Elton John of Wales' eating disorder. John replied, "Yes, I did. We were both bulimic." A longtime tennis enthusiast, he wrote the song "Philadelphia Freedom" in tribute to friend Billie Jean King's World Team Tennis team, the Philadelphia Freedoms. King was a player-coach for the team at the time. John and King remain friends and co-host an annual pro-am event to benefit AIDS charities, most notably Elton John's own Elton John AIDS Foundation, for which King is a chairwoman. John, who maintains a part-time residence in Atlanta, Georgia, became a fan of the Atlanta Braves baseball team when he moved there in
Ball and Chain (Elton John song) words into the song. The song opens with Pete Townshend's percussive guitar playing, and subtle piano from Elton John. The song then builds to a climactic finish, placing the final verse one octave higher. Country music artist Kathy Mattea covered the song on her 1985 album "From My Heart". Ball and Chain (Elton John song) "Ball and Chain" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Gary Osborne. It is the third track on his 1982 album "Jump Up!" and was released as a single in the United States in September that year. It features Pete Townshend of The