Your Song, Israel: Elton John
Your Song, Israel: Elton John

British singer Elton John landed in Israel for his sold out show in Ramat Gan Stadium on Thursday night, singing to 50,000 clapping, shouting and singing fans. "I can't believe I see him in the flesh", said one enthusiastic listener, echoing the sentiments of many.

Although John has been here before, his last visit was 17 years ago in 1993, it is no small feat to have a performerWhich of Elton John’s hit songs can apply to Israel. Which song would be Israel’s song?
of his stature perform in Israel. Recently we have witnessed other musicians (Elvis Costello, The Pixies) cancel their shows here at the last minute citing ‘political’ reasons, so John’s concert in Ramat Gan is not taken for granted. By the same token, other artists have performed here to sold-out crowds (Paul McCartney, Metallica, even Paul Anka) without incident. Still, nothing seems to be a given as far as performing in Israel is concerned.

But rather than focus on Elton John’s flamboyant lifestyle or attire, let’s examine his music. Simply running through the long list of his hit songs is exhausting, yet exhilarating. It’s quite amazing to think that the man born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Middlesex, England on March 25, 1947 churned out so many memorable songs.

In “Your Song”, John sings, ‘My gift is my song and this one's for you…And you can tell everybody this is your song”. It got me thinking, which of Elton John’s hit songs can apply to Israel. Which song would be Israel’s song?

I considered his hit song from Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, ‘The Circle of Life’, but when our local newspapers seemed to be full of tragic stories of casualties on the roads and arguments between neighbors that turn bloody, it loses some of the optimism that the song which opened the film conveyed.

Sacrifice’ seems to be a word that not only pervades John’s 1990 hit but also our lives in Israel as well. We have certainly paid and continue to pay, a high price for our mere existence.

And perhaps when it comes to other aspects of life here,  in our hearts we believe ‘It's no sacrifice at all’ living in Israel, but we still sometimes think about things we had to give up after leaving ‘the old country’.

Life in Israel is often more, ‘Sad Songs’ or “I Guess that’s Why They Call it the Blues’.

Often, like after the flotilla incident, Israel feels alone in the world, defending itself, explaining itself, trying to weather the storm like a ‘Candle in the Wind’? Or maybe Israel’s motto should be ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’?

But through it all, there is really only one Elton John song that really defines Israel, the country that has not only survived, but has flourished, in just 62 short years of independence.

“I’m still standing after all this time. I’m still standing…yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Yes, Elton, we are still standing - and standing tall.

Welcome back to Israel!