Tiny Dancer - wikipedia Tiny Dancer For the Ironik song, see Tiny Dancer ( Hold Me Closer ). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2011 ) `` Tiny Dancer '' Single by Elton John from the album Madman Across the Water B - side `` Razor Face '' Released 7 February 1972 ( 1972 - 02 - 07 ) Format 7 - inch single Recorded 9 August 1971 Studio Trident, London Genre Pop Length 6 : 12 Label Uni Songwriter ( s ) Elton John, Bernie Taupin Producer ( s ) Gus Dudgeon Elton John singles chronology `` Levon '' ( 1971 ) `` Tiny Dancer '' ( 1972 ) `` Rocket Man '' ( 1972 ) Audio `` Tiny Dancer '' on YouTube `` Tiny Dancer '' is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It appears on John 's fourth album, Madman Across the Water, and was released as a single in 1972. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 19 May 2005, and Platinum on 19 August 2011 by the Recording Industry Association of America. In the UK, `` Tiny Dancer '' has been certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) for sales of 200,000 copies, despite never being released as an official single. The song was popularized after being featured in the 2000 film Almost Famous. Contents 1 Background and writing 2 History 3 Music video 4 Charts 5 Other versions 6 In popular culture 7 References 8 External links Background and writing The song 's lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin to capture the spirit of California in 1970 encapsulated by the many beautiful women he met there. The song was dedicated to Maxine Feibelman -- Taupin 's first wife -- on the album Madman Across the Water. History The song features piano - based accompaniment during verses. The arrangement start features pedal steel guitar, light percussion, Paul Buckmaster 's strings and a very quiet choir. Due to the song lacking a hook, `` Tiny Dancer '' was initially a non-starter as a single in the US, reaching only # 41 on the U.S. pop chart, and was not even released as a single in the UK. The song fared better in Canada, where John had much of his early commercial breakthrough success, peaking at # 19. It was also a hit in Australia, peaking at # 13. Eventually, the song slowly became one of John 's most popular songs even in the territories that initially failed to embrace it, and the full - length version is now a fixture on North American, UK and Australian adult contemporary and rock radio stations. It was ranked No. 387 on the 2010 List of Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Music video In May 2017, an official music video for `` Tiny Dancer '' premiered at the Cannes Film Festival as a winner of Elton John : The Cut, a competition organized in partnership with AKQA, Pulse Films, and YouTube in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of his songwriting relationship with Bernie Taupin. The competition called upon independent filmmakers to submit treatments for music videos for one of three Elton John songs from the 1970s, with each song falling within a specific concept category. `` Tiny Dancer '' was designated for the live - action category, with the competition won by Max Welland. The video was filmed in Los Angeles, and features scenes of various residents driving around the city. Charts Chart ( 1972 ) Peak position Australia 13 Canadian RPM Top Singles 19 Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 20 UK 70 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 41 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 35 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 29 Other versions This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2018 ) `` Tiny Dancer '' has been covered by Lani Hall in the 1970s, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers with John Frusciante on vocals since the early 1990s, and by Dave Grohl on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. In 2002, Ben Folds covered `` Tiny Dancer '' for his live album, Ben Folds Live. The song was later released as a promo single. Country music artist Tim McGraw covered the song on his 2002 album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. McGraw also performed the song, with Elton John, at the American Music Awards. In 2009, DJ Ironik and Chipmunk created a remix of the song, featuring John singing the chorus, which peaked at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart. A version featuring Mary Black, Paddy Casey and Declan O'Rourke was recorded in Galway, Ireland in 2012 as a charity single. This version reached number one on the Irish Singles Chart. Florence and the Machine covered the song on the 2018 tribute album Revamp : Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin. In popular culture This section indiscriminately collects miscellaneous information. Please compress this material to remove any irrelevant or unimportant information. ( September 2017 ) In 1971, Elton John performed the song on the first series of The Old Grey Whistle Test. The performance has been released as part of The Old Grey Whistle Test - Volumes 1 - 3 Box Set. It features in the rock film Almost Famous ( 2000 ), set in the 1973, here the main characters sing the song while driving on a bus. Joseph Gordon - Levitt performed the song in a lip - syncing competition against Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Merchant on Fallon 's Late Night show. A brief parody version of the song was broadcast on Saturday Night Live ( Season 39, Episode 17, 5 April 2014 ), in which Kate McKinnon appeared as Angela Merkel and sang, to the tune of `` Tiny Dancer, '' `` Hold me closer, German Chancellor '' The UK based department store chain John Lewis, use the song on their August 2015 insurance advert. Donald Trump has used the song during his 2016 presidential rallies as his entrance and exit song. In his 2017 single, `` Castle on the Hill '', Ed Sheeran references the song. On her 2017 studio album Lust for Life, Lana Del Rey referenced the song on her track `` Tomorrow Never Came '' featuring Sean Ono Lennon. On his 2018 single Do n't leave me alone ( ft. Anne - Marie ), David Guetta referenced the song References Jump up ^ `` Gold & Platinum - RIAA : Elton John ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Jones, Alan ( 28 August 2015 ). `` Official Charts Analysis : Jess Glynne follows singles success with No. 1 album ''. Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 29 August 2015. ( Subscription required ( help ) ). ^ Jump up to : `` Tiny Dancer by Elton John Songfacts ''. www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018. Jump up ^ `` Bernie Taupin : : Discography ''. berniejtaupin.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2010. Jump up ^ `` Tiny Dancer by Elton John '', 24 July 2012. Jump up ^ `` 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ''. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2013. Jump up ^ `` WATCH : Elton John and Bernie Taupin 's ' Tiny Dancer, ' ' Rocket Man ' and ' Bennie and the Jets ' Just Got New Music Videos ''. People.com. Retrieved 26 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` Elton John Premieres Three Music Videos for His ' 70s Classics ''. Out Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1993 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 1993. Record Research. p. 122. Jump up ^ `` Cash Box Top 100 4 / 08 / 72 ''. tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018. Jump up ^ `` Lani Hall 's ' Tiny Dancer ' - Discover the Original Song ''. WhoSampled. Retrieved 26 May 2018. Jump up ^ `` Tiny Dancer -- Dave Grohl - Last.fm ''. Last.fm. Retrieved 26 May 2018. Jump up ^ McAlpine, Fraser ( April 24, 2009 ). `` DJ Ironik ft. Chipmunk & Elton John - ' Tiny Dancer ' ''. BBC Online. Retrieved March 28, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Video : Elton heads galaxy of stars backing Lily - Mae 's cancer fight - Independent.ie ''. Retrieved 26 May 2018. Jump up ^ `` Tiny Dancer - A Song for Lily - Mae '' Archived 27 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine., November 2012 Jump up ^ Variety Staff ( March 15, 2018 ). `` Two Elton John Tribute Albums -- With Mary J. Blige, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, More -- Coming in April ''. Variety. Retrieved March 14, 2018. Jump up ^ The Old Grey Whistle Test ( DVD ). Warner Home Video. 2003. Jump up ^ `` Lip Sync Battle with Joseph Gordon Levitt, Stephen Merchant and Jimmy Fallon '' on YouTube, 24 September 2013 Jump up ^ Kate McKinnon and Colin Jost ( April 5, 2014 ). Weekend Update : Angela Merkel on being the Peace Keeper. NBC. Retrieved December 28, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Elton 's ' Tiny Dancer ' Used in Advert for John Lewis Home Insurance ''. The Official Site of Elton John. 24 August 2015. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016. Jump up ^ Millward, David ( April 27, 2016 ). `` Trump wants Elton John to perform at his inauguration ''. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 16, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Ed Sheeran -- Castle On The Hill ''. Genius. Retrieved 6 January 2017. Jump up ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQfLvlZGYFM External links `` Tiny Dancer '' audio on YouTube Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Elton John songs 1960s and 1970s `` Skyline Pigeon '' ( 1968 ) `` I 've Been Loving You '' ( 1968 ) `` Lady Samantha '' ( 1969 ) `` It 's Me That You Need '' ( 1969 ) `` Border Song '' ( 1970 ) `` Rock and Roll Madonna '' ( 1970 ) `` From Denver to L.A. '' ( 1970 ) `` Take Me to the Pilot '' ( 1970 ) `` Your Song '' ( 1970 ) `` Friends '' ( 1971 ) `` Levon '' ( 1971 ) `` Tiny Dancer '' ( 1972 ) `` Rocket Man '' ( 1972 ) `` Honky Cat '' ( 1972 ) `` I Think I 'm Going to Kill Myself '' ( 1972 ) `` Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters '' ( 1972 ) `` Crocodile Rock '' ( 1972 ) `` Elderberry Wine '' ( 1972 ) `` Daniel '' ( 1972 ) `` Teacher I Need You '' ( 1973 ) `` Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding '' ( 1973 ) `` Saturday Night 's Alright for Fighting '' ( 1973 ) `` Goodbye Yellow Brick Road '' ( 1973 ) `` Step into Christmas '' ( 1973 ) `` Candle in the Wind '' ( 1974 ) `` Bennie and the Jets '' ( 1974 ) `` Harmony '' ( 1974 ) `` Do n't Let the Sun Go Down on Me '' ( 1974 ) `` The Bitch Is Back '' ( 1974 ) `` Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds '' ( 1974 ) `` Philadelphia Freedom '' ( 1975 ) `` I Saw Her Standing There '' ( 1975 ) `` Someone Saved My Life Tonight '' ( 1975 ) `` Island Girl '' ( 1975 ) `` Grow Some Funk of Your Own '' ( 1976 ) `` I Feel Like a Bullet ( In the Gun of Robert Ford ) '' ( 1976 ) `` Pinball Wizard '' ( 1976 ) `` Do n't Go Breaking My Heart '' ( 1976 ) `` Cage the Songbird '' ( 1976 ) `` Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word '' ( 1976 ) `` Bite Your Lip ( Get Up and Dance ! ) '' ( 1977 ) `` Crazy Water '' ( 1977 ) `` The Goaldiggers Song '' ( 1977 ) `` Ego '' ( 1978 ) `` Part - Time Love '' ( 1978 ) `` Song for Guy '' ( 1978 ) `` Are You Ready for Love '' ( 1979 ) `` Mama Ca n't Buy You Love '' ( 1979 ) `` Johnny B. Goode '' ( 1979 ) 1980s `` Little Jeannie '' ( 1980 ) `` Sartorial Eloquence ( Do n't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More ? ) '' ( 1980 ) `` Dear God '' ( 1980 ) `` Whatever Gets You thru the Night '' ( 1981 ) `` Nobody Wins '' ( 1981 ) `` Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever '' ( with Kiki Dee, 1981 ) `` Blue Eyes '' ( 1982 ) `` Empty Garden ( Hey Hey Johnny ) '' ( 1982 ) `` Ball and Chain '' ( 1982 ) `` All Quiet on the Western Front '' ( 1982 ) `` I Guess That 's Why They Call It the Blues '' ( 1983 ) `` I 'm Still Standing '' ( 1983 ) `` Sad Songs ( Say So Much ) '' ( 1984 ) `` Passengers '' ( 1984 ) `` Nikita '' ( 1985 ) `` That 's What Friends Are For '' ( 1985 ) `` Wrap Her Up '' ( 1985 ) `` Take Me to the Pilot '' ( 1988 ) `` I Do n't Wanna Go on with You Like That '' ( 1988 ) `` Town of Plenty '' ( 1988 ) `` Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters ( Part Two ) '' ( 1988 ) `` Healing Hands '' ( 1989 ) `` Sacrifice '' ( 1989 ) 1990s `` Club at the End of the Street '' ( 1990 ) `` You Gotta Love Someone '' ( 1990 ) `` Do n't Let the Sun Go Down on Me '' ( 1991 ) `` The One '' ( 1992 ) `` Runaway Train '' ( 1992 ) `` The Last Song '' ( 1992 ) `` Simple Life '' ( 1993 ) `` True Love '' ( 1993 ) `` Shakey Ground '' ( 1994 ) `` Ai n't Nothing Like the Real Thing '' ( 1994 ) `` Can You Feel the Love Tonight '' ( 1994 ) `` Circle of Life '' ( 1994 ) `` Believe '' ( 1995 ) `` Made in England '' ( 1995 ) `` When the Money 's Gone '' ( 1995 ) `` You Can Make History ( Young Again ) '' ( 1996 ) `` The Madness of King Scar '' ( 1997 ) `` Something About the Way You Look Tonight '' ( 1997 ) `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' ( 1997 ) `` Written in the Stars '' ( 1999 ) 2000s `` I Want Love '' ( 2001 ) `` This Train Do n't Stop There Anymore '' ( 2002 ) `` Original Sin '' ( 2002 ) `` Are You Ready for Love '' ( 2003 ) `` Ghetto Gospel '' ( 2005 ) `` Electricity '' ( 2005 ) `` The Bridge '' ( 2006 ) `` Joseph, Better You than Me '' ( 2008 ) `` Tiny Dancer ( Hold Me Closer ) '' ( 2009 ) Related articles Albums discography Videography Book : Elton John Category : Elton John Ben Folds Studio albums Rockin ' the Suburbs Songs for Silverman Way to Normal Lonely Avenue So There Compilations Naked Baby Photos The Bens Nighty Night Live albums Ben Folds Live iTunes Originals The Sound of Last Night... This Morning Ben Folds Five Live Other albums Shut Up and Listen to Majosha Fear of Pop : Volume 1 Songs for Goldfish Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP Way to Normal ( Fake ) Stems and Seeds Ben Folds Presents : University A Cappella ! The Best Imitation of Myself : A Retrospective Fifty - Five Vault EPs Speed Graphic Sunny 16 Super D Singles `` Rockin ' the Suburbs '' `` Still Fighting It '' `` Tiny Dancer '' `` Bizarre Christmas Incident '' `` Bitches Ai n't Shit '' `` You Do n't Know Me '' `` From Above '' DVDs Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth Ben Folds Live at MySpace Related articles Discography Majosha Ben Folds Five Fear of Pop The Bens 8in8 Anna Goodman Odd Man Out Tour Tim McGraw singles Discography Not a Moment Too Soon `` Indian Outlaw '' `` Do n't Take the Girl '' `` Down on the Farm '' `` Not a Moment Too Soon '' `` Refried Dreams '' All I Want `` I Like It, I Love It '' `` Ca n't Be Really Gone '' `` All I Want Is a Life '' `` She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart '' `` Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It '' Everywhere `` It 's Your Love '' ( with Faith Hill ) `` Everywhere '' `` Just to See You Smile '' `` One of These Days '' `` Where the Green Grass Grows '' `` For a Little While '' A Place in the Sun `` Please Remember Me '' `` Something Like That '' `` My Best Friend '' `` Some Things Never Change '' `` My Next Thirty Years '' Set This Circus Down `` Grown Men Do n't Cry '' `` Angry All the Time '' `` The Cowboy in Me '' `` Unbroken '' Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors `` Red Rag Top '' `` Tiny Dancer '' `` She 's My Kind of Rain '' `` Real Good Man '' `` Watch the Wind Blow By '' Live Like You Were Dying `` Live Like You Were Dying '' `` Back When '' `` Drugs or Jesus '' `` Do You Want Fries with That '' `` My Old Friend '' Reflected : Greatest Hits Vol. 2 `` When the Stars Go Blue '' `` My Little Girl '' Let It Go `` Last Dollar ( Fly Away ) '' `` I Need You '' ( with Faith Hill ) `` If You 're Reading This '' `` Suspicions '' `` Kristofferson '' `` Let It Go '' `` Nothin ' to Die For '' Southern Voice `` It 's a Business Doing Pleasure with You '' `` Southern Voice '' `` Still '' Number One Hits `` Felt Good on My Lips '' Country Strong `` Me and Tennessee '' ( with Gwyneth Paltrow ) Emotional Traffic `` Better Than I Used to Be '' Two Lanes of Freedom `` Truck Yeah '' `` One of Those Nights '' `` Highway Do n't Care '' ( with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban ) `` Southern Girl '' Sundown Heaven Town `` Lookin ' for That Girl '' `` Meanwhile Back at Mama 's '' ( with Faith Hill ) `` Shotgun Rider '' `` Diamond Rings and Old Barstools '' ( with Catherine Dunn ) Damn Country Music `` Top of the World '' `` Humble and Kind '' `` How I 'll Always Be '' The Rest of Our Life ( with Faith Hill ) `` Speak to a Girl '' `` The Rest of Our Life '' Guest singles `` Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me '' ( with Faith Hill ) `` Let 's Make Love '' ( with Faith Hill ) `` Bring On the Rain '' ( with Jo Dee Messina ) `` Over and Over '' ( with Nelly ) `` Like We Never Loved at All '' ( with Faith Hill ) `` Find Out Who Your Friends Are '' ( with Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney ) `` Nine Lives '' ( with Def Leppard ) `` Feel Like a Rock Star '' ( with Kenny Chesney ) `` Lovin ' Lately '' ( with Big & Rich ) `` May We All '' ( with Florida Georgia Line ) Other songs `` City Lights '' `` The Ride '' `` California '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tiny_Dancer&oldid=853020827 '' Categories : 1971 songs 1972 singles 2002 singles Elton John songs Ben Folds songs Tim McGraw songs Songs with music by Elton John Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin Song recordings produced by Byron Gallimore Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon DJM Records singles Uni Records singles Epic Records singles Curb Records singles Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Songs about dancing Hidden categories : Pages containing links to subscription - only content Webarchive template wayback links Articles needing additional references from September 2011 All articles needing additional references Use British English from August 2011 Use dmy dates from August 2011 Articles with hAudio microformats Articles needing additional references from January 2018 Articles with trivia sections from September 2017 All articles with trivia sections Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bosanski Čeština Dansk Español Français Italiano Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Русский Svenska 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 1 August 2018, at 22 : 09 ( UTC ). 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Question: what is the meaning of the song tiny dancer
Answer: written by Bernie Taupin to capture the spirit of California in 1970 encapsulated by the many beautiful women he met there