Elton John Quiz: Guess the Song & Test Your Trivia

An Elton John quiz works on two layers: the music, which is his, and the words, which almost never are. Guess the Elton John song from the piano intro of 'Crocodile Rock', 'Your Song' and 'Bennie and the Jets', then test your trivia on who wrote the lyric, usually Bernie Taupin on 'Rocket Man' and 'Tiny Dancer' but Tim Rice on the Lion King hit 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight'. Deep cuts reach 'Candle in the Wind 1997'. See how well you really know Elton John by sorting the piano from the pen.

Main genrePop (pop-rock, glam)

ActiveSince 1969 (1970s)

Best-known songs to guessRocket Man, Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Crocodile Rock, Bennie and the Jets

Deep cuts fans missLevon, Funeral for a Friend, Harmony, Madman Across the Water

Eras in the quizEarly-70s singer-songwriter, mid-70s glam-pop peak, 80s and 90s comebacks

SongwritingElton composes the music; Bernie Taupin has written the lyrics since 1967

Real nameReginald Kenneth Dwight (Sir Elton John since 1998)

Related artistsGeorge Michael, David Bowie, Queen

Quiz difficultyEasy on the piano intros, hard on who wrote the words

Start your solo quiz

Name as many tracks as you can from short audio clips. The faster you answer, the more you score.

10 questions4 answers each

Guess the Elton John Song

Elton's songs announce themselves at the keyboard: the barrelhouse roll of 'Crocodile Rock,' the soft chords under 'Your Song,' the stutter of 'Bennie and the Jets.' Name it from the piano before the vocal.

Rocket Man

Your Song

Tiny Dancer

Crocodile Rock

Levon

Funeral for a Friend

Harmony

Madman Across the Water

Elton John Trivia: Words and Music

The facts behind the songs decide the close calls: a stage name stitched from two musicians, a lyric written over breakfast, and an Oscar-winning hit whose words came from someone other than Bernie Taupin.

✦Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, England, in 1947, and built his stage name from saxophonist Elton Dean and singer Long John Baldry.

✦He almost never writes his own lyrics; since 1967 the words have come from Bernie Taupin, who hands Elton finished poems to set to music.

✦'Your Song' was reportedly written in about ten minutes, with Taupin's lyric and Elton's melody coming together over breakfast.

✦'Candle in the Wind' began in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe; the 1997 rewrite for Princess Diana became one of the best-selling singles of all time.

✦He won an Academy Award for 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' from The Lion King, a song whose lyrics were written by Tim Rice rather than Bernie Taupin.

How Well Do You Know Elton John's Catalog?

Elton's catalog rewards two kinds of knowing. Start with the piano intros everyone recognizes, then sort his music from Bernie Taupin's words, reach the album deep cuts, and finish on the film and duet curveballs.

The piano signatures (easy points)

Elton John songs open at the keyboard, and that is the giveaway. The rolling intro of 'Crocodile Rock,' the gentle chords of 'Your Song,' the stuttered piano of 'Bennie and the Jets' and the swell of 'Rocket Man' are the fast points in any Elton John quiz. Most players name them before the first verse.

Elton's music, Bernie's words (where it gets tricky)

Here is the split that trips people up: Elton writes the music, Bernie Taupin writes the words. 'Tiny Dancer' was Taupin's sketch of a girlfriend who sewed for the band, and the lines everyone sings in 'Rocket Man' and 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' are his too. Knowing who wrote the lyric, not just the tune, is what wins the harder rounds.

Beyond the singles (where superfans pull ahead)

Beyond the radio staples, real fans separate on the album tracks. 'Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding' and 'Harmony' from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 'Levon' and the title track of Madman Across the Water, and 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' reward anyone who has played the 1970s run start to finish.

Film, funerals and duets (the curveballs)

The curveballs come from outside the studio albums. 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' from The Lion King won an Oscar, but Tim Rice wrote those words, not Taupin. 'Candle in the Wind 1997,' rewritten for Princess Diana's funeral, became one of the best-selling singles ever, and 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me' returned to number one as a duet with George Michael. These are where a thorough Elton John quiz ends.

Elton John Quiz FAQ

What does the Elton John quiz test?

It plays a clip and asks you to name the song. Elton's songs open at the piano, so the intro is often the giveaway, from 'Crocodile Rock' to 'Bennie and the Jets.' Trivia rounds also ask who wrote the words, which is almost always Bernie Taupin.

Which Elton John songs come up the most?

'Rocket Man,' 'Your Song,' 'Tiny Dancer,' 'Crocodile Rock' and 'Bennie and the Jets' lead, with album cuts like 'Levon' and 'Funeral for a Friend' for the harder rounds.

Why is the Elton John quiz tricky?

The piano intros are easy, but the trivia turns on his songwriting. Bernie Taupin wrote most of the lyrics, while The Lion King words came from Tim Rice, and that catches players who assume every Elton hit is a Taupin song.

What is Elton John's real name?

He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, England, in 1947. He built the stage name from Elton Dean and Long John Baldry, and was knighted as Sir Elton John in 1998.

Is the Elton John quiz free?

Yes. Every Elton John quiz is free to play on Songtrivia, with no signup and no Spotify account needed. Just pick one and play.

📚 Sources & methodology

Sources consulted

Wikipedia · AllMusic · Pitchfork · Billboard · Songtrivia editorial team.

Our methodology

Each topic is curated by a Quiz Master with category expertise. Selection crosses cultural impact, chart performance, recognition potential and era variety.