April 10, 1970. Release of "Elton John" album. The self-titled album, the second on Elton's career, is the essence of Elton's music. His songwriting had become immediate and succesful, it was the first step on a long way of successes. Our next guess is the essence of eltonites: passionate, loyal, enthusiast: "I became a fan from that fateful night my Older Sister Anne, tossed that Elton John album across the dining room table. Growing up during that period was dream-like. I had no idea what a foundation in the History of Rock N Roll I was to get by becoming such a fan of this man and his music. " Claude Bernardin's speaking. Music and art in a mixture of first degree. An artist who paints with his eyes: "I suppose that line kind of summarizes my entire life….through, image, poetic words, and melody. I even used it as my graduating class, High School yearbook song Quote in 1975." Let's talk about his experiences and thoughts about Elton. It's your turn, just listening.
It’s so hard for me to re-live past
moments, but one of the most outstanding albums for me, was “Honky Chateau”. I
remember where I was when I heard “Honky Cat”(
in a restaurant), “Rocket Man”( tarring and shingling a garage roof ),
and I couldn’t stop singing, “Mellow”, ( and frankly still can’t! ) and I
desperately wanted my “Amy”! BY 1976, I started to realize the
“Yellow Brick Road” was winding down. I went to my first show t the Phila.
Spectrum in July, but the noise levels were pretty high, so was the audience!
And Explosions of M-80’s made the entire experience numbing. That wasn’t the
Elton I wanted to hear! So I tuned in to a solo concert on TV from Scotland
just before my 18th birthday in September, and was smart enough to
have a cassette recorder set up. I would later play that show until I wore that
tape out! I loved the sound of his voice, and loved the songs. It was so hard to read that article
in Rolling Stone Magazine in October.
But I hung on, even through “Ego”,
“Thom Bell”, “Victim Of Love” and finally to the TV appearance of “Elton’s
Song” ( the ACTUAL return to form as a singer-songwriter! ) and later the next
year, on TV his gorgeous duet of “Candle”
with Olivia Newton-John and "Little Jeannie’s” Premiere, and we were back in business! Those late 70’s years were the dark
ages for early ‘70’s fans. But No matter the ups and the downs,
The fun for me has always been both the studio work and the live material. The
80’s and 90’s I would travel the East Coast to see Elton over 50 times live,
and collect as much of the songs as I could find time and money.
I am so proud of where Elton and
Bernie are now today, musically. I think the last 13 years have been some of
their most powerful years musically. I can get the “essence” of Elton and
Bernie down to two songs: “Roy Rogers” and “This Song Has No
Title”. Just words and a tune, and some brilliant, unique, emotive vocal
skills.
I have seen Elton on every Famous
Tour. I have studied every interview, every song, every live version of every
song, and I am happy to say, instead of being burned out by now, I’m still
invigorated by his live sets, in fact the latest set list might just be one of
his best ever. I mean “You’re Sister Can’t Twist”, “Roy Rogers” and “I’ve Seen That
Movie Too” with “Home Again” and “Ocean’s Away”? Give me a break! J I have fallen in love with the Man’s
music and Bernie’s words all over again thanks to the outstanding album, “The
Diving Board. A New Career Masterpiece. I really do see this album in the
league of those early 1970’s gems like Madman, Elton John, and Yellow Brick
Road. It’s a bizarre thing to hear a new album that somehow captures the
“essence” of the brilliant past, and yet still sounds new and vibrant.
I can’t stop playing it! It has played
every day in my truck since September 2013.
Elton and Bernie’s songs have been a
part of every stitch in the fragment of my life.
And I have painted and imagined
landscapes and places to every song, repeatedly as I paint. They are the canvas
and colors of my Art.
Thank you Miquel for the honor top
write this top 30 list.
It was a HUGE task, and it took much
re-writing and re-listening inorder for me to finalize my favorites. I included
the next 30, so some could see where other favorites might have finished up. It
hurt me that “Empty Garden” didn’t make my top 30. But what can you do?!
I chose songs based on my, Most often
played in my truck listings, and also probably for their brilliant musicianship
and recording!
The Other
30 songs : All songs Vying for Position ( but they eventually got cut ) :
Street Kids, Cage The Songbird, The
King Must Die, Harmony, Emperor’s New Clothes, The Voyeur, Indian Sunset, My
Father’s Gun, This Song Has No Title, Grey Seal, Blue Avenue, Tower Of Babel,
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows, No Valentines, Madman, Empty Garden, Cold As
Christmas, The One, The North, Goodbye, Healing Hands, Come Down In Time, Tiny
Dancer, Michelle’s Song, First Episode at Hienton, Wake Up Wendy, Mandalay
Again, The Best Part Of The Day, I Need You To Turn Too and Bad Side Of The
Moon ( Here and There ).
Honorable
Performance Mentions: I’m Ready, and Sugar On The Floor ( He didn’t write them ).
Top30 EltonJohn Songs:
30. This Train Don’t Stop
There Anymore – 2001 – There were another ten songs
vying for this position…and some I might change my tune on given another day.
But what “songs from the west coast” gave us, was a masterful return to a man I
grew up with. I could not believe Old Elton returned after all those decades,
stronger than ever. Still can’t …frankly! And admire him more and more, daily
as I ponder that he cared enough to do it once again. That is no easy task, for
those who just think Elton farts classic recordings. His effort, Taupin’s
effort, everyone’s effort payed off in the final track. It is a match to 1973’s
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ in style, sound And delivery. The song is classic
Elton, another cinematic masterpiece. And I never ever tire of playing it. He
needs to go back to this Studio, this Producer and try it again. And I’ll have
the last word on this one Bernie: “Apparently , you’re wrong…This Train DOES
stop there ……” J and thank God it did once again!
29. I’m Gonna Be A Teenage
Idol – 1972 - In 1996, after my father died, I
received a phone call from Mr. Tom Stanton, and East End Lights. We chatted
about our books success. He asked me then, if I could choose two songs I’d want
to hear live, what would they be: I didn’t pause to think…My favorite song on
The Big Picture was “Love’s Got a Lot To Answer For”, and I was playing
“Teenage Idol” so much in my truck my friends were complaining! J I was stunned, when I went
to The Bryce Jordan Center in Penn State, and these songs were in the set! In
fact I cried through Loves Got a Lot, because I’d just lost my Mother at the
time, ( weeks before ). And add in Sand and Water and you know what I think of
that tour. One of his best without a doubt! The song is Pre-Bennie and The
Jets. It’s better in my opinion. The track, yes a tribute to Marc Bolan, but
couldhave easily also been about Elton and his career sky-rocketing. It contains
some of the best “Root Toot Shoot” piano Elton has ever recorded. For me, a
lover of a piano player, it doesn’t get much better than this. A career
Milestone in my opinion, far too often over looked.
28. Have Mercy On The
Criminal – 1972 – The precursor for “Yellow Brick
Road” no doubt…and another fascinating band performance. Guitarist Johnstone
blazes the recording with a glorious guitar solo. One of his career bests! But
Buckmaster’s string arrangement was ground breaking, a mini horror flick! AND
Taupin and Elton were at the center of the plot. Producer Dudgeon was as close
as Hitchcock in his Directing skills. And I fell head over heels in love with
the track from the first moment I heard it. It still sends shivers through me.
This is what great rock n roll is all about. A totally under rated track in my
opinion. Live: there are many
versions and all are very good. I suppose 1988.
27. Funeral For
A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding – 1973 – so much has
been said about this song, and it has never NOT been in a show ( has it? ), so
I almost didn’t include it. But I couldn’t let all that nonsense deny it, its
just review. It is a career Master piece. And I’m not quite sure why the
singer/songwriter has NOT returned to its attempts ever again in a studio. I
think it’s over do personally. What might the world say of a new 8 minute Opus
of Rock from Elton John today? Hmmmmm? We can dream can’t we? It is a Career
Opus! An FM Rock Radio standard. Equal to anything Pink Floyd ever put down.
And for me it’s all about two things….that middle piano bit in the intro, and :
“ the roses in your window box have tilted to one side…everything about this
house was born to grow and die….you’re a blue bird on a telegraph line…I hope
you’re happy now….” It is one of the best band performances on record. A career
high point for all involved. Live: I’d say the 2001 tour was the best.
26. Tonight – 1976 – I’m
still waiting for one song writer/musician to hand me a track as lovely as this
song. It is a career Master Piece. From words, to melody, to arrangement, to
piano, to skill level, to emotions, to passion, to Art….it has never, and
perhaps will EVER be matched by he or anyone else again. Best live version:
1986 with Johnstone on guitar. Wonderful.A brilliant and total re-working that
soared above the clouds. “Just let the curtains close in silence...”. Perhaps
the perfect bookend to 1971’s “Tiny Dancer”, sadly.
25. Amy – 1972 - Ok let’s
get the trivia out of the way…According to Producer and former personal
assistant Stuart Epps, this song lyrically is a joke to Elton and Gus Dudgeon’s
wife Sheila. It was her nickname. And apparently, she was not always keen on
“Elton” thus the teasing lines ” so if you don’t want me around….and to you I’m
an infection…” J….after the album’s release Gus bought her a sports car with that
name on the license plate. Stuart now owns that car.They had a love/annoyed
relationship I suppose….The Intro: musically , one The best piano bits Elton
ever put down. One of the best Band recordings Elton, Nigel, Davey and Dee ever
laid down! The song rocks like almost no other in their entire Library! I think
it’s better than any rock track on “Tumbleweed”. The Violin solo is great! I
can’t be sad when I’m listening to this track! And don’t you ever try to tell
me Elton John was just a balladeer! LOL! He needs to re-visit this place so
badly. KNOCK KNOCK : T. Bone Burnett…Hello? You listening? You too Taupin and
Elton! Rock it or lose it! The song contains some of Elton’s best piano ever
recorded.
24. The Ballad of Danny Bailey – 1973 – Oh My! How much do I love this song?!!!! LOL! I’d jump through tracks upon tracks on my
cassette of Yellow Brick Road to hear it again in 1974! To this day it is a
phenomenal Hollywoodesque anthem for me. The story line is intriguing, The
Bonnie and Clyde aspect riveting…”Now it’s all over Danny Bailey…and the
harvest is in…Dillnger’s dead….” The chorus is just brilliant melodically. The
opening piano bit and gun drum rim shot perfect! But the strings and the
piano….OH MY! OH MY! It is some of the best piano Elton ever put down until the
Diving Boards “Ballad of Blind Tom”.For me it’s all about the “Oh,
Oh,Oh,Oh,Ohhhh’s OOOOWH’s” and that Machine gun Kelly style piano at the end,
which frankly, he NEVER plays enough in the studio!! Ok I had my temper
tantrum, LOL! That song is Amazing dude! Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for finding it in your soul!Live:
1988 Chicago.
23. Mona Lisa’s and Mad Hatters – 1972 – “Honky Chateau”. Sheer Poetry in Song here! The Cream of the crop
when it comes to classics. Again, I could spend an hour talking about each
element of the song. But it all comes down to a great match of melody and
words. I have sadly tired of the live repeated versions….he doesn’t need to do
that, as this list now presents…so I’ll stick to the studio version. Best Live version ever :The Purple
shiny outfit, 1972, London England , I think on TV. On any other given day,
this song might be much, much higher on my list. It’s perfect Elton! I will add
this: the song is added a HUGE sound bed quality due to the brilliance of Davey
Johnstone’s mandolin. Not sure Bernie has written a lyric with quite the poetic
vision this one has, since?
22. Roy Rogers – 1973 – The
very day I held the album, “Yellow Brick Road” in my hands, it was the title, I
couldn’t wait to cue up at home on the stereo! And it didn’t let me down!A song
that I think sadly gets over looked in the Library of John/Taupin. I find it
hard to focus on just what one should write about when it comes to this track…Davey’s
brilliant guitar part? The fantastic string arrangement?The bouncy piano?The
drums?The backing vocals? They all get A’s! But I think it’s just that the song
is the pure essence of what makes John/Taupin so infectious. Melody meets
words, and Art is created! It is one of the best tributes to a Legend ever
written in song. And for me, it is one of their masterpieces! I will be
listening to this song when I’m 70 if I’m still alive and saying: “Turn on the
TV shut out the lights, Roy Rogers is riding tonight…IGH ….IGHT!” Live: I think 1977, WembleyPool , for
me, or the 1979 tour.
21. Candle In The Wind – 1973 – I’m only referring to the “Yellow Brick Road” track here. I’m not
sure if there was ever a more brilliantly arranged and balanced and recorded
track in Elton’s career than the time and effort they spent getting this one
down. Having listened carefully many times, to even the demo, Elton and Band
haven’t worked this hard on a song in forty years! It is just amazing to me how
simple each instrument is, how simple each harmony part is, yet it all so
perfectly blends into something that sounds like music from Angels. One of his
most perfect tracks ever recorded. Hands down! His piano accentuated the air
space of the song brilliantly! and they found “The Perfect” sound of Elton’s
voice at this stage. A favorite live performance for me was the Duet with
Olivia Newton John back in 1980, but also there is a brilliant version from
French TV circa 1986/87. I’ve grown weary of it, due to being over played live,
which is why it ranks so low.
20. Mansfield – 2001 - Some
fans who know me well will already be groaning and saying: of course! But some
of those fans are now finally admitting to me, that they over looked it in
2001, when “Songs From The West Coast” came out. I happily did not! In fact,
the song actually broke me down in to tears! It was old “Madman”, “Indian Sunset”,
“All TheNasties” Elton vocally and arrangement wise. But still very original
and new. It was Past meets Present in a very logical and magical way, and it
was brilliant. Live:? Any version you can get your hands on from the 2001 tour
will do! Lyrically it’s classic story teller Taupin at it again. A little movie
in time.Musically , it is a brilliant MATCH to the sounds of 1971, and shoved
in the face of any fan ( including yours truly.. J ) to finally shut them up once and for all!
And No matter the pain of all that silly internet crap I posted, back then in
1997 – 2001, every word was worth it to get my hands on this product. I will
treasure it and that album forever. Simply gorgeous! And I think this song and
album went a long way to returning the magic and passion back to both
songwriters. Such an under rated track, for its ending alone!
19. Ticking – 1974 - If
this isn’t in every fans top 30 I’ll be surprised! From “Caribou”, and you’ll
notice “Don’t Let The Sun…” did not make my list, why? Because every fans knows “Ticking” is the better song! Say what
you will about Elton and “The Band”, when a producer is on their A game, they
know, just give him a lyric, put him in a studio, shut up, get out of his way,
and presto- MAGIC! The guy is simply awesome, and I could make an argument as
singer songwriter’s go…he wins any comparisons you want to draw with any other
composers with this one track. You do get that it was recorded virtually in one
take…right? Vocals and piano at the same time? Yes I said…same time! The
research supports this. I’ll listen sometimes, that fact will pop into my
head….and I’ll just start to laugh….The World had no clue, ( back then ) the
genius this boy was. The fact that I have not heard this song on FM rock radio
in over three decades burns me so much!!!! It is better than almost anything
Joel ever recorded, or Springsteen for that matter. Performance wise, no
“singer songwriter” before or SINCE has ever matched it’s brilliance on record.
NONE! If you can disprove that, by all means try….please! The topic is as
relevant today as ever, maybe even more so, sadly. My favorite live performance
happened on the UK TV Old Grey Whistle Test….a near match to the studio
version, but I’ll also mention a 1993 version in London with Ray Cooper.
Melodically perhaps, not as much ear candy as “Someone Saved”, but most
certainly musicianship wise, a career milestone. And for Rock N Roll an
Untouched Masterpiece. ( and I’m well aware of the Boomtown Rats – “I Don’t
Like Mondays”, done ten years after this track! )
18. One More Arrow – 1983 – I think this is autobiographical, perhaps about Taupin’s father? But
whatever the meaning, the song is classic Elton John. It is nearly the last
time we will ever hear from the falsetto side of John. ( 1986’s Since God
Invented Girls was the final song…).Thank God it was….!!! I am sure that on any
given day Elton can write four of these things, that’s how good he is ( proof:
The Diving Board : Recording session Two! ). But what a melody! It flows like
melted gold. “Too Low..” is not my fave album, but it does contain a classic,
Captain Fantastic Ballad. Live, it never quite had the magic….I wonder if it
was stepped down a key or two, how Modern Elton would handle it now, still
think, its melody is so strong it would shine. Simply lovely!
17. It’s Getting Dark In Here – 2004 - From the first notes, I knew it was a classic! One of Elton’s best
vocals in decades. The opening backing vocals just automatically set the tone.
I don’t get how this never saw release as a single! It is as classic as
“Harmony” ever was. And you’ll take note it made my list and “Harmony” did not!
Piano solo is fantastic . The build-up end is classic Elton! String synth
arrangement is understated but works. Classic Taupin, “I’m scared of strangers on the street, world so ugly I can’t breathe,
Moon so spooky I’m close to tears…Ive been handed a curse and a blessing, My
life’s been stripped down to the wire…” – one of my all-time Taupin lyrics!
I want this song live…someday….Please? With a cherry on top?
16. Blues For Baby and Me – 1972 - Structurally it’s
classic Elton John, Bernie Taupin. We got a lot of these back in the day,
“Michelle’s Song”, “Tiny Dancer”, “High Flying Bird”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick
Road”, “Cold As Christmas”, there’s even a fairly unknown one written for Kiki
Dee in 1973 entitled, “Lonnie and Josie”. I honestly love them all! But Blues
holds me like few others, the words….”I saw your hands tremblin’ you’re eyes
opened in surprise…”, I’ve thought long and hard on this track, and I will go
out on a limb and suggest that maybe, “Maybe” it’s auto-biographical…another
“Tiny Dancer” as it were. Lyricist meets fan, and they take off on a tour
bus….upsetting her father. ? Am I right? I don’t know but it’s the perfect song
of the teenager in all us 70’s children. The string arrangement by Buckmaster
is lovely, and again….why hasn’t this song been selected for those orchestral
concerts…do we really need “Madman” every time? But I think what makes this
song work so well musically is the balance of piano, acoustic guitar, and
sitar. And that vocal, kick ass ending….God I miss those endings Elton! How
you’d ramp it up at the end of a song and let your soul soar! Just a great 1972
era slice of Pop music. Lyrically and Musically very reminiscent of Lobo’s “Me
and You and a Dog Named Booh”, and Simon and Garfunkle’s “America”. ( “Kathy I said, as we boarded a greyhound
to Pittsburgh…”).
15. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – 1973 - Perhaps his most important Pop song. I never tire of it. Maybe live
I might, but when I hear it on the radio, I always reach for the dial to crank
it up. It’s an instant time machine for me. 1973, October….I’m in the Vets
office, bathing a St. Bernard, the song comes on I stop what I’m doing, the Veterinarian
and I listen…we both agree “ A
classic!”. Bernie and Elton were at the top of their songwriting game back
then…Titles blitzed and blazed from the pen or keys of Taupin, and this was one
of their best. Today It reads as a nasty letter to Elton, ( I think, or
Maxine )….So when are “YOU” gonna come
down? When are going to land…? ( Jerk!
LOL! ) I should have stayed on the farm……( I’m fed up with this nonsense…)…But for me, it’s all about the ( Blue – uwooohs ), the horny back toads,
the woods, It’s like the perfect teenage boy song. Where are we? Where are we
headed? Is this what I want? Remember how simple childhood was? I love the
innocence lost, quality of the track. Del Newman’s arrangement is one of the
best in Pop music, only ( perhaps ) bested by “Rocket Man”. Newman was well
known having arranged remarkable albums for Cat Stevens and Harry Nilsson in
1972. Do you know how many studio engineers were influenced by this
track?!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too many think of this song as “JUST” another pop ballad.
But I see it in the league of “Let It Be” and “The Long and Winding Road”,
wistful, hymn-like and lovely. Are there any greater rock n roll ballads? If
you say “Free Bird” I’m outta here!!!!!!!!!!
14. I’ve Seen That Movie Too – 1973 - 13
and 14 are kind of interchangeable. Hard for me to distinguish one or the
other.Taupin’s images and word play are brilliant. Elton’s vocals superb.
Melody is wonderfully playful, jazzy…blues. This is a style that befits Elton (
The Diving Board, My Elusive Drug, This Train…). Every now and again, I wonder
if this track deserves to be placed much higher. It is most certainly top 20
John/Taupin. The songs arrangement is superb! One of the best of his entire
career.Johnstone’s brilliant, superb, backwards electric guitar plows through
the strings. I’ve never understood, why
not do this track with the orchestra? I may be under rating this track, it is
Most certainly one of their best.
13.Mellow –1972 - Vocally brilliant!
Electric violin solo, ( done in one take ), one of the best solo’s ever laid
down in a studio for Elton….My gosh, I used to walk for miles with this track
playing in my head and singing to it. The perfect country ballad, for a guy
growing up in the country. It’s a guy’s “Guy” song. A fantastic track. And I
believe inspired by Taupin’s Southern vacation/Honey-moon in America ( circa
1971 ), with Maxine from the year before. Piano is superb, “ don’t forget the
beer….Ohhhh, my little Dear,rrrrunhhhh…it helps to sew the mellow seed….”
12. High Flying Bird –1972 - I was beside
myself with joy the day I heard it would be showcased at his Birthday Concert
in New York. The song was admittedly forgotten by Elton, and rediscovered.It
should have been a single in 1972. It was a travesty that “Daniel” surpassed
it. But thanks to FM rock radio in the 70’s, they refused to let it disappear.
The song has a worldwide fan base, that few of John’s hits have such allegiance
too, as they do with this song. The problem back in those days, every other
song was a classic by these guys, so some had to get kicked under the bus,
sadly. So under rated!
11. Amoreena – 1971 - Both lyricist and
songwriter love “Tumbleweed”, so why have we not heard this track in concert in
over four decades? I have one thought on this: Is it possible Elton John cannot
funk it, rock it, soul it, with such vigor, energy, pulse, magnetism, and verve
today? Hmmm, I’ve pondered this. It is for me the “ONE” singular track, I’d use
against him and T. Bone Burnett if I were a party to their recent recordings.
Not one producer since Gus Dudgeon has gotten Elton to rock like this. If
anyone ever says to me , well Billy Joel rocks better, I haul this out, and
when it’s done..I say…”You were saying?” J! If
ever a song had muscle, this one is it! The piano is pulsing and riveting. It
is one of the best studio recordings of Elton, Dee and Nigel from those early
days. A tribute to Leon Russell’s Delta Lady, yet it even out rocks Leon!
Everyone loves the track, I just don’t get the deal that it’s been so terribly
forgotten by the songwriters themselves?It deserves so much better. And mops
the floor up when put against Burn Down The Mission. As far as I’m aware, live
it was a hardship for the singer to stay on pitch, maybe due to speaker
balances and noise levels. There is a fantastic live version out there from the
BBC in 1969.
The Top
Ten!
10. Levon – 1971 - One of
the most Cinematic Hollywood style vignettes, Taupin ever wrote. Loosely based
on the moment of April 8, 1966, when Time Magazine’s cover read “ God Is Dead”.
That cover was recently listed in the top ten of the Most Important and
shocking Cultural magazine covers of the World. Hints at the Nietzsche inspired
trend of the 1960’s Theologians to write God out of the field of Theology. The
Characters name also seems to be a bow to Levon Helm of the band. That magazine
cover event became relevant again in 1970 when The New York Newspaper The New
York Times published a full page ad of similar question. Musically, the song soars! It is one of the
most powerful ballads in rock music. I will never forget the second I heard it
for the first time on radio. I had to buy it immediately!.
9. Talking Old Soldiers –1971 - First I stunned myself, by placing this track behind its brother,
“Oceans Away”. That being said, in 1995 in Columbus Ohio, I was able to thank
Elton for performing Soldiers live in 1993 with Ray Cooper. I said then: “It
has always been one of my all time favorite songs by you. Your vocals on that
track were and are stunning! It sends shivers through me. “He smiled and
admitted it was also one of his personal favorite songs. Let me say this,
choosing a top ten, of a man of this skill is nearly an impossible task. Given
this track alone, on any given other day, this might be my favorite number one.
Tastes change. But for now, we’ll go with it as number 9. It still is one of
the best vocals the man ever tracked in any studio ever! An amazing vocal,
unmatched by any rocker since! You feel every ounce of the loneliness and pain.
Dramatic it is, heart-felt….amazingly real! What else do you need but Elton’s
voice and a bit of piano?
8. Oceans Away –2013 - From the moment I
heard this song, and those opening majestic piano notes…I knew it was
“Old-Classic” Elton again! I haven’t stopped playing it since September 2013.
It plays every day in my truck. In my opinion it’s one of the best ballads of
all time from Elton and Bernie. And the song contains one of the best lyrically
lines of Taupin’s career: “They bend like
trees in winter, those shuffling old gray lions…” An Elegant and lovely
tribute to World War Vets.I have heard fans don’t like this track, Elton, I
will have died and gone to heaven if, for the rest of your career you just
write songs like this! Absolutely 100 percent beautiful!
7. Rocket Man –1972 - Studio version is
superb. Dudgeon’s mastery at recording, balances of instruments vs vocals,
arrangement skills, make this track a killer pop cut. It is sooooo under rated
in my opinion. One of the GREATEST Pop/Rock Tracks of all time.A signature piece
and concert staple.Live I have ONLY one request: I wish “The Band” would go
back, sit in a room and re-listen to it, to try to capture its real beauty both
instrumentally and vocally. They’re “Oceans Away” from the original studio
version today. 1999 Chicago is one of my favorite live performances, but
also1986 LA.
6. Skyline Pigeon –1974 - I’m no fan of
the Empty Sky version, however, the Here and There Live version from 1974, is breathtakingly beautiful. The best, if not…One of his best solo versions
ever, live.It has the same naive quality that so riveted me to it, the day I
first heard it in 1972 at a Diner. I wasn’t interested in “Daniel” the A side,
but I don’t know how many quarters I stuck in that corner jukebox, that day, to
play the B side…Pigeon, over and over! Just a lovely, haunting song.Very much a
hymn. Has a timeless quality to it. And I was sobbing during the Ryan White
funeral performance, but so proud of him, as was Ryan’s Mom ( you can see it in
her face ), when Elton kicks in such a heartfelt ending.
The Top
Five !
5. Chameleon –1976 - It’s inclusion in my
top ten probably shocked a few fans. I can’t go very long without hauling it
out. It’s such an under rated track! One of the team’s best ballads ever. The
piano part is brilliant! And only one word comes to mind to review it :
Gorgeous! It’s always a track I listen ton on a bright blue sky day, a breath
of fresh air!
4. Where To Now St. Peter? –1971 - My
all-time favorite Taupin lyric, mixed with a gorgeous sweeping melody. And that
piano part is one of his all time classics. “I took myself a blue canoe and I floated like a leaf, Dazzling, dancing
half-enchanted, in my Merlin sleep”. In my opinion it is Taupin’s best
lyric phrase – ever! Even the demo is killer! Finally I'd like to add something
here about the songs brilliant arrangement and balance. Much is, can, and will
always be said about Elton's phenominal piano work on the track, probably
borrowed by Coldplay for "Clocks" and even by himself for Peach Tree
Road's "Too Many Tears"; But what I think needs to be spotlighted is
the incredible guitar work through out. Caleb Quaye's remarkable talents shine
like a diamond. The piano breaks, his guitar slides right in! Filling the empty
spaces, decorating the mood. When needed, Quaye's guitar work, is an accent of
artistic measure, self-control, skill, technique and immaculate balance.
It is used effectively. and dramatically. Always as a support and a tool
to move the intricacies of piano melody, Elton vocals, and emotion forward. I
consider that track, "Can I Put You On" and "Ballad Of A Well
Known Gun" to glow because of Caleby Quayes guitar mastery. He has
been long over do a few compliments. And I can never listen to this track or
those others without always marveling at his gifts. He was instrumentally the
perfect match to Elton John in those eaerly days. And "Peter"
demonstrates this marvelously! Oddly the story line of the song seems closely
linked to one by Author Ambrose Bierce, and his short story about a soldier in
the Civil War. The story is called, "Occurence at Owl Creek". The
story and the song share images of a soldier who is shot, he is drifting, in a
canoe/row boat, he is invisible, he does not realize he is dead, he continues
to drift. In the late 1990's, the country group Blue Mountain recorded a
tribute song to this song, called "Blue Canoe". In July,
2007 Ann Wilson, of Heart released a duet with Elton for her solo album,
"Hope and Glory". Elton's vocals on this track have a harder edge.
He's older, the higher more subtle voice has been replaced with a more husky
reverence. One of the lyrical puzzlers is the time and place of the song. Is
this the Vietnam or the Civil War era? The Blue Canoe seems to make one think
of earlier times, The Blue and Gray. The song's title possibly refers to an old
Church in Owmby-By-Spital, Lincolnshire, England. Just up the road from
Taupin's Maltkin Farm. It has been said that as a teenage boy, Taupin used to
climb up the church bell tower and look out over the village at sunset. The Church
is called "St. Peter's and Saint Paul's". Maybe the lyric is a memory
reference. The Church was to have also been the inspiration for the lyrics to
"Skyline Pigeon".
3. Sixty Years On –1970 -
Only two versions stand out for me, both are live, 11/17/70 and Edinboro, 1976.
I am speaking of the live version 11/17/70 here. “The drums was talkin’, the piano was walkin’”, as Little Richard once said. Powerfully
dramatic! Riveting performance. I recall a wonderful review of a 1970 concert
in NY at Carnegie Hall, where a critic said: “And as the piano and drums reached a great crescendo on the last
dramatic lines of the song…..not a word was spoken….in the silenced audience…”
2. Someone Saved My Life Tonight – 1975 - Powerful vocals, powerful words, powerful melody, powerful piano.
Do we need anything more? Best live version: 1995 Rio.
1. Your Song – 1970 - near perfect. The quintessential EJ song. The perfect love ballad, and the equal of the Beatles “Yesterday”. A sign of a good song is its staying power, and there are so many good live versions of this track….My favorites: 1986, Prince’s Trust Gala, Wembley with pony tail, 1986/87, solo on Good Morning America ( just after vocal operation, does a more lovely version exist? ). The song that started it all for me personally. I never tire of it. God it’s so simple, and Paul Smith on Facebook recently asked all the fans if you could have written one song in your life what would it be from Elton, Elton, I get it…you chose Leon Russell’s “Song For You”, but I’d choose your tribute to that song, “It may be quite simple but….How wonderful life while you’re in the world…”
