Elton John vows to never perform Crocodile Rock after his farewell tour, song was 'written as a joke'

Sir Elton John has vowed never to perform his hit song 'Crocodile Rock' following the end of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.

During a recent appearance on footballer Troy Deeney's podcast, Deeney Talks, the singer revealed the song was written as a "joke" and "pastiche" — an imitation of the rock-and-roll records of the '50s and '60s.

"The last time I have to sing ['Crocodile Rock'] I will probably throw a party," he told Deeney after he was asked what song he "can't get away from."

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"It was written as a kind of joke, as a pastiche," he added. "And it became a big hit and people love to sing along with it — so who am I to say 'I am not going to play it' because I play to amuse people and to entertain people. But I have to say when the last show is done at the end of the tour I will never ever sing that song again."

'Crocodile Rock' was written by Elton and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in summer 1972. In Australia, the song peaked at No. 2 on the weekly charts of that year and No. 5 on the year-end charts.

The song was inspired John discovered leading Australian band Daddy Cool and their hit single 'Eagle Rock', which was the most successful Australian single of the early 1970s. The 'I'm Still Standing' hitmaker first heard the song while he was on his first Australian tour back in 1971.

John wrapped up the Australia and New Zealand leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in 2020, where he was forced to cancel a number of dates after battling pneumonia.

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