Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Lyrics meaning of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John, and what it is about

Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is a song that has become an iconic and timeless piece of music. When the song was released in 1973 as the lead single from his eponymous album, it immediately became a mainstay of his repertoire and struck a chord with listeners all over the world. Its everlasting appeal stems from its profound lyrics, which address themes of disillusionment, self-discovery, and the pursuit of authenticity, as well as its catchy melody and opulent instrumentation.

Bernie Taupin, a longstanding partner of Elton John, wrote "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" based on his own thoughts about celebrity, identity, and the demands of the music business. The route to success and fulfilment, represented by the yellow brick road, is a metaphor that reflects Dorothy's journey in The Wizard of Oz. Nevertheless, this road is not always as glamorous or satisfying as it may seem, as the song implies.

Taupin wrote the lyrics, which include autobiographical references to his early years spent on a farm in Lincolnshire. One of Taupin's early lyrics' recurring themes is the song's expression of wanting to return to one's "roots".

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road lyrics by Elton John

When are you gonna come down?

When are you going to land?

I should have stayed on the farm

I should have listened to my old man

You know you can't hold me forever

I didn't sign up with you

I'm not a present for your friends to open

This boy's too young to be singing the blues

Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah, ah

So goodbye yellow brick road

Where the dogs of society howl

You can't plant me in your penthouse

I'm going back to my plough

Back to the howling old owl in the woods

Hunting the horny-back toad

Oh, I've finally decided my future lies

Beyond the yellow brick road

Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah, ah

What do you think you'll do, then?

I bet they'll shoot down the plane

It'll take you a couple of vodka and tonics

To set you on your feet again

Maybe you'll get a replacement

There's plenty like me to be found

Mongrels who ain't got a penny

Sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground

Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah, ah

So goodbye yellow brick road

Where the dogs of society howl

You can't plant me in your penthouse

I'm going back to my plough

Back to the howling old owl in the woods

Hunting the horny-back toad

Oh, I've finally decided my future lies

Beyond the yellow brick road

Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah, ah