Levon

Elton John

About Levon

"Levon" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and recorded by Elton John. John recorded it on February 27, 1971, and released it on his fourth album, Madman Across the Water. Backing vocals are provided by Tony Burrows. The song reached number 24 on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at number six on the Canadian RPM singles chart.


Year:
1990
5:22
179 
#2

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Levon wears his war wound like a crown
He calls his child Jesus 'cause he likes the name
And he sends him to the finest school in town

Levon, Levon likes his money
He makes a lot they say
Spends his days counting
In a garage by the motorway

He was born a pauper
To a pawn on a Christmas day
When the New York Times
Said God is dead and the war's begun
Alvin Tostig has a son today

And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
And he shall be Levon
In tradition with the family plan
And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
He shall be Levon

Levon's sells cartoon balloons in town
His family business thrives
Jesus blows up balloons all day
Sits on the porch swing watching them fly
And Jesus, he wants to go to Venus
Leave Levon far behind
Take a balloon and go sailing,
While Levon, Levon slowly dies

He was born a pauper
To a pawn on a Christmas day
When the New York Times
Said God is dead and the war's begun
Alvin Tostig has a son today

And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
And he shall be Levon
In tradition with the family plan, woo
And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
He shall be Levon

And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
And he shall be Levon
In tradition with the family plan, woo
And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
He shall be Levon

 Struggling with Levon? Become a better singer in 30 days with these videos!


Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date. more »

45 fans

Written by: BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN, BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song Profile
"Levon" is a track by British music icon Sir Elton John from his fourth studio album, 'Madman Across the Water', released in 1971.
Writer Credits
The lyrics for "Levon" were penned by Bernie Taupin, Elton John's long-time writing partner. Elton John composed the music.
Chart Positions
"Levon" reached number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Within Canada, the song climbed up to number five.
Song Inspiration
The song's name "Levon" was inspired by Levon Helm, who was the drummer and singer for The Band, a group admired by both Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
Song Meaning
The lyrics to "Levon" tell the story of a man named Levon who is tired of his life of constant work and dreams of escaping. Taupin has been noted to say that song does not have a specific meaning and is just a story.
Iconic Line
The song contains the line 'He was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas day when the New York Times said God is dead', which is often misattributed to John Lennon but it was actually Bernie Taupin line.
Collaboration
The track "Levon" features a distinguished gallery of session musicians, including Brian Dee on harmonium and Chris Spedding on guitar.
Song Popularity
The song ranked amongst Elton John’s most popular early tracks and continued to be a concert staple throughout his career.
Album Success
The host album 'Madman Across the Water', housing "Levon", has been certified multi-platinum in both the US and UK.
Cover Versions
"Levon" has been covered by several artists over the years, including Jon Bon Jovi for the 1991 tribute album 'Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.'
Re-Release
The song was re-released in digital format in 2007 on the album ‘Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits'.

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    Levon

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1972

    Billboard #24


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