It was on this date in 1983 that Elton’s I’m Still Standing was released in the UK (out three months earlier in America). It was sung by Glee cast members, and more recently has been used in Hacks, a popular Max TV show. So has The Bitch is Back, actress Jean Smart told Deadline. But she’d love for the man himself to appear on Hacks. And she has a feeling they would become friends.

Dua Lipa has suggested that she was meant to sing the Rocket Man chorus in her hit with Elton, Cold Heart (Pnau Remix). In 2022, she told Stephen Colbert that ”she manifested this in a way.”
Dua elaborated: ”Rocket Man is my driving song, it’s my shower song, it’s my song I sing along to myself.”
Dua performed Cold Heart last month at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England. It’s now part of the latest ”Despicable Me” franchise. Despicable Me 4 also features tunes from the likes of Pitbull, Pharrell Williams, Right Said Fred, and Culture Club.
It was in July of 1994 that another motion picture–The Lion King–soared to the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart. According to Billboard, this not only marked the first #1 for Walt Disney Records, but the first soundtrack from a fully animated film ever to ”top the tally.”
What do The Road to El Dorado and Songs From The West Coast have in common? Besides being EJ projects, both were produced by Patrick Leonard. Patrick, who wrote Someday Out of the Blue with Elton and Tim Rice for ”El Dorado,” has his own album, It All Comes Down to Mood (due 26 July). Elton said it is ”a complete triumph,” while putting himself down.

”If you are tired of formulaic music like myself, this album will make you sit up and take notice,” he proclaimed.
Kneecap has also caught Elton’s eye (or ear). The Irish trio combine ”satire and socially conscious hip hop lyrics,” he said on Rocket Hour, and manage to find joy in the mundane.
They have been called anti-British, but one of the performers, Mo Chara, told Sky News this isn’t true. They have family members and loads of English friends; ”it’s the British government we don’t like.”

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We’re reminded of another controversial rapper. Many in the gay community have been offended by Eminem‘s lyrics. Elton was criticised for standing by him. He realised it wasn’t the artist’s point of view. His alter ego, Slim Shady, was responsible. But he is no longer around: Eminem‘s latest album is called The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace).
Elton was also supportive during his friend’s journey to sobriety. Eminem told Rolling Stone in 2011 that the star made regular phone calls to ensure he was ”on the up-and-up” and offer pointers like: ”You’re going to see nature that you never noticed before. S*** you’d normally think is corny but you haven’t seen in so long.”
Know who else has received a thumbs-up from Elton? An owl named after the musician! Elton received a photo from the Settle Falcontry in northern England, and wrote back that he was ”adorable.”

A gift from Sir Elton John, for Elton the Spectacled Owl. Thanks so much @eltonofficial we’re totally blown away, we’ll treasure this forever! #eltonjohn pic.twitter.com/LMkBA483m2
— Settle Falconry (@SettleFalconry) July 10, 2024

Elton is a spectacled owl, which is appropriate. It’s hard not to think of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road line about a ”howling old owl in the woods.” Perhaps ”hooting” is more accurate, but ”howling” sounds better, right?
Actually, Radio Elton John‘s new Spotify ad, out later this week, promises to be a real hoot. It follows a hapless wannabe singer who also fancies herself as an EJ fan–until her sister puts her right.

https://eltonjohn.world/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sunday-Nights-Alright-you-a-real-Elton-fan.mp3
And that brings us to what else REJ.world has in store. . . . On 27 July, subscribers can look forward to a Gus Dudgeon tribute with invited guests such as his brother Murray and Voyager guitarist Chris Hook.