The Bitch Is Back

"The Bitch Is Back" is a rock song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was the second single released from John's 1974 album Caribou, and reached number 1 in Canada (his sixth in that country),[4] number 4 in the United States and number 15 in the United Kingdom.[5]

For other uses, see The Bitch Is Back (disambiguation).

"The Bitch Is Back"
Single by Elton John
from the album Caribou
B-side"Cold Highway"
Released3 September 1974 (1974-09-03)
RecordedJanuary 1974
StudioCaribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado
GenreHard rock,[1][2] glam rock[3]
Length3:44
LabelMCA, DJM, Rocket/Phonogram
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
(1974)		 "The Bitch Is Back"
(1974)		 "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
(1974)
Official Audio
"The Bitch Is Back" on YouTube

The lyrics parody John's celebrity lifestyle. In the US, it was certified Gold on 13 September 1995 by the Recording Industry Association of America.[6]

Background

The idea to create the song was inspired not by John or Taupin directly, but rather by Taupin's wife at the time, Maxine Feibelman, who would say, "The bitch is back," when John was in a bad mood.[7] Taupin then wrote the lyrics. Later, Elton would comment: "It is kind of my theme song."[8] The song originally was written in A-flat major, but was later performed live a half step lower in the key of G major.

Reception

Cash Box said that "Elton and the band are in rare form here and prove that rock comes as easily as the ballads do" and that "the hooks are incredible, the vocals are intense and the playing is right there."[9] Record World called it a "rambunctious rouser" that "doesn't mince words."[10]

Controversy

Several radio stations in the United States and elsewhere refused to play the song because of the word "bitch". For example, in 1976, the program director of WPIX-FM in New York told Billboard, "We will play records that are borderline suggestive records such as 'Disco Lady' by Johnny [sic] Taylor but we will not play 'The Bitch Is Back' by Elton John. We won't play those types of records no matter how popular they get."[11] John responded to the controversy, quipping "some radio stations in America are more puritanical than others."[12]

Chart performance

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Covers

The song was twice recorded by Tina Turner, once for her Rough album in 1978, and again for the John/Taupin tribute album Two Rooms in 1991. Turner also performed the song in her live show in the late 1970s, and with John at the 1995 VH1 Fashion and Music Awards and VH1 Divas Live '99. For her rendition Turner earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Performance.[15]

Rihanna covered the song with Elton at the third annual Fashion Rocks Concert in 2006.[8]

"Feud", the sixteenth episode of Glee's fourth season, uses "The Bitch Is Back" in a mash-up with Madonna's "Dress You Up", performed by Alex Newell and Blake Jenner.

Miley Cyrus covered the song for the 2018 cover album Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

Taron Egerton covered the song for the 2019 Elton John biopic Rocketman. It was the first song featured in the film.

In Hocus Pocus 2 (2022), Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker perform the song in character as the Sanderson Sisters with the song rewritten as "The Witches Are Back".

Personnel

See also

References
  1. Simpson, Dave (13 September 2018). "Elton John's 50 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Caribou – Elton John". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 August 2019. 'The Bitch Is Back' is one of his best hard rock cuts ...
  3. Kirkl, Justin (29 May 2019). "Neither 'Rocket Man' Nor 'Tiny Dancer' Is Elton John's Best Song". Esquire. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  4. "RPM Top Singles". RPM. 22 (11): 9. 2 November 1074. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  5. Guinness British Hit Singles, Fifth Edition, GRRR Books Ltd. and Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1985, ISBN 0-85112-429-1, p. 115.
  6. "Gold & Platinum – RIAA: Elton John". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  7. Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. (2001). His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John. New York: Billboard Books. p. 83. ISBN 0-823088-93-6.
  8. "The Bitch Is Back by Elton John". SongFacts.
  9. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. 14 September 1974. p. 16. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  10. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 14 September 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  11. Williams, Jean (25 December 1976). "Sex-Oriented Lyrics, Titles Stir a Storm". Billboard. p. 19. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  12. Heller, Jason (24 July 2012). "How Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" said a lot without specifying anything". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  13. Bac-lac.gc.ca
  14. "American single certifications – Elton John – The Bitch Is Back". Recording Industry Association of America.
  15. "Tina Turner's GRAMMY Awards history". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. 23 November 2020.
  16. Icons of R & B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm. ABC-CLIO. 2008. ISBN 9780313340444.
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