"Elton's Song" from
VISIONS (long video)
RUSSELL MULCAHY Director
AL SCHONEBERGER Producer
ELTON JOHN Main Performer

I wrote the lyric for this song - which is on Elton's album The Fox (Geffen Records 1981). Unusually for those times EJ commissioned a video director - Russell Mulcahy - to shoot clips for the entire album, not just the singles. That's how come this clip exists, even though the song was never a single. The resulting collection was released under the title VISIONS on Videodisc - an early precursor of DVD on large LP-sized discs, which didn't catch on much outside Japan and parts of the USA.

The theme of unrequited gay love on this particular video caused a furore when it was released, with tabloid news headlines like "Elton's gay video shocker" etc etc. Apparently the headmaster of the school where this was shot had no idea of what the film was about, and it may be that the video had to be quietly withdrawn. The storyline is lifted from a sub-plot in Lindsay Anderson's movie "If"...

TOM ROBINSON

ELTON'S SONG
Staring all alone at your grace and style
Cut me to the bone with your razorblade smile
Cynical and lean... I lie awake and dream
About you

Love your gypsy hair and dark brown eyes
Always unprepared for your pointed replies
I watch you playing pool - it's all around the school
That I love you

If you only knew what I'm going through
Time and again I get ashamed to say your name
It's hard to grin and bear when you're standing there
My lips are dry, I catch your eye and look away

Sitting in my room I've got it bad
Crying for the moon - they all think I'm mad
They say it isn't real, but I know what I feel
And I love you

If you only knew what I'm going through
Time and again I get ashamed to say your name
It's hard to grin and bear when you're standing there
My lips are dry, I catch your eye and look away

Sitting in my room I've got it bad
Crying for the moon - they all think I'm mad
I would give my life for a single night
Beside you.