What is the back story of Elton John's 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'?

Elton John wrote 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' during a period of his life when he was re - evaluating his career and personal life. The song's back story has to do with his growing weariness of the glitzy and often false world of show business. The lyrics are a sort of reflection on leaving behind that false allure, much like Dorothy leaving the yellow brick road in the movie. It was also influenced by the people and events around him at that time, which made him realize that he needed to move on from certain aspects of his life.

Well, 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' has a back story that's deeply rooted in Elton John's state of mind at the time. He had been through a lot in the music business - the non - stop touring, the wild parties, and the pressure of always being in the spotlight. The song was his way of expressing that he was ready to step away from the path that he had been on, the 'yellow brick road' of his career. It was a very personal statement. The references in the song are a mix of his own real - life experiences and the fantasy elements from 'The Wizard of Oz', which he used to convey his feelings. He was tired of the superficiality and was longing for something more real, and this song was his goodbye to that old way of life.

The 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' is often seen as a song about disillusionment. It was inspired by Elton John's own experiences in the music industry and the excesses that came with his fame at the time. The 'yellow brick road' is a reference from 'The Wizard of Oz', symbolizing a journey, and in this song, it could be his journey in the music world which he was now saying goodbye to in a sense.