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Elton John Quote > “Ever since I did that interview where I said I was bisexual, it seems like twice as many people wave at me on the street.”
This interview took place in 1991 during the event "Hysteria 3," where Rowan Atkinson, famous for his character Mr. Bean, interviewed Elton John in a relaxed and humorous way.
Elton John Quote: “Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for just a few hours.”
Origin: Quoted by Michelle Obama at “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme”, White House, September 23, 2022: “Elton once said: ‘Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for just a few hours.’
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This page presents a carefully curated collection of quotes by Elton John, one of the most influential and iconic figures in modern music history. The selected quotes provide insight into his perspectives on life, creativity, fame, perseverance, and the experiences that have shaped his extraordinary career.
Each quote has been compiled from reliable sources, including interviews, official biographies, and reputable media coverage. To ensure accuracy and credibility, every quote is accompanied by a reference link to its original source, allowing readers to verify the context and authenticity of the statements.
These quotes not only reflect Elton John’s personal philosophies but also offer inspiration and reflection for fans and readers. By presenting them with proper references, this page aims to maintain both scholarly rigor and respect for the artist’s words, offering a trustworthy resource for those seeking to understand the mindset, values, and experiences of Elton John.
Elton John described today's songwriters as "pretty awful," pop music as uninspiring and reality television talent shows like "American Idol" as boring
David Furnish citation: On Smooth Radio, Furnish states:
“As a rule, we don’t go to bed on an argument. If one of us is in a bad mood, we’ll say, ‘What’s wrong?’ We never leave things unresolved. Then you wake up in the morning and think, ‘Oh God, what’s it all about?’”
Elton John Quote “I’ve reached the stage of my life where learning is so important to me. I go through the past enough when I play my old songs on stage … But I want to think about the future.” — Elton John
During the 1970s, Western popular music was tightly restricted in the Soviet Union. Rock and pop were often viewed by the authorities as expressions of Western decadence, capable of influencing Soviet youth ideologically. Yet, despite censorship and limited access to records, Elton John’s music found its way into the USSR through underground channels.
His songs, often broadcast secretly through Voice of America and BBC World Service, became an unofficial part of Soviet youth culture. Bootleg recordings — known locally as “magnitizdat” — circulated on cassette tapes, passed from hand to hand, sometimes recorded over discarded X-ray films known as roentgenizdat. Fans risked punishment to listen to Western artists such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Elton John.
By the mid-1970s, Elton John’s voice was familiar to many young Soviets even if his records were officially unavailable. Songs like “Your Song,” “Rocket Man,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” were learned by ear, translated, and sung in English by fans eager to connect with Western culture. Several former Soviet fans have since recalled that they used Elton’s lyrics as a way to learn English.
When Elton John finally visited the Soviet Union in May 1979, it was a historic event. Performing with percussionist Ray Cooper, he played concerts in Moscow and Leningrad, marking one of the first major Western pop tours approved by Soviet authorities. His performances were broadcast on local television and drew enormous crowds. Many in the audience described the experience as liberating — a glimpse of the wider world beyond the Iron Curtain.
In later interviews, Elton John often spoke warmly about that trip, recalling how deeply touched he was by the kindness and enthusiasm of the Russian people.
Ray Cooper also remembered that fans would tell them they had learned English by listening to Elton’s music, a testament to how far his influence had reached despite political barriers.
Reports from Goldmine Magazine and The New Yorker confirm that Soviet fans frequently exchanged illegal tapes of Elton’s albums during the 1970s and 1980s. Music became a form of cultural resistance — not overtly political, but quietly transformative.
Elton’s 1979 Soviet tour is now remembered as a landmark of cultural diplomacy. Western media outlets like Ultimate Classic Rock and uDiscoverMusic have described it as a rare moment when art and politics overlapped to bring people together, proving that melody and emotion can speak louder than ideology.
In the words of one Soviet fan, later quoted in a BBC documentary: “When Elton John played in Moscow, it was not just a concert. It was freedom for a few hours.”
Elton John Quote - Source: The Guardian — “‘When Elton met Jake’” (12 Nov 2006) Elton John and Divine: Friendship and Encounters at Studio 54
Elton John, one of the greatest icons in pop music, had a remarkable friendship with Harris Glenn Milstead, better known as Divine, the legendary American drag queen. Their friendship developed in the late 1970s, a period when Elton John was deeply involved in drag culture and New York's LGBTQ+ scene. Divine, in turn, was known for his bold character, explosive stage presence, and contribution to counterculture.
Elton John recalled about this relationship: “When I met Divine – a friendship blossomed. I invited Divine on stage as an encore at one of my New York shows, and the band didn’t even know who she was!”
He also mentioned Divine's courage and personality: “I love drag queens and I love going to see them perform because those people have got so much character and bravery. Such balls! I love people with balls.” Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/nov/12/popandrock9
Besides the shows, Elton and Divine frequented Studio 54 together, the famous nightclub that symbolized the disco era, where celebrities and artists from around the world gathered. A record of their encounter is available online:
Divine achieved fame with a career marked by eccentric characters and music. Among his biggest hits are:
“You Think You’re a Man"
"Shake it up”
'Shoot your Shot'
The friendship between Elton John and Divine shows how the underground scene, parties, nightclubs, and performances became spaces for expression and freedom. For Elton, these moments with Divine provided some of the most memorable experiences of his life, reflecting his openness to new cultures, courage, and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Other sources of accounts about the friendship and encounters with Divine:
Citation by David Furnish about Elton John: > “When he was in his 20s, he wanted to have children. Which, when I started dating him when he was in his 40s, he didn’t want to have children. So, the fact that he was able to do something he initially always wanted to do in his life, was very revealing to me, and very beautiful.”
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This page is part of the project “The Illustrated Elton John Timeline”, an illustrated timeline dedicated to documenting, in chronological and detailed form, the life and career of Elton John, with a strong focus on historical research, preservation, and rare material.
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