# Liberace vs. Elton John **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346 "2004-01-14T03:43:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/1 "2004-01-14T03:43:02Z")
Who’d win? ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/2 "2004-01-14T04:44:20Z")
What’s the battlefield? On piano? Catfight? Fashion smackdown? Piano: Elton, I think. Catfight: Elton (L. is just too sweet, IMHO). Fashion smackdown? Liberace, no question. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/3 "2004-01-14T06:08:19Z")
The battlefield? Anything but a tub of Jell-o. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/4 "2004-01-14T15:44:40Z")
I’d have to go for Liberace – he was incredibly savvy in the way he managed his life and his career. Imagine being that gay, while never actually coming out! Everyone knew (except his blue-haired fans), and yet it was never really addressed by anyone, the British libel case aside. Very smart man. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/5 "2004-01-14T15:48:05Z")
Liberace, when he was told his critics laughed at him. “I laugh too. All the way to the bank.” I don’t recall Elton John ever coming up with a one-liner that good. Edge – Liberace. ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/6 "2004-01-14T16:26:07Z")
Liberace was a FAR better pianist… or should I have said “piano player”… you sophomoric types are probably saying “huh-huh… he said Penis!” I think Elton would take him in a fist-fight though… Liberace being dead and all… ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/7 "2004-01-14T16:59:34Z")
> [@verbenabeast](#): > > Liberace being dead and all… Or is he? Those “in the know” say that when Liberace turned 60 and had no children (in spite of constant attempts with Scott Thorson) he had himself cloned. That clone is now… Elijah Wood Interesting, but I have sworn testimony from the guy down the street that it’s true. Ultimately Liberace was a great showman while Sir Elton is a great showman AND a talented composer and songwriter, so I’d give the edge to the knight. However, Liberace was **far** better at money management, dying with an estate over $100 million in the **black** while Elton’s is constantly in the red due to overspending, so if it were money I’d go with Mr. Busterkeys. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/8 "2004-01-14T18:45:15Z")
> [@verbenabeast](#): > > Liberace was a FAR better pianist… True. He may have hoked up “Roll Out the Barrel” but the man knew his way around a Chopin Polonaise. Some things NEED to be camped up some. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/9 "2004-01-14T20:22:56Z")
Batman, if he’s prepared. [size=1]Sorry. Couldn’t resist.[/size=1] ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/10 "2013-05-22T18:04:12Z")
I wonder if they ever met. Now that would be interesting… ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/11 "2013-05-22T18:11:28Z")
When Divas collide. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/12 "2013-05-22T18:22:38Z")
In terms of showmanship and panache, Liberace would have bitchslapped Elton back across the Atlantic so fast all of London would be running for cover as he landed and screaming “The bitch is back!”. In terms of talent and legacy, Elton is Liberace to the umpteenth power. 25 years after his death Liberace is the subject of a highly hyped HBO movie with A list actors , which is impressive, but I doubt his recordings sell enough per year to even have paid for one of his more outlandish costumes in life and nobody really thinks of him as a musical genius; the only “new” fans he has are kitsch loving younglings who probably still won’t buy recordings of him and basically just know who he was, kind of like Paul Lynde and Phyllis Diller. 25 years after Elton dies his recordings and his publishing rights (barring zombie apocalypse or Amish takeover) will be enabling his kid and heirs to live lavishly and he’ll still be making new fans every day. **ETA: Didn’t realize until I’d posted and saw I’d- already posted- that this is a 9 year old zombie.** I assumed it was brought about by the new movie. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/13 "2013-05-22T18:25:22Z")
> [@verbenabeast](#): > > Liberace was a FAR better pianist… Hard to say. I was once hired by his management company to make an audio tape of about 40 pop tunes from lead sheets so he could study them and avoid the drudgery of learning to read music, although in all fairness to Lee, I think the company was just looking for a tax writeoff. And I once ghost-wrote 4 Liberace-style piano arrangements for another arranger to give to him. Lee in the studio (late in his career) was a pretty sloppy pianist, and that’s first-hand observation. Not that I would object to having his money instead of talent. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/14 "2013-05-22T21:15:07Z")
Sir Elton John had a top 40 song on Billboard for 30 years in a row. He has an Oscar and is in the RnRHoF. Besides having a TV movie made of his life 26 years after his death, what did Lee do besides entertain many a Grandma. **And in a bitch fight Elton would pwn Lee.** ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/15 "2013-05-23T03:47:19Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Who’d win? As long as it isn’t a, ahem, _sword fight_. Ewwwwww… ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/16 "2013-05-23T03:52:38Z")
Who could ingest the most cocaine? Edge: Elton John ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/17 "2013-05-23T04:10:25Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Hard to say. I was once hired by his management company to make an audio tape of about 40 pop tunes from lead sheets so he could study them and avoid the drudgery of learning to read music, although in all fairness to Lee, I think the company was just looking for a tax writeoff. And I once ghost-wrote 4 Liberace-style piano arrangements for another arranger to give to him. > > Lee in the studio (late in his career) was a pretty sloppy pianist, and that’s first-hand observation. Not that I would object to having his money instead of talent. I would be _amazed_ if Liberace couldn’t read music. Didn’t he make Lizt and Chopin pieces a part of his act, at least early in his career, and at least aspire to be a classical pianist? I cannot understand how he could possibly have learned that stuff without reading music. I wouldn’t be surprised if his reading skills got rusty over the years, especially as he moved away from classical piano. If he had a good ear, he could probably pick stuff up faster that way than he could from sheet music, especially pop tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/18 "2013-05-23T11:09:33Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > I would be _amazed_ if Liberace couldn’t read music. Didn’t he make Lizt and Chopin pieces a part of his act, at least early in his career, and at least aspire to be a classical pianist? I cannot understand how he could possibly have learned that stuff without reading music. > > I wouldn’t be surprised if his reading skills got rusty over the years, especially as he moved away from classical piano. If he had a good ear, he could probably pick stuff up faster that way than he could from sheet music, especially pop tunes. I think this was the case, and as I said, I suspect his management company was looking for a tax writeoff and a way to compensate Friends Of Management by hiring me and throwing a few bucks my way. I didn’t know him well enough to know what his reading skills were, and I wasn’t about to challenge him. And in the session where the ghost-written charts were supplied, Lee put them aside without looking at them and pulled some tunes out of his ass to record that day. I never saw him read music. I was amazed as to how sloppy his playing was, and can only assume that he went back to clean things up later (nowadays we’d do it digitally). He was just recording some stuff to bring in a little extra cash at the supermarket LP cutout discount bins, and was way past his prime by then. In music school, there were two of us students at about the same performance level. My friend had a very hard time reading piano music, I had an easy time. My friend would laboriously read a new piece once or twice, and from then on, practice from memory. Instead, I could read the piece very well the first time, but couldn’t memorize worth shit, so I was still reading it each time I sat down to practice. Such differences between performers’ capabilities may explain a lot. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/19 "2013-05-23T13:09:15Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > In terms of showmanship and panache, Liberace would have bitchslapped Elton back across the Atlantic so fast all of London would be running for cover as he landed and screaming “The bitch is back!”. > > In terms of talent and legacy, Elton is Liberace to the umpteenth power. 25 years after his death Liberace is the subject of a highly hyped HBO movie with A list actors , which is impressive, but I doubt his recordings sell enough per year to even have paid for one of his more outlandish costumes in life and nobody really thinks of him as a musical genius; the only “new” fans he has are kitsch loving younglings who probably still won’t buy recordings of him and basically just know who he was, kind of like Paul Lynde and Phyllis Diller. 25 years after Elton dies his recordings and his publishing rights (barring zombie apocalypse or Amish takeover) will be enabling his kid and heirs to live lavishly and he’ll still be making new fans every day. > > **ETA: Didn’t realize until I’d posted and saw I’d- already posted- that this is a 9 year old zombie.** I assumed it was brought about by the new movie. Yep - Elton John’s excellence as a songwriter - across many decades and song formats - separates him from a pure player like Liberace. Elton is an excellent piano player - anyone who says different, I say “pfft;” I am not knowledgeable enough about technique to gauge Liberace in his prime vs. Reg Dwight/Elton - but clearly both were top players… ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346/20 "2013-05-23T17:11:01Z")
If Elton John is a ‘top’ piano player then what was Bud Powell? Bill Evans? Mozart? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberace-vs-elton-john/224346.md?page=2)