Over time, the song’s meaning shifted. Taupin himself admitted that the public’s interpretation—seeing it as an anthem for Elton’s own survival in the face of adversity —is perhaps "infinitely more interesting" than the original inspiration. A Music Video Born in Chaos
Taupin originally wrote it as a “kiss-off” to an old girlfriend , a defiant message that he was doing just fine without her. Elton John - I'm Still Standing
While in Nice, Elton encountered the band Duran Duran . After a night of drinking martinis, Elton famously woke up to a trashed hotel suite, only for his assistant to inform him that he was the one who caused the chaos. Over time, the song’s meaning shifted
On the first day of filming, Mulcahy fell off a pier into the sea with the camera, ruining the day’s footage and requiring a complete reshoot. While in Nice, Elton encountered the band Duran Duran