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Elton John tells emotional story in decades-old hit song

Songwriting duo Elton John and Bernie Taupin in 20
Songwriting duo Elton John and Bernie Taupin in 2011
Kevin Winter | Getty Images

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Forty years ago today, the No. 1 album on the Billboard pop chart was Elton John's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy."

The songs on the album describe, in chronological order, how Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin struggled to find their place in the music industry before hitting it big.

Today's song, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," was set in 1969 and tells the story of the time Elton John considered suicide during his engagement to Linda Woodrow. His friend, Long John Baldry — "sugar bear" in the song — convinced him to break off the engagement.

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