Elton John’s unexpected hit: “Bennie and the Jets”
Mar 12, 2025•9 min•Ep. 150
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Episode description
In this episode of the Behind The Song podcast, join Janda as she digs into the unexpected success of Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets." Released in 1973 on the landmark album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, this quirky tune tells the story of a fictional all-girl band, a response with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin to the glam-rock craze at the time. Discover how a happy accident—a misplaced piano chord—led to a unique “faked-live” sound for the entire recording, and how radio play in Detroit turned a pretty odd song into a chart-topping hit.
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