Tiny Dancer

A small 29 second sample of the song "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John

"Tiny Dancer"
Single by Elton John
from the album Madman Across the Water
B-side	"Razor Face"
Released	7 February 1972
Format	Vinyl record (7")
Recorded	Trident Studios 9 August 1971
Genre	Soft rock
Length	3:38 (single) 6:12 (album)
Label	Uni (US/Canada) DJM Records
Writer(s)	Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Producer	Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Levon" (1971) "Tiny Dancer" (1972) "Rocket Man" (1972)

"Tiny Dancer"
Single by Ben Folds
from the album Ben Folds Live
Released	2002
Genre	Piano Rock
Length	3:16 (Single) 5:23 (Album)
Label	Epic
Ben Folds singles chronology
"Still Fighting It" (2002) "Tiny Dancer" (2002) "Adelaide" (2005)

"Tiny Dancer"
Single by Tim McGraw
from the album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors
Released	2002
Format	CD single
Genre	Country
Length	5:09
Label	Curb
Producer	Byron Gallimore, Darran Smith, Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw singles chronology
"Red Ragtop" (2002) "Tiny Dancer" (2002) "She's My Kind of Rain" (2002)

"Tiny Dancer" is a 1971 song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It appears on John's fourth album, Madman Across the Water, and was released as a single in 1972. It was certified Gold on May 19, 2005, and Platinum on August 19, 2011, by the RIAA.

Background and writing

The song was written by Taupin to capture the spirit of California in 1970 encapsulated by the women he met. It has become known that the song is about Taupin's first wife. The song was dedicated to her on the album Madman Across the Water.^[1]

History

The song features a piano-based melody during verses, Taupin lyrics during the chorus, and an arrangement that at the start features pedal steel guitar and light percussion but, transitioning subtly halfway through one of the choruses, by the end is driven by Paul Buckmaster's dynamic strings, along with a barely heard backing choir. Clocking at 6:12, it was one of the longer radio singles of the period.

While "Tiny Dancer" was initially a non-starter as a single – reaching only No. 41 on the U.S. pop chart and not even released in the UK – the song slowly became one of John's most popular songs. A fixture on adult contemporary and rock radio stations, the song grew in popularity.

It was ranked No. 387 on the 2004 List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The lyrics are often featured on lists of mondegreens, with Elton singing Hold me closer tiny dancer often misheard as Hold me closer Tony Danza.

Ben Folds cover

In 2002, Ben Folds covered "Tiny Dancer" for his live album, Ben Folds Live. The song was later released as a promo single.

Tim McGraw version

Country music artist Tim McGraw covered the song on his 2002 album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. McGraw's rendition was released as a single only to adult contemporary radio, where it peaked at No. 13. The song also received unsolicited airplay at country radio, peaking at No. 49 alongside his then-current single "She's My Kind of Rain". McGraw also performed the song, with Elton John, at the American Music Awards.

Other versions

• "Tiny Dancer" has been covered by Lani Hall in the 1970s, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers with John Frusciante on vocals since the early 1990s, by Dave Grohl on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn.
• A sample of the "Tiny Dancer" chorus is featured in a mash-up by Girl Talk called "Smash Your Head" (from the 2006 album Night Ripper).
• In 2008, a version was released by Italian DJ Marco Demark and singer Casey Barnes. It was later remixed by Deadmau5.
• In 2009, DJ Ironik and Chipmunk created a remix of the song that features John singing the chorus which peaked at No.3 in the UK Singles Chart.
• The song featured in "The Americanization of Ivan" episode of WKRP in Cincinnati. References to the song were made throughout the show and the song was featured during the closing credits.
• The cast of Almost Famous (2000) sing along to the song while riding in the tour bus, and it is also featured as instrumental incidental music in a phonic reference to Penny Lane as Russell realises Penny has set him up to do the right thing by William^[2]
• Corey Taylor played this song at his Sonisphere Festival Knebworth solo performance as the opening number.
• The song was featured in a Budweiser TV commercial starring Peter Stormare and Andrew Sensenig that premiered during Fox Broadcasting's telecast of Super Bowl XLV on 6 February, 2011.
• Canadian DJ Deadmau5 made a remix of the song.

References

1. ^ Lyrics
2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=220Tr_DvwJQ&feature=related