Synopsis

Set in an English boarding school, the video follows a quiet schoolboy who is secretly infatuated with an older, athletic classmate. He watches him from a distance, tries to remain close to him, and struggles with feelings he cannot express openly. The older boy remains unaware, while the younger student's longing gradually turns into humiliation and heartbreak. The stark school setting reinforces the boy's isolation, giving the song a direct visual treatment centered on unrequited love, secrecy, and the fear of being exposed.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made for Elton John's 1981 album *The Fox* and was included in the video album released to accompany the record.

• Elton John wanted the song turned into a miniature dramatic film in which he would not necessarily appear or perform. That approach was still unusual for music videos in 1981.

• The storyline was based partly on a subplot from Lindsay Anderson's 1968 film *if....*

• Although the lyrics never specify the gender of the person being addressed, the video presents the song as a clearly homosexual love story. John later described it as the first gay song he had recorded as a homosexual song.

• The video was not shown on television at the time, despite the publicity and controversy surrounding its subject matter.

• The schoolboy is played by Michael Baldwin. Elton John also appears in the production credits as a performer, although the narrative is carried primarily by the actors rather than by a conventional performance appearance.

• The song was written by Elton John with lyrics by Tom Robinson, rather than by John's usual lyricist Bernie Taupin.