Just lately my spouse and I had been driving on Freeway 101 by way of California’s Central Coast when she made a easy mistake. He requested me a query about music. Aside from politics, nothing fascinates me greater than music, particularly traditional rock. Elton John simply got here on my Spotify playlist and he requested what my favourite Elton John music was. And since we nonetheless had 18 minutes till we reached our vacation spot, I had an opportunity to inform him. I used the complete 18 minutes.
Elton John… such an incredible music, the place to start? I made a decision to go the place I may most relate to the music: the lyrics. In any case, I am unable to play the piano. Within the huge expanse of Elton John’s illustrious discography, “Levon” stands as a poignant testomony to the craft of songwriting and a shining instance of Bernie Taupin’s lyricism. Launched on the 1971 album “Madman Throughout the Water,” this music weaves a story that’s as mysterious as it’s evocative, capturing the essence of storytelling in music like few others.
On the coronary heart of “Levon” is its richly drawn protagonist, Levon. He’s a posh character, described as a person who “wears his battle wounds like a crown.” From the start, Taupin’s songs paint a vivid image of a person burdened by his previous, but resilient in his demeanor. Levon’s identify, impressed by The Band’s Levon Helm, provides a layer of reverence and intertextuality that deepens the music’s narrative.
The music introduces Levon’s son Jesus, whose want to “depart Levon far behind” and “go to Venus” provides a component of generational battle and longing. This dynamic between father and son is a common theme, rendered with specificity and sensitivity. And sure, I can relate. Jesus’ desires of flight and exploration distinction sharply with Levon’s premise, although the burden, the existence, creates a poignant stress.
And whereas Elton appears to have loved all or many of the consideration and reward for his music, Bernie Taupin’s songs are a testomony to his unparalleled skill to create tales inside the confines of music. And “Levon” is actually no exception. Every line is imbued with imagery and symbolism, inviting the viewers to delve deeper into the narrative. Phrases like “He was born a pauper to a pan on Christmas Day” not solely set up Levon’s humble beginnings, but in addition evoke a way of future and inevitability. Taupin writes, “When New York timeSays God is lifeless, and the battle has begun/Alvin Tostig has a son as we speak…” How good is that? It does not get higher.
Taupin’s alternative of phrases is refined and evocative. The juxtaposition of the mundane and the extraordinary—similar to Levon’s “cartoon balloon” enterprise—creates a surreal, nearly dreamlike high quality to the story. This combination of the odd with the improbable is a attribute of Taupin’s lyricism, permitting the music to transcend mere description and enter the realm of poetic allegory.
Whereas Taupin’s lyrics present the muse for the narrative, Elton John’s music elevates “Levon” right into a transcendent expertise. The construction of the music, with its hovering melody and sophisticated piano association, displays the emotional highs and lows of the story. John’s vocal efficiency is equally masterful, capturing the nuanced feelings of the characters with a mixture of energy and sensitivity. Round 1970-75 the singer’s voice was at its greatest. Not like different devices, vocals do not age nicely, alas.
“Levon” survives not simply as a music, however as a bit of storytelling that resonates throughout generations. Its themes of longing, battle and time lapse are common and its characters are offered with such depth and humanity that they proceed to captivate audiences a long time after publication.
Within the historical past of rock and pop music, few songs obtain the extent of narrative and emotional complexity present in “Levon.” It stands as a masterclass within the artwork of songwriting, a testomony to the facility of music to inform compelling tales, and an enduring testomony to Bernie Taupin’s expertise. In “Levon” we discover the proper mixture of sound and melody, a timeless piece that conjures up and strikes listeners with profound magnificence and emotional depth.
Hear as I did, courtesy of Elton John’s Spotify channel:
