Elton and Bernie Taupin were literally thrown together by a music producer.

In the beginning they lived some couple of hundred miles from each other.

Bernie would write the lyrics and snail-mail same to Elton.

Elton would (most times) read the lyrics and compose a hit song within an hour of sitting at the piano. Dozens of their earliest hits happened just that way.

Some would call that Genius... Me? Pretty close.

clouded his judgment - causing him much pain in his personal life.  Greatest album he created was Blue Moves... and when asked if he would ever write anything serious, he cited that album.  I agree with his assessment obviously.  

Much of the popular music today is not have as musically profound - it is just a lot of angry screaming.