Where we fight our parents out in the streets/
To find who’s right and who’s wrong.
“Bennie and the Jets” is a crazy party song by Elton John. Does it have a deeper meaning underneath? No. It is mostly a fun song about a wild band that loves to party. They add sounds to make it sound live, so it sounds people are going crazy listening to Elton John sing about Bennie for the first time. The production really makes the song. The lyrics aren’t bad either. Bennie comes off as quite a character.
She wears mohair suits and electric boots? Sounds like something Elton would do. (Visualizing Bennie’s outfit is fun—I imagine a young Gwen Stephani is the real Bennie). I like the crazy falsetto Elton busts out too. For the best effect…sing this song at karaoke night.
Elton’s casual riffs and solos in “Bennie and the Jets” help capture the casual mood of the song and you really can’t tell that it isn’t a live recording. It just sounds like a jam. Kind of like the Beach boys Barbara Ann. Taupin brings a whole cast of characters to life: Candy and Ronnie, Bennie, the kids, the parents, the fatted calf. Everyone is wonderful and really keen! (I think this means DTF…I am going to have to start using that phrase).
Bennie and the Jets Lyrics
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You’re gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Uh but they’re so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong
Oh Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh but they’re so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh but they’re so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Songwriters: Olubowale Victor Akintimehin / Miguel Jontel Pimentel / Elton John / Bernie Taupin