Elton John's 'Tiny Dancer' Isn't About Tony Danza After All

By Zach Dionne Posted Jan 19th 2011 10:32AM

Tony Danza has taken to Funny Or Die to clarify an age-old rumor and frequent mishearing of a classic Elton John tune.

"The song is called 'Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer,' by Elton John. Not Tony Danza," the 59-year-old actor says in a scene. "I mean, I never even met Elton John, y'know?"

Danza clarifies the myth to a couple convenience store clerks; the three are then shown riding in a car, screaming the lyrics, "Hold me closer, Tony Danza!" See the clip after the jump.

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza - watch more funny videos

Our friends at AOL TV note a moment in 'Almost Famous' when the cast sings the Elton John song Tony Danza-style. "This misheard lyric was probably missed by the generation that first heard the song," writes Ryan McKee. "However, to a generation that grew up with 'Taxi' and 'Who's The Boss?,' it's impossible not to hear it."

The clip hypes what appears to be an upcoming film, 'Scott & Zander's Crazy Night.' In a second clip, we learn that "Tony Danza never blocks a c***." More pertinent and hilarious Danza Facts, please, Funny Or Die!

Tags: Funny Or Die, Tony Danza

Comments

(152)

Wednesday 19 January

By Mike1098

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The first time I heard "Hold Me Closer Tony Danza" was on an episode of FRIENDS when Phoebe sang it. I think that's where it came from.

By stu

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i thought it was Tiny Tim.

Thursday 20 January

By bluemeanies

I'm 40 yrs old, I've been listening to that song nearly all my life, and the joke made on FRIENDS was the first time I ever heard "Tony Danza"!

Also, how can people take the whole thing seriously when the name of the song is Tiny Dancer!!

By Jim

I saw the Friends episode in which Phoebe sings "Hold me closer, Tony Danza." But I've lived 60 years without ever hearing about this Tony Danza Dancer "rumor." Thanks, AOL for bringing us this important news item. How much did Danza pay you for it?

By Michael

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You're 100% correct. Phoebe was the first to say that, on of the funniest moments ever too.

By Reb1

Not a problem in the south. Folks don't pronounce dancer and danza the same, so we never heard it that way. I'm quite sure, however, that Credence put out a tune about a 'bathroom on the right'.

By Regina

This has always been one of my favorite songs by EJ and I never in my life have confused the Tiny Dancer lyrics with Tony Danza and I did grow up with Taxi and Who's the Boss.

By Pammygirl1

Regina is correct!! What a stupid story.

By Bill

I 100% agree with you! My generation song and TV and it never once dawned on me it was anything different than Tiny Dancer. In fact, this is the first I heard that it was ever an issue! Typical AOL "news".

By Julie

Right, and the song was recorded in 1972 (no telling how much earlier it was written, and how old is Tony Danza, 59?). So he was only 20 when the song came out and I don't think he was well known to anyone at the time...Taxi came out in 1978 and Who's the Boss in 1984.

By Linda H

DITTO

By Linda

Me too. It never even occured to me until I read this. Clean your ears out folks.....

By wickyrayne

ditto Regina.

By cheercurlz

I have never EVER confused the lyrics. "Tony Danza" ?? Give me a break. Now, it was a different story with The Four Seasons "My Eyes Adored You." When I was a kid, I thought he was singing, "My eye's in Georgia. Though I never laid a hand on you, my eye's in Georgia." In my 10-year-old mind, it was like, WTF? His eyes are in Georgia?

By kimd

Haha.Someone once told me that the song "Every Time You Go Away"...can't remember who sang it...the next line was "You take a piece of MEAT with you".I used to think ,why are they stealing meat from this person?Are they that poor or just thieves?

By Kathleen Fetha

remember Hang on Sloopy? i thought it was saying "hang on stupid, stupid hang on" and when i sang it thats how i sang it,nice and loud for everyone to hear, till someone corrected me

You know that CCR song "Bad Moon on the Rise?" I thought it was "...there's a bathroom on the right" when I was a kid. Also, in the 80's I think it was Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" I thought it was "...I wanna be your snakecharmer."

By Joseph

I know how you feel. My parents like to listen to Alanis Morissette all the time. When I was younger, when "You Oughta Know", or I think that's what it was, came on, I always thought she was talking about a "cross-eyed bear that you gave to me" instead of a "cross I bear".

Oh yeah ... and then there was the song, "Secret Agent Man." I thought it was "Secret Asian Man, Secret Aaaaasian Man. They giva you a number and takeaway your name." I sang that song along with the radio for about a year before my mother said, "Honey, it's AGENT man. I just realized what you're singing!" lol

By BC

Maybe it was -- "Secret Asian Man"

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