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Post by BiteUrLip on Jul 13, 2019 9:05:14 GMT
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Bernie Taupin
You could never know what it's like
Your blood like winter freezes just like ice
And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
And did you think this fool could never win
Well look at me, I'm coming back again
I got a taste of love in a simple way
And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away
Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing yeah yeah yeah
I'm still standing yeah yeah yeah
Once I never could hope to win
You starting down the road leaving me again
The threats you made were meant to cut me down
And if our love was just a circus you'd be a clown by now
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Post by BiteUrLip on Jul 13, 2019 9:05:50 GMT
A great single, I just prefer some others like IGTWTCITB over this one.
4½ stars.
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Post by dougs on Jul 13, 2019 16:23:57 GMT
"I'm Still Standing" from TOO LOW FOR ZERO:
A strong energetic pop song from 1983's TOO LOW FOR ZERO. When written, Bernie was thinking that the song represented a statement after someone emerges from a rocky relationship. The song, however, became more anthemic in nature along the lines of Elton's returning to form with the release of the song and album. Even ROCKETMAN takes this latter meaning to heart. EJ made "I'm Still Standing" a part of his concert set list where it remains to this day. The song has excelled when extended (especially 1984 and 1986) and even when played solo. The past decade has seen it clock in at 3:00 minutes sharp tour after tour without any real deviation or musical adventure. "I'm Still Standing" had some amazing chart success; #1 in Canada, #1 in Switzerland, #2 in Ireland, #3 in Australia, #4 in the UK, #8 in the Netherlands, #9 in South Africa, and #12 in the US. "I'm Still Standing" was one of the singles which sent TOO LOW FOR ZERO 6 times platinum in Australia. The album was, in fact, the 7th highest selling album in Australia for the entire 80s decade! The Russell Mulcahy video no doubt helped promote the single's success everywhere. The video went under re-scanning and remastering in 2019. The 12" UK vinyl EP features a 45 second extended intro and a superb dynamic range.
Rating: 5 stars
Doug
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Post by Commodore Orpington on Jul 14, 2019 2:45:43 GMT
I said 3 1/2 stars, for the radio and album version, which I can do without ever hearing again. The hard guitar sound covers over and makes listenable what is basically more of a jingle than a song...
The extended 12" single version makes it a lot better. The 45 second instrumental intro makes all the difference. That should have been the album version.
Classic example of a great album with less interesting singles...
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Post by newloneranger on Jul 14, 2019 18:50:23 GMT
I like the extended version better too. I always wondered why Elton plays it so much, Thanks Doug for the answer although I think Bernies representation is correct.
5 stars
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Post by dougs on Jul 14, 2019 21:38:10 GMT
newloneranger:
Yeah, I think that Bernie did have something in mind relationship-wise when he wrote this song. It is just that due to the song's success and EJ's resurgence in the charts that it took on this anthemic meaning as well.
Doug
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Post by rocketman on Jul 15, 2019 14:45:58 GMT
4 stars...one of those songs that, in itself, is good, but then takes on a life of its own as time goes by. Certainly a concert staple, though much more interesting when Elton and the band played it like they did in the 1980's instead of more recently, when all you get is a live rendition that adheres closely to the studio version.
As for the available extended intro, I don't have the EP, but when I listened on YouTube, assuming I'm dialing up the version ya'll are talking about, all it sounds like is the song without the vocal track.
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Post by Commodore Orpington on Jul 18, 2019 10:30:27 GMT
It doesn't have a radically different sound, but the 45 seconds to rev it up really help.
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Post by nix on Aug 7, 2019 10:37:20 GMT
5+ A classic.
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