B-side Indian Sunset Genre Rock Label Mercury, Rocket | Released 2005 Length 3:32 | |
Writer(s) Elton John (music), Lee Hall (lyrics) | ||
"Electricity" is a song composed by Elton John and Lee Hall for the Billy Elliot the Musical.
Contents
Reception
It was John's 63rd UK Top 40 hit, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was included as a bonus track on the UK re-issue of Elton's album Peachtree Road.
Background
The song is sung by Billy Elliot in the stage production at his audition for a place at The Royal Ballet School in London. Billy is asked "What does it feel like, when you are dancing?" by one of the panel. Billy responds, hesitantly at first, "I can't really explain it... I haven't got the words..." And then (see full lyrics) the music takes hold, and he goes into an energetic song. Describes dancing as "Something that you can't control". After two verses, each with a chorus, Billy leaps into a frenetic dance; in this dance many skills such as acrobatics are used (the rhythm for this section of the instrumental varies from Billy to Billy, depending on each actor's dance strengths). The number concludes with another verse and Billy doing several pirouettes or tumbles. The most notable lyric in this piece is that of the title: 'Electricity sparks inside of me and I'm free, I'm free!" It was inspired by the scene in the film, which it follows closely, in which Billy describing dancing as "Electricity". His passion, shown in his description, is the implied reason for Billy's acceptance into The Royal Ballet School.