Kicking Moss

I cannot tell you how many times I have sung along with Elton John. I absolutely love his music. Part of the reason he is so beloved by me is that he is the first big music star I became aware of. I received for Christmas sometime in the 70's a clock radio. Those were all the rage. No doubt my parents hoped it would alleviate the need for them to make multiple futile attempts to get me out of the bed. The thing is, a clock radio is only part clock...the rest is radio. The aforementioned technological advance of the day brought Elton John into my life.

One song I particularly loved. Your Song is still a favourite of mine. I can recite every single lyric. I did not, however, totally grasp the meaning of all of the words until I moved to England. For years I have sung along "...I sat on the roof, kicked off the moss..." not really comprehending how it was that a person would find themselves in a moss meets roof situation.  I really just decided it was poetic license. Surely Bernie Taupin had some reason for penning such lyrics, and surely it must have a deeper meaning my prepubescent brain could not quite grasp.

Turns out, he literally meant he was sitting  (or as the Brits say, he was sat) on the roof and kicking off the moss. I had this AHA! moment whilst perched atop our town on the roof of the parish church. We were looking down at our magnificent kingdom...ahem, town...kinda  makes you feel all kingly looking down below, but I digress. Anyhoo, we were looking at  all of the terra cotta and slate roofs.....covered in moss. Holy Cow! The moment of understanding and realisation was almost as profound as when I discovered a chest of drawers was not in fact Chester Drawers, or when I realised the Christmas hymn did not refer to Round John Virgin. I had a difficult childhood.

In England rain is plentiful. Moss grows easily. And as slate and clay are also plentiful and much more fire safe than the roofing products of my home planet, they are used for roofing. And the moss grows on said roofing products. And if one were to find themselves perched on their rooftop having a contemplative moment, one might kick off some of the moss..perhaps in a dreamy distracted manner.

How many other songs have I totally missed the boat on? Is John Lennon a literal Walrus? Are drops of Jupiter actually in her hair, hey, hey?Did the music really DIE? And then there is that whole Muskrat Love thing, This is big. This is huge.  And to think it all started with my General Electric Flip Number Alarm Clock with AM/FM Radio and Snooze Button. $9.99. Batteries not included.

"Your Song"

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside

I'm not one of those who can easily hide

I don't have much money but boy if I did

I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no

Or a man who makes potions in a travelling show

I know it's not much but it's the best I can do

My gift is my song and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss

Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross

But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song

It's for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do

You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue

Anyway the thing is what I really mean

Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

Lyrics - Bernie Taupin

Music -Elton John