Maxine Feibelman

Last updated

Maxine Feibelman
Maxine Taupin.jpg
Born1952 (age 71–72)
NationalityAmerican
Other namesMaxine Feibelman Taupin, Maxine Taupin [1]
Occupation
  • Seamstress [2]
  • Art collector
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1971;div. 1976)​

Maxine Feibelman (born 1952) is a former seamstress for California bands [2] who was married for several years to Elton John's frequent collaborator Bernie Taupin. Her romance, marriage, and break-up with Taupin influenced some of Taupin's and John's songs, [3] she provided the title and refrain for one of their songs, [4] and she supported John's path toward his distinct stage costume style. [5]

Contents

Personal life

Feibelman met Bernie Taupin in 1970, when Elton John's drummer Nigel Olsson needed a hair dryer. [6] A friend brought a hair dryer to the band's hotel, and the friend also brought along Feibelman, and the relationship between Feibelman and Taupin began to develop at that first meeting. Not long afterward, she regularly accompanied Taupin on group events, and she showed him around the Los Angeles area, to which he eventually moved permanently. [6] [7] Taupin and Feibelman married in Lincolnshire, U.K., on March 27, 1971, with John as the best man, and the bride given away by her father, retired US air force Lt. Col. Max Feibelman. [8] They divorced in October 1977 [9] , and after their divorce, Taupin said he remained friends with Feibelman, saying: "She's very happy with my bassist." (The bassist, Kenny Passarelli, was Bernie's best friend at the time.) [10]

Songs influenced

"Tiny Dancer"

"Tiny Dancer" is the first track on Elton John's album Madman Across the Water (1971). [11] During the early stages of Taupin's and Feibelman's courtship, Taupin wrote the lyrics of "Tiny Dancer" to celebrate his feelings for her, [12] including literal details about Feibelman. She served as seamstress for the Elton John band, [13] traveling with John's entourage during his first U.S. tour [14] and making repairs when needed to the band's clothing. [15] In 1973, Taupin was asked directly whether the song is about Feibelman, and he answered: "That's true, yes." [5] In 1974, Taupin said: "I've never written a song meaning something more than it says." [16] Later, Taupin observed that the song also captured the spirit of those years with all of the women he got to know when he moved to California. [17] [18]

"I Feel Like a Bullet (in the Gun of Robert Ford)"

When Taupin's and Feibelman's marriage began to deteriorate prior to 1976, the breakdown of their relationship motivated the creation of the song "I Feel Like a Bullet (in the Gun of Robert Ford)," with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, which was the fifth track on John's album Rock of the Westies . [19] Taupin's lyrics for the song may be interpreted as an apologetic message from Taupin to Feibelman. In the song, Taupin takes much of the blame for the situation, comparing himself to the fatal bullet with which outlaw Jesse James was shot in the back, through lyrics such as, "I'm low as a paid assassin is / You know I'm cold as a hired sword / I'm so ashamed / Can't we patch it up?' [12]

"Between Seventeen and Twenty"

"Between Seventeen and Twenty  [ it ]," a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, is the eleventh track on Elton John's 1976 album Blue Moves . [20] Music historians consider the song to be inspired by how Taupin felt when he discovered that Feibelman was having an affair with the Elton John band's bass player, Kenny Passarelli. The title refers to the age difference between Bernie and Feibelman, because he was 20 years old when he met her, and she was 17. [4] One biographer describes the song as "a thinly veiled rebuke to [Taupin's] estranged wife, Maxine, now sharing the bed of Kenny Passarelli, who was playing on this very track", [3] particularly in the lyrics: "I wonder who's sleeping in your bed tonight / Whose head rests upon the bed / Could it be a close friend I knew so well / Who seems to be so close to you instead?" [3]

"The Bitch Is Back"

The first track (and second single released from) on the 1974 album Caribou , "The Bitch Is Back", with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, was certified Gold on September 13, 1995, by the Recording Industry Association of America, [21] despite limited airplay because of reluctance to broadcast the word "bitch". [22] The song's title and repeated refrain was a direct quote of Feibelman, who said "the bitch is back" whenever John was in a bad mood. [4] : 83  [23] [24] : 169 

"Mellow"

"Mellow" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, the second track on his 1972 album Honky Château . [25] "Mellow" has been interpreted as a reflection on Taupin's and Feibelman's happiness with life as a married couple in their mansion in Lincolnshire. [26] Taupin's lyrics appear to speak directly to Feibelman: "I love your Roman nose, the way you curl your toes."

Blue Moves album

The breakup of Bernie Taupin's marriage to Feibelman was reflected sharply, according to music historians, through the melancholy mood of Elton John's Blue Moves album. [24] : 35  A biographer writes that Taupin was at a low point personally by mid-1976, mainly because of marital difficulties, and that Taupin's "almost exclusively downbeat lyrics about doomed relationships, unrequited love, and hurt also suited Elton's own fragile state". [3]

"Lovesick"

The song "Lovesick," by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, appears as a bonus track – the 15th track – on John's 1978 album A Single Man . [27] Despite the liveliness of the melody, the unhappy lyrics by Taupin were written near his divorce from Feibelman during the sessions for the album Blue Moves, and along with songs on that album it reflects Taupin's moods in full marital crisis.

"I Cry at Night"

"I Cry at Night  [ it ]", a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, is the 14th track (a bonus track) on the remastered edition of Elton John's 1978 album A Single Man, [27] and was released as B-side to "Part-time Love". This song was written and recorded during sessions for the Blue Moves album, when Taupin was struggling with the breakdown of his marriage to Feibelman. A noted biographer says that at that time "[e]veryone was coming unglued. Taupin, his wife ... it's there, all the pain in every line. I mean check out even the words to 'I Cry at Night.'" [28]

Distinct stage costume style

Elton John credited Feibelman, as his band's seamstress, with starting him on the road toward his distinctive stage-costume style. In 1973, John told an interviewer: "Maxine had gone out and said [imitating Maxine], 'Oooh, I've found these mauve tights, I bet you wouldn't wear them onstage.'" [5] John later explained that Feibelman gave him a "Fillmore West T-shirt, which was mauve, purple ... and a pair of mauve tights", which he wore with "silver boots with stars" and flew "horizontal through the air" because "Maxine had dared [him]". [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Taupin</span> British songwriter (born 1950)

Bernard John Taupin is an English-American lyricist and visual artist. He is most well known for his songwriting partnership with Sir Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history. Taupin is behind the majority of John's songs, dating back to the 1960s.

<i>Madman Across the Water</i> 1971 album by Elton John

Madman Across the Water is the fourth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1971 through DJM and Uni Records. The album was his third album to be released in 1971, at which point John had been rising to prominence as a popular music artist. John's first progressive rock album, Madman Across the Water contains nine tracks, each composed and performed by John and with lyrics written by songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman plays Hammond organ on two songs.

<i>Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy</i> 1975 studio album by Elton John

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the ninth studio album by English musician Elton John. The album is an autobiographical account of the early musical careers of Elton John and his long-term lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was released in May 1975 by MCA Records in America and DJM in the UK and was an instant commercial success. The album was certified gold before its release, and reached No. 1 in its first week of release on the US Billboard 200, the first album to achieve both honours. It sold 1.4 million copies within four days of release, and stayed in the top position in the chart for seven weeks.

<i>Rock of the Westies</i> 1975 studio album by Elton John

Rock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 4 October 1975. The title is a spoonerism on the phrase "West of the Rockies", the album having been recorded at Caribou Ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Tiny Dancer 1972 single by Elton John

"Tiny Dancer" is a song written by English musician and composer Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally released on John's 1971 album Madman Across the Water, and was later produced and released as a single in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candle in the Wind</span> 1974 single by Elton John

"Candle in the Wind" is a threnody written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally written in 1973, in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier.

<i>Elton Johns Greatest Hits Volume II</i> 1977 greatest hits album by Elton John

Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II is the sixteenth official album release for English musician Elton John, and the second compilation. The original 1977 US version features one song from 1971 and two songs from 1974 that were not on the first greatest hits album. It also features several hit songs from 1975 and two hit singles from Elton's last year of performing in 1976. The cover photograph was taken by Gered Mankowitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levon (song)</span> 1971 single by Elton John

"Levon" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was recorded on 27 February 1971, and was released on John's 1971 album, Madman Across the Water. Backing vocals are provided by Tony Burrows. Paul Buckmaster wrote the orchestral arrangements and directed the orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someone Saved My Life Tonight</span> 1975 single by Elton John

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word</span> 1976 single by Elton John

"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was recorded by Elton John and released in 1976, both as a single and as part of the Blue Moves album. It was John's second single released by The Rocket Record Company. The song is a mournful ballad about a romantic relationship which is falling apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elton John Band</span> Supporting band of the musician Elton John

The Elton John Band is the band that backs singer, composer and pianist Elton John on both studio and live recordings. The band has gone through several lineup changes, but Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone, and Ray Cooper have been members since 1970, 1971 and 1973 respectively. The various lineups of the band have consisted of both British, American, and European musicians. The band is often not recognised as a formal entity, and is instead referred to simply as the Elton John Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting</span> 1973 single by Elton John

"Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (sometimes written "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)") is a song originally recorded by English musician Elton John. John composed it with his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. It was released on John's best-selling album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) and as the first single. It has been covered by many artists and featured on motion picture, video game, and television soundtracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snookeroo</span> 1975 single by Ringo Starr

"Snookeroo" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and released by Ringo Starr on his 1974 album Goodnight Vienna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island Girl</span> 1975 single by Elton John

"Island Girl" is a 1975 song by English musician Elton John. It was written by John and his songwriting collaborator Bernie Taupin and released as the first single from the album Rock of the Westies (1975). It reached number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., selling over one million copies, and also reached the top twenty in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennie and the Jets</span> 1974 single by Elton John

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bitch Is Back</span> 1974 single by Elton John

"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.

Caleb Quaye is an English rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, Hall & Oates and Ralph McTell, and also toured with Shawn Phillips in the 1970s. He is the son of singer/pianist Cab Kaye, younger brother of musician Terri Quaye, and elder half-brother of singer Finley Quaye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)</span> 1976 single by Elton John

"I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" is a song by English musician Elton John written by John and Bernie Taupin, released in 1976 as a double A-side single with "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" from his tenth studio album Rock of the Westies (1975). The song reached No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in February 1976 and No. 21 Easy Listening, but failed to chart in the singer's native United Kingdom.

"Crazy Water" is a song by English musician Elton John with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. It is the seventh track on his 1976 album, Blue Moves. It was released as a single in the UK in February 1977. The single reached No. 27 in the UK singles charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Passarelli</span> Musical artist

Kenny Passarelli is an American bass guitarist. Passarelli was a founding member of the Joe Walsh-led band Barnstorm, co-writing the hit "Rocky Mountain Way". He later served as a contract player for a number of other acts, appearing in both session and live work. These include stints with Elton John, Hall & Oates and Daryl Hall's solo work, Dan Fogelberg, Stephen Stills, Otis Taylor among others.

References

  1. ↑ Cuda, Heidi Siegmund (March 1, 2001). "Getting to Know All About You". Los Angeles Times .
  2. 1 2 Spignesi, Stephen; Lewis, Michael (October 15, 2019). Elton John: Fifty Years On – The Complete Guide to the Musical Genius of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. New York: Post Hill Press. p. 35. ISBN   9781642933284 . Retrieved June 30, 2021. Maxine herself has stated that she was, in fact, a 'seamstress for the band'.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Buckley, David (2007). Elton: The Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p.  221. ISBN   978-1-55652-713-5.
  4. 1 2 3 Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. (2001). His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John . New York: Billboard Books. p. 135. ISBN   0-823088-93-6.
  5. 1 2 3 Gambaccini, Paul (August 16, 1973). "Elton John: The Rolling Stone Interview". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Elton's First Visit to the US – Part 2". The Official Site of Elton John. August 22, 2015. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  7. ↑ Poole, Oliver (November 2, 2002). "The unlikely ballad of Bernie Taupin". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Elton John World News: A Market Rasen Marriage". Elton John World. March 3, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  9. ↑ "California, U.S., Divorce Index, 1966-1984".
  10. ↑ Sheff, David (June 23, 1980). "Rock's Bernie Taupin Sings His Own Lyrics Now but He Hasn't Written Elton a Dear John". People . Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Discography: Madman Across the Water". The Official Site of Elton John. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Greene, Andy (September 2, 2015). "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Elton John Deep Cuts". Rolling Stone .
  13. ↑ Couhault, Sarah-Jayne (April 1, 2010). "More Than Words: Elton's Blue Jean Baby". San Francisco Examiner .
  14. ↑ Sippel, Johnny (November 2, 1974). "Acts Spend Thousands on Ultimate Visual/Aural Presentation". Billboard . p. SS-6.
  15. ↑ Buckley, David (2007). Elton: The Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. p.  120. ISBN   978-1-55652-713-5.
  16. ↑ Fong-Torres, Ben (November 21, 1974). "Elton John: The Four-Eyed Bitch Is Back". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  17. ↑ Beviglia, Jim (December 23, 2013). "Behind the Song: 'Tiny Dancer' by Elton John". American Songwriter .
  18. ↑ "The Real Meaning Behind Elton John's 'Tiny Dancer'". WJMK. May 13, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Discography: Rock of the Westies". The Official Site of Elton John. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Discography: Blue Moves". The Official Site of Elton John. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Gold & Platinum – RIAA: Elton John". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  22. ↑ Williams, Jean (December 25, 1976). "Sex-Oriented Lyrics, Titles Stir a Storm". Billboard. p. 19. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  23. ↑ Heller, Jason (July 24, 2012). "How Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" said a lot without specifying anything". The A.V. Club .
  24. 1 2 Bernardin, Claude; Stanton, Tom (1996). Rocket Man: Elton John From A-Z. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. ISBN   0-275956-98-9.
  25. ↑ "Discography: Honky Château". The Official Site of Elton John. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  26. ↑ Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. (2001). His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John. New York: Billboard Books. p.  47. ISBN   0-823088-93-6.
  27. 1 2 "Discography: A Single Man". The Official Site of Elton John. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  28. ↑ Sala, Miquel (September 4, 2010). "An Interview With Claude Bernardin: author of 'Rocket Man: The Music of Elton John A to Z'" . Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  29. ↑ McKaie, Andy (May 1990). "Interview with Elton John and Bernie Taupin – Album Liner Notes from To Be Continued (Box Set)". Album Liner Notes.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.