Bernie Taupin compared a recent Elton John interview to the “more popular than Jesus” controversy involving John Lennon. The musicians’ long-term success was harmed by neither incident. Compared to modern singers, classic rock icons appeared to elicit outrage more frequently. For instance, Elton John angered fans when he disclosed details about his personal life, and John Lennon famously said that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus.” The dispute, according to a person close to him, was simply a “temporary hiccup” in his career. Bernie Taupin compared the’more popular than Jesus’ controversy to Elton John’s coming out. The majority of John’s well-known songs, including “Daniel,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues,” were co-written by Taupin.
Taupin was questioned by Vulture in 2023 on the time John came out as bisexual in 1976 as opposed to gay. Taupin said, “He was a little half-hearted on that.” Taupin acknowledged that John’s coming out had some cons. We had a ton of sales after that, so it just temporarily damaged him, he said. It was almost akin to when John Lennon declared that The Beatles were greater than Jesus Christ. It was only a brief hitch. John later revealed that he was gay in the 1990s. Taupin remarked, “I’m sure it was simpler when he came out 100%. You shouldn’t be running away from anything, she said.
When Taupin realized he and John were as popular as The Beatles, he was questioned. “I don’t think I ever did,” Taupin retorted with laughter. “Elton is unique in that he can keep track of anything. You’re talking about a man who can recall every venue and performance date. He adhered to all charts. He continues to! Taupin continued, “I never did that.” “I didn’t know what position our records held in the rankings. Someone can say, “We came in at No. 1,” for example. I would reply, “Great, cool.” Let’s get a drink now.
Different responses were sparked by John’s assertion that Jesus was “more popular than him.” The “Imagine” singer made such remark in a 1966 conversation with writer Maureen Cleaver, according to the book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon. He was expressing doubt that rock ‘n’ roll would outlive Christianity because The Beatles seemed to be more well-liked than Jesus. John believed that Jesus was okay but that his disciples misrepresented his teachings. The interview received little response when it was published in the United Kingdom. It caused controversy in the South when it was published in the United States. John clarified that he wasn’t intending to imply that the Fab Four or himself were better than Jesus. He claimed that he could have equally as easily stated that “motorcars are bigger than Jesus” and no one would have objected, but he chose to use the term “Beatles” since it seemed natural to him. John said that he didn’t choose his words carefully or had public relations in mind when he made his controversial remark. The Beatles and the singer of “Tiny Dancer” both stirred up controversy when they were at their most popular, but it didn’t stop them from becoming household names.
