"Your Song" written by Elton John or Three Dog Night?

Doc

unread,

May 29, 2004, 5:13:36 PM5/29/04

to

I was visiting with my friend who works at a piano bar and after she
sang "Your Song" some guy who was there swore up and down he knew for
a fact that it was actually written by Three Dog Night and Elton John
bought it off them.

Me and my friend were of the opinion the guy was full of it, anyone
ever heard this?

Mark Rae

unread,

May 29, 2004, 5:58:59 PM5/29/04

to

"Doc" <docsa...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f0c1bc20.04052...@posting.google.com...

I find this really impossible to believe! If you have the original Captain
Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy album on vinyl, you'll see a picture of
Bernie Taupin's handwritten lyrics to this song.

However, that said, such deals happen a lot more regularly than people
imagine. A good friend of mine sold a song of his to a *very* famous band,
on the contractual agreement that he relinquish any and all claim to its
authorship, which they subsequently claimed...

People will doubtless be familiar with the Barclay James Harvest / Robert
John Godfrey / Mocking Bird story...

Liz

unread,

May 29, 2004, 7:47:57 PM5/29/04

to

>
>I was visiting with my friend who works at a piano bar and after she
>sang "Your Song" some guy who was there swore up and down he knew for
>a fact that it was actually written by Three Dog Night and Elton John
>bought it off them.
>

This is absolutely untrue. Elton wrote the music to Bernie's lyrics--- in 10
minutes-- in October of 1969. Yes, Three Dog Night covered the song, because
they liked it. They also covered Elton & Bernie's "Lady Samantha."
Interestingly, a guitarist for Three Dog Night reported on how difficult the
chords (originally written for piano, of course) were for him to play, but he
managed.
Also, it's important to remember that Elton & Bernie had no problem writing
their own songs. The 1969-70 era was very prolific for them.
Liz Rosenthal
"His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John"
http://www.ejhissong.com

NCF_1

unread,

May 29, 2004, 8:01:44 PM5/29/04

to

Certainly you wouldnt claim a song written by someone else as your own as
passionately as Elton has over the years; more likely you would be
embarassed that the song did so well and shelve it. I would never believe
anyone but EJ/Taupin wrote Your Song.

Morph

unread,

May 29, 2004, 8:52:45 PM5/29/04

to

Bernie Taupin, Elton's lyricist, tells the story how he wrote the lyrics to
"Your Song" over breakfast one morning. He says you can still see egg
stains on the sheet of paper with the original lyrics. Elton composed the
music right after Bernie wrote the lyrics.

Three Dog Night simply did a cover of "Your Song."

Ejfan1973

unread,

May 29, 2004, 9:11:31 PM5/29/04

to

>"Your Song" over breakfast one morning. He says you can still see egg
>stains on the sheet of paper with the original lyrics.

I think Bernie's confused. On the original lyric of Your Song (photo) in the
Captain Fantastic liner notes you don't see any egg stains. However, on the
original lyric of Skyline Pigeon (photo in the Two Rooms book--page 70) there
are very evident egg stains.

Morph

unread,

May 29, 2004, 9:28:56 PM5/29/04

to

Bernie must have done his best work over breakfast. LOL

DRJVH

unread,

May 29, 2004, 11:55:52 PM5/29/04

to

>you'll see a picture of
>Bernie Taupin's handwritten lyrics to this song.

Wasnt there an egg stain on the original
draft of Your Song?? Elton and Bernie
were still living with Sheila Dwight at
the time.

Phyllis

Arnold Gallagher

unread,

May 30, 2004, 2:00:13 AM5/30/04

to

"Mark Rae" <ma...@mark-N-O-S-P-A-M-rae.co.uk> wrote in
news:DI7uc.760$%w2.83...@news-text.cableinet.net:

> I find this really impossible to believe! If you have the original
> Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy album on vinyl, you'll see
> a picture of Bernie Taupin's handwritten lyrics to this song.

Yes, and you'll see that Elton has been mis-singing the lyrics for 35
years. It was written, "For it's people like you that keep it turned on,"
and Elton routinely sings, "It's for people like you that keep it turned
on." He also sang "Your love protects my fears" in "I Need You to Turn
To" on the same album, where Bernie had written "Your love protests my
fears."

Per-Gunnar Eriksson

unread,

May 30, 2004, 8:05:46 AM5/30/04

to

LOL! Shows you the importance of eating a good breakfast!

"Morph" <morp...@yahooNOSPAM.com> skrev i meddelandet
news:sNauc.4100$Yd3...@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

Morph

unread,

May 30, 2004, 8:08:53 AM5/30/04

to

Yeah, I've always heard it's the most important meal of the day. That's
certainly true for Bernie!

clovis

unread,

May 30, 2004, 10:07:54 AM5/30/04

to

Just going from memory here (OK, it may be shot), but I remember Three Dog
Night
mainly doing other people's songs. I liked some of 'em, but Your Song just
sounds very John/Taupin to me. But, hey, hide your heart, Eli's comin'
(thanx Ms. Nyro).

"Doc" <docsa...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f0c1bc20.04052...@posting.google.com...

Irene Jackson

unread,

May 30, 2004, 12:22:13 PM5/30/04

to

Three Dog Night didn't write their own material.

IJ

"Doc" <docsa...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f0c1bc20.04052...@posting.google.com...

Pat Gallagher

unread,

May 30, 2004, 4:04:59 PM5/30/04

to

Check: http://www.michaelallsup.com/ he has some info on this. TDN
covered Your Song, but didn't write it. They were always looking out
for the best songs to record. Check them out over the summer, still a
great band!!
Pat in PA

"clovis" <clov...@att.net> wrote in message news:<_Uluc.10761$_k3.2...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...

> Just going from memory here (OK, it may be shot), but I remember Three Dog
> Night
> mainly doing other people's songs. I liked some of 'em, but Your Song just
> sounds very John/Taupin to me. But, hey, hide your heart, Eli's comin'
> (thanx Ms. Nyro).
>

NUMBER1EJFAN

unread,

May 30, 2004, 8:32:50 PM5/30/04

to

There's also some "controversy" over the song. Elton swears the song was
written about a girl Bernie was seeing at the time and smitten with), while
Bernie says it's a "generic" love song.

Laura

fanz

unread,

May 30, 2004, 8:34:37 PM5/30/04

to

All this talk of TDN..... I actually heard Eli's Coming on the radio in the
car today. Haven't heard that one in ages !!

"Pat Gallagher" <bal...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:daa012b7.04053...@posting.google.com...

RMRose

unread,

May 30, 2004, 8:24:42 PM5/30/04

to

Three Dog Night were not into writign in a big way. They covered songs, From
Hair, by Paul Williams, Hoyt Axton and many others. Some of the album tracks
were written by the members and they are memorably unmemorable...

"clovis" <clov...@att.net> wrote in message
news:_Uluc.10761$_k3.2...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

Lawrence Bullock

unread,

May 30, 2004, 9:36:37 PM5/30/04

to

And leave us not forget Randy Newman who wrote "Mama Told Me NotTo Come"
which was a TDN hit...

Richard Wilcox

unread,

May 31, 2004, 4:17:55 AM5/31/04

to

"Lawrence Bullock" <lbul...@mcn.org> wrote in message
news:c9e27...@enews2.newsguy.com...

>
> And leave us not forget Randy Newman who wrote "Mama Told Me NotTo Come"
> which was a TDN hit...
>
>

Thank you for that, I remembered the song, but not Randy Newman's name, I
could have rumaged through my collection as an aide memoire, but I am lazy.

In view of all the news about obesity, don't you think Randy should do a
follow up to "Short People" now?

With all Mr. Newman's use of irony I think we should make him an honory
Brit.

LOL

Richard

--
Some places to look for tips and help with all aspects of songwriting
http://www.angelfire.com/music2/richhoncho/
Checklist to critique your own songs
http://www.angelfire.com/music2/richhoncho/check.htm

woody

unread,

May 31, 2004, 9:28:44 AM5/31/04

to

I was friends with Bernie Taupin at the time that "Your Song" was written,
I doubt that he or Elton at that time could have afforded to buy a song
off anybody!!!
--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/

Lawrence Bullock

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 2:23:22 AM6/1/04

to

> I was friends with Bernie Taupin at the time that "Your Song" was written,
> I doubt that he or Elton at that time could have afforded to buy a song
> off anybody!!!
> --

More, tell us more...

Tim Norris Remax

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 8:16:59 AM6/1/04

to

That wasn't egg

woody

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 10:41:46 AM6/1/04

to

On Mon, 31 May 2004 23:23:22 -0700, Lawrence Bullock <lbul...@mcn.org>
wrote:

I knew Bernie from wayback, we used to hang out in Market
Rasen,lincolnshire. I think he was working on a chicken farm! As is well
documented Bernie won a poetry competition and secured a job with Dick
James Music as a lyricist although I think he spent more time making the
tea at first. In those days he used to come home at weekends and as I was
living in Lincoln several of us including Bernie would meet up for a drink
and a night out, we even had Elton( Reggie, as he instructed us to call
him) up one time. Of course as the pair started to achieve fame and
fortune I saw less of Bernie. Unfortunately I was at sea at the time he
married his first wife and missed the wedding, after which he lived in
Tealby (near Market Rasen) but was very rarely at home although our paths
occasionaly crossed. Eventually my life took me away from the area
alltogether and of course Bernie and Eltons fame went stratospheric and
i'm afraid we lost touch.
Those really were fantastic times in the late sixties and early seventies.
We were all broke back then but didn't care, a couple of pints, packet of
fags, bag o' chips, good music and not forgetting some very generous
ladies (ooh I'm coming over all nostalgic now)truly memorable days.

Woody

JGOWC

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 11:16:34 AM6/1/04

to

I just love posts like that! Thanks for the fill-in.

LittleJeannie

DRJVH

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 11:55:59 AM6/1/04

to

Thanks for the insight into
Bernie and Elton's early days.

Phyllis

Morph

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 2:23:01 PM6/1/04

to

Thanks for sharing your first-hand knowledge with us.

fanz

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 8:15:33 PM6/1/04

to

.... A Simple Life, eh? :-)

"woody" <wo...@NOSPAMeurosport.com> wrote in message
news:opr8w63w...@text.news.ntlworld.com...

CrazyWater

unread,

Jun 1, 2004, 10:49:21 PM6/1/04

to

Most, if not all of TDN hits were written by other songwriters, however they
did write songs just that appeared on their albums, which by the way were quite
good...excellent band.

The Crazy Water Site
http://crazywater.com
"...if we all believe in the things you believe you're seeing..." EJ/BT '76

tripp

unread,

Jun 3, 2004, 6:23:28 PM6/3/04

to

like Lennon & McCartney, most well know Elton John tunes are published as
"Words and music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin". There were one or two
"end of career" songs that I saw where Bernie was listed only as
"Taupin".... kinda like Sting, Madonna and Elvis!

But here is the easy trivia question....
what #1 Elton John hit was a cover of someone else's ttune and who wrote it?

Tripp ;)

"Morph" <morp...@yahooNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:9Q3vc.7165$Yd3....@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

Liz

unread,

Jun 3, 2004, 7:45:10 PM6/3/04

to

>like Lennon & McCartney, most well know Elton John tunes are published as
>"Words and music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin". T

I recall that that credit was only used on the Blue Moves album. Otherwise, it
was either "Elton John/Bernie Taupin" or "John/Taupin." :-)
Liz Rosenthal
"His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John"
http://www.ejhissong.com

tripp

unread,

Jun 3, 2004, 8:00:44 PM6/3/04

to

HI

Nice. Also reminds me of
"You've got a friend in me , You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me".... Randy Newman

I love positive songs that make us feel good!
- tripp

"Morph" <morp...@yahooNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:9Q3vc.7165$Yd3....@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

Songster

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 1:13:30 AM6/4/04

to

> But here is the easy trivia question....
> what #1 Elton John hit was a cover of someone else's ttune and who wrote it?

"Lucille in the Clouds with Cubic Zirconia" - William Shatner 1966

John Lennon "Lucy" 1967
#1 Hit for Elton in 1975 Really seemed like a dumbed down version at
the time, compared to the Sgt Pepper album where it felt so in
context.

Country B Sam

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 1:19:16 AM6/4/04

to

>
> But here is the easy trivia question....
> what #1 Elton John hit was a cover of someone else's ttune and who wrote it?
>

Umm .. Lucy in the Sky by Lennon/McCartney? Or was it Pinball Wizard?

Or Bad Blood by Neil Sedaka, on which Elton sang background vocals?

Ditto Whatever Gets You thru The Night, on which Elton backed John Lennon.

Sam

Andrea Grasso

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 8:25:48 AM6/4/04

to

Liz wrote:
>
> >like Lennon & McCartney, most well know Elton John tunes are published as
> >"Words and music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin". T
>
> I recall that that credit was only used on the Blue Moves album.

...where Bernie is credited also as the author of the music of "Theme from a non-existent
series"...I still wonder if it was a mistake or if really Bernie helped Elton to write that tune....

Andrea

Liz

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 2:13:52 PM6/4/04

to

Andrea,
I believe that the reason the credits were that way on Blue Moves, was
because Elton actually contributed lyrics to some of the songs. In my
view, rather than take some of the focus away from Bernie's
contributions, he actually directed more attention to them by muddying
up the credits-- hence, "words and music by Elton John and Bernie
Taupin." Sort of a motivation similar to Elton's insistence that
Bernie get credit for co-writing such early songs as I've Been Loving
You and I Can't Go On Living Without You, both of which Elton wrote
all by himself. :-p

Liz Rosenthal
"His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John"
http://www.ejhissong.com

Andrea Grasso <agr...@infinito.it> wrote in message news:<40C06A9C...@infinito.it>...

jrnel...@hvc.rr.com

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 4:57:44 PM6/4/04

to

On 3 Jun 2004 22:19:16 -0700, chief...@ruralpress.com (Country B
Sam) wrote:

It's "Lucy In The Sky". "Pinball Wizard" was an album cut and thus
never charted, let alone peak at the top. "Bad Blood" and "Whatever
Gets You Through The Night" did indeed peak at #1 but were original
songs rather than covers.

Joe

Red_Stetson

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 11:25:57 PM6/4/04

to

that was the one from Hair. Didn't know Newman wrote it though.

"Lawrence Bullock" <lbul...@mcn.org> wrote in message
news:c9e27...@enews2.newsguy.com...
>

Red_Stetson

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 11:25:58 PM6/4/04

to

I know there was some connection between Lennon and Elton concerning a bet
on "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" so I'm gonna guess Lennon.

"tripp" <audiosav...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:AxNvc.46684$Ly.22684@attbi_s01...

Bobby

unread,

Jun 4, 2004, 11:53:26 PM6/4/04

to

"Red_Stetson" <hnce...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:93bwc.38312$zO3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...

"Easy to Be Hard" was the Three Dog Night song originally performed in Hair,
not "Mama Told Me Not to Come".

AFAIK, Eric Burdon and the Animals were the first to record, Mama Told Me
Not to Come, in 1967.

D'Archangel

unread,

Jun 5, 2004, 4:04:09 AM6/5/04

to

It seems like Lennon didn't think WhateverGYTTN would be a hit and agreed to
appear live on stage - something he'd not done for some time - with Elton if
it was.

For the result, see the Elton live EP featuring a cracking version of I Saw
Her Standing There - by an "old estranged fiance of mine".

Cheers,
Mike.

"Red_Stetson" <hnce...@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:a3bwc.38313$zO3....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...

jrnel...@hvc.rr.com

unread,

Jun 5, 2004, 9:42:03 AM6/5/04

to

On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 03:25:58 GMT, "Red_Stetson"
<hnce...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>I know there was some connection between Lennon and Elton concerning a bet
>on "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" so I'm gonna guess Lennon.

The bet involved Elton's assertion that WGYTTN would go to #1 in the
US. Lennon - the only Beatle not to have at least one solo single go
to the top here at the time - figured his politics, the whole Yoko
thing and just the way Americans were made it impossible. Elton said,
"okay, if I'm right you have to join me on stage next time I'm in New
York". Elton was and John did, dueting on both songs and playing a
Paul tune of all things ("I Saw Her Standing There") for an encore.
ISHST was promptly released as the B side of "Philadelphia Freedom".
It was the last time John would perform live in his life.

Joe

Red_Stetson

unread,

Jun 5, 2004, 9:22:28 PM6/5/04

to

Ah so, I see...........

"Bobby" <massey...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c9rd3s$3st$1...@news1.kornet.net...

eric h

unread,

Jun 6, 2004, 7:57:28 PM6/6/04

to

In article <c9rupl$54k$1...@sparta.btinternet.com>,
D'Archangel <darch...@deathsdoor.co.uk> wrote:

>For the result, see the Elton live EP featuring a cracking version of I Saw
>Her Standing There - by an "old estranged fiance of mine".

US fans may remember the same track as the flip side of the "Philadelphia
Freedom" 45 single.
--
---
"Wake Up, Everybody."--McFadden/Whitehead/Carstarphen
RIP John Whitehead 1948-2004

Gilly

unread,

Jun 9, 2004, 11:44:54 AM6/9/04

to

I saw a TV programme and it said that Elton John and Bernie wotsit
wrote the album, but the person who was meant to sing it never turned
up, so rather than waste the studio time, Elton John sang it......and
the rest is history!

Endy9

unread,

Jul 29, 2004, 6:56:23 PM7/29/04

to

The answer is Elton John wrote the tune and Bernie Taupin the lyrics. Elton
had it out on his album two or three years before Three Dog Night covered
it.

--
Dennis/Endy

http://home.comcast.net/~endymion91/

~Dancing us from darkest night is the rhythm of love
Powered on by the beating of hearts~ -XTC
--

Endy9

unread,

Jul 29, 2004, 6:58:08 PM7/29/04

to

"Pat Gallagher" <bal...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:daa012b7.04053...@posting.google.com...
> Check: http://www.michaelallsup.com/ he has some info on this. TDN
> covered Your Song, but didn't write it. They were always looking out
> for the best songs to record. Check them out over the summer, still a
> great band!!
> Pat in PA

They were one of my first "favorite bands"! Favorite album was Suitable For
Framing and my favorite song of theirs is Circle For A Landing from that
album. Neither is available on CD yet.

Steve Carras

unread,

Jul 31, 2004, 3:12:45 AM7/31/04

to

"Endy9" <endym...@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<410980f2$0$94558$ec3e...@news.usenetmonster.com>...

> "Pat Gallagher" <bal...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:daa012b7.04053...@posting.google.com...
> > Check: http://www.michaelallsup.com/ he has some info on this. TDN
> > covered Your Song, but didn't write it. They were always looking out
> > for the best songs to record. Check them out over the summer, still a
> > great band!!
> > Pat in PA
>
>
>
> They were one of my first "favorite bands"! Favorite album was Suitable For
> Framing and my favorite song of theirs is Circle For A Landing from that
> album. Neither is available on CD yet.

I agree about the favorite band part. Some real Dog dudes...(uh..hope
y'all don't mind.)
Old Fashioned Love Song*,Liar,Eli's Coming*,One,Joy to the world, Easy
to be ahrd,Celebrate, and Show must go on are a few ofd my favorites
by them (*=single is LONGER than album,and a bit superioir..)

spinh...@gmail.com

unread,

Jul 16, 2020, 12:38:56 PM7/16/20

to

TDN released it in March 1970. EJ in April 1970.