#maxine feibelman

[idasessions]

Maxine Feibelman by Ed Caraeff c. 1970

♫ And now she’s in me. Always with me. Tiny dancer in my hand... ♫

[the-breath-in-air]

oh dear

[idasessions]

Bernie Taupin’s lyrics for Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’ from the inside sleeves of Elton’s 1971 LP ‘Madman Across the Water,’ featuring a photo of Maxine Feibelman [Bernie’s inspiration for the song].

[idasessions]

Maxine Feibelman seen during an Elton John themed episode of ITV’s “Aquarius,” 1971

Maxine was married to pop-rock lyricist Bernie Taupin from 1971 to 1976. Over the years, rumors have been spread by the press and music fans over who is the subject of the song ‘Tiny Dancer’ from Elton John’s 1971 album ‘Madman Across the Water;’ including famous socialites Genie Franklyn and Pamela des Barres. These days Bernie chooses to be modestly coy dedicating the song as a love letter to ‘all’ of the young women he and Elton met the first time they visited southern California in 1970. But in both 1973 and 1974, Bernie confirmed to Rolling Stone Magazine he actually wrote ‘Tiny Dancer’ for Maxine. “That’s true, yes….I’ve never written a song meaning something more than it says.” In a 2019 New York Post interview, Maxine herself also confirmed she was the inspiration. “I knew the song was about me. I danced ballet as a little girl, and I sewed the patches on Elton’s jackets and jeans.” When the couple were together, Maxine was the seamstress for Bernie, Elton, and Elton’s backing band on tours and other public events. During Elton’s ’71 episode of “Aquarius,” he states: “‘Tiny Dancer,’ this is about Bernie’s girlfriend.” Inside the cover of ‘Madman,’ the lyrics to ‘Tiny Dancer’ also feature a photo of Maxine with the caption, “With love to Maxine.” The title of the song ‘The Bitch is Back’ on Elton’s 1974 album ‘Caribou’ was a phrase Maxine would say whenever Bernie or Elton were in bad moods as well. Bernie and Maxine’s relationship ended when she left him for bassist Kenny Passarelli, which then inspired many John-Taupin break-up songs.

[idasessions]

Maxine Feibelman circa the mid-1970s

[filosofablogger]

♫ Tiny Dancer ♫

♫ Tiny Dancer ♫

I had a strange medley playing in my head yesterday … the song I posted last night, Reach Out I’ll Be There, by the Four Tops, and this one … Tiny Dancerby Elton John.  The two intertwined, almost but not quite making an entirely new song.  I purged the first by posting it last night, and so now I am sharing the second in hopes of opening my head for … what???  Who knows?  New songs, new…

View On WordPress