"I'm the Connie Francis of rock 'n' roll."

Elton John is a man with nothing to hide. Meeting him is instantaneous recognition that his image - puckish but professional, easygoing, tolerant, a gentleman with a flair for sartorial supernova -is simply a totally natural and organic outgrowth of his private self. He is in love with his work, and it is a very healthy relationship. We found him in his hotel suite, cherub in a soccer uniform, snapping his fingers and bouncing while listening, with a self-critical attentiveness that bordered on the ruthless, to his latest single. In spite of being caught between myriad hassles - a new test pressing to okay, a radio station to run to afterwards, a slight case of the flu - we found him polite, charming, unaffected, as smooth as the white German wine he gave us and not even as saccharine. - L.B.