Top 10 Best Songs by Elton John

The melancholy in this song is stunningly beautiful. The minor key and lamenting melody set a tone of impending doom from the start. Elton sings about a relationship that slowly fades, where everything has been said except that one word. The accordion in the background gives it a sad, French atmosphere. It's the sound of pure powerlessness and grief.

Perhaps the most perfect love song ever written. The innocence drips from it. Elton sings as if he's making up the lyrics on the spot, which makes it enormously intimate. The piano is simple but effective. The lyric "How wonderful life is while you're in the world" is so honest and direct that it reaches everyone. Proof that you don't need spectacle to touch a heart.

A lone astronaut in space, musically translated with floating slide guitars and dreamy piano chords. The production is phenomenal and spacious. It's not about the heroics of space travel, but about missing your family and the cold of the universe. The contrast between the futuristic setting and human emotion makes this timeless.

The ultimate comeback record. The tempo is high, the piano hammers, and the bass line is irresistible. This is Elton showing his resilience. It's an energetic, aggressive, and joyful song about survival after heartbreak (and for Elton: survival in showbusiness). You hear the fighting spirit in every note. Staying still is not an option.

Tiny Dancer builds agonizingly slowly, and that's precisely its strength. It starts as a small piano song and grows into a rock anthem. The lyrics are a loving sketch of an L.A. lady. When the chorus finally hits, it feels like liberation. It's a song that takes you on a journey; six minutes of disappearing into his world.

A masterpiece about love and loss. The bossa nova rhythms gently sway in the background while the synthesizers create a warm, melancholic haze. Michael sings with an barely suppressed sob. It's music that offers comfort in the darkest moments.

This is Elton at his vocal peak. He switches effortlessly between his chest voice and his beautiful falset. The production is grand and symphonic. The song breathes nostalgia; the desire to leave fame behind and return to the simplicity of the countryside. It's a fairytale with an adult message, musically framed like a classical painting.

A cold war caught in a warm pop song. The synthesizer melody is iconic for the 1980s. George Michael sings backup. It's about impossible love on the other side of the Wall. The video and music evoke an atmosphere of longing and distance. One of his biggest hits in Europe.

Originally written for Marilyn Monroe, later a tribute to Princess Diana. It's a somber piano ballad that sings about the vulnerability of fame. The melody is simple but unforgettable. Elton sings with audible respect and sadness. It's a song that united the whole world in grief, and that says everything about the power of his music.

A mysterious and melancholic song. The electric piano (a Fender Rhodes) gives it a warm, rocking feel. It sounds like a farewell letter. Although the melody is light and airy, there's a deep sadness in the lyrics about a war veteran escaping the world. Elton sings it restrained, making the impact of the departure even greater.