by Amanda Flinner

Elton John hardly needs an introduction. Depending on your age, you may see him as a flamboyant stage act, pounding the piano in a bedazzled costume and eyeing the audience behind star-shaped glasses. Or maybe he's a Disney icon, asking "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and celebrating the "Circle of Life." Or maybe he's a hip senior citizen spreading the "Ghetto Gospel" with the late Tupac or jamming with Queens of the Stone Age. He's all of those things, plus a champion of gay rights, an AIDS activist, a winner of Grammy, Tony, and Academy Awards – and one of the best-selling musicians in the world. He's even a knight (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

With decades of hits and over 30 albums under his (most likely fabulous) belt, there's a lot to learn about this lad from Middlesex. Can you tell the fact from the fiction?

Elton John Songs

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E.T.Katy Perry

Katy Perry's song "E.T." came from a beat originally intended for the rap group Three Six Mafia. When her producer accidentally pulled up the beat, Perry asked to use it.

The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)Betty Everett

After Cher revived "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" in 1990, Salt-N-Pepa released "Shoop" and Whitney Houston had a #1 hit with "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)."

You Should Be DancingBee Gees

Stephens Stills played timbales on the Bee Gees hit, "You Should Be Dancing." He was in the next door studio laying down a Crosby, Stills and Nash album and could hear Saturday Night Fever being recorded. Stills recognized its potential to be a monster hit and he wanted to contribute.

Stand By MeBen E. King

"Stand By Me" hit #4 in the US when it was released in 1961, then went to #9 in 1986 when it was used in the movie of the same name.

TeardropMassive Attack

"Teardrop" by Massive Attack has vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of The Cocteau Twins, who wrote the lyric after learning that Jeff Buckley had died.

HeartbeatDon Johnson

Don Johnson, who starred as Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice, had a #5 hit in 1986 with "Heartbeat."

Comments: 11

• Rw from Latin AmericaMet Elton in Shanghai in 85 where he was hiding out after a London tabloid got a photo of him 'In the Act" with a fellow Londoner through a hotel window with a long lens. Walked up to him and thanked him for the music and he was arrogant and ignored me though there was no one else around. Four years later in Perth Australia I had to put up with him for three weeks while he prepared for his Australia Tour starting in WA. Same thing. Threw away all of his LP's after that and decided I never wanted to hear anything he put out. Good luck with that. Hopefully he is now a very different human than he was then. It appears so, but who really knows. Never shared any of this, but after going through the questions, thought it time.
• Anonymoussomebody forgot "salvation". i think it was on tumbleweed connection but, not absolutely sure.
• Phoebe from Central PerkNo, Of course it's not "Hold me closer, Tony Danza." it's "Hold me close, young Tony Danza."
• Stefanie from DenverRuss from Phoenix - Amoreena, I believe...actually, I know.
• Joe Leary from CanadaWell done. Love this Site.
• Ralph Aceto from Steubenville, OhioRuss from Phoenix, was it Have Mercy On the Criminal?
• Dan from MassachusettsAmoreena
• Dan from Winthrop,massAmoreena First appeared on his 1970 release Tumbleweed Connection However "Stay With Me" by The Faces and "Easy Livin" by Uriah Heep briefly play on the radio inside the bank. Another tidbit John Cazale appeared in 5 movies during his shot 6 year film career all were nominated for academy award best picture.
• Russ from PhoneixNice trivia! How about this one: The Al Pacino film, "Dog Day Afternoon" only had one piece of music in it, over the opening credits. Yes, it was an EJ tune, but which one?
• Linda from CaliforniaI only got the Elizabeth Taylor one wrong.
• Stephen from AustraliaBrilliant tough elton questions. Well done.