50 Elton John Quotes That Remind You You’re Still Standing

Looking for the best Elton John quotes to inspire and motivate you?

As it turns out, Elton John really is the piano man!

He began his career at 15 playing the piano in a pub where he was known as ‘Reggie.”

This makes sense since his name at birth was Reginald Kenneth Dwight.

He played all kinds of music and eventually started a band called ‘Bluesology.’

He also got a day job at a music publishing company.

His big break, though, came when he answered an ad.

They asked him to write the music for lyrics by Bernie Taupin, who had answered the same ad.

The duo’s professional relationship continued for years.

Six months later, he formally changed his name to Elton Hercules John.

His debut album, Elton John, which included “Your Song,” was released in 1970.

1973 was a fantastic year for Elton as his next album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, featured critically acclaimed hits, and some of Elton’s most recognizable songs to this day!

The album included, of course, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Candle in the Wind,” and “Bennie and the Jets.”

These Elton John quotes allow us to see who the real Elton John is, as he talks about his love of music, other artists, and life in general.

Don’t forget to also check out these Ozzy Osbourne quotes from one of the Godfathers of Metal.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration. 

Our inspirational quotes category page has all of our motivational quotes for all the different areas of life.

Elton John quotes about other artists

1. I do like Britney Spears. I think she’s cute. I think she’s fun. And I like her records. You know, I’m not a pop snob whatsoever. I think she makes great pop records.” — Elton John

2. Goodbye, Norma Jean from the young man in the 22nd row; Who sees you as something more than sexual, more than just our Marilyn Monroe.” — Elton John

3. “Ask anyone. If it hadn’t been for Elvis, I don’t know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me.” — Elton John

4. “I mean, Sting is one of my great buddies and I love him to death.” — Elton John

5. “Once I’d heard ‘Modern Times’ by Bob Dylan, it really changed the way I wanted to make records.” — Elton John

If you’re enjoying these quotes, read our collection of Bob Dylan quotes from the iconic Folk singer.

6. “Well, I’m a huge fan of Ryan Adams, who’s from North Carolina. And he’s beginning to break really quite big.” — Elton John

7. “When Little Richard used to stand up and play it was just fabulous, and Liberace had the candlesticks and the rings and the gift of the gab. The piano’s is the most ungainly rock’ n’ roll instrument of all time, but those two people transcended it, as did Jerry Lee Lewis.” — Elton John

8. Bands today have to learn their craft by putting the hard work in that we did when we were young performers.” — Elton John

9. When I say I don’t have to write pop songs anymore, there’s no way I’m going to get on the radio at 60 years of age unless I’m doing a duet with Gaga or I was on ‘All of the Lights,’ which was a Kanye West record that managed to get on the radio.” — Elton John

10. “I’ve never been jealous of anybody’s success. I’ve been flummoxed by it because I don’t understand it, but I’m not jealous of it.”— Elton John

Elton John quotes from The Piano Man

11. “Don’t shoot me, I’m just the piano player!” — Elton John

12. “I’m not everybody’s cup of tea. But sometimes criticism can be hurtful. Be respectful. I’m a good piano player, I can sing well, I write good songs. If you don’t like it, fair enough. But give me a break.” — Elton John

13. “I’ve always wanted to smash a guitar over someone’s head. You just can’t do that with a piano.” — Elton John

14. “I don’t have to compete in the charts. I can just be myself as a musician, a songwriter, and play with the musicians that I really love.” — Elton John

15. “I hate to say this, but I always listen to the music and the instrumentation first, and then grab on to the lyrics later.” — Elton John

16. “Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.” — Elton John

17. “Rocket Man, burning out his fuse up here alone.” — Elton John

18. “Hold me a closer tiny dancer, count the headlights on the highway. Lay me down in sheets of linen. You had a busy day today.” — Elton John

19. “When stars collide, like you and I, no shadow blocks the sun.” — Elton John

20. “If you write great songs with meaning and emotion, they will last forever because songs are the key to everything.” — Elton John

21. “I just go into the studio, look at the lyrics for the first time when I put them on the piano, and go. If I haven’t got it within 40 minutes, I give up. It’s never changed, the thrill has never gone because I don’t know what I’m going to get next.” — Elton John

22. “For me, music is so passionate, I have to give it my all every time I go onstage. Onstage, it was always comfortable for me, because that’s where I felt at home.” — Elton John

Elton John quotes about himself

23. “I was just genuinely shy. I’d always been a shy kid.” — Elton John

24. “I have a much better relationship with the press than I did; I think because I stood my ground.” — Elton John

25. “And I’m afraid, in this day and age, trust, which I count so, you know, I love loyalty. I love trust.” — Elton John

26. “I’m going to fight for human rights, whether I do it silently behind the scenes or vocally so that I get locked up. I can’t just sit back; it’s not in my nature. I can’t sit back and blindly ignore it, and I won’t.” — Elton John

27. “I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life.” — Elton John

28. “I have a lot of money stashed away, but I do live my life from day to day.” — Elton John

29. “I never thought of myself as being handsome or good-looking or whatever. I always felt like an outsider.” — Elton John

30. “I’ve got that resilient thing inside me. But I wasn’t a happy bunny.” — Elton John

31. “I grew up conservative because my mum was a conservative, and when I finally realized what conservatives were, I changed my mind immediately. As children, we tend to copy our parents.” — Elton John

32. “I’m very generous.” — Elton John

Elton John quotes about religion, hatred, and violence

33. I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school, and I collected all the little stickers and put them in my book. But the reality is that organized religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into hateful lemmings, and it’s not really compassionate.” — Elton John

34. “Instead of more violence, why isn’t there a [meeting of religious leaders]. It’s all got to be a dialogue—that’s the only way. Get everybody from each religion together and say, ‘Listen, this can’t go on. Why do we have all this hatred?’” — Elton John

35. “I went to a mixed school and I can’t remember being bullied at school, ever. I was quite large, in those days. Usually, if you’re going to be a bully, you’ll pick on someone who is small. I didn’t bully anybody, and I don’t remember being bullied.” — Elton John

36. “I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.” — Elton John

37. “Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely.” — Elton John

38. “We live in an age, in an era where there is so much negativity, there is so much violence in the world, there is so much unrest and people are at war, that I wanted to promote the word love and red signifies love.” — Elton John

39. “Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving.” — Elton John

40. “There’s a lot of hate in the world.” — Elton John

Funny, inspirational, and important Elton John quotes

41. “The great thing about rock-and-roll is that someone like me can be a star.” — Elton John

42. “Fame attracts lunatics.” — Elton John

43. “You should never take more than you give.” — Elton John

44. “I’ll not complain about your boring life if you just leave me to mine.” — Elton John

45. “Live for each second without hesitation.” — Elton John

46. “Cause what the hell is wrong with expressing yourself, trying to be me?” — Elton John

47. “It’s the circle of life, and it moves us all, through despair and hope, through faith and love, ’till we find our place on the path unwinding.” — Elton John

48. “You know, it’s a very treatable disease. You shouldn’t feel ashamed. But I’m afraid that’s carried on very much so from the first days of AIDS when it was basically a gay disease. And then, of course, you know, it affected everybody.” — Elton John

49. “There is nothing wrong with going to bed with someone of your own sex. People should be very free with sex–they should draw the line at goats.” — Elton John

50. “People with HIV are still stigmatized. The infection rates are going up. People are dying. The political response is appalling. The sadness of it, the waste.” — Elton John

Which of these Elton John quotes is your favorite?

Elton John has had a musical career that has lasted for over fifty years, and that is just one accomplishment!

He won many awards and was even knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Personally, he has been married to David Furnish since 2014 (however, the pair were united in a civil ceremony back in 2009).

They also have children; two adorable little boys.

He has settled into the role of husband and fatherhood quite naturally and seems to be enjoying his life immensely.

Elton John’s friendships almost garnered more attention than his romantic relationships, especially his friendship with Princess Diana.

The pair met at a disco held by the Queen and were often inseparable throughout the years.

The two had a falling out over a book but eventually reconnected over the death of their dear friend, designer Versace.

Elton has not only had an incredible career, but he has also known some of the most influential people of our time.

Do you have a favorite Elton John quote that didn’t make the list?

Leave it in the comment section below.