"Teacher I Need You" is a song written by English musician

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

and songwriter

Bernie Taupin Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English songwriter, singer and visual artist. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with musician Elton John, a songwriting partnership that is one of the most successful in history. Tau ...

, and performed by John. It was first released on John's 1973 album '' Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player''. The lyrics tell of a schoolboy's crush on his teacher, and the music evokes the sound of 1950s songs. Although never released as a single, the song was popular on album-oriented rock radio stations. It was included in John's live concert sets on a number of tours, including 1973, 1982 and 1984. Artists who have covered the song include

Richard Marx Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American adult contemporary music, adult contemporary and pop rock singer-songwriter. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Marx's Richard Marx (album), self-titled debut album went tri ...

and Stephen Cummings.

Lyrics and music

The lyrics, by Taupin, describe a schoolboy's sexual desire for his female teacher. Allmusic critic Donald A. Guarisco notes that the "witty, insightful" lyrics maintain the listener's interest by "packing it with details that vividly bring the boy’s hormonal crush to life," such as the lines: :''It’s a natural achievement'' :''Conquering my homework'' :''With her image pounding in my brain'' Guarisco also praises the way the lyrics portray the boy's "believable frustration" over his predicament. Like a number of other songs written by Taupin and John, the lyrics make references to American movie stars, in this case

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

and Errol Flynn. The singer notes that he imitates Wayne and Flynn but unfortunately for him "it doesn’t mean a doggone thing." The song has been described as a "retro rocker" and its sound evokes the music of the 1950s and early 1960s. Elton John has stated that his vocal performance on the song was inspired by Bobby Vee, a teen idol in the 1950s and 1960s. John biographer Elizabeth J. Rosenthal describes the song as "a merry uptempo number" and praises its "gleaming

harmonies In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However, ...

." The song begins with a series of triplets played on the piano, a musical

motif Motif may refer to: General concepts * Motif (chess composition), an element of a move in the consideration of its purpose * Motif (folkloristics), a recurring element that creates recognizable patterns in folklore and folk-art traditions * Moti ...

John often uses. Guarisco describes the melody of the song as "a rollicking pop melody" that employs

syncopation In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "place ...

. John's piano playing with fast

chord Chord may refer to: * Chord (music), an aggregate of musical pitches sounded simultaneously ** Guitar chord a chord played on a guitar, which has a particular tuning * Chord (geometry), a line segment joining two points on a curve * Chord ( ...

changes is reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis. Instrumentation on the song also includes a

mellotron The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. A ...

Reception

Although never released as a single, "Teacher I Need You" was popular on album-oriented rock radio stations. '' Rolling Stone'' critic Stephen Holden noted that the song has "the same off-the-cuff buoyancy as " Crocodile Rock" and the same playful attitude toward a semi-mythic past." Allmusic's Guarisco described "Teacher I Need You" as "one of the undisputable highlights of ''Don’t Shoot Me I’m The Piano Player'' thanks to its tidy marriage of clever lyrics and melodic craftsmanship.". Mary Anne Cassata describes it as an "overlooked gem." Singer Kyle Vincent stated that the song could stand up against "just about any great power pop song."

Other appearances

Elton John played "Teacher I Need You" live in concert on a number of tours, including 1973, 1982 and 1984. Subsequent to its initial release on ''Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player'', "Teacher I Need You" was released on Elton John compilation albums in the UK, including ''Candle in the Wind'' in 1978 and ''The Collection'' in 1989. The song has been covered by

and Stephen Cummings. Cummings' version was used in the 1993 Australian film '' The Heartbreak Kid''.

References

{{Authority control 1973 songs 1993 singles Elton John songs Stephen Cummings songs Songs with music by Elton John Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon Richard Marx songs Songs about educators DJM Records singles MCA Records singles