I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself

Album: Honky Chateau (1972)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself" is an upbeat, irreverent song about suicide that Elton himself said is not to be taken too seriously. It's written from the perspective of a disgruntled teenager whose biggest problem is that he has to be in by 10. As part of his attention seeking, he floats the idea of killing himself, thinking maybe Brigitte Bardot will come by to talk him out of it.

    Bernie Taupin wrote the lyric, which Elton John set to a jovial music hall tune so we'd all be in on the joke.
  • This is a rare song with a tap dance solo. It was performed by "Legs" Larry Smith of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, who three years later was the subject of a song by George Harrison.
  • The song is part of Elton John's fifth album, Honky Chateau, recorded in very productive sessions at the Château d'Hérouville in France. Elton was in a good place, his star rising but still a year or two away from the stardom that sometimes overwhelmed him. In 1975 he attempted suicide in a clear cry for help, but he continued to play this song live from time to time.

Comments: 1

  • Karen White from WalsallBrilliant, so much to admire about a sing-a-long suicide song
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.