Bennie And The Jets Lyrics
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
But they're so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong
The song tells of "Benny and the Jets", a fictional band of whom the singer, John, is a supposed fan. In interviews, Taupin has said that the song's lyrics are a satire on the music industry of the 1970s. The greed and glitz of the early '70s music scene is portrayed by Taupin's words:
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight, so stick around, you're gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound.
A common coincidence of the song is the fact that Ben Graham, known as Benny, played with the New York Jets leading to the phrase "Benny & the Jets".
insane412- elton is a legend, but I'm afraid he only writes the tunes to his songs, not the lyrics. most lyrics are written by bernie taupin
Taupin explained that it was about the clash between the youth who got into GLAM with the arrival of Ziggy Stardust etc. and their parents who had little understanding for them. Bennie And The Jets portrays a glamrock act with its androgyneous lead singer etc. It's definitely a fun song.
When this song came out, everyone took notice. It brought people together. I'm emotional thinking about it, because it still has that affect on folks. I remember it playing in record stores, and everyone swayed their bodies to the beat. I played it in the car one night for my rap loving nephew. He was mesmerized by the beat. I've had the pleasure of observing this song's journey across different cultures and generations. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite songs.
I think this song is iconic in it's own way also. Have you ever noticed people sing "she got electric boobs" and really mess up the lyrics while the whole time they are rocking out! LOL
I think this song is iconic in it's own way also. Have you ever noticed people sing "she got electric boobs" and really mess up the lyrics while the whole time they are rocking out! LOL
Yes, it's well established that this is about a fictional glamrock band from the early seventies. The song is good, the "live" sound additives are a nice touch including the loud piano acoustics -- but the song has a terrible weakness, and it's not the meaning of the lyrics -- it's the poor enunciation by Elton John. It's impossible to understand most of the lyrics because Elton's singing is so garbled. The only way to decipher the words is to have the written lyrics in front of you. Most of the time Elton enunciates well enough to get by, but this one is an unintelligible jumble, and even oddly pronounced (e.g. "I read it in a maga-ziii-heeeene!"). Still, Elton is brilliant, and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" a masterpiece record.
This song is about a sci-fi female rock star who is adored by many.
*Note: Bennie and the Jets is a live sounding track, due to the magic of Gus Dudgeon. The song was very popular on black radio, and was subsequently performed on Soul Train by the first white performer: ELTON JOHN!
Wow, big surprise, another Elton John song-meaning where everyone plays the drug card. Hey, I've got you for you guys. Remember that old school song, Mary Had a Little Lamb? Well, turns out it isn't so innocent after all. "Whose fleece was white as snow (COCAINE!)" DEFINITELY a reference to coke. Also, lambs (sheep) were the animals from which it was discovered how to immunize an animal/human against diseases. They were injected with low doses of these diseases. Now, injections to immunize lambs, means this song is about Mary shooting up heroin by needle. Crack and Heroin abuse. The true meaning behind Mary Had a Little Lamb.
Wrong In interviews, Taupin has said that the song's lyrics are a satire on the music industry of the 1970s. The greed and glitz of the early '70s music scene is portrayed by Taupin's words: We'll kill the fatted calf tonight, so stick around, you're gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound.
Wrong In interviews, Taupin has said that the song's lyrics are a satire on the music industry of the 1970s. The greed and glitz of the early '70s music scene is portrayed by Taupin's words: We'll kill the fatted calf tonight, so stick around, you're gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound.
haha
haha
LOL
LOL
While Sir Elton is certainly not at his enunciating best here, this song is about glam rock pure and simple. Bernie was thinking about artists like David Bowie and Gary Glitter AND even Elton himself when he penned it.
“Bennie” is a fictitious woman singer of a huge glam rock band as are the other make-believe characters in the song. Supposing any of these people in this recording are real is hilarious, like believing there was a real “Major Tom”, that “Jenny” ever answered the phone if you dialed 867-5309 or that Prince actually met Nikki in the lobby with that magazine.
Moreover, it is not about drugs of any kind.
An all-time classic rock song to be sure and from a fantastic album, but it has no mysterious meaning, just poor articulation lol
It's about a band called Bennie And The Jets and the youths who love the band
lunaninja, I'm afraid you are mistaken. The "Benny" Elton is singing about is a female, as you can see in the lyrics...