Bitter Fingers by Elton John - Lyrics and Translation

VERSE

Bitter Fingers

Elton John

Bitter Fingers

Song byElton John

in AlbumCaptain Fantastic

I'm going on the circuit, I'm doing all the clubs

And I really need a song boys to stir those workers up

And get their wives to sing it with me just like in the pubs

When I worked the good old pubs in Stepney

Oh could you knock a line or two together for a friend

Sentimental tear inducing with a happy end

And we need a tune to open our season at Southend

Can you help us

It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers

So much to prove, so few to tell you why

Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing

At the keyboard player's hollow haunted eyes

It seems to me a change is really needed

I'm sick of tra-la-las and la-de-das

No more long days hacking hunks of garbage

Bitter fingers never swung on swinging stars, swinging stars

I like the warm blue flame, the hazy heat it brings

It loosens up the muscles and forces you to sing

You know it's just another hit and run from the tin pan alley twins

And there's a chance that one day you might write a standard lads

So churn them out quick and fast and we'll still pat your backs

'Cause we need what we can get to launch another dozen acts

Are you working

LanguageEnglish

Translated byAllen Morningstar

About this Song

Bitter Fingers by Elton John, a British artist in the pop rock genre, reflects the frustrations and struggles of a professional songwriter who must repeatedly churn out hits on demand, often at the expense of artistic freedom and personal expression. The song poignantly highlights the pressures and disillusionment faced in the music industry, capturing the tension between creativity and commercial demands. Key themes include disillusionment, the conflict between art and commerce, and the toll of fame.