The Bitch Is Back
"The Bitch Is Back" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Elton John | ||||
from the album Caribou | ||||
B-side | "Cold Highway" | |||
Released | 3 September 1974 | |||
Recorded | January 1974 | |||
Studio | Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:44 | |||
Label | MCA, DJM, Rocket/Phonogram | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Gus Dudgeon | |||
Elton John singles chronology | ||||
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Official Audio | ||||
"The Bitch Is Back" on YouTube |
"The Bitch Is Back" is a rock song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was the second single released from John's 1974 album Caribou, and reached number 1 in Canada (his sixth in that country),[5] number 4 in the United States and number 15 in the United Kingdom.[6]
The lyrics parody John's celebrity lifestyle. In the US, it was certified Gold on 13 September 1995 by the Recording Industry Association of America.[7]
Background
The idea to create the song was inspired not by John or Taupin directly, but rather by Taupin's wife at the time, Maxine Feibelman, who would say, "The bitch is back," when John was in a bad mood.[8] Taupin then wrote the lyrics. Later, John would comment: "It is kind of my theme song."[9] The song originally was written in A-flat major, but was later performed live a half step lower in the key of G major.
Reception
Controversy
Several radio stations in the United States and elsewhere refused to play the song because of the word "
Chart performance
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[15] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Covers
The song was twice recorded by
Rihanna covered the song with Elton at the third annual Fashion Rocks Concert in 2006.[9]
"
Miley Cyrus covered the song for the 2018 cover album Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
Taron Egerton covered the song for the 2019 Elton John biopic Rocketman. It was the first song featured in the film.
In Hocus Pocus 2 (2022), Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker perform the song in character as the Sanderson Sisters with the song rewritten as "The Witches Are Back".
Personnel
- Ray Cooper – tambourine[17]
- Davey Johnstone – electric guitars[17]
- Elton John – piano, vocals[17]
- Clydie King – backing vocals[17]
- Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals[17]
- Dee Murray – bass, phased Pignose bass[17]
- Nigel Olsson – drums[17]
- tenor sax (solo)[17]
- Jessie Smith – backing vocals[17]
- Dusty Springfield – backing vocals[17][18]
- Tower of Power horn section – brass[17]
See also
- List of RPM number-one singles of 1974
References
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Caribou – Elton John". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
'The Bitch Is Back' is one of his best hard rock cuts ...
- ^ Considine, J.D.; Coleman, Mark; Evans, Paul; McGee, David (1992). "Elton John". In DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (eds.). Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Random House. pp. 151–153.
- ^ Kirkl, Justin (29 May 2019). "Neither 'Rocket Man' Nor 'Tiny Dancer' Is Elton John's Best Song". Esquire. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ a b "RPM Top Singles". RPM. 22 (11): 9. 2 November 1074. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-429-1, p. 115.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum – RIAA: Elton John". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ISBN 0-823088-93-6.
- ^ SongFacts.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 14 September 1974. p. 16. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 14 September 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Williams, Jean (25 December 1976). "Sex-Oriented Lyrics, Titles Stir a Storm". Billboard. p. 19. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
- ^ Heller, Jason (24 July 2012). "How Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" said a lot without specifying anything". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
- ^ "American single certifications – Elton John – The Bitch Is Back". Recording Industry Association of America.
- National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. 23 November 2020.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7624-7949-8– via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780313340444.
External links
- Elton John – The Bitch Is Back (Live-HQ) on YouTube- from 2000, live in Madison Square Garden