“I’m Still Standing”
Writers: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Original Release Date: July 3, 1983
Life can bring you down, but with positive songs like “I’m Still Standing”, it’s possible to get through it.
I haven’t really listened to Elton John (apart from his masterpiece aka the soundtrack to The Lion King), but this is a jaunty little number that immediately caught my attention. You’ll want to shimmy those shoulders and throw out a couple of “yeah yeah yeahs” while listening to this, but it’s more than just a head-bopper. The lyrics are uplifting, talking about defiantly “picking up the pieces” when life brings you down. I think we could all use a healthy dose of positivity in this day and age, and “I’m Still Standing” delivers exactly that, on top of a kicky, synth-heavy melody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYCOA2jQ-XA
My appreciation for this cover from Sing has everything to do with the heartwarming story of Johnny the gorilla and absolutely nothing to do with how attractive I think Johnny’s voice actor, Taron Egerton, is (whoever told you otherwise is a liar). Johnny performs the song in front of a huge live audience, as part of his journey to achieving his dreams. The movie features a lot of current pop songs, but this older track is perfect for Johnny’s story line: even though everyone expects him to follow his dad’s footsteps and become a con artist, he breaks free and finds joy in music. And Taron Egerton’s voice holds the right amount of triumph and relief that Johnny expresses during the singing competition.
Both versions are well done and seem to suit their respective decades, but it really depends on whether you prefer to be serenaded by Elton John or Taron Egerton.
