Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me by Bernie Taupin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I liked this book more that I might have expected. Bernie Taupin is, of course, the other half of the duo that's completed by Elton John. Bernie is the lyricist behind so many very popular songs. In addition to his great success with Elton John, he wrote popular songs for other performers, as well.

When reading an autobiography by someone with this type of entertainment success, I worry that I'll just get an avalanche of pointless name-dropping. Don't get me wrong. I could take a header over the piles of names dropped in this book, but it doesn't come off as that. Rather, he tells stories of the ups and downs of his years in music and the various people who were a part of that, either directly or tangentially.

If you're looking for insight into the meanings or origins of his lyrics, Mr. Taupin does give some of that but also admits that some of it isn't clear even to him. For that matter, he writes that some should be left to the interpretation of the listeners. "That's the beauty of songwriting. Having those listening use their own imagination and draw their own conclusions is half the fun. It's like abstract art." He also acknowledges certain lyrics that haven't aged well: "the less said about 'Island Girl' the better."

This book goes beyond his work as a lyricist. We learn about his foray into being a restaurateur, his involvement in ranching, horses, bull-riding, and more, and a lot about his personal life. It's a pretty full picture. And of course, there are many insights into his writing process and inspiration for certain songs.

This book definitely is worth your time!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of the book. I very much enjoyed it!

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