Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)
Encyclopedia
"Bite Your Lip" is a song by Elton John
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
. It is the closing track of his 1976
album, Blue Moves
. It came out as a single two months after the release of the album. The b-side was another album track, "Chameleon", which was also featured on the "Crazy Water
"-single that only came out in the U.K., only four days later. The single peaked at #28 in both the U.S. and the U.K.
, but also uses rock and roll, gospel, and pop elements.
along with the heavy conga
rhythms of Ray Cooper
and the rest of Elton's line-up from that period, notably also featuring Caleb Quaye
. The last four minutes of the song consists of the band almost jamming and a choir of singers chanting "Bite your lip - get up, get up and dance!". This section of the song also features strings and double bass, giving it a sense of disco. The song then ends, clocking at 6:43.
The song closed his "last" concert in 1977, which featured Stevie Wonder
on stage. He also played it dressed as Donald Duck
at the free concert in Central Park in 1980. The most recent performance dates from 2004, the first time since his throat surgery. The song was played as part of his tour for Peachtree Road
but played in just a handful of concerts and then dropped from the set.
Also featuring:
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
. It is the closing track of his 1976
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
album, Blue Moves
Blue Moves
Blue Moves is the eleventh studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1976. It was also his second double album , and his first album released by his own Rocket Records Ltd...
. It came out as a single two months after the release of the album. The b-side was another album track, "Chameleon", which was also featured on the "Crazy Water
Crazy Water
"Crazy Water" is a song by Elton John with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. It is the seventh track on his 1976 album, Blue Moves. The song was released as a single in the UK in 1977, where it reached #27 on the charts...
"-single that only came out in the U.K., only four days later. The single peaked at #28 in both the U.S. and the U.K.
Lyrical meaning
The song is a typical party-song, inspired by the tunes of the time. It mentions various places, a choir throughout most of the song. It could be put in the same vein as discoDisco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
, but also uses rock and roll, gospel, and pop elements.
Musical structure
The song opens with a sole piano, and then kicks off to the beat, consisting of a bluesy slide guitar solo by Davey JohnstoneDavey Johnstone
Davey Johnstone , is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Elton John.-Career:...
along with the heavy conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
rhythms of Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
and the rest of Elton's line-up from that period, notably also featuring Caleb Quaye
Caleb Quaye
Caleb Quaye , is an English Afro-European rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney and Hall & Oates...
. The last four minutes of the song consists of the band almost jamming and a choir of singers chanting "Bite your lip - get up, get up and dance!". This section of the song also features strings and double bass, giving it a sense of disco. The song then ends, clocking at 6:43.
The song closed his "last" concert in 1977, which featured Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
on stage. He also played it dressed as Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
at the free concert in Central Park in 1980. The most recent performance dates from 2004, the first time since his throat surgery. The song was played as part of his tour for Peachtree Road
Peachtree Road
"Porch Swing in Tupelo" is a song from British pop-rock performer Elton John's 2004 album, Peachtree Road. The song talks about Elvis Presley's childhood and upbringing and describes Tupelo, Mississippi....
but played in just a handful of concerts and then dropped from the set.
Personnel
- Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
- PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocals - Davey JohnstoneDavey JohnstoneDavey Johnstone , is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Elton John.-Career:...
- guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles... - Caleb QuayeCaleb QuayeCaleb Quaye , is an English Afro-European rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney and Hall & Oates...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Kenny Passarelli - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- James Newton-Howard - synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
- Roger Pope - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Ray CooperRay CooperRay Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
- percussion
Also featuring:
- The Cornerstone Institutional Baptist and Southern California Community ChoirSouthern California Community ChoirThe Southern California Community Choir is a choir founded by the Rev. James Cleveland.The Choir has appeared on several recording by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Kansas, Elton John and Arlo Guthrie.- Awards :The Choir has received the following awards:...
- The Gene Page Strings