When he wrote this diary entry in October 1969, Elton John was yet to become the superstar we now know. Still only twenty-two, his debut album had been out in the wild for four months, and it would be another three years until he legally changed his name from Reginald Dwight. Today had been just another day—or so he thought. Little did he know that the final line in this diary entry would record the birth of a song that would change everything. When released almost exactly a year later on 26th October 1970, Your Song became Elton’s first hit single. To this day it is regarded by many as one of his greatest songs.

The Diary Entry

OCTOBER 1969 43rd week

27 Monday

SESSION DE LANE LEA

9:00 BOBBY BRUCE

STAYED HOME TODAY

WENT TO SOUTH HARROW MARKET

THE SESSION WAS HILARIOUS

DIDN’T NO ANYTHING IN THE END

WROTE ‘YOUR SONG’

Further Reading

• Your Song by Elton John (YouTube)
• ‘The washing machine is broken again. Wrote a song called Honky Cat.’—Taron Egerton on Elton’s diaries
• A few of Elton’s diary entries can be read on this blog
• Elton’s autobiography, Me, is fantastic