Elton John was once handed lyrics to make up a song on the spot and it was an instant hit
He can make anything into a masterpiece.

Sir Elton can make anything into a song.
Musical geniuses take on many forms. But the ones who can seemingly pluck inspiration right out of the imaginary realm and create masterpieces on the spot are particularly astonishing.
Those blessed with this gift of expediency confound us because they appear to not be bound by the normal limitations of being human. Virtually any of us could create something impressive, given enough time and effort. But some savants have no barriers between them and that mysterious, divine substance that makes ideas into reality.
Mere mortals need processes, methods, rituals, even a dose of liquid courage (or something stronger) in order to conjure that sort of power within themselves. So those who just do it willy nilly…well, they’re practically gods.
It feels safe to put Sir Elton John in this deity category, if not for his discography alone, but for having that uncanny ability to create catchy, compelling songs in almost no time at all.Take “The Circle of Life” for Disney’s “The Lion King," for instance. A well-known story behind this famous tune is that Sir Elton concocted it in less than two hours.
“I gave him the lyrics at the beginning of the session at about two in the afternoon. By half-past three, he’d finished writing and recording a stunning demo,” lyricist Tim Rice recalled.
But why read an anecdote? Why not see this talent in action?
Back in 2001, while interviewing with legendary British chat show host Michael Parkinson (who died Aug. 16, 2023), the “Tiny Dancer” singer was given the challenge of spontaneously making up a song to lyrics he had never seen before, written by Parkinson’s writing team.
Here’s how he did:
Yep, only Sir Elton could make a song about anything, even clogged storm drains.
Other folks who watched the video were left enamored. Here’s what they had to say:
“I am totally convinced he is the most talented musician of his generation. The lyrics don't matter, his ability to come up with the vocal melody and chord progression is nothing short of genius.”
“Elton shines so bright.”
“Elton and Mozart must have that same music gene. Their minds must work the same way, everything they read, see or hear, they read, see or hear in music.”
Maybe gifts like Sir Elton John’s are a rarity, but it’s a gift that touches so many.
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- Elton John: How dare you refer to my beautiful children as 'synthetic.' ›
- Millennials find out Hanson's "MMMbop" is surprisingly deep - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."