The days of great music are gone. Lyrics meant something, vocals meant something...The band meant something Elton John and his band were just so damn good. What a rhythm section.... My sister is 16 years older than me, and was really into Elton. I'm glad she introduced me to this music at a young age. Enjoy. Levon (Live '71) The Link From my favorite Elton album (Tumbleweed Connection) Amoreena The Link My Father's Gun (From Elizabethtown) The Link others Empty Garden (John Lennon tribute) The Link Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters The Link
You are soooo right. I am always amazed at the music of Elton John/Bernie Taupin. These guys are the only people I am aware of who write songs thee way they do (1st Bernie's lyrics, then Elton puts to music). I have been a huge fan since 1974, and I continue to be a fan today. P.S. Check out the latest autobiographical album...."The Captain and the Kid"
My sister turned me onto Goodbye Yellow Brick Road when we were kids. In turn, I've recommended some Elton to my kids (and hers) and you'd think I was offering them some Liberace. Damn shame.
Don't bag on Liberace. He was a very good musician and showman. He used to come to Austin and perform in the old Municipal Auditorium. Great shows.
Liberace and Elton John have a lot in common. I'm a fan of them both. I think of Elvis as a very talented phenomenon. I rate Liberace and Elton John somewhat higher on my entertainment scale as very phenomenal talents.
Tumbleweed Connection was my favorite too, followed closely by MadMan "Burn down the mission walls..if we're gonna stay alive..."
yes, you are so correct. i also grew up in the 70's and it was a most different age then than now especially with music. i was first introduced with Elberberry WIne (Dont Shoot Me I'm only the Piano Player), besides the ones you first listed i also enjoyed Capt. Fantastic, Rock of the Westies, Blue Moves, Honky Chateau, Tommy (Pinball Wizard) and many others. his music and lyrics were played with great respect and heart. yes, those days are gone but some of the best memories of my life stem from the days when i was going down to the local record shop and purchasing the latest Elton either on 45 or LP and then trying out the new tunes on my old turntable. you truly brought back some great old memories today. Thanks RIP76
Elderberry Wine... great song... Honky Chateau Don't Shoot Me Captain Fantastic Rock of the Westies all great albums.. Some great underrated Elton songs: "High Flying Bird" "I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself" "Holiday Inn" "Mellow" "Texan Love Song" "Harmony" I'll never forget this picture on the inside of "GYBR"
I remember hearing "Your Song" when it was new - I was living in Jester at the time. I thought that was the best song I ever heard and I've been a big fan ever since. I guess I've seen Elton's live concerts about 6 times, including the Vegas one. And yes, Tiny Dancer is the best.
I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues....I never get tired of that song, I turned my kids on to Elton when he did a show on PBS...amazing
One of my favorites for sure. When Your Song came out in 1970, his sound was so rich, so unlike anyone else and it continued that way for years. I attended several of his concerts and always walked away amazed and pleased. My brother always said if he was marooned on an island and could only take the music of one artist to listen to for life, it would be EJ. I would probably choose the Beatles, but EJ would be a close second. Yellow Brick Road was a high-watermark for him IMO. Madman, YBR and Tumblweed were my favorite albums. Some of my favorite songs: Madman Across the Water Tiny Dancer Your Song Levon Where to Now St. Peter Burn Down the Mission Harmony Candle in the Wind All the Young Girls Love Alice Ballad of Danny Bailey Iv'e Seen That Movie Too
tell me more about the vegas show plz? obviously, any true music fan digs elton, but i was wary to see what i perceived to be as a washed up commercial romp.
I have this new girlfriend. She was going over my cds this last week and said "you have twenty-one Elton John cds?" I replied "Elton John ******* rocks." Because of that, I've been listening to Elton John a lot this week. Funny timing with this thread.
Check out this string of EJ albums in less than 5 years. If blows me away how prolific these guys were in the 70s. I became a fan when Bennie and the Jets single was released. I was raised on country music but EJ and the live Three Dog Night were my first rock album/single purchases. I didn't have an older sibling to influence my music taste, so some top 40 radio and listening to albums of my friends older siblings was where I got my exposure to stuff that wasn't played on WBAP 820 out of DFW in the 70s. 70 Tumbleweed Connection 71 Madman Across The Water 72 Honky Chateau 73 Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player 73 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 74 Caribou 75 Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy 75 Rock Of The Westies I have always thought the band of Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray & Nigel Olsson were INCREDIBLY underrated. I love the sound of Olsson's drums....prob. second to Michael DeRosier from Heart. I have always loved Captain Fantastic the best, but I need to go back and relisten to Yellow Brick Road. After the movie Elizabethtown came out, I went back and relistened to Tumbleweed. I love that one, but for some reason, Capt. Fantastic is still my favorite. My brother interviewed Bernie Taupin in the late 80s. He said Bernie was a really great guy. Then he threw Bernie for a loop when he told him how much he enjoyed his work with Alice Cooper. Bernie started laughing because he assumed my brother was going to say Elton John.
"I love the sound of Olsson's drums....prob. second to Michael DeRosier from Heart." Dead on. Another one of my favorite Elton songs is "Friends,' from the Friends soundtrack.. great song. Bernie could write lyrics "Talking Old Soldiers" - Why hello, say can I buy you another glass of beer Well thanks a lot that's kind of you, it's nice to know you care These days there's so much going on No one seems to want to know I may be just an old soldier to some But I know how it feels to grow old Yeah that's right, you can see me here most every night You'll always see me staring at the walls and at the lights Funny I remember oh it's years ago I'd say I'd stand at that bar with my friends who've passed away And drink three times the beer that I can drink today Yes I know how it feels to grow old I know what they're saying son There goes old man Joe again Well I may be mad at that I've seen enough To make a man go out his brains Well do they know what it's like To have a graveyard as a friend `Cause that's where they are boy, all of them Don't seem likely I'll get friends like that again Well it's time I moved off But it's been great just listening to you And I might even see you next time I'm passing through You're right there's so much going on No one seems to want to know So keep well, keep well old friend And have another drink on me Just ignore all the others you got your memories You got your memories
Speaking of childhood memories, there is definitely one song that sums the Elton portion up for me. Island Girl I can still see that "Rocket Records" logo on the 45.
Saw the Red Piano show at Caesar's last summer and it kicked ***. The set list, as I recall, was: Bennie and the Jets Philadelphia Freedom Believe Daniel Pinball Wizard Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues Rocket Man The ***** is Back Candle in the Wind Tiny Dancer Someone Saved My Life Tonight I'm Still Standing Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting Your Song The voice is much more rough than it was in the heydey of the 70's, but the presentation and theatrics was still right on. Plus you got to Pamela Anderson on screen in a thong. The down side was that Carrottop was sitting two seats over from me and spent most of the evening flexing. And I am not joking either.
I have seen Elton at least 6 times, but two concerts stand out in my memory: - Houston, the Summit.....shortly after the Challenger tragedy, he dedicated Rocket Man to the fallen crew while showing some NASA video on the big video screen......not a dry eye in the house! - New York, Madison Square Garden, He sang Empty Garden (piano only) still get goose bumps thinking about that one Some of my personal favorites" - Where To Now St. Peter? - song about death - Levon - Rotten Peaches - Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters - High Flying Bird - about the death of a child - All of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Ticking - All of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - Where's the Shoorah? - Dan Dare - All of The Captain and the Kid
I have to think Elton to introducing me to Yellow Brick Road and Capt. Fantastic. As a fifth grader when CF came out the lyrics just took me to a new level of music appreciation. Rock of the Westies did not do it for me but he did made up for it with Blue Moves. Since then I have not really been into his records. Still catch him in concert when I can though.
Crocodile Rock is absolutely unbelievable in concert. If you do not like Elton John, you are a big, fat loser.
More great one's... All of these from "Madman Across the Water" (What a freaking album) 1971 BBC Studios "Holiday Inn" I love his "semi - country" styleThe Link Rotten Peaches (Great key changes)The Link Razor Face (I love these drums)The Link
Not to stray off of EJ, who I love, but damn -- just noticed Rip's sig. Pete Townsend had a serious vertical back in the day.
