Top Twenty Elton John Singles

By Dylan Mann-Hazell

Revolutionary in both music and LGBTQ+ history, Elton John has changed the world for the better in so many ways. From his outstanding, innovative discography to his immense charity work, particularly for supporting and founding HIV prevention organizations in the 1980s-1990s, his profound impact is unmistakable.

The world-famous rockstar celebrates his 76th birthday this weekend, and also embarks upon his final ever UK tour before retiring. So, in honor of celebrating one of the most influential LGBTQ+ figures in history, we’ve produced a list of his best twenty singles. From iconic tracks like Honky Cat to I’m Still Standing, Tiny Dancer to Rocket Man, read on to find out what our top Elton John tracks are!

20. Candle in the Wind

Songwriter Bernie Taupin’s lyrical genius comes in full force in this gentle ballad from Elton’s best-selling record Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Originally written in honor of the late Marilyn Monroe, the song was rewritten in 1997 following the death of Princess Diana. After being performed at her funeral, the song became (and remains to this day) the highest selling chart single of all time.

19. Daniel

Written about a man trying to avoid unwanted attention after returning from the Vietnam War, this soft rock track evokes strong imagery through its lyrics, further helped by Elton’s gentle vocals. As the second single from the singer’s successful sixth studio album Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player, it’s the impactful and unique storytelling in Daniel that earns it a spot in this top twenty list.

18. I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues

Detailing the slow and painful breakdown of a relationship, and the gut-wrenching feeling of falling out of love with someone, this powerful track makes for one of Bernie Taupin’s strongest lyrical contributions. With yearning vocals and that classic, tender addition of the piano, this song still stands the test of time and deserves a spot in all the great break up song playlists.

17. Don’t Go Breaking my Heart

This fun, light-hearted duet with Kiki Dee is the only track with a feature to make it onto this list – and it deserves its place. Addictive, catchy and groovy, this song was written as an affectionate ode to the Mowtown style. Released right in the middle of Elton’s peak era as an artist, this saw a break from his often dramatic and emotional ballads, giving listeners a glimpse into the more camp and eccentric side of the artist.

16. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Originally released as a single from his eighth studio album Caribou, this power ballad features one of Elton’s most memorable melodies. It’s perhaps best known, though, for the live cover by George Michael, featuring a surprise appearance from Elton midway through. Their soaring vocals merge beautifully, as two of music’s most prolific LGBTQ+ icons combined to create an incredibly meaningful duet.

15. The Bitch is Back

The campiness returns in this excellent, energetic lead single from the same record. Since its release “The Bitch is Back” has been used as an iconic phrase in various films, TV shows and general references. It also plays as the opening track to the Elton John biopic Rocketman, with Taron Egerton’s audacious vocal performance expertly setting the scene.

14. Pinball Wizard

Elton John’s cover of The Who’s top ten single Pinball Wizard took everything impressive about the original track and doubled upon the genius. John’s signature piano takes the place of the original track’s acoustic guitar, reinventing the song with a brand-new sound. It remains the only cover of a Who song to reach the top 10 in the charts.

13. Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

Soulful, compelling, and heartbreakingly relatable, this tragic ballad depicts the breakdown of a once-strong romantic relationship. Perhaps John’s most emotional track in his catalogue, each line acts as a plea of advice, an earnest question to a lover. The title itself is achingly understandable, when apologies alone aren’t enough to fix a broken bond.

12. Take Me to the Pilot

Taken from John’s eponymous second album, this art-rock single is as imaginative as it is catchy. Amusingly, Elton himself isn’t entirely sure what the song is about, simply trusting and following Bernie Taupin’s lead. Taupin, meanwhile, admitted that he just put the words together because they sounded good.

11. Crocodile Rock

It’s a testament to Elton John’s incredible discography that one of his most popular and well-known songs isn’t even in the top ten. Crocodile Rock swaps out the signature piano for an electronic organ, creating a catchy, fun, original melody quite dissimilar to John’s usual sound. Funnily enough, both John and Taupin have expressed that they created the song to be funny and begrudge playing the fan-favorite track live.

10. Honky Cat

“They said, get back, honky cat, better get back to the woods,” One of John’s more pop and blues-esque tracks, this camp, fun track is an audience favorite for a reason. It makes for the most entertaining track in the Rocketman biopic too, as Taron Egerton and Richard Madden flirt with the idea of luxury lifestyles. It’s also unbelievably catchy.

9. Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting

The lead single from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is probably the most to-the-letter rock and roll song Elton John ever released – and it’s utterly superb. This song defines the innovative 70s sound, with clear inspiration from The Rolling Stones and thrilling lyrics from Taupin. Uncharacteristically aggressive and punchy for John, this track in particular stands out for so many reasons.

8. Bennie and the Jets

Another track from the popular record, Bennie and the Jets tells the story of a fictional band, told from the perspective of an enthusiastic fan. Since its release it has become one of Elton’s most recognizable tracks, featuring in nearly all of his live performance setlists. It’s simplistic in production, featuring mainly just piano, drums and vocals, but doesn’t need anything else added to make it worth every second of its runtime.

7. Tiny Dancer

“Blue jean baby, LA lady, seamstress for the band...”, released as a single from Elton’s fourth studio album Madman Across the Water, this heartfelt track is a direct, descriptive love letter to lyricist Bernie Taupin’s wife at the time. Tiny Dancer could be argued to be John’s most renowned track, with its beautiful piano intro and soulful chorus becoming renowned across the globe. It wasn’t released as a single in the UK due to its considerable runtime, but nevertheless found itself on the radio and in the hearts of the public.

6. Song For Guy

One of Elton’s more underrated tracks – this release is the only addition to this list that is almost entirely instrumental. It’s a testament to John’s skill on the piano that this 7-minute track can take you through a complete range of emotions using just pure music. The closing 2 minutes features one line, “Life isn’t everything,” repeated until the song fades out, and makes for one of John’s most bittersweet singles in his collection.

5. I'm Still Standing

Anyone who has ever gone through a traumatizing experience – whether it’s a breakup, an addiction, a breakdown, or any distressing life event – can relate to the power and self-confidence of these lyrics. Regardless of how weak we think we are; our strengths are reflected in our ability to carry on despite what we might go through. I’m Still Standing acts as the perfect prideful song, and one many LGBTQ+ people hold dear to their hearts.

4. Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)

The imagery this iconic song evokes is second to none. Told from the perspective of an astronaut leaving Earth and the emotions he’s going through; this track was written by Taupin after he saw a shooting star and began wondering about the loneliness of space. David Bowie’s Space Oddity feels like a natural influence of this ethereal track, which quickly became one of the most successful singles ever released.

3. I Want Love

It’s the earnest, gut-wrenching honesty with which Elton belts this heartbreaking track that causes it to shoot all the way up to the top 3 spot. From his twenty-sixth studio album Songs from the West Coast, this song is also the only entry from the 21st century on this list. Simply put, it’s about emotional unavailability, and how badly it clashes with the natural human urge to seek love. This is perhaps the most we ever saw Elton wear his heart on his sleeve.

2. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

The title track from his most successful album, and a record that is consistently referred to as one of the greatest rock albums of all time, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is revolutionary in its storytelling and composition. Obviously featuring references to The Wizard of Oz, this powerful ballad focuses on finding your roots, "going back to your plough”, and finding your way home. Rolling Stone Magazine included it in their list of the greatest songs of all time, and for good reason.

1. Your Song

Perhaps the greatest love song ever written, the most genius aspect of this beloved track is its simplicity. At its heart, it really is just a song about falling in love. No ulterior motives, no complicated doubts, just a genuine, heartfelt fondness for someone. Its romantic touch is only one side of its beauty though, as the infectious and passion-filled melody develops throughout. Covered by dozens of prominent artists, featured in countless films and shows, and played regularly on radio stations to this day, Your Song is undoubtedly Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s magnum opus.

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