Bernie Taupin eagerly and cordially invites you to a coming out party—no, to a public unpeeling of a second banana. No longer is he content to be a byline on a sheet of music. The man wants some recognition.

“ . . . but that’s how Taupin is— trashy, cheap, small-time. I always managed to keep him under wraps — well out of the way —but now the little twerp wants fame, fortune, recognition of his own.” —Elton John from the introduction of Bernie Taupin, The One Who Writes The Words for Elton John.

To most of the free world, Bernie Taupin is known as the guy who writes the lyrics for Elton John’s songs. And, as everyone knows, lyricists are usually an invisible breed—just look at Hal Davis or Robert Hunter. Such was the case with Bernie, whose personal appearances were limited to venturing off the stage apron only under duress; like the time the bass player threatened to bend the F key on Bernie’s IBM Selectric unless he picked up a tambourine and joined Elton and the band during one of their showy and colossal encores.