"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is a song, with music by English musician Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, from John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. It was released as a single on 23 June 1975, the only single released from the album. Like the rest of the album, the song is autobiographical; it tells the story of an attempted suicide by John. At 6 minutes and 45 seconds, it was long for a single, but owing to the highly personal nature of the lyrics, John refused to let it be cut down to a more typical single length. Despite the length it peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 4 and in Canada on the RPM Top Singles chart at No. 2. It would be his last single for eight years to feature the original Elton John Band of John, Dee Murray, Davey Johnstone, and Nigel Olsson, as John fired Murray and Olsson following the recording of the album. Background The song concludes side one of the album's narrative, chronicling the early history of John and lyricist, Bernie Taupin, and their struggles to find their place within the music industry. When released as the album's only single in 1975, it reached No. 4 on The US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and entered the top 25 on the UK Singles Chart. In the U.S., it was certified Gold on 10 September 1975 by the RIAA. In Canada, the single narrowly missed being his ninth number one, hitting No. 2 on the RPM 100 national Top Singles chart on 30 August. Taupin's lyric refers to a time in 1968, before John was popular as a musician, when John was engaged to be married to girlfriend Linda Woodrow. John and Woodrow were sharing a flat with Taupin in Furlong Road in Highbury, London, hence the opening line "When I think of those East End lights." John did not love his girlfriend, and felt trapped by the relationship. Feeling desperate, John contemplated suicide, and even made a half-hearted attempt at asphyxiating himself with a gas oven in his home. He took refuge in his friends, especially Long John Baldry, who convinced John to abandon his plans to marry, in order to salvage and maintain his musical career. His parents arrived the next day, in a van, to take him home. As a sign of