Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton's Little John Analysis

There are so many ways to interpret this story. What did the protagonist say? Is it a ‘curiosity killed the cat’ style message, or is deeper than that? Radiohead have maintained silence on this issue and have not ever revealed what the protagonist says. An internet extract from the book ‘Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton’s Little John?: Music’s Most Enduring Mysteries, Myths, and Rumors Revealed’ by Gavin Edwards sums up my feelings entirely. “In case you haven’t figured it out by now: the whole point of the video is not what the man says, which is meant to be as much of a mystery as whatever it is Bill Murray whispers into Scarlett Johansson’s ear at the end of Lost in Translation…Jamie Thraves, director of the clip, has said, “To tell you would

The nods towards Nirvana are very apparent in more ways than one. Going back briefly to the song ‘Just,’ “The opening acoustic guitar riff and its distinctive drum break are surely too similar to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to be a coincidence, though, particularly after the years of Nirvana comparisons that the band endured.” (Doheny, p.24) Some even speculate that the song may be directly about Kurt Cobain himself; “whether or not the song is directly about Kurt (and/or Hendrix and/or the legions of other rock’n’roll drug casualties) isn’t clear.” (Doheny, p.24) According to Martin Clarke’s book ‘Hysterical & Useless,’ speaking about Thom Yorke, says, “One writer said he looked like a ‘nervous breakdown gone solo’. The extreme line in this approach listed him as the most likely musician to commit suicide, the next rock martyr.” (Clarke, p.87) Mac Randall describes the band’s earliest effort Creep, quite dismissively, by saying “I felt that most of its central distinguishing features – the miserable, self-torturing lyrics, the mock-anthemic quality of the music, the dynamic shift between the quiet, brooding verses and the loud choruses splattered with grungy guitars – had been done earlier, and better, by bands like Nirvana and the Pixies.” (Randall,

Reviews had been solidly appreciative, although not universally frenzied. However a slew of hit singles and stunning live dates over the course of 1995 reinforced the initial acclaim, so that by December it was being hailed as the record of the year in many polls.” (Clarke, p.70) Its popularity and success is very clear so see. It was voted number two in ‘Virgin All Time Top 1,000 Albums.’ “In venerable UK music monthly magazine Q’s fifteenth anniversary poll (September 2001) The Bends was voted the fourth best album of the magazine’s existence, behind Nirvana’s Nevermind (3), Primal Scream’s Screamadelcia (2), and, er, OK somethingorother… (1).” (Doheny, p.34) While the band’s 1997 follow up album ‘OK Computer’ may define Radiohead at their peak of success, ‘The Bends’ was an enormously integral part of this success. Due to the slow burn and gradual recognition of their second effort, Radiohead had created a stepping stone for what could, and did end up being, an album that took the world by storm. ‘The Bends’ “had consolidated Radiohead’s critical reputation mightily.” (Doheny, p.56) What is even more impressive about ‘The Bends’ is that it was the response to what seemed to be the making of yet another band to be a one hit wonder, to never be seen again. This album cemented that Radiohead had truly