What does "pirate smile" and "count the headlights on the highway" mean?

[Bradwell Jackson]

What does "pirate smile" and "count the headlights on the highway" mean?

Bradwell Jackson

[glenboy]

Post by Bradwell Jackson
What does "pirate smile" and "count the headlights on the highway" mean?

Like a lot of his best songs, I think TD is filled with words that
Bernie strings together because they sound good or they are evocative
of a feeling or an image. Bernie paints with words and because of that
I think it's difficult to get at the "exact" meaning.

So here's my take.

pirate smile - a smile with the attitude of living life to the
fullest, like a pirate.

count the headlights - personally I imagine 2 people on a hillside
overlooking a highway, watching the headlights at night; but maybe
it's a description of them laying in a tour bus watching the cars go
by.

Frankly I've wondered why she's in his hand?

[DRJVH]

Post by Bradwell Jackson
count the headlights

Im assuming that the band traveled on bus in the early days...possibly the
headlights
bernie wote about are the passing cars
while the bus rolls onto it's next destination.

Phyllis

[Bradwell Jackson]

Post by DRJVH

Post by Bradwell Jackson
count the headlights

Im assuming that the band traveled on bus in the early days...possibly the
headlights
bernie wote about are the passing cars
while the bus rolls onto it's next destination.
Phyllis

Could this song be about Bernie's daughter (or the idea of having a
daughter)? It sounds like a man's pride in his daughter at the school
play (..."in the auditorium"...) Maybe "count the headlights on the
highway" is a game a father plays with his daughter. Of course, this
doesn't explain a "pirate smile" (unless his daughter is dressed for
Halloween), nor does it explain why she says "the boulevard is not
that bad".

Brad

[Tim Norris Remax]

Come on..he was 19 when he wrote it...pirate smile...you know a little
sly...god you people are like the lsd users who used to disect the Beatles
albums

[Bradwell Jackson]

Post by Tim Norris Remax
Come on..he was 19 when he wrote it...pirate smile...you know a little
sly...god you people are like the lsd users who used to disect the Beatles
albums

Why are you being insulting when I just want to know the meaning of the song?

Brad

[Liz]

Post by Bradwell Jackson
Could this song be about Bernie's daughter (or the idea of having a
daughter)? It sounds like a man's pride in his daughter at the school
play (..."in the auditorium"...)

This song was written by Bernie about his first wife, Maxine Feibelman.
"Pirate smile" probably just means "sly" smile; "count the headlights on the
highway" means, to me, Bernie and Maxine resting in each other's arms as they
ride on a bus or in a limo to or from the next Elton John concert date. (In the
early years, even though Bernie didn't have a job to do onstage, he still
traveled with Elton and the band everywhere, as did Maxine, who was the
"seamstress for the band.") Which brings us to "piano man makes his stand in
the auditorium"-- this refers to Bernie's "tiny dancer" (Maxine) watching
Elton, the original piano man, perform in the "auditorium" (in 1970-71, Elton
played a lot of auditoriums).
Liz Rosenthal
"His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John"
http://www.ejhissong.com

[Brian Smith]

Post by Liz
This song was written by Bernie about his first wife, Maxine Feibelman.
"Pirate smile" probably just means "sly" smile; "count the headlights on the
highway" means, to me, Bernie and Maxine resting in each other's arms as they
ride on a bus or in a limo to or from the next Elton John concert date. (In the
early years, even though Bernie didn't have a job to do onstage, he still
traveled with Elton and the band everywhere, as did Maxine, who was the
"seamstress for the band.") Which brings us to "piano man makes his stand in
the auditorium"-- this refers to Bernie's "tiny dancer" (Maxine) watching
Elton, the original piano man, perform in the "auditorium" (in 1970-71, Elton
played a lot of auditoriums).

I thought "pirate smile" was some foreshadowing on the part of Bernie's
subconscious. Maxine's pirate smile was alluding to the fact that she was
going to plunder a good part of his wealth.

"Count the headlights on the highway" sounded so much better than Elton's
management is too damn cheap to buy us a TV and video recorder for the bus
so we can watch porn.

"Seamstress for the band"--I hate to even think what he really wanted to
say.

Corndogger

[Tim Norris Remax]

Post by Brian Smith
I thought "pirate smile" was some foreshadowing on the part of Bernie's
subconscious. Maxine's pirate smile was alluding to the fact that she was
going to plunder a good part of his wealth.
"Count the headlights on the highway" sounded so much better than Elton's
management is too damn cheap to buy us a TV and video recorder for the bus
so we can watch porn.
"Seamstress for the band"--I hate to even think what he really wanted to
say.
Corndogger

lol

[Bradwell Jackson]

Post by Liz

Post by Bradwell Jackson
Could this song be about Bernie's daughter (or the idea of having a
daughter)? It sounds like a man's pride in his daughter at the school
play (..."in the auditorium"...)

This song was written by Bernie about his first wife, Maxine Feibelman.
"Pirate smile" probably just means "sly" smile; "count the headlights on the
highway" means, to me, Bernie and Maxine resting in each other's arms as they
ride on a bus or in a limo to or from the next Elton John concert date. (In the
early years, even though Bernie didn't have a job to do onstage, he still
traveled with Elton and the band everywhere, as did Maxine, who was the
"seamstress for the band.") Which brings us to "piano man makes his stand in
the auditorium"-- this refers to Bernie's "tiny dancer" (Maxine) watching
Elton, the original piano man, perform in the "auditorium" (in 1970-71, Elton
played a lot of auditoriums).
Liz Rosenthal
"His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John"
http://www.ejhissong.com

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer me. I do appreciate
it. I always wondered about the meaning of this song.

[SPlatt8987]

My take has always been that a "pirate smile" is a sly and knowing sort of
grin. Almost like "I know something that you don't", but not necessarily in a
bad way.

"Count the headlights on the highway" is more evocative of a mood than an
actual activity. Think of the times when you were a passenger on a lengthy
car/bus trip after dark. Watching passing headlights can be quite relaxing and
almost hypnotic.

The part that I've always struggled with is the candle man making his stand in
the auditorium?

Sam

[Liz]

Post by SPlatt8987
The part that I've always struggled with is the candle man making his stand in
the auditorium?

That's "piano man makes his stand in the auditorium." That refers to Elton.
Liz Rosenthal
"His Song: The Musical Journey Of Elton John"
http://www.ejhissong.com