Cage the Songbird (song)

"Cage the Songbird" is a song written by Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and Davey Johnstone and performed by Elton John, first appearing on the album Blue Moves in 1976. It tells the fictional story of torch singer Edith Piaf's last hours before a tragic suicide^[1] (Piaf actually died of liver cancer). The theme of a celebrity's tragic life and death recalled John-Taupin's earlier song, "Candle in the Wind", from 1973's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Cage the Songbird was also a projected 1976 album by Kiki Dee, that was eventually released in 2008 (EMI 363 1252). It was produced by Robert Appere.^[2]

The song was covered by Crystal Gayle and made the title track to her 1983 album.

Personnel

• Elton John – vocals
• Ray Cooper – percussion
• David Crosby – backing vocals
• Davey Johnstone – dulcimer, acoustic guitar
• Graham Nash – backing vocals
• James Newton-Howard – synthesizers, mellotron
• Caleb Quaye – acoustic guitar

References