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Rotten Peaches

Elton John

We've moved on six miles from where we were yesterday

And yesterday is but a long long ways away

So we'll camp out tonight beneath the bright starlight

And forget rotten peaches and the places we've stayed

I left from the dockland two years ago now

Made my way over on the S.S. Marie

And I've always had trouble wherever I've settled

Rotten peaches are all that I see

Rotten peaches rotting in the sun

Seems I've seen that devil fruit since the world begun

Mercy I'm a criminal, Jesus I'm the one

Rotten peaches rotting in the sun

There ain't no green grass in a U.S. state prison

There is no one to hold when you're sick for your wife

And each day out you'll pick, you'll pick rotten peaches

You'll pick rotten peaches for the rest of your life

Oh I've had me my fill of cocaine and pills

For I lie in the light of the Lord

And my home is ten thousand, ten thousand miles away

And I guess I won't see it no more

LanguageEnglish
Translated byAllen Morningstar

About this Song

Rotten Peaches by Elton John is a vivid narrative addressing themes of loneliness, regret, and the search for redemption. The song chronicles the journey of a character who feels like he has squandered his life, comparing himself to 'rotten peaches' — once full of promise, now decayed and forgotten. The protagonist grapples with their past and is left reflecting on missed opportunities and mistakes. The melancholic tone, combined with deeply evocative lyrics, paints a picture of desolation and the bittersweet longing for a fresh start. Poignant moments in the song include references to feeling lost, a yearning to return home, and the powerful imagery of decayed peaches serving as a metaphor for wasted potential.

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