Tennis queen Billie Jean King performs the song Elton John wrote for her — on 'The Masked Singer' Elton John Night
This may be a silly little reality show, but the story behind Royal Hen's performance of "Philadelphia Freedom" runs deep.
In the summer of ‘74, new pals Billie Jean King and Elton John were driving together to one of Elton’s concerts when the rock ‘n’ roll superstar told her that he wanted to write a song especially for her. “What is he smoking?” King amusingly recalled in a 2012 Philadelphia Inquirer interview, describing her flabbergasted reaction to Elton’s offer.
And surely many television viewers felt like they were smoking something Wednesday, when King warbled that tune, “Philadelphia Freedom,” on The Masked Singer’s Elton John Night.
Elton John, of course, has always been known for dressing up: as Donald Duck, Louis XVI, a red devil, a pinball wizard, even as a gorilla on a night when he thoroughly freaked out an acid-tripping Iggy Pop. However, not even Sir Elton could have imagined that 50 years after he first met Billie Jean King, she would be singing one of his biggest hits cosplaying as a swashbuckling chicken, aka the Royal Hen, on national television.
But, here we are!
While The Masked Singer may be a silly little escapist show, the story behind “Philadelphia Freedom” and Elton and King’s decades-long friendship actually runs deep. The two were massive fans of each other even before they met in September 1973 at a party hosted by events promoter Jerry Parencio; Elton was such a fan, in fact, that he’d attend King’s World Team Tennis matches dressed in the uniform of her team, the Philadelphia Freedoms. At the time, both Elton and King, who would go on to become icons of the LGBTQ+ community, were still in the closet (Elton came out as bisexual in 1976 and as gay in ‘88; King came out as a lesbian in 1981).
However, King was already blazing trails with her historic victory against male tennis champion Bobby Riggs in a much-hyped “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match, which took place two weeks after she and Elton met. That same year, she made history as one of the first women to ever coach male players, as part of the mixed-gender professional league World Team Tennis. She also fought for equal pay by founding the Women's Tennis Association, convincing the U.S. Open to award female champions the same prize money as men. It's understandable why the rock star and the tennis star, both passionate activists who still work together to this day, formed such a fast friendship.
As legend has it, “Philadelphia Freedom” was a reciprocal thank-you gift of sorts, after King gave Elton a customized team tracksuit. Elton first played a rough mix of the song for King, with her Philadelphia Freedoms teammates present at her request, on a portable cassette recorder in a Denver Auditorium locker room in August 1974; as she recalled in an interview with Northwestern University, she “loved it within the first three notes.” According to King’s Inquirer interview, the line “where it goes ‘PHIL … UHH… DELPHIA’” was even inspired by her “getting ticked off at the umpire.”
King predicted right then and there in that “filthy” locker room that “Philadelphia Freedom” would be a No. 1 hit — and she was right. Six months later, Elton released the finished track, with the dedication “with love to B.J.K. and the sound of Philadelphia,” and it actually became the overall third-best-selling single of 1975, even crossing over to Billboard’s R&B chart. While Elton’s longtime songwriting partner, lyricist Bernie Taupin, had initially balked at the assignment to pen a “song about tennis,” the eventual result took on larger, broader meaning not only as a bicentennial-era patriotic anthem, but as a perennial gay anthem.
It's still quite brain-boggling that such a bona fide member of sports royalty (who has won 39 Grand Slam titles, seven Federation Cups, and nine Wightman Cups) would dress up as an Adam Ant-esque poultry pirate on reality TV, for an entirely different battle of the sexes against male singers the Hawk, Husky, and Tiki. But everyone could feel the love tonight, indeed.
All four Masked Singer judges knew that the Royal Hen — a Medal of Freedom recipient, “voice for the voiceless,” and “no chicken” famous for “championing equal opportunities for all,” who “bravely entered the ring” and “proved to her 90 million subjects she was worthy of the crown” — was “someone important.” They speculated that she might be Gloria Steinem (who apparently briefly dated Robin Thicke’s dad, Alan Thicke!), Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, Rita Moreno, or Dr. Ruth. But only Ken Jeong guessed that it was the 79-year-old tennis legend, because he was aware of “Philadelphia Freedom’s” compelling backstory. Surprisingly, this was Ken’s third correct guess in just four episodes (after last week’s misstep when he misidentified Michael “Pickle” Rapaport as, um, Sean Penn), so it seems “Season Ken” is back on.
Following Season 10’s previous three weeks of Group A performances — with Gazelle (probably Janell Parish), S’More (O-Town’s Ashley Parker Angel), and Cow (Ne-Yo) moving on to the semifinals — the show started fresh this week with Group B. Below are that new bracket’s other Elton John Night contestants, who were still standing at the episode’s end:
Hawk, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”
This brash, bold performer spread his wings over America, and judge Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg declared that he made Sir Elton proud. “What an honor!” Hawk gasped upon hearing that not-so-faint praise. Surprisingly, he still ended up in a tie-breaking “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” Smackdown against fellow bird Royal Hen, but Hawk eventually soared to the next round.
The clues: This rawkin’ Hawk “grew up fast into the family business,” but he never felt he like found his place until he discovered hard rock as a teen. He then went on tour and realized that “being a reject is totally fine by me!” Other clues included a photo of his past collaborator Miley Cyrus, a full moon, a treasure chest, and the word “fallout.” Robin observed that Hawk looked fit and had “young knees.”
Judges’ guesses: Cole Sprouse, Pete Wentz, Corey Feldman, Austin Butler.
My guesses: I do think this is probably an emo or pop-punk singer, but I don’t think Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz sounds like this (and I know Patrick Stump doesn’t.) So, I am going to tentatively guess that this is a member of mid-aughts one-hit wonders Metro Station — either Mason Musso, the older brother of Hannah Montana actor Mitchel Musso, or even Miley’s older brother, Trace Cyrus. It could be Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects, too.
Husky, “Bennie and the Jets”
The fur was flying when this top dawg hit the stage. He said he's “gotten on in dog years,” but he performed with the energy of a young pup.
The clues: When Husky first hit the scene and “skyrocketed up the charts,” he “had a strange effect on the female species,” who would shower him with love... “and sometimes their underthings.” However, he remained a “loyal family dog,” unconcerned with the trappings of fame. Other clues included a chocolate bar, a crying emoji, a merry-go-round, a platinum album, and Mother Nature from The Masked Singer Season 6, aka Vivica A. Fox.
Judges’ guesses: Babyface, Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut.
My guess: At first I thought this was 48-year-old, platinum-selling “Candy Shop”/“Amusement Park”/Animal Ambition hip-hop superstar and Vivica’s ex-boyfriend, 50 Cent — who knows how to cry on cue. But it doesn’t sound like Fiddy. So, I am switching my guess with confidence “Carousel” singer and Vivica’s Chocolate City co-star, 53-year-old R&B sex symbol Ginuwine. I probably would have guessed it was Ginuwine earlier… if he’d worn a Pony costume!
Tiki, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
Ken could tell that this rock ‘n’ roll powerhouse was “someone huge,” and Robin knew it was “a legend, an icon, for sure.” Jenny raved, “Your voice is absolutely epic!”
The clues: Tiki “always wanted to be a rock star” because he “had the pipes,” and he achieved his dream — selling “millions of records,” touring the world, and partying with “some of music’s biggest names.” But then his “loose mouth” got him in trouble, and he feared his “career would be poured down the drain.” He eventually “cleaned up his act” and “struck out on his own” (indicating that he used to be in a band). Visual clues included a monkey in a dunce cap, the word “snooze,” a skull, and a globe. Tiki also said, “If you’re ever feeling bluesy, you can come to me for a good laugh,” so he might be a singing comedian.
Judges’ guesses: John Stamos, David Lee Roth, and even Robert Plant. (That last longshot guess was Robin’s, not Ken’s!)
My guess: I feel fairly confident that this is Skid Row’s loudmouthed former frontman, the Savage Animal himself, “Monkey Business” rocker and reality TV regular Sebastian Bach. This tall drink of not-water sounds a bit like Bach, and as this 2017 Yahoo Entertainment interview proves, the man is hilarious. I remember him!
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Elton John remembers surprising Iggy Pop onstage — in a gorilla costume
Ken Jeong on his biggest 'Masked Singer' guessing fail: 'I'm not only shocked, but embarrassed'
Bernie Taupin on awkward but important ‘Rocketman’ scene: ‘That absolutely happened’
Nick Cannon on quitting 'America’s Got Talent': 'One of the best decisions I ever made in my career'
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