B-B-B-B-B-Bennie & The Jets

Of all the pop songs out there, I find Elton John’s to be the hardest lyrics to understand. I love the song “Bennie & The Jets”. Partly because my son’s name is Ben, and partly because I like the beat and melody. As I was waiting in the operating room for knee surgery years ago, I heard music playing. “Bennie & The Jets” came on, and a little Filipino nurse cruised by me singing “B-B-B-B-B-Bennie...”. That’s the last thing I remembered until I woke up in the recovery room. You’d think that would be a bad memory but it wasn’t. I find it kind of funny and still think of her every time I hear the song. Yesterday the song came on my car radio and I tried to sing along. It was then that I realized I have no clue what the words really are. Here’s what I was singing:

“Hey kids shake the news together 

It’s all the na na na na na na na na na na weather

Something something something something stick around

You’re gonna hear electric music side the falls the sounds

Say Candy and Ronnie have you seen them yet? 

Ooh but they’re so spaced out

B-B-B-B-B-B-B Bennie & the Jets

Oh but the woman is wonderful, Oh Bennie she’s really keen

She’s got electric boots, a mohair suit. You know I read it in a magazine

Oh ho ho B-B-B-Bennie & the Jets.”

Something tells me I got it wrong. If not, though, maybe I could be a songwriter myself. Na na na something something hey now na na na...