [12] This version of the video serves as the ending to the 2019 biopic Rocketman , with Taron Egerton (portraying John) rotoscoped in to recreate memorable scenes from the original music video. It was also re-released standalone on John's YouTube channel.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [36] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [37] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [38] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [39] sales since 2009 | Gold | 50,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [40] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [41] Physical | Silver | 250,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] Digital | 3× Platinum | 1,800,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [43] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Welsh actor Taron Egerton has recorded this song two times in separate occasions. The first time was for the 2016 animated feature Sing as teenage gorilla Johnny; the second was for the 2019 biopic Rocketman where he played the titular role of Elton John himself. [44]
"I'm Still Standing" was also covered by the cast of the television series Glee during the third season. [45] [46]
"Daniel" is a song written by English musician Elton John and his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was first released on John's 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.
Too Low for Zero is the seventeenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1983. The album marked a comeback for John, whose previous four albums had failed to yield many enduring international hit singles, and had disappointing sales compared to his string of hit records released during the first half of the 1970s.
"Your Song" is a song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's first international Top 10 chart single.
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is a song by English musician Elton John, taken from his 25th studio album, The Big Picture. It was written by John and Bernie Taupin, and produced by Chris Thomas. It was released as the album's first single on 8 September 1997 by Mercury Records and the Rocket Record Company.
"Crocodile Rock" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in summer 1972 at the Château d'Hérouville studio in France, where John and his team had previously recorded the Honky Château album. It was released on 27 October 1972 in the UK and 20 November 1972 in the U.S., as a pre-release single from his forthcoming 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, and became his first U.S. number-one single, reaching the top spot on 3 February 1973, and staying there for three consecutive weeks. In the U.S., it was certified Gold on 5 February 1973 and Platinum on 13 September 1995 by the RIAA.
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is a song, with music by English musician Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, from John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. It was released as a single on 23 June 1975, the only single released from the album. Like the rest of the album, the song is autobiographical, and addresses an attempted suicide by John.
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is a ballad written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It is the title track on John's album of the same name. The titular road is a reference to L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz film and book series.
"Sacrifice" is a song by British musician Elton John, written by John and Bernie Taupin, from John's 22nd studio album, Sleeping with the Past (1989). It was first released in October 1989 as the second single from the album. It achieved success in 1990, particularly in France and the United Kingdom, becoming John's first solo chart-topper in both nations. The song describes how hard it is to stay faithful and devoted in a marriage, challenging the mantra that a successful union requires sacrifice. Due to the song's success, John has played this song in various locations in the years since it was released.
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded by John for his eighth studio album, Caribou (1974), and was released as a single that peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Bennie and the Jets" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. The song first appeared on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album in 1973. "Bennie and the Jets" has been one of John's most popular songs and was performed during his appearance at Live Aid.
"Nikita" is a song by English musician Elton John from his 19th studio album, Ice on Fire (1985). It was released as the album's lead single on 4 October 1985, charting at number three on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number seven in the United States, and reaching the top 10 worldwide, topping the charts of eight countries. The song features George Michael on backing vocals and Nik Kershaw on guitar.
"The Last Song" is a song by English musician Elton John, released as the third single from his 23rd studio album, The One (1992). It was composed by John, with lyrics provided by Bernie Taupin. The song marked the first of John's American singles to benefit his AIDS foundation. It reached No. 7 in Canada and No. 21 in the United Kingdom while peaking within the top 40 in several countries worldwide, including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States.
"The Bitch Is Back" is a rock song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was the second single released from John's 1974 album Caribou, and reached number 1 in Canada, number 4 in the United States and number 15 in the United Kingdom.
"The One" is the title track and first single released from English musician Elton John's 1992 album of the same name. On bonus footage for the DVD release of his concert Live in Barcelona, John states that he felt an intense connection to Bernie Taupin's lyrics for the song, in light of his personal circumstances around the time of making the album, in particular the line "for each man in his time is Cain until he walks along the beach".
"I Want Love" is a 2001 song by English musician Elton John, co-written with Bernie Taupin, released as the first single from his Songs from the West Coast album. The song reached the top ten in Canada and the United Kingdom. In the US, "I Want Love" reached No. 10 on the Billboard "Bubbling Under" chart and number six on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song also featured in an advert for Royal Mail, in which John starred. It was nominated for a Grammy award in 2002 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
"Rocket Man" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin and performed by John. It was originally released on 17 April 1972 in the US, as the lead single to John's album Honky Château. The song first charted in the UK on 22 April, rising to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming a major hit single for John.
Rocketman is a 2019 biographical jukebox musical drama film based on the life, music and career of British musician Elton John. Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, the film tells the story of John in his early days in England as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. The story is told through his music and is titled after John's 1972 song "Rocket Man". The film stars Taron Egerton as John, with Jamie Bell as Taupin, Richard Madden as John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen, John's mother.
"(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" is a song from the 2019 biopic Rocketman. Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, the song was performed by John and Taron Egerton, who portrayed John in the film. The song is heard in the end credits of the film. The official music video features both archival clips from John's early career as well as scenes from the film. The song won numerous accolades including "Best Original Song" at the 77th Golden Globe Awards, "Best Song" at the 25th Critics' Choice Awards, "Best Original Song" at the 24th Satellite Awards, and Best Original Song at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Rocketman: Music from the Motion Picture is a soundtrack album released by Virgin EMI (UK) and Interscope Records (US) on CD and digital formats on 24 May 2019 and is the official soundtrack album to the 2019 biographical musical film of English musician Elton John entitled Rocketman. The album contains 22 tracks of several hits performed by the cast of the film and a newly written track "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" featuring vocals by Taron Egerton and John together. This is the only song featuring Elton. The song won the 2019 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song & the 2020 Academy Award for Best Original Song. The soundtrack was also released by Interscope Records on vinyl on 23 August 2019.
Elton: Jewel Box is an eight-disc compilation album by Elton John released in 2020, featuring rare songs from his catalogue including deep cuts, non-album B-sides and 60 previously unreleased songs and demos. John selected the songs for the compilation, which contains a total of 148 songs, organised in four parts: Deep Cuts, Rarities, B-sides, and And This Is Me.., ending with the song "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" featuring Taron Egerton from John's 2019 biopic film Rocketman.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)