As I get ready to do the recap for the Amazing Race 12, Ep. 7, I’ll give you some videos of one of my favorite songs, Tiny Dancer. Originally done by Elton John, it was given some more prominence when Director Cameron Crowe chose it for one of the key scenes in his movie, “Almost Famous” which really brought me back to the 1970’s. For some reason, Cameron gets the feel for his movies just right and when I saw this when it premiered in 2000, it immediately became one of my all-time favs.
So I first give you a performance of Elton performing this for the BBC’s Top of the Pops in 1971 sans band.
But this performance for the BBC also in 1971 without his band is ten times better than the one for Top of the Pops.
The scene from “Almost Famous” when Russell Hammond wants to experience life with William Miller who’s covering the band, “Stillwater” for Rolling Stone. The band finds Russell and he knows he’s back with his mates when they sing “Tiny Dancer” together. And when William tells groupie Penny Lane (played adeptly by Kate Hudson) he has to go home, her reply is the best. This scene brings the movie home and is probably one of the best directed scenes in the last ten years.
And someone made a tribute video to Penny Lane from Almost Famous. Very nicely done.
I have to throw in the “I AM A GOLDEN GOD!” scene for kicks.
Another for good measure. Elton and Kiki Dee in 1976 doing, “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart”. Wow.
Wanna see Elton and Kiki in present day mode? Why not? Here’s their duet from recent times and Kiki looks good.
Enjoy.
