Tiny Dancer
Encyclopedia
"Tiny Dancer" is a 1971 song by Elton John
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
. It appears on John's fourth album, Madman Across the Water
, and was released as a single in 1972. It was certified Gold on May 19, 2005, and Platinum on August 19, 2011, by the RIAA.
and light percussion but, transitioning subtly halfway through one of the choruses, by the end is driven by Paul Buckmaster
's dynamic strings
, along with a barely heard backing choir
. Clocking at 6:12, it was one of the longer radio singles of the period.
While "Tiny Dancer" was initially a non-starter as a single – reaching only No. 41 on the U.S. pop chart
and not even released in the UK – the song slowly became one of John's most popular songs. A fixture on adult contemporary and rock radio stations, the song grew in popularity.
It was ranked No. 387 on the 2004 List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The lyrics are often featured on lists of mondegreens, with Elton singing Hold me closer tiny dancer often misheard as Hold me closer Tony Danza
.
covered "Tiny Dancer" for his live album, Ben Folds Live
. The song was later released as a promo single.
artist Tim McGraw
covered the song on his 2002 album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. McGraw's rendition was released as a single only to adult contemporary radio, where it peaked at No. 13. The song also received unsolicited airplay at country radio, peaking at No. 49 alongside his then-current single "She's My Kind of Rain
". McGraw also performed the song, with Elton John, at the American Music Awards
.
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
. It appears on John's fourth album, Madman Across the Water
Madman Across the Water
Madman Across the Water is the fourth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1971 through DJM/Uni Records. The title song, "Madman Across the Water", was set to be released on Elton John's previous album Tumbleweed Connection. However, it was set aside and would...
, and was released as a single in 1972. It was certified Gold on May 19, 2005, and Platinum on August 19, 2011, by the RIAA.
Background and writing
The song was written by Taupin to capture the spirit of California in 1970 encapsulated by the women he met. It has become known that the song is about Taupin's first wife. The song was dedicated to her on the album Madman Across the Water.History
The song features a piano-based melody during verses, Taupin lyrics during the chorus, and an arrangement that at the start features pedal steel guitarPedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
and light percussion but, transitioning subtly halfway through one of the choruses, by the end is driven by Paul Buckmaster
Paul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
's dynamic strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, along with a barely heard backing choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. Clocking at 6:12, it was one of the longer radio singles of the period.
While "Tiny Dancer" was initially a non-starter as a single – reaching only No. 41 on the U.S. pop chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and not even released in the UK – the song slowly became one of John's most popular songs. A fixture on adult contemporary and rock radio stations, the song grew in popularity.
It was ranked No. 387 on the 2004 List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The lyrics are often featured on lists of mondegreens, with Elton singing Hold me closer tiny dancer often misheard as Hold me closer Tony Danza
Tony Danza
Tony Danza is an American actor best known for starring on the TV series Taxi and Who's the Boss?, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and four Golden Globe Awards...
.
Ben Folds cover
In 2002, Ben FoldsBen Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
covered "Tiny Dancer" for his live album, Ben Folds Live
Ben Folds Live
Ben Folds Live is a live album by Ben Folds, released in 2002 .This album marked the first official release of the classic Ben Folds live routine, "Rock This Bitch", which he went on to perform at least 60 more times since, including on the releases Songs for Goldfish and on the Live in Perth DVD...
. The song was later released as a promo single.
Tim McGraw version
Country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
covered the song on his 2002 album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. McGraw's rendition was released as a single only to adult contemporary radio, where it peaked at No. 13. The song also received unsolicited airplay at country radio, peaking at No. 49 alongside his then-current single "She's My Kind of Rain
She's My Kind of Rain
"She's My Kind of Rain" is the title of a song written by Tommy Lee Jones and Robin Lerner, and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in January 2003 as the third single from his 2002 album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S....
". McGraw also performed the song, with Elton John, at the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
.
Other versions
- "Tiny Dancer" has been covered by Lani Hall in the 1970s, by the Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
with John FruscianteJohn FruscianteJohn Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...
on vocals since the early 1990s, by Dave GrohlDave GrohlDavid Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
on The Late Late ShowThe Late Late Show (CBS TV series)The Late Late Show is an American late-night television talk and variety show on CBS hosted by Craig Ferguson since 2005. It immediately follows Late Show with David Letterman and is produced by Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated...
with Craig KilbornCraig KilbornCraig Kilborn is an American actor and talk show host. He was the original host of The Daily Show, a former anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter, and Tom Snyder's successor on CBS' The Late Late Show. On June 28, 2010, he launched The Kilborn File after a six-year absence from television...
. - A sample of the "Tiny Dancer" chorus is featured in a mash-up by Girl TalkGirl Talk (musician)Gregg Michael Gillis , better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is an American musician specializing in mashups and digital sampling. Gillis has released five LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on 333 and 12 Apostles....
called "Smash Your Head" (from the 2006 album Night RipperNight RipperNight Ripper is the third album by Girl Talk. It was released on Illegal Art in 2006 and re-released as a pay-what-you-want download on Illegal Art's website in June 2009. It is composed almost entirely of samples taken from other artists' songs, with minor original material by Gillis...
). - In 2008, a version was released by Italian DJ Marco Demark and singer Casey BarnesCasey BarnesCasey Barnes is an Australian singer-songwriter from Gold Coast, Queensland who rose to fame as a contestant on the 2009 season of Australian Idol.- Biography :...
. It was later remixed by Deadmau5Deadmau5Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
. - In 2009, DJ IronikDJ IronikJames Christian Charters , better known as Ironik, is a British musician, DJ and rapper. His genre of music varies from R&B, grime and hip hop....
and ChipmunkChipmunk (rapper)Jahmaal Noel Fyffe known by his stage name Chipmunk, is a British hip hop rapper and songwriter from Tottenham, London....
created a remixRemixA remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of the song that features John singing the chorus which peaked at No.3 in the UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. - The song featured in "The Americanization of Ivan" episode of WKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
. References to the song were made throughout the show and the song was featured during the closing credits. - The cast of Almost FamousAlmost FamousAlmost Famous is a 2000 musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the fictitious rock band Stillwater , and his efforts to get his first cover story published...
(2000) sing along to the song while riding in the tour bus, and it is also featured as instrumental incidental music in a phonic reference to Penny Lane as Russell realises Penny has set him up to do the right thing by William - Corey TaylorCorey TaylorCorey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
played this song at his Sonisphere FestivalSonisphere FestivalThe Sonisphere Festival is a touring music festival which takes place across Europe between June and August. The festival is owned by John Jackson and Kilimanjaro Live. It is jointly-promoted by K2 and Kilimanjaro Live...
Knebworth solo performance as the opening number. - The song was featured in a BudweiserBudweiserBudweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...
TV commercial starring Peter Stormare and Andrew Sensenig that premiered during Fox Broadcasting's telecast of Super Bowl XLVSuper Bowl XLVSuper Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
on 6 February, 2011. - Canadian DJ Deadmau5Deadmau5Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
made a remix of the song.