Lady What's Tomorrow
Encyclopedia
"Lady What's Tomorrow" is a song by Elton John
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
. It is the fifth and opening track of side two off his first album, Empty Sky
.
It is one of the songwriting duo's earliest, with demos surfacing from as early as 1967
.
, who takes over Roger Pope's chores on this track. An acoustic guitar with a country
-esque feel is also featured. Nigel would join Elton's band as drummer on and off to this day.
It is the shortest song on the album.
, and new towns
such as Stevenage
and Milton Keynes
were being constructed almost from scratch to cope with this.
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
. It is the fifth and opening track of side two off his first album, Empty Sky
Empty Sky
Empty Sky is the debut album of British singer/songwriter Elton John, released on June 3, 1969. It was finally released in the United States in January 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after John's fame had been established internationally...
.
It is one of the songwriting duo's earliest, with demos surfacing from as early as 1967
1967 in music
The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The...
.
Musical structure
Following rather alternative songs, this is a simple pop/rock-song typical of the later John. A sole piano opens the song, which keeps a steady 4/4 beat. This is also John's first collaboration with drummer Nigel OlssonNigel Olsson
Nigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
, who takes over Roger Pope's chores on this track. An acoustic guitar with a country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-esque feel is also featured. Nigel would join Elton's band as drummer on and off to this day.
It is the shortest song on the album.
Lyrical meaning
The song laments the destruction of rural England to make way for construction (hence "sorry, but it's over - now there's no concrete and no clover...we would run into the woods, but we never will again). The song was written in 1967, in the heyday of the London overspillOverspill estate
An overspill estate is a housing estate planned and built for the rehousing of people from decaying inner city areas usually as part of the process of slum clearance....
, and new towns
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
such as Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
and Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
were being constructed almost from scratch to cope with this.
Performances
It was never performed live in concert. It was however performed in John's first solo radio appearance on November 27, 1968. Since then it hasn't been performed in any format.Personnel
- Elton John - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, vocals - Caleb QuayeCaleb QuayeCaleb Quaye , is an English Afro-European rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney and Hall & Oates...
- guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - Tony Murray - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Nigel OlssonNigel OlssonNigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(incorrectly credited as "Nigel Olsen")