The “Embarrassing” Hit Elton John Wished Would Go Away

Every musician dreams of getting a hit that gets massive amounts of radio play. But the flip side of that laud is the risk of growing tired of the hit. Elton John–who has no shortage of hits–once found himself on the bad end of that exchange. Find out which John hit he grew to be embarrassed about, below.

[RELATED: The Story Behind Elton John’s Mind-Boggling Hot 100 Streak and the Song that Ended It]

The “Embarrassing” Hit Elton John Wished Would Go Away

I used to be a rolling stone, you know
If a cause was right
I’d leave, to find the answer on the road

Though a Brit, John spent a lot of time in the U.S. This track was inspired by his friend Billie Jean King, a renowned female tennis player. She later became the first female player to coach men on a team called the Philadelphia Freedoms. Her success story turned into a universal ode to success–all on the backdrop of the “American Dream.”

‘Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born, I’ve waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee-high to a man, yeah
Gave me peace of mind my daddy never had

Despite this song’s success, John felt embarrassed by it–mostly how ubiquitous it was. The song stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in the mid-’70s. Naturally, it got a lot of play during that time.

“In America, I’ve got ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ going up the charts again,” John once said. “I wish the bloody thing would piss off. I can see why people get sick and tired of me. In America, I get sick and tired of hearing myself on AM radio. It’s embarrassing.”

If you choose to you can live your life alone
Some people choose the city (some people choose the city)
Some others choose the good old family home
(Some others choose the good old family home)

Despite John’s opinion of the song, it’s not hard to see how this song became such a rampant hit. The melody is unshakeable–a familiar facet of John’s music. The lyrics are stellar and endlessly applicable–a familiar facet of Bernie Taupin’s writing. Though John might have been embarrassed about it at one point in time, we can’t deny its appeal.

Revisit this John track, below.

‘Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom
From the day that I was born, I’ve waved the flag
Philadelphia freedom took me knee-high to a man, mmh-mmh
Gave me peace of mind my daddy never had

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Philip Ollerenshaw/Shutterstock