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Kylie Cooper
Professor Hughes
ENG 1201
16 February 2020
Your Song
One of the most iconic love songs of our time, “Your Song” was published in 1970 by

Elton John. This song has stood the test of time, as many people have sought to make covers of

it. Some of these people range from Ewan Mcgregor, to Ellie Goulding, to Lady Gaga. All of

which have a different style of performing music, but they all had the same idea; they wanted to

capture the essence of the song with their take on it. “Your Song” is the story of a new, naive

love that has no limits to it. Ellie Goulding's version of “Your Song” brings a whole new light,

and meaning to simplistic love, where Elton’s version appears to show more of the fear in what

the world is going to do with this love, and what he should do. They both share themes of

simplistic love, but have different underlying meanings.

The original writer of “Your Song”, Bernie Taupin, who worked with Elton John was

only a mere 17 when he wrote the lyrics to this song. It was not planned out at all, Taupin was

jotting down ideas on what he thought love meant to him, and hit inspiration eating breakfast

thus creating this masterpiece. The songs music video’s setting was shown to be more of a toned-

down somber mood due to the low lighting. But I think it was anything but that. It centered on

Elton John as the main character singing to someone or an audience, as it does not show that part

it is hard to tell. This in part was to draw in their targeted audience, the older generation, as this

is what appealed to them during that time. The timbre of John’s voice really helped to show this

point. The original copy of the song was written on exercise papers, with a coffee stain on it, as it
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was not planned out. “Your Song” production came as quick as it was written. The song took

about 20 minutes to write, yet it is one of John’s most iconic songs to this day.

Ellie Goulding's version of “Your Song” was produced in 2010. She adds more of

feministic voice, and view onto the song. Ellie stated “Ben Mumford and I wanted to create

something that was a bit more simple…” That is exactly what she did, portraying a simplistic

love that is in no need of big lavish, expensive things. Goulding and Mumford did exactly that

throughout the acting of their music video, and the different homey scenes it showed of lovers.

The whole idea behind the video was to help and reach her targeted audience, the new

generation. She did this by appealing to what was trending during this time, with her own little

twist. The song peaked on charts at number 2, doing better than most of her own songs at that

time. She was fine with that, Goulding believed it was her own take on the song, and virtually it

sounded different with her own touch on it. The music video of “Your Song” has a very

significant personal touch to it, showing more of a homestyle setting; some of the scenes were

shot in her hometown, Hereford, showing the true journey of new, naive love.

Both of the videos share the idea of a simplistic, naive love. The central idea behind the

song is that the song is a gift to show how much someone loves the other. Unable to buy big

lavish things, the words are expressed to show how they feel about each other. Though it

expresses love this song represents a new budding love that is full of opportunity and wonder.

“I'm not one of those who can easily hide, I

Don't have much money but boy if I did

I'd buy a big house where we both could live”

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These lyrics help to show what the central idea is. John’s video shows someone proclaiming their

love to another, as it only shows one person in the video. There is not much setting to go off of,

other than a darkened room and Elton John sitting at a piano. Goulding’s video shows two

‘characters’ going on the journey of new and simplistic love in more of a home setting. They are

depicted to be owning a new home or starting a new branch of their life. Both versions help to

show that love does not have to be full of big and expensive things, it can be nice and simplistic.

Both John’s and Goulding’s video exemplifies pathos, as they both evoke feelings of

sadness or the quality of young love in life. Elton’s video centers on the suffering, or the

saddening effect of pathos. This is done by the way he is singing the words to another. Soft

spoken words, long pauses between stanzas, and the lone effect of the piano. Goulding's video

centers in more on the experience side of pathos, or lack thereof. It depicts two young lovers

with little to no money figuring out the joys and wonders that life has to offer you. There was no

ethos in John’s video, but I saw a hint of it in Goulding's video, with all the various people and

cultures that were shown in the scenes. There were no accounts of logos in either video, as there

were no signs of statistical evidence.

A lot of Hollywood depictions of love these days show more of a lavish life, which could

change a young person's view on what they should be looking for in love. Love shouldn't be a

laborious thing that makes you have to constantly worry about things. It should be a simple act.

One where you are looking forward to seeing the person next, where you would do anything for

them yet still do it to show how much you care about them. Both versions of “My Song” help to

depict this reality.

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Works Cited

Irwin, Corey. “The History of Elton John's 'Your Song'.” Ultimate Classic Rock, 26 Apr. 2019,
ultimateclassicrock.com/elton-john-your-song-history/.

Edwards, Briony. “Your Song by Elton John: The Story behind the Song.”
Classic Rock Magazine, Louder, 29 May 2019,

“Ellie Goulding- Your Song.” Youtube, 12 Nov. 2010,

youtu.be/D9AFMVMl9qE.

Songfacts. “Your Song by Ellie Goulding - Songfacts.” Song Meanings at Songfacts,

www.songfacts.com/facts/ellie-goulding/your-song.

“Elton John- Your Song.” Youtube, 11 Nov. 2018,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIP1fCy1url.