Elton John: Tiny Dancer Meaning

Song Released: 1972

Covered By: Ben Folds (2002)

Tiny Dancer Lyrics

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

Jesus freaks out in the...

1. anonymous

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   Nov 12th 2010 !⃝

   although the song was dedicated to bernie taupins first wife maxine in 1971 on the album madman across the water its a common misconception that it was actually written about her, seeing as there is a very high probability that he wrote it before he was dating her. it was written however after elton and bernies first trip to california and attempts to describe the mood of that part of america through the eyes of two british tourists. every line is written as though bernie is an observer, people watching, and does not have a personal attatchment to the characters being described other than sharing the fact they they are both human beings. this concept is stressed when bernie describes that he is alone, and possibly lonely, when he writes "But oh how it feels so real Lying here with no one near" bernie gives the impression that he wishes that he had a "tiny dancer" of his own, to hold in his hand, to pass the time with, even if its just "counting headlights on the highway". this idea is given more credence seeing as how he soon after rushed into a marriage with a woman whom he never truly loved, and divorced after just under 5 years.
   its the concept of the perfect woman and the dream of companionship that bernie vows to keep with him forever, his "ballerina in the sand". hopefully he finally found her with his 4th wife and mother of his children.
2. anonymous

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   Oct 24th 2010 !⃝

   I know now my interpretation is wrong. But can I share it anyway? When I first heard the song I thought the chorus was about Death the Tiny Dancer. "Hold me closer" was a death wish. The headlights on the highway were the souls of the dead marching to the afterlife. The sheets of linen were a shroud to be wrapped up in, and the busy day refers to lots of people dead, keeping death busy. Yeah, I know it's crazy but I still mull it over. :-)
3. annettedillon7

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   Oct 17th 2010 !⃝

   I was told by a musician that the Tiny Dancer is the hood ornament, "hold me closer tiny dancer, count the head lights on the highway" ..

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
4. anonymous

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   Mar 5th 2010 !⃝

   It's about a prostitute.
5. sofalofa

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   Feb 21st 2010 !⃝

   The song starts out with a feeling of a young aspiring actress, an all american girl, trying to "make it" out in California... but then maybe falls in love with someone and gives up her dream to get married, where he has the fame, as though it were the next best thing to "making it" herself.
   Continuing, it seems as though he's reminiscing about their times together, and carrying her memory with him still.
   
   It seems as though he sort of snaps out of that particular daydream, I would even say that he was walking down a busy city street. In passing there are religious advocates out to spread the message that Jesus Christ is your personal saviour.
   
   Well maybe there were walking down the street together and after they'd passed the religious folk she joked to him that despite the diverse crowds of people you encounter, she still enjoys the rest of the experience of that walk.
   
   and then he really starts losin me.
   
   to be continued...
   
   uh, what the fuck!??

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. anonymous

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   Sep 22nd 2009 !⃝

   this song like a poem its mystery is what makes it beautiful...interpret it whatever way you want my favourite song of all time
7. anonymous

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   Sep 9th 2009 !⃝

   Http://www.berniejtaupin.com/discography.bt
   Coming to the U.S. (California specifically) for the first time, he was describing the spirit of the time through the women he met on the sunset strip at the different restaurants & bars.... free spirits, sexy, ethereal... The way they moved.... like Sarah Jessica Parker in "LA story".... So different than what he was used to from England. They'd mother you & sleep with you....." Tiny dancer just sounded better than Small dancer or Little Dancer.
8. anonymous

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   Jun 25th 2009 !⃝

   I think the story is about someone's 1st use of a flame thrower whilst on LSD....they were making someone dance because Tinkerbell (of Peter Pan fame, the 'Tiny Dancer') was in the middle of a Richard Nixon interpretation, and had lacked the sufficient 5-o'clock shadow.
   Furthermore, it can be interpreted as a love song to Leonid Brezhnev, who, amongst friends, was known as "The Seamstress of Lefortovo Prison." Unfortunately this moniker's meaning was never properly explained, and good ol' Leonid took the story behind it to his grave.
9. anonymous

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   Mar 27th 2008 !⃝

   I hate joke "interpretations". This song seems to be about an actual dancer, probably Bernie's wife...
10. anonymous

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    Mar 26th 2008 !⃝

    There is no question that this is about Bernie's wife Maxine. Her picture is included in the lyric sheet on the album.
11. anonymous

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    Jan 19th 2008 !⃝

    I agree with the guy who said it is a about a driving masturbator.
12. ollie510

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    Sep 17th 2007 !⃝

    That's peculiar. I used to sing this song while driving and masturbating and I didn't even know that that was what the song was actually about! I think I'm going to sing it every time I masturbate, whether driving or not, from now on.
    Thanks "anonymous"!
13. anonymous

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    Sep 12th 2007 !⃝

    The po-faced answer is that "seamstress for The Band" was intentionally capitalized, since Taupin was writing about The Band (Rick Danko etc).
    
    She's clearly a groupie; Piano Man (I wonder who that refers to); it's the road, it's love of music, it's seeing weird things on the road (Jesus Freaks, handing tickets out for God); it's the sunrise after a shitty concert in nowhere and getting back on the road.
14. anonymous

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    Jul 6th 2006 !⃝

    I think this song is about a cocaine addiction. At first he describes a woman who is a groupie who also is the seamstress... She marries one of them and it wasn't him .... He is addicted to cocaine ....
    "now she's in me always with me tiny dancer in my hand"
    tiny dancer being cocaine ???
    "oh how it feels so real, lying here, with no one here only you..and you can't hear me ...." she can't hear him because she isn't real she is just a drug ....

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
15. anonymous

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    Apr 28th 2006 !⃝

    This song is dedicated to the wife of Bernie Taipon who by fact is taleted dancer.

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