Elton John Confirms Tiny Dancer IS About Tony Danza

Over the years there have been many misheard lyrics. None were more famous than the Elton John song Tiny Dancer. Many listeners believed the lyrics were “Hold me Closer Tony Danza” instead of “Tiny Dancer”. It was written off as a joke by many but Elton John confirmed today that the song is indeed about Tony Danza.

Elton John confirmed today on the Banjo & Cricket Radio show that his song “Tiny Dancer” is about actor Tony Danza. Elton first met Danza in 1971 when Tony was working as a towel boy at a Brooklyn YMCA. “I was definitely smitten with him” giggled Elton. “I was crushed when I found out he was on the opposing team”.

Tony Danza

John continued, “Of course you know my song writing partner Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics and I wrote the music. So I had the music completed for this song and I told Bernie to write a song about Tony Danza. I had the chorus in my head, Hold me closer Tony Danza”.

“Bernie begrudgingly finished the song in about 20 minutes. It was a love song for Tony Danza. The original lyrics were, Muscled Slim Jim, You must’ve seen him, Dancing in the sand, And now he’s in me, Always with me, Tony Danza in my hand. Hold me closer Tony Danza”.

Tiny Dancer

“We played the song for my manager John Reid. He sat there quietly listening with his eyes closed. When the song ended, he did not say a word but he got up and came over and banged our heads together. It was like a Three Stooges movie. I couldn’t believe it. Then he started screaming are you guys morons. You cannot write a song like that in 1971. Change the lyrics immediately to Tiny Dancer and write it about Bernie’s wife. Now get out of my office you big dummies. We changed it immediately and the rest is history”.

Elton was shocked years later when people started joking about the misheard lyrics. “I was flabbergasted when the Friends TV show created a whole episode around the Tony Danza lyrics” laughed Elton. “Phoebe was right”.