Elton John Crashes Late Night TV And Absolutely Slays “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

So Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road…

Written by Elton’s chief songwriter Bernie Taupin, ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ by Elton John is one of the few that was introspective for Taupin; he generally wrote about Elton, but this one seems to be about Bernie’s internal struggle with living a life of luxury that contradicts his humble beginnings. The symbolism of the yellow brick road is crucial! In The Wizard Of Oz, the yellow brick road is the path to what Dorothy and her group think will bring them happiness; for Taupin, the yellow brick road was paved with good intentions, but inevitably proved to be a source of great pain and frustration for the songwriter.

Featured on 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ was widely praised by critics, with some critics calling it the best song of John’s entire career. It entered the US charts at No. 62, the highest debut of that week and in seven weeks rose to the No. 2 spot, where it stayed for 3 weeks.

Elton’s 1973 Top Of The Pops performance came hot on the heels of the release of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and the 3 minutes we get to spend with him for ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ are absolutely gorgeous. At 26 years old, it’s hard to imagine Elton becoming one of the greatest voices the entertainment industry has ever known – or maybe it’s not so impossible after all, given this phenomenal performance!