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When are you gonna come down
When are you going to land
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man
You know you can't hold me forever
I didn't sign up with you
I'm not a present for your friends to open
This boy's too young to be singing the blues
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
What do you think you'll do then
I bet that'll shoot down the plane
It'll take you a couple of vodka and tonics
To set you on your feet again
Maybe you'll get a replacement
There's plenty like me to be found
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
When are you going to land
I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man
You know you can't hold me forever
I didn't sign up with you
I'm not a present for your friends to open
This boy's too young to be singing the blues
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
What do you think you'll do then
I bet that'll shoot down the plane
It'll take you a couple of vodka and tonics
To set you on your feet again
Maybe you'll get a replacement
There's plenty like me to be found
Mongrels who ain't got a penny
Sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
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The yellow brick road may refer to alot of things mentioned in other posts, but I take it to mean the road to fame. Its paved with gold, but the Wizard was a con artist. The speaker feels like the road is not his cup o' tea and if you really want to read a bit more into it, the famous person will get screwed by the Wizard (read record company or whatever).
"When are you gonna come down/When are you going to land" means "when are you going to get off your high horse and stop being such a fop?"
"I didn't sign up with you" is the speaker saying he didn't sign up to dragged city to city and used and abused by the record company. He doesn't care about being famous.
"I'm not a present for your friends to open" is where I got the trophy wife/friend idea. I'm not just someone for you to show off to your rich friends when you're bored or whatever. I have feelings too. Etc.
That has always been my take on this amazing song.
This is a song about one person leaving, or at least threatening to leave, another person. And do you think it might be significant that Bernie T grew up on a farm?
I don't think that there is any doubt that this was a message from Bernie to Elton. I could speculate as to exactly what he was upset about, but I'm sure it would set off a storm from people who are in denial about Elton's flamboyant lifestyle, But there is little doubt that something happened that Bernie didn't appreciate, and made him start thinking more fondly about the simple life on the family farm. He goes so far as to say, "You know you can't hold me forever - I didn't sign up for you." He's saying, "I'm leaving, and you can't stop me."
They obviously made up, and Elton set it to music. The rest is history.
This song kind of is about someone coming out of the fog of drugs, fame and etc. Looking back on life and thinking that they should have not gone into this false life. Sounds like either a lover or producing label that this person is yelling at. The producer or lover is answering back saying hurtful things like you will never make it with out me! The person tries to leave but the person is trying to keep them by offering drugs, money and etc. The person is upset and is saying that hey I am not an object I am a person! You cannot offer me anything I do not want it I want a simple life. The lover/producer say that they will ruin the person and they will never be anyone. Then the person said you know I know you will replace me because there are people that hungry but I am not hungry anymore. I will not lower myself to be with you! I am so over you! Mongrels reference back to the hounds of society. Also the honky cat song lyrics where they have been sad for a while and they want the fame, forturen, etc but they miss home. They do not really belong there and all signs point to the fact that he needs to leave this life! That is the only way he can be happy!
But there is a lot of sort of things like when are you coming down when are you landing it is sort of also like a telephone call. Where a lover or person with no power/kept person is saying hey when are you coming home? I am here all alone and they want love but there are just things to comfort them. And that they should have never entered the relationship. The whole present thing does kind of has a kept man undertone which is why it is like a lover or producer thing... It also has an idea that the rules of staying with this lover/producer is that they get drugs,money, whatever but they have to perform for all the lover/producer friends. Also that basically the person feels like they have been whored out...
Sir Elton John was recently knighted by the Queen of England. This does not occur to a person simply due to their life accomplishments but rather for the successful accomplishment of a rite of passage which is also symbolized by the Yellow Brick Road. For those who study metaphysics, yellow is the plexus chakra, where power is realized and expressed.
The requirements to become a member exceed my knowledge and interests, but include many years of commitment to the secret societies and at least 33 levels of prescribed mastery...some claim 99. This song, along with other personal anthems EJ wrote such as Someone Saved my Life tonight referring to being dragged off the altar by his friends and saved from marriage (to a woman), testify to the fact that he was at various times in his life a willing or an unwilling participant. Yellow Brick Road is his poetic way of formally announcing his acceptance into the secretive cabal.
"Back to the Howling old Owl in the Woods," refers to the core symbol (The Owl) of the global, fascist, banking establishment whom are as well descendants of what are called the border gypsies from Scotland and believe themselves today to be literally 'the chosen ones'. "So good bye Yellow Brick Road, where the dogs of society howl," referring again to commoners who live amidst the delusion of the fictional stories disseminated by the cabal and thereby, then believe, entrapping the meek on prison Planet (this will be proven radically incorrect very soon), that he believes himself to have risen above the commoners by his participation and acceptance into these societies. "I've finally decided my future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road."
The last two stanzas point to the very interesting fact that this is a letter to a friend whom he is leaving behind to the toils of the Yellow Road. "What do you think you'll do then? I bet they'll shoot down your plane......There's plenty like me to be found.....Mongrels (NOT PUREBLOODS as the elite claim to be) who ain't got a penny, sniffing for 'Tidbits like you' on the ground. Ouch!!! Whomever he was talking to he was very insulting towards them. I imagine a situation where he and someone else, likely Bernie Taupin, were both in a position to be initiated and EJ told him to F Off for declining the offer. 'Tidbits like you' is a personal assault.
I don't think Bernie wrote any of this song except the first four lines. The rest is a response by Elton. Bernie wrote, likely in the form of a letter that Elton turned into a song, "When are you gonna come down (Elton), when are you goin' to land, I should have stayed on the farm, I should have listened to my old man!" Bernie was saying, 'How dare you abandon me because you think you are above me and the common people! My father told me this would happen.'
The yellow brick road signifies the path to redemption.
The emerald city is symbolic of Windsor Castle and the home of the King or Queen whom are advocates for Jesus Christ. This is why the Queen holds the globe with the cross on top signifying that Jesus rules the world. Queen Elizabeth is like a split personality. She, like the biblical Mary, is Queen of heaven and of earth. The only way to pray for Christ's redemption is to petition the Queen to grant you the title of "Bond Servant of Christ".
So, the song is first from the perspective of an agent/angel that is breaking God's commandment and choosing to go back to toil in the earth with his plow rather than getting planted in God's penthouse with Christ. "When Are going to come down" , he's asking Christ this because he doesn't understand that Christ isn't coming down unless you go to him first via a petition to the Queen. "Should have listened to my old man" indeed!
While I can't determine with the evidence available that this is the case, it could well be true and fits with the lyrics. Plus, I can see Elton John singing it in spite of the nasty aspersions to him. In that case it's about feelings at a particular time in their lives. So what if Taupin was disillusioned with John? Elton John would have enough class to understand and sing the wonderful song and to understand his friends feelings without going ballistic, or I at least I hope he would. If you can't be honest or angry with your friends from time to time, who can you be honest or angry with?