GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD (SONG)

'"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"' is a ballad performed by musician Elton John. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and composed by John for his album ''Goodbye Yellow Brick Road''. Its musical-style and production is heavily influenced by '70s soft rock. It was widely praised by critics, and many have cited it as Elton John's best song.
The song was released in 1973 (see 1973 in music) as the album's second single, and entered the Top Ten in both the U.K and the U.S. It was one of John's biggest hits, and surpassed the previous single in sales and popularity quickly following its release.
The piano rock band Keane covered this song, with Faultline, for the compilation.

Contents

Song meaning

Critical response

Chart performance

Format and tracklist

Charts

Notes

References

Song meaning

The song tells the story of a young hopeful's disenchantment with a promised "Emerald City"--a land of opportunity, a town where troubles wash away. Instead, the youth is exploited for his talents and decides to abandon this place of vanquished dreams by taking the "yellow brick road" back home, where his future really lies. The song finds him telling off the persons who triggered this profound disappointment: "You know you can't hold me forever./I didn't sign up with you./ I'm not a present for your friends to open./this boy's too young to be singing the blues."
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" contains numerous references to Taupin's and John's early life. Taupin certainly had more than his share of disappointments prior to meeting Elton. During their earliest days together, he and Elton were unhappily trying to be Engelbert Humperdinck-style commercial songwriters. The song is also a thinly veiled reference to Judy Garland.

Critical response

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" received a generally positive response from music critics. All Music Guide wrote that the song is "a vocal triumph" and a "pinnacle of its style".^[1] Janis Schacht of Circus describes it as "delicate and beautiful". ^[2] ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song #380 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and later commented that the song "harnesse(s) the fantastical imagery of glam to a Gershwin-sweet melody". ^[3]

Chart performance

The single entered the U.S. charts at #62, the highest debut of that week. In seven weeks it rose to the #2 spot (December 8, 1973), where it stayed for three weeks. In the UK it peaked at #6.

Format and tracklist

The song's flip side was a song called "Young Man's Blues," which was retitled from "Screw You" to not offend conservative record buyers.

Charts

Chart (1973)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	2
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	7
UK Singles Chart	6

Notes

1. Mason, Stewart. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". ''All Music Guide''. Retrieved June 11 2006.
2. Schacht, Janis. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". ''Circus Magazine''. Retrieved June 11 2006.
3. Rolling Stone. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". ''Rolling Stone Magazine''. Retrieved June 11 2006.

References

★ "BBC: The Official UK Charts Company". ''United Kingdom sales chart''. Retrieved June 11 2006.

★ "''Billboard''". Billboard ''Hot 100 airplay and sales charts''. Retrieved June 11 2006.