🎵 Elton John - Bennie and The Jets REACTION

[@Ocrilat]

'Bennie and the Jets' was a 'tribute' to a fictional, futuristic band of the same name. The song was also Elton's first #1 on what was called in the 70s 'Black Radio' (believe it or not, now it would be called R&B), being played by DJs in Detroit, and then spreading across the world. It's also why in 1975 he became to first white performer on the show 'Soul Train'.

[@CleverMonkeyArt]

I have seen a video of David Bowie doing Golden Years on Soul Train not long after ...

[@dontmakemelaugh01]

This song always takes me back . I can remember sitting in long lines in Southern California during the 70's gas shortage. This song seemed to play every 30 mins. or so. Great song.

[@DSquareMusicBucketlist]

Hit #1 on Billboards Top 100 and the R&B chart simultaneously. My 2nd favorite Elton song behind Tiny Dancer.

[@Ocrilat]

@@dontmakemelaugh01 The earliest memory of an Elton song was hearing 'Don't go Breaking my Heart' on my step-dads car radio. I was 7. But I do remember loving Nigel Olsson's 'Put on Your Dancing Shoes' and loving it...but having no idea who Elton was or that he was his drummer.

[@chrisjohnson6042]

@@dontmakemelaugh01 It's so interesting how our brains work. Like you, it reminds me of my Dad driving us to the beach in our VW Beetle over Kolekole Pass in Hawaii on the way to Waianae.

[@haroldrhodes2610]

Bernie Taupin's words and Elton's music is iconic, a phenomenal collaboration

[@goosefarm3602]

'Someone Saved My Life Tonight' is a masterpiece...'Empty Garden' is about John Lennon...'Yellowbrick Road' is epic

[@carlroza102]

SSMLT is such an epic Elton song ! ❤️

[@your_huge_ego_bores_me]

Someone Saved My Life Tonight is a very special song, seriously it might be the best song ever recorded. He has a looooong body of work but it doesn't compare to anything.

[@kathybwell]

@@your_huge_ego_bores_me I agree, Someone Saved my life Tonight is special.

[@kennethrussell1158]

Or his version of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds".

[@kathybwell]

I just listened to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, another amazing 70's hit/classic from Elton.

[@tonylum]

Love your reactions. Lex = enjoying new found music Brad = looks like he's tasting oysters for the first time.

[@chriscody2778]

Hahahaha 🤣

[@mimib323]

🤣🤣🤣

[@ronaldmilner8932]

This was a MONSTER hit back in the '70's! Played nearly non-stop on the radio! Great reaction as always!

[@flowerdoyle3749]

Amen......40+ years later belted out every word .....epic song and a great trip down memory lane.

[@marcosruiz1709]

It honestly seems strange to me that a song like this has had so much success, it is not very accessible, Elton made a pact with the devil, it is very strange that a Briton would dominate the United States unless you are the Beatles

[@nancypatricia511]

I will bet that lex's side of the couch wears out faster than Brad's side. Love this song from my middle school days when I was an Elton fan.

[@surlechapeau]

Brad & Lex, you'll love his "Philadelphia Freedom", "Crocodile Rock", and "I'm Still Standing" !!!! Elton and Bernie Taupin are one of the greatest songwriting teams of all-time!

[@VikingJeff]

Any of these would be awesome

[@stevemd6488]

Second on "Philadelphia Freedom", I remember when it came out was HUGE.

[@jimmorrison9690]

I'm still standing you need to do th music video though.

[@adrianoddy4033]

Saturday night's all right for fighting would be my pick. Belting song!!!

[@AzaleaLala]

Yes! I love Philadelphia Freedom.

[@MrJctii916]

Saw Elton in Vegas for my 30th birthday, he started the show to this song... One of the best concerts I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot

[@lakenneth374]

Troubadour in Hollywood 1976 by special invitation a benefit performance for The Jules Stein Eye Institute - audience of around 350. Still Leon Russell concert in Phoenix Arizona was my favorite concert - big auditorium.

[@OronOfMontreal]

"Bennie and the Jets" is an imaginary Glam Rock group of the early 70s, when Glam was king. Acts like David Bowie, Roxy Music and Sweet were the top of the teenage heap, when it came to Glam Rock. Bernie Taupin's lyrics are perfectly matched by Elton's vocal style, in this song, both giving off the excitement that teenagers in the 50s, 60s and 70s felt whenever a new band on the radio caught their imaginations.

[@michaelbyrd7883]

Over Zeppelin, Floyd and the Stones? I didn't know that!

[@zq9m3xh8]

From Elton's golden age, when he was the biggest thing in music. This whole album needs to be reacted to! Shame they shortened the ending by at least a minute, whoever made this video!

[@MrZics]

Yeah the song is shortened. Must be the radio version

[@FunkyMonk4Life]

Elton John is my earliest musical memory. I was standing at the bedroom door of my 18 year old aunt who lived with us. I was staring at her glow in the dark Traffic poster on the wall while she played 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'. I was about 3 years old. My aunt was such a fan she named my younger cousin Elton John.

[@Kari_B61ex]

I was raised on Elton John and Bernie Taupin music - my dad used to play 'air piano' and saw him at many concerts. My great aunt on my mums side (Aunt Vi) was also Elton's 'next door neighbour' in Virginia Water, she was once invited to one of his house parties, but declined as she had a prior engagement. My dad was mad - he would have had us camping out in a tent for the invite.

[@jeffgreen8667]

A great Elton John song from this time period is "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting". It's faster and brasher than most of his music, but it's a great song!

[@mredible475]

Appreciate the you guys jumps right into the tunes…✌🏿

[@truckstopmedia1662]

Hey kids, shake it loose together The spotlight's hitting something That's been known to change the weather We'll kill the fatted calf tonight, so stick around You're gonna hear electric music Solid walls of sound Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet? Ooh, but they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful Oh Bennie she's really keen She's got electric boots, a mohair suit You know I read it in a magazine, ohh-oh B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets Hey kids, plug into the faithless Maybe they're blinded But Bennie makes them ageless We shall survive, let us take ourselves along Where we fight our parents out in the streets To find who's right and who's wrong Oh Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet? Oh but they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets Oh they're so weird and they're wonderful Oh Bennie she's really keen She's got electric boots, a mohair suit You know I read it in a magazine, ohh-oh B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets Oh Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet? Oh but they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful Oh Bennie she's really keen She's got electric boots, a mohair suit You know I read it in a magazine, ohh-oh B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets Jets, Jets Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie Bennie, Bennie and the Jets.

[@markwilliams2246]

Brad & Lex it's 1973 bell bottoms , silk shirts, long hair, big afro with the afro pick with the black power hand stuck in the hair somewhere , everybody's smoking and tooting and drinking! Life was FREE ! EVERYBODY WAS CHILLING IN THIS TYPE MUSIC 🎶 LED ZEP , KISS , ROLLING STONES 🎶 EAGLES AND OF COURSE LYNARD SKYNARD ✌️❤️🎶

[@1234uz]

Got to see Elton LIVE back in 2011 what an OUTSTANDING Live Performance he gives 4 HOURS NON STOP of HIS Music

[@mrscottify]

Y’all were right, Mary J. Blige sampled it for her song Deep Inside, and Elton actually came in and played the piano part on it!

[@mizofan]

#1 hit in USA, on the magnificent double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road- no album can match the opening consecutive tracks Funeral for a Friend, Love Lies Bleeding, Candle in the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. He was the 70s megastar.

[@OronOfMontreal]

"Bennie and the Jets" was a hit from Elton's 1973 album, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". Less than two years later, he released his first Greatest Hits album. Not only was it the first Greatest Hits compilation to go to #1 on the charts, but "Bennie" and a couple of other songs went straight back to #1 on the Singles charts, too. Nobody else's songs ever went to the top twice, before that. The public simply could not get enough of the Elton John band!

[@maverickmac1797]

The comparisons Lex makes are phenomenal. You have real creative talent. You should be a writer. Cruella DeVille going to a nail salon? That is awesome! You have a true talent, Lex.

[@uncletom618]

This went to NO#1 on the R&B charts and i believe Elton was the first white performer to star on SOUL TRAIN, when he performed this song there.

[@jbryant731]

David Bowie was first, then Elton

[@mikecaetano]

"Bennie And The Jets" went to number one on the US Top 100 chart and number fifteen on the R&B chart in 1974. The audience sounds at the beginning were taped to create the impression of a concert performed by a fictional band. Check out the KZbin clip of him performing this song in London in 1974. His piano playing is on fire. I was just a kid back then, I remember hearing the song on the radio in the car and asking my mother what a mohair suit was. I guess I knew what electric boots were from watching cartoons or what not. Maybe they were the boots Elton John wore as the Pinball Wizard in the movie Tommy. I dunno. I didn't see that until many many years later. This song got a lot of radio airplay throughout the seventies. It sounded great coming through twelve inch speakers attached to an FM stereo or a record player. When I was thirteen or so I figured out how to play the opening lines to this classic from a sheet music book of pop songs kicking around the old piano my grandmother stored in her garage. But by that point I was more of a guitar player than a piano player so that's about as far as I got.

[@ButOneThingIsNeedful]

It does thump! Well-put. How soulful could Elton sing? What a talent.

[@Northrnsnow]

Saturday day night is all right for fighting, great Elton song 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶

[@benmayer5932]

When around my wife and this song comes on, I always sing, "She's got electric boobs..."

[@sundaze3115]

Growing up I thought that’s what he was sing for years 😆

[@stormy7722]

definitely

[@jettslappy7028]

He treats the piano like the percussive instrument it is.

[@marcusjaybrode2129]

He wasn’t a great piano player, but he is one of the best piano accompanists of our time. He’s fire in this one.

[@jperryhal]

This song was a huge hit in 1974! One of the best songs I can recall from that period.

[@kimberlyrussell3813]

One of the greatest songs ever by one of the greatest artists ever

[@jennyjenny4501]

I saw Elton John in the early 80’s at Red Rocks. One of the best concerts I’ve ever seen! ☮️

[@shashys8854]

Me too, maybe it was the same concert? June 1982

[@jennyjenny4501]

@@shashys8854 I’m sure it was! I was sixteen years old. I remember accidentally stepping in someone’s Nachos…sorry if they were yours!

[@sharkmedia5969]

This is an unusual song in that the beat is accented on the first and third beats rather than most rock songs which are typical 2 and 4 backbeats.Yet the piano rhythms are very syncopated to make it groove.

[@stevemariman8769]

"Your Song" "Bennie And the Jets" "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" "Island Girl" "The Bitch Is Back" "Philadelphia Freedom" "Honky Cat" "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" "Blue Eyes" "Rocket Man" "Little Jeannie" "Club At the End Of the Street" "Tiny Dancer" "The One" "Circle Of Life" and so many others too. Elton John really has a lot of momentum!

[@markmurphy558]

Elton John is talking about himself and his band. At this period in his career, Elton was sporting outlandish outfits with foot high platform shoes with goldfish swimming in them and huge glasses festooned with rhinestones.

[@Tampahop]

Elton John is a big part of the soundtrack of my youth.

[@angelagoodwin5758]

Elton was a megastar and part of the Glam Rock era of the 70s. Bennie & the Jets made him a cross-over success. Everybody loved Elton.

[@kierstenridgway4634]

Such a great song. We sang it all the time , BBB Bennie and the Jetssssss.

[@senseandsensibility3636]

None of us knew back in the 70’s knew what this was about. He didn’t come out and say anything until the last 10 or so. But we LOVED it!!!! Have you ever heard anything like it before?

[@davideberhart9523]

Iconic Elton. Thanks B& L. 🙂

[@annmariemills1554]

If you ever watch "27 Dresses" the 2 leads sing this at the bar and its just FUN!!

[@coryevon6482]

Nobody hits those keys like Elton!!!! Just say him live last month and he opened with this song. You better believe the whole arena was singing along! ❤️😎

[@ErikWolowitz]

Man this song brings back childhood memories. It was playing on the radio in the 70s endlessly. Hearing it instantly brought back a lot of memories.

[@yorkshirebhoy4049]

Elton John is great my mum loved him l. fun fact about Elton he was the first white preformer on Soul Train with this song

[@truly_I_say]

this Man deserves a metal because I've never seen someone who is able to listen to this and not bop!! This is Benny in the fn Jets! One of the grooviest songs ever made!!

[@annmariemills1554]

This song is so famous not just because Sir Elton John sang it, but because it's been in so many movies and commercials EVER😀

[@RonRezendes]

As a child in the 70s, my dad was on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63); the captain's last name was Benjamin, so they played this song over the ships speaker's whenever they came into or left port. (Captain) "Benny" and the Jets (on-board the ship obviously), love this song! Thank you for the reaction!

[@jamesrobertson2361]

Elton's stage costumes were totally over the top. But he never took them to seriously. It was all about the music and the fun.

[@greeneyesinfl9954]

This was in the soundtrack of a movie called Aloha Bobby and Rose. Great song.

[@sharonsnail2954]

This was just the flipside of "Candle In The Wind" (1974) in the UK but it was HUGE in the USA. HUGE.

[@sbfreedom6791]

I just never get tired of this song. Thank you for bringing this one back!!!

[@ontrack16]

This song fits the album's entire fantasy feel opening with 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', the album's name, as well. Thank you!

[@robertdedrick7631]

4th of July 1976 at Shaeffer Stadium, Foxboro Mass, Elton did a 4 hour concert, was AMAZING, I was 14 and remember all of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road songs. He played this song for at least 20 minutes

[@bonniedrasco8166]

You should be watching his live performance of this outstanding tune at his concert in Central Park, New York City! Absolute fire 🔥

[@sweett8351]

Just FYI, Ice-T isn’t just an actor. He started out as a rapper, former gang member and also created his own metal band called, BODY COUNT. Here’s his explanation of his love for hardcore/ metal. Here’s Body Counts Slayer cover: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goGre394Zr-Yd8U. They also just won a Grammy for Body Count. ENJOY! 🤘🏻😎😎🎸🎸🥁

[@BockwinkleB]

Basically invented gangsta rap.

[@deelawson4551]

I went and seen Elton 2 weeks ago (Farewell Tour) and it was Amazing..2 hours and 15 minutes of pure JOY for me and he opened with this song! Keep On Rockin'

[@enea3820]

As usual, hearing one of the greatest from Elton John and Brad is stiff as a board; so uptight and a 100% DUD!!!

[@BlackHatCinephile]

He was one of the big ones when I was little. He was discovered by the Beatles, and so was James Taylor. John and Paul had a whim that they'd like to give talent scouting a try, and they found a few good ones.

[@willie417]

For the record Elton preformed "Bennie and The Jets" & "Philadelphia Freedom" on Soul Train in 1975 he was the first white performer to play on Soul Train and he was played on Black radio stations too, he had some connections with Patti LaBelle group/band too

[@therealmciver3761]

I saw one of the best concerts you will ever see. True story....went to an Elton concert back in the 90's Just b4 he was to start he came out n said I got bad news n good news. Bad news he said was that none of his bands instruments showed up. 16,000 people looked at each other like wtf he just say? Good news he said....for the next 3 hours me n my piano are all yours and the dude fkn killed it!

[@scottmckeever7126]

I like watching these two. Brad kinda rocks back and forth like free world in 8 mile studying the lyrics and Lex just flashes that gorgeous smile and rocks out. Awesome 😎

[@Tiger-fq1rw]

My all time EJ song ! Just so you know the live audience is dubbed in and the producer did a great job blending it in.

[@sheilastutz6436]

He's a very compassionate guy and has a campayne on compassion.

[@atuuschaaw]

Elton's music is unique and beautiful. ♥

[@oldrth]

Best Elton John track is “I’ve Seen That Movie Too” on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Outstanding production.

[@kenparker4688]

I've not seen you guys before. Lex, you have a smile that can lighten any room!!! It's just beautiful😊

[@sidneyhillblom6926]

trust, nothing has been sampled. Just 2 goated musicians

[@goldieschooch8512]

Pure Talent!! Listen to some older stuff like…Burn down the mission, Amoreena, Where to now St. Peter, Son of your father, Country comfort….✌🏻☀️

[@OronOfMontreal]

Yes, Elton & Bernie's Americana period was blessed with amazing songs.

[@BlackGeoYoutube]

My jam. Loved it as a child and still do.

[@John_Chu]

The song is a send-up of the glam rock movement of the early '70s and is told from an obsessive fan's pov. The fictional band Bennie & The Jets is a an all-girl punk band dressed in futuristic space-age costumes. The name Bennie is a nod from Bernie Taupin, Elton's lyricist, to his old girlfriend Sally "Bennie" Bennington, who he describes as being "hip" and before her time stylistically.

[@Pahdopony]

Doc Martens weren’t a fashion statement when this song came out. I think electric boots were probably groovy platform boots that were adorned with sequins or had a metallic sheen to them or some other decoration. I don’t think electric was meant as a literal term but more as a descriptive word.

[@williamweiss6128]

Man, Elton John was so good in the 70's.

[@albertaavalanche]

That's frigging wasome...love Sir Elton John.

[@maxbrazil3712]

One of my favorite backbeat jams!

[@pebblehilllane]

"Bennie and The Jets" is my favorite Elton John song, with "Tiny Dancer" being second. One thing over the decades that I have gotten such a laugh out of is hearing people try to sing along with "Benny and the Jets." So few know the lyrics and the what they sing in place of the actual lyrics can be hilarious.

[@mazeyandbuck]

You all are such hard workers. I swear that in every reaction video I watch you guys are there! Keep going. Electric boots? Mohar suit? The 70's must have been wild.

[@darkmagus419]

Now you gotta do the Biz Markie version. 😄

[@jonesaundre3]

Lex is always jammin out, I love it! I love your reactions.

[@LetItBeSummer-1]

I never tire of Elton John songs. Just realized that. Never! And been rocking to them since the 70s when I was a kid

[@leonardocartes1253]

Man, you guys crack me up. Oh, Bennie and the Jets. Badass song, right? Elton is iconic!

[@LynnThompsonAuthor]

So many great songs from Elton John's early albums! If you liked this one, you'll enjoy "Grey Seal" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". And you have to, at some point do the opening songs from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: "Funeral for a Friend" that segues into "Love Lies Bleeding" - more rockers from early Elton and Bernie! "Honky Chateau" was another of his early albums that had the songs "Daniel" and "Honky Cat" on it. "Madman Across the Water" was another with several hits on it; just so, so many good songs!

[@Smedley61]

Bernie Taupin is an incredible lyricist.

[@wgb_jd]

Bennie and the Jets is a band. Candy and Ronny are the narrator's friends with whom he's excitedly talking about this hot new band.

[@jeanearle2350]

Electric boots are probably like what Elton John wears, stuff that lights up kind of like the shoes you see kids wear that have blinking/flashing lights in them... Thats kinda what I picture anyhow ;) Great reaction as usual!

[@Markyajv]

In interviews, Bernie Taupin (Eltons musical partner) has said that the song's lyrics for Bennie & the Jets, are a satire on the music industry of the 1970s. The greed and glitz of the early 1970s music scene is portrayed by Taupin's words: We'll kill the fatted calf tonight, so stick around, you're gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound.

[@MrRondonmon]

Candy & Ronnie were fans of Benny & the Jets a band. He had t trick this song up, they had a double album, so they needed it but didn't really like the song, if people watch the making of the Yellow Brick Road Album Elton makes it clear they were surprised this became a hit, especially on the R&B charts. So, their is a semi live version on Soul Train, the music was piped in, Elton actually sang. The YBR was a concept album, his version of Tommy kind of, if you look at it the album has *"Larger than life characters"* throughout the album. Marylin Monroe, the YBR song is about Oz, there is a song about Roy Rogers, about a Painted Woman (Prostitute) Death (Funeral for a Friend) of famous people, Benny and the Jets a fictional band. etc. etc. I don't think he achieved his original goal, it is kind of all over the place, but has many great songs, my Favs ate I seen that Movie too and Funeral for a Friend.

[@lesleyrobinson3464]

One of the best concerts I've ever attended! ♥️

[@uncabuzz118]

Guys! You need a video of an Elton performance. Lyrics don't cut it kids.

[@heatnationwpb]

I love Tribe Called Quest's "Solid Wall of Sound". Best use of an Elton John sample ever.

[@dannomikos6334]

i love watching Lex bop around with them great facial expressions. meanwhile brad sits there like a stone.

[@robinreiley1828]

This song was about the Glam Scene and the Vibe. The Music Clubs were Wild at the time, with everyone Dressing in their own Styles, Starring in their Own Life! It was a Party that Never seemed to End....but it did....

[@mikefixx7177]

Great song, never get tired of this one, you need to see him play it live and let it finish to the end.

[@davidanderson1709]

Brad - you are right! This song is about an imaginary band called Bennie and the Jets. The lyrics telling the story were composed by Bernie Taupin.

[@pxlmvr7]

This came out in 1974 when I was 13 and this is the first time I heard it while reading the lyrics LOL!!! Like ‘ooooooo *that’s* what he’s talking about!!’ 😂😂😂👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@davidantell2855]

There are songs that are just a particular point in time. This is summertime in the '70s as little kid. My god i love this song.

[@michaeltveten8458]

Saw Elton with my son a few months ago in NOLA. Elton killed it! I can’t believe this man performed at the level he did. Thanks, Elton!

[@dennisswainston411]

Shout out from Palm Harbor (I grew up in Clearwater)! As an old guy (68) I really like your reactions to the old stuff (80's and older).

[@photographerjonathan]

Elton John at his best, such a great feel, such a great song. Lex was in the Vibe.

[@cptlou]

His earlier was very different and poetic. Listen to “Friends”, “Feel like the bullet in the gun of Robert Ford”, and “Someone Saved My Life”

[@edsherrod5216]

In the early 70's one of the favorite past times of teenagers where I lived was to go roller skating at a roller rink. You could hear this song repeatedly during the night.

[@stevemchale9775]

Aloha Bobby And Rose is a movie from the 70's. I remember the scene this song was playing when I was a kid then. I still love it.

[@gsadventures678]

LEX's smile lights up my world!