If you heard the latest episode of ENCORE! featuring Paul Bacon and Neil Barrett you will know that REJ.World showcased several Elton songs that were judged to be so serious that they changed our landscape. They might be weepies or they might motivate a crowd.
Celebrating Elton’s “Coming of Age” we look at the serious songs which Elton has composed to Bernie Taupin’s or Gary Osborne’s lyrics, or in at least one example, words and music by Elton. These are not the autobiographical songs but the songs written about social injustice, sexual repression, military occupation, and poverty. You will not find Sacrifice, Tonight or Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word here.
But they are songs that will become part of Elton’s legacy. Songs of substance that people will say changed the world.
Neil and George and Fran managed to get a list just shy of 40 songs, but we now need your help to complete a Top-40. We include some notes next to the songs, to help you understand our logic. You may disagree with that logic.
See below the 37 songs you can vote for plus up to 3 of your choice at the bottom of the page, and cast a vote! And if there are a few songs you disagree with you can avoid voting for them at all and just go with a quartet of your own! For example, you might prefer songs from a musical like Billy Elliott. It is about the songs, not the lyricists.
You can cast a maximum of 4 votes each time. Do not attempt to vote for more than 4 songs – if you do it will not take your choices, and you may not realise this. So vote for just 4 songs please.
At the end of June 2026, we will announce the final Top-40 as chosen by you, the fans of Elton John! Thanks for your help.

What are your favorite serious songs by Elton John?All Quiet on the Western Front (war, hope)American Triangle (similar to Ticking in its themes)Belfast (political division)Believe (power of love)Blessed (joy of having children)Border SongBurn Down the Mission (social conscience)Candle in the Wind 1997 (losing someone - Diana, Princess of Wales)Child (unreleased demo from 1970)Cry to Heaven (war)Daniel (war)Durban Deep (social conscience)Elton's Song (normalising homosexuality)Empty Garden (losing someone - John Lennon)Fascist Faces (political division)Feed Me (about addiction)Flintstone Boy (Elton lyric)Gone to Shiloh (war)Grey Seal (nature of existence)Hard Luck StoryHealing Hands (power of love)Love is Worth Waiting For (about abstinence as a way of tackling HIV)Made in England (social protest, nature of masculinity)Madness (mental health)Nikita (political division)Oceans Away (war)One More Arrow (losing someone)Passengers (social conscience)Poor Cow (social conscience)Man (nature of masculinity)Smokestack Children (social conscience, child labour)Take Me to the Pilot (nature of existence)Talking Old Soldiers (losing someone)The Ballad Of Danny BaileyThe Greatest DiscoveryThe Last Song (losing someone)The Retreat (war)Ticking (about mental health and gun culture in the USA)Town of Plenty (about the tension between creativity and the media)Where to Now St Peter? (war)OtherCustom FieldCustom FieldVote