How to Write Songs Like Elton John
- 1). Verse yourself in a variety of styles, from classical music to early rock and roll, and keep evolving. Learn how to play classical pieces by composers such as Chopin and Bach, as Elton John did at a young age. In terms of piano style, take cues from Little Richard, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis. Elton John was also influenced by rock and roll of the 1960s, especially the Beach Boys, as he stated in an interview with Billboard: "The Beach Boys' sound and their way of writing and their melodies were a(n)...influence on me." Stay current with trends in music and production, as Elton John did, adapting his sound in the 1980s and 1990s. For example, Elton used Philly soul sounds in his single, "Philadelphia Freedom" in 1975, and many of his 1980s singles have typical production values of that decade.
- 2). Work with an exceptional lyricist. For the most part, Elton John does not write his own lyrics. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin since the late 1960s. Bernie Taupin writes the lyrics to a song and Elton John writes melodies to them. Find a lyricist who can write off-kilter lyrics with a good sense of rhyme and slightly irregular meter. If you can't come up with a suitable melody to fit the lyrics of your songs, either amend them slightly or move on to the next song, as Elton did working as a staff songwriter with Taupin.
- 3). Use the pop format, but take it to a higher level. Elton John is a master of the single, having scored more than 50 Top 40 hits, yet many of them, such as "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," break free of standard verse-chorus structures. Fool the listener. Double your verses in the beginning of a song to emphasize the impact of the first chorus as Elton John does in "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me." Play with energy. Like "Rocketman," write songs that start off quiet and build to a cresendo. Incorporate lush string arrangements. Elton John established a relationship with arranger Paul Buckmaster, who provided many of the orchestral parts on his albums. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," a single from his album of the same name, is a good example of a classic Elton John pop song that breaks free from form and has a string arrangement. Use this song as a guideline to write another song that crosses guidelines.
