There is little doubt that “Benny and the Jets” (sometimes spelled “Bennie and the Jets”) is one of the most famous and enduring songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. John’s Farewell, Yellow Brick Road album in 1973, he was doubtful that the song would go anywhere. In the Making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Part 3, Elton says that he didn’t see the song being a hit.

According to Ultimate Classic Rock, John thought the music was weird and hesitated to publish it as a single. When a powerful Black radio station in Detroit began playing the song continues, it became widely known and eventually became one of the most famous songs ever.

The peculiarity of the tune is, in fact, a big part of why it has become so widely recognized. The song is just bizarre and, therefore, unforgettable, from the first off-time chord that explodes out of the speakers at just the wrong time; to the stomping, robotic tempo of the piece.

Although it has gained widespread recognition, many listeners remain unaware of the song’s deeper meaning. Like all early Elton John songs, this one included words penned by Bernie Taupin and music and arrangement by John, each of whom brought a somewhat different interpretation to the table. The deeper significance of Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets” is revealed below.

 An Industry-saturated Parody

If you listen closely to the lyrics of “Benny and the Jets,” you can tell that Taupin is laughing at the excesses of the music world in the year 1973. The song was written as lighthearted satire, poking fun at the way rock performers have become more well-known for their outrageous behavior than their composition or musical ability, as detailed in The Elton John Song List.

It is also reflected in the song’s musical approach. John created the piece to pay homage to the “glam rock” style made famous by bands like Gary Glitter and Sweet, who combined theatrical stage performances with grandiose musical compositions, as the Society of Rock pointed out.

Lyrically, the song shows disdain for the modern publicity machine by describing Benny’s appearance in great detail while dismissing her music as “solid walls of sound” devoid of nuance.

It’s About a Futuristic All-girl Punk Band

As detailed in The Elton John Song List, lyrics are the first step in Bernie Taupin’s songwriting process. After coming up with what he hopes will be a catchy song title, he writes narrative lyrics around the phrase.

Most viewers of “Benny and the Jets” are unaware of the science fiction elements of the plot. “I saw ‘Bennie and the Jets’ as a kind of primitive rock group fronted by an ambiguous woman, who looked like something from a Helmut Newton photograph,” Taupin said in The Cut l Bennie and the Jets – The Inspiration

Lyrics from the song come from the point of view of an unknown band devotee trying to persuade her pals Candy and Ronnie to attend one of the band’s concerts. John reportedly wanted the music to be “off the wall” after reading the lyrics, as the Society of Rock reported.

The droning, mechanical rhythm is meant to evoke the futuristic sound that Taupin imagined for the band. As reported by Esquire, Taupin wanted Benny and the Jets to seem robotic. Taupin believes that John’s stuttering in the chorus was the reason the song was so successful; he calls it “hypnotic,” and he says it fits in with his concept of a futuristic, mechanical world.

Bennie and the Jets Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight so stick around
You’re gonna hear electric music, solid walls of sound

[Pre-Chorus]
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?
Ooh, but they’re so spaced out
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh, Bennie, she’s really keen

[Chorus]
She’s got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

[Verse 2]
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded, but Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong

[Pre-Chorus]
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?
Ooh, but they’re so spaced out
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh, Bennie, she’s really keen

[Chorus]
She’s got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine, oh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?
Oh, but they’re so spaced out
B-B-B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh, Bennie, she’s really keen

[Outro]
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets, the Jets, the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets

Elton John fans will also be interested in:

Digging Deeper Into the Lyrics of Elton John – “Tiny Dancer”

Exploring the Meaning in Elton John & Dua Lipa’s ‘Cold Heart’: A Lyrical Interpretation

The Message Behind the Music: Understanding the lyrics of Rocket Man by Elton John

Listeners that enjoy this song about Inspiration may also be interested in the song How to Save a Life by The Fray.

The article was first published on February 23rd, 2023 and updated on May 28, 2023.