The Touching Story Behind Joe Biden’s Connection to Elton John’s ‘Crocodile Rock’

At the point when Elton John visited the White House over the course of the end of the week for a six-song, solo piano concert on the front lawn, the performance probably delivered a surge of recollections for President Joe Biden.

Among the songs on John’s set list — which included “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Rocket Man” — was one that has been vital to the soundtrack of the president’s life: “Crocodile Rock.”

Biden, 79, initially met John, 75, during his residency as VP, when the two both appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

According to John’s husband David Furnish, Biden focused on the importance of the song during that first meeting.

Speaking to The Washington Post, Furnish said Biden explained how he used to listen to “Crocodile Rock” on car rides with his two sons Tracker and Beau, following the death of his most memorable spouse, Neilia, and his daughter Naomi, in a catastrophic crash 50 years ago.

The deaths of Biden’s most memorable spouse and 13-month-old daughter Naomi in that 1972 car crash (which injured his sons as well) are foundational to his story as a lawmaker, and happened after he had been chosen the most youthful ever senator however before he was confirmed.

Later, the song took on new meaning, as Biden sang it to Beau — who died seven years ago, at age 46 — while he was hospitalized with terminal brain cancer.

As Furnish told the Post, Biden even sang it to Beau when he was unconscious, telling his son that he had met the singer, and heard the song performed live.

“[Beau] didn’t return to consciousness. In any case, we’d been informed that he grinned and it definitely, you know, set off something,” Furnish recounted the Post of Biden’s story.

“So we realized that was a song with a real excursion that had been on a real excursion for the president. And so it was important for Elton that it was included in the set.”

The emotional concert culminated with President Biden surprising the singer with the National Humanities Medal, which carried John to tears.

“Elton had absolutely no idea he was getting the medal.

Biden teared up listening to Crocodile Rock because he and his son listened to it when his son was a boy and then when he was dying. I am jamming Elton John all weekend and nothing else.

— Eugene🪶🪶 (@EugenePatriot1) September 24, 2022

It’s exceptionally rare to see Elton delivered stunned on anything, and when that came out, he was totally gobsmacked,” Furnish told the Post. “And just everyone felt the affection.”