Border Song

Album: Elton John (1970)
Charted: 92
Play Video
  • Holy Moses, I have been removed
    I have seen the spectre, he has been here too
    Distant cousin from down the line
    Brand of people who ain't my kind
    Holy Moses, I have been removed

    Holy Moses, I have been deceived
    Now the wind has changed direction and I'll have to leave
    Won't you please excuse my frankness but it's not my cup of tea
    Holy Moses, I have been deceived

    I'm going back to the border
    Where my affairs, my affairs ain't abused
    I can't take any more bad water
    Been poisoned from my head down to my shoes

    Holy Moses, I have been deceived

    Holy Moses, let us live in peace
    Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease
    There's a man over there
    What's his colour? I don't care

    He's my brother, let us live in peace, oh
    He's my brother, let us live in peace, oh
    He's my brother, let us, let us live in peace Writer/s: Bernie Taupin, Elton John
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 15th 1970, Elton John performed "Border Song" at the Yorkshire Folk, Blues, & Jazz Festival at the Krumlin Barkisland Grounds in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England...
    Across the pond in the U.S.A. the song was in its first week on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #93; two days later it would peak at #92 {for 1 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for five weeks*...
    Later in 1970 on November 15th Aretha Franklin's covered version of the song entered the Top 100 at position #74; four weeks later on December 13th it would peak at #37 {for 2 weeks} and would spent seven weeks on the chart...
    * For three of the five weeks that Elton's version was on the Top 100, it was at #93.
  • Sandy from Enterprise, FlA very catchy, fun and yet inspiring song--all at once. So typical of good Elton John-Bernie Taupin collaborations from the old days
  • Jorge from Sunrise, FlDiana Krall does a cover in her live shows
  • Adrian from Gettysburg, PaI love the universal third verse Elton wrote for this song. It's certainly not the best lyrics ever written, but I would have been curious to see the results had he chosen to write more.
  • Charles from Charlotte, NcApparently some people take offense to "Holy Moses" which sounds silly!
  • Jon from North Haven, CtHow could "Border Song" be considered anti-Semitic? I'm Jewish and I love this song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Janet Jackson

Janet JacksonFact or Fiction

Was Janet secretly married at 18? Did she gain 60 pounds for a movie role that went to Mariah Carey? See what you know about Ms. Jackson.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.