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I'm Still Standing

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For the 2012 book, see I'm Still Standing (book).

"I'm Still Standing"
Single by Elton John
from the album Too Low for Zero
B-side
  • "Love So Cold" (US)
  • "Earn While You Learn" (UK)
ReleasedApril 1983 (US)
22 July 1983 (UK)[1]
RecordedSeptember–December 1982
GenreSynth-pop[2]
Length3:02
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Chris Thomas
Elton John singles chronology
"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
(1983) 		"I'm Still Standing"
(1983) 		"Kiss the Bride"
(1983)
Music video
"I'm Still Standing" on YouTube

"I'm Still Standing" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, from John's 1983 studio album Too Low for Zero.[3] It was the lead single from the album in North America, but released as the second single in the UK.

Helped by a video promoting the song on MTV, "I'm Still Standing" became a big hit for John on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at No. 1 in Canada[4] and Switzerland,[5] No. 4 in the UK[6] and No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[7]

Background

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Although "I'm Still Standing" is often seen as a statement of John's resilience, Taupin wrote the lyrics with a specific person in mind.

It's perhaps one more example of the original idea being interpreted by everyone into something quite different. I think people see it as an anthem based on Elton's strong sense of survival in the face of adversity. Which, believe me, is perfectly fine by me. In fact, it's probably infinitely more interesting, perhaps, than what it was initially written about. Which, if my memory serves me correctly, it was a sort of kiss off to an old girlfriend. You know the sort of thing, 'Don't you worry about me, I'll be perfectly fine.' Unlike George Jones' 'She Thinks I Still Care,' where, in fact, he really did, I really didn't."[8][9]

Music video

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The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was shot in Cannes and Nice on the Côte d'Azur in France. It also features the colours of the flag of France in graphics. Arlene Phillips, who choreographed the routines performed on location in the video, said her work is one of the proudest moments in her entire career (via the Channel 5 pop-documentary, Britain's Favourite 80s Songs, on 25 December 2021).

Bruno Tonioli, later a judge on hit shows Strictly Come Dancing for BBC (UK), Dancing with the Stars for ABC (US) and Britain's Got Talent for ITV (UK), appears as one of the dancers in the video.

Initially, John was supposed to take part in the choreography for the music video, but that plan was later scrapped as he recalls in his autobiography:

Visibly stunned by my demonstration of the moves I’d honed on the dance floors of Crisco Disco and Studio 54, the choreographer Arlene Phillips went pale and suddenly scaled down my involvement in that side of things, until all I really had to do was click my fingers and walk along the seafront in time to the music.[10]

It was due to be shot over the course of two days, but a camera full of the first day's film was ruined when Mulcahy accidentally fell into the sea with it. Therefore, it had to be filmed again on another day. During the shoot for the video, John came across Duran Duran. He complained he was exhausted at having been up since four o'clock in the morning. Simon Le Bon decided John should have a martini. "So I did," John later recalled, "I had six."[11]

In his book, Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran, Andy Taylor writes of the experience:

There were lots of celebrities around in Cannes and one day we discovered that Elton John was in town, filming the video for his song "I'm Still Standing". This was before Elton became teetotal, so he was still a steaming party animal. We went up to see him at his hotel and spent the afternoon getting blasted on martinis. We decided it would be a laugh to get him drunk and we were slinging the drinks down him. "Ooh, you are lovely boys," he screeched, loving every minute of it. We got him so drunk that eventually he went upstairs and threw a wobbler in his suite. It caused all sorts of chaos, but it was a great party.[12]

The next morning, John awoke with a hangover and wandered into his personal assistant's room – which was "leveled" – and asked him "What happened?" His assistant laughed: "You happened!"[11]

In 2019, the original 16mm film negatives were re-scanned and the computer graphics were recreated, forming a newer remastered version of the promotional video.[13] This version of the video serves as the ending to the 2019 biopic Rocketman, with Taron Egerton (portraying John) rotoscoped in to recreate memorable scenes from the original music video. It was also re-released standalone on John's YouTube channel.

Track listing

[edit]
  • US 7-inch single
  1. "I'm Still Standing" – 3:00
  2. "Love So Cold" – 5:08
  • UK 7-inch single
  1. "I'm Still Standing" – 3:00
  2. "Earn While You Learn" – 6:42
  • This single was also available as a picture disc shaped as a piano.
  • UK 12-inch single
  1. "I'm Still Standing" (extended version) – 3:45
  2. "Earn While You Learn" – 6:42

Personnel

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Chart performance

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38] 2× Platinum 180,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[39] Platinum 600,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[40]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 100,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42]
Physical 		Silver 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[43]
Digital 		3× Platinum 1,800,000‡
United States (RIAA)[44] Gold 500,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

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Welsh actor Taron Egerton has recorded this song two times in separate occasions. The first time was for the 2016 animated feature Sing as teenage gorilla Johnny; the second was for the 2019 biopic Rocketman where he played the titular role of Elton John himself.[45]

"I'm Still Standing" was also covered by the cast of the television series Glee during the third season.[46][47]

References

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  1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Behind the Song Lyrics: "I'm Still Standing," Elton John & Bernie Taupin". American Songwriter. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  3. ^ Cassata, Mary Anne (2002). The Elton John Scrapbook. Citadel Press. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-8065-2322-4..
  4. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 38, No. 20, July 16 1983". Collections Canada. 16 July 1983. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Elton John – I'm Still Standing". Swiss Singles Chart (in German). Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  6. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 – 21 August 1983 – 27 August 1983". UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Elton John – Chart History". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  8. ^ "I'm Still Standing by Elton John – Songfacts".
  9. ^ "The Story of... 'I'm Still Standing' by Elton John". Smooth.
  10. ^ John, Elton (15 October 2019). Me: Elton John Official Autobiography. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-250-14761-5.
  11. ^ a b "Anecdotage.Com – Thousands of true funny stories about famous people. Anecdotes from Gates to Yeats". Archived from the original on 28 November 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ Taylor, Andy (30 December 2010). Wild Boy: My Life with Duran Duran. Orion. ISBN 9781409111160.
  13. ^ "'I'm Still Standing' music video unveiled in digitally restored 4K".
  14. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Elton John – I'm Still Standing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6261." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  17. ^ "Elton John – I'm Still Standing" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I'm Still Standing". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Elton John – I'm Still Standing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  20. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Elton John – I'm Still Standing". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  22. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965–1989 Acts J". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  23. ^ "Elton John – I'm Still Standing". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  24. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  25. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  26. ^ "Billboard July 16, 1983" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. 16 July 1983. p. 27. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  27. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  28. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 2, 1983". Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2017.. Cash Box magazine.
  29. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  30. ^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  31. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  32. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6699." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  33. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1983". Swiss Singles Chart (in German). Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  34. ^ Scapin, Peter, ed. (1984). "Top 100 singles: 1983". BPI Year Book 1984. British Phonographic Industry. pp. 42–43. ISBN 0-906154-04-9.
  35. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1983". Billboard Hot 100. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  36. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart – 2023". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  37. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  38. ^ "Danish single certifications – Elton John – I'm Still Standing". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  39. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Elton John; 'I'm Still Standing')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  40. ^ "Italian single certifications – Elton John – I'm Still Standing" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  41. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Elton John – I'm Still Standing". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  42. ^ "British single certifications – Elton John – I'm Still Standing". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  43. ^ "British single certifications – Elton John – I'm Still Standing". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  44. ^ "American single certifications – Elton John – I'm Still Standing". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  45. ^ "How Taron Egerton's Rocketman role of a lifetime became a lifelong gig". Entertainment Weekly. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  46. ^ "Glee: The Music - The Complete Season Three". iTunes. Glee Cast. 28 August 2012.
  47. ^ "I'm Still Standing (Full Performance)". YouTube. MusicOfGlee.
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