Musician Elton John (L) and his partner David Furnish arrive for ''Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World'' gala in New York May 4, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Elton John said he was awe-struck at becoming a father for the first time, but said he hoped not to spoil his new baby boy.

In a cover story and photo spread with celebrity magazine Us Weekly, the British singer and his partner David Furnish said they had used false names initially with the surrogate mother in the United States, but that she quickly "figured out who we were."

Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John was born on Christmas Day at a Los Angeles hospital to a surrogate mother who wishes to remain anonymous. John and Furnish said they did not know which of them was the biological father as they had both contributed their sperm.

John, 63, said he was overwhelmed when he first held Zachary. "I've never felt anything like it in my life. You're so awe-struck. What can you say? You take it in. The feeling, the joy, the warmth of his body, his breathing," he told Us Weekly, according to excerpts released on Tuesday.

But the multiple Grammy-award singer, who has homes in France, London, Hollywood and a mansion in rural England, said he did not want to spoil the child.

"I'm ready to have a child and lavish my love on our son and not spoil him but be there for him and to advise him...We don't want to spoil him materially, although he's already been spoiled rotten by people buying him stuff! We just want to give him some wisdom.

"Spoil him with love. And take him to soccer games. I want to have someone I can love and care for until I get old, someone who can take my life over when I leave this earth," John added.

Furnish, 48, said that both he and John were brought up with "real working-class values" such as discipline and good manners.

Furnish, a former advertising executive who has been John's partner for 17 years, said the couple were waiting to see how they will cope and adapt their lives to having one child "before we even consider having a second one."

Us Weekly said that John and Furnish had donated to charity all the money from the licensing of the photos taken for the magazine spread. It hits newsstands on Wednesday.