Let's do this!
http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Galleries/Studio%2054/studio54-27-sized.jpg
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 14:49 (ten years ago) link
"Ego"
http://youtu.be/qt7xtcD40Dg
http://eil.com/images/main/Elton+John+-+Ego+-+7%22+RECORD-83494.jpg
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 14:50 (ten years ago) link
Sounds like a coked-up Captain Fantastic outtake in that it's woe-is-me-I'm-a-star special pleading. The hook isn't great. The stop-start dynamics are well done. Dunno about the train whistles though.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 14:54 (ten years ago) link
So, stage setting, from what I vaguely recall, By 1978, Elton has a) come out as a bisexual to Rolling Stone apparently costing him some (rather clueless) fans, b) split with Bernie Taupin and c) declared he's done playing live. Thus begins "The Not-So-Great Years"
From Elizabeth Rosenthal's bio: "Elton viewed 'Ego' (a leftover Taupin collaboration) as a commentary on bloated show-business vanity of the type embodied, he said, in the careers of David Bowie (!) and Neil Diamond."
― col, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 14:55 (ten years ago) link
"Little Jeannie" the big hit between 1978 and 1983; I can't wait to loathe it.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 14:58 (ten years ago) link
Taupin (temporarily) going out in real style: that run of "Before schoolish, immaturish, lose-your-coolish" is some of the most brutal rhyming in the English language.
I recall liking "Ego" when I first heard it ca. 2000---was touted then as the "great lost Elton single" as it had flopped hard and wasn't included on any compilations. It's still fun & weird: very Sparks/Deaf School, musically. Why EJ thought this piece of cranky rock-star theatrics would be a hit is another thing.
― col, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:04 (ten years ago) link
yeah I don't think this is bad at all but am unsurprised it flopped.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:05 (ten years ago) link
Listening. I don't think I've heard this before. What's the year?
― _Rudipherous_, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:10 (ten years ago) link
early 1978
― col, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:10 (ten years ago) link
Hey wait get back to your book or something oh hi there col. (Actually how long HAVE you been here?)
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 16:00 (ten years ago) link
just on the Eagles thing. I will devote about 5 minutes per day to this project, so no worries Ned
― col, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 16:00 (ten years ago) link
Stoked for the madness.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 16:06 (ten years ago) link
shh!
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 17:44 (ten years ago) link
I quite like this! I get why it wasn't a hit though, it's not really hooky enough to want to listen to a lot. But it's cool.
and he looks so young in that vidoe
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 17:52 (ten years ago) link
his eyebrows are ridic
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 17:53 (ten years ago) link
I don't mind Taupin's lyrics. The sillier he is the better off we all are.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 17:53 (ten years ago) link
agreed
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 17:54 (ten years ago) link
I'm so damn curious about A Single Man. By his own standards a flop but more than respectable sales at the height of disco. And I love britishes to discuss "Song For Guy," a massive hit that made no impact in Amerikay.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 17:57 (ten years ago) link
yeah, "Song for Guy" is a mystery for me, too. first we get a really weird B-side though, if we're going to do strict chronology here
― col, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 18:13 (ten years ago) link
I don't know shit about Elton beyond the hits. But "Ego" has me intrigued. Nice and sprightly; I could almost (barely, but almost) imagine EC & the Attractions doing this.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 18:43 (ten years ago) link
Finally, some love (or faint praise anyway) for "Ego" on ILM - this was sadly absent from the recent artist poll we did.
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 19:51 (ten years ago) link
(My turn to eat my words by the time we get to 1985, I suspect)
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 19:52 (ten years ago) link
sooner!
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 21:41 (ten years ago) link
1978-1988 is the period where Elton looked the most stylish, I think this is where he peaked in terms of appearance.
― going out dancing with the girls, her cat. (soref), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 21:44 (ten years ago) link
the coke diet iirc
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 21:45 (ten years ago) link
the late '70s, thin, sorta-Mod Elton reminds me of someone else, but can't place it.
― col, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 21:52 (ten years ago) link
I could almost (barely, but almost) imagine EC & the Attractions doing this
I used to get Elton and Elvis Costello mixed up when I was a kid- they both wore glasses, frequently wore hats, had names beginning with E, had songs with pianos in them etc.
― going out dancing with the girls, her cat. (soref), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 21:54 (ten years ago) link
Some of the facial expressions and mannerism in the video look sort of Bowie-esque, I don't know if that's intentional (c.f. the quote above about Bowie being one of the inspirations for the figure in the song)
― going out dancing with the girls, her cat. (soref), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 21:59 (ten years ago) link
I had forgotten this song existed, can't remember what I thought of it at the time; evidently not much. Crazy tempo changes, very rock-theatre. The Sparks/Deaf School comparison is apt.
― Conceptual Brew (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 22:07 (ten years ago) link
I admire you guys, but I have no intention of subjecting myself to this if only because I never want to encounter any reason to have to hear "Wrap Her Up" again.
― a fifth of misty beethoven (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 22:40 (ten years ago) link
Three months away. Be a man. Bite your lip (get up and dance)!
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 22:41 (ten years ago) link
Over time I think it's important that we wear a succession of slightly worse wigs and technicolor fun shirts
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 12 December 2013 00:08 (ten years ago) link
I used to get Elton and Elvis Costello mixed up when I was a kid- they both wore glasses, frequently wore hats, had names beginning with E, had songs with pianos in them etc.― going out dancing with the girls, her cat. (soref), Wednesday, December 11, 2013 3:54 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― going out dancing with the girls, her cat. (soref), Wednesday, December 11, 2013 3:54 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I can almost hear an Elton "Alison" in my head--however it ends up being a Bernie opera riffing on the notion of "you that little friend of mine take off your party dress".
I guess I'll go in for this, as I recently picked up some classic era Elton on disc cheap during an Amazon blitz (I even got the expanded Here and There!).
"Ego": I heard this before on a friend's public radio show some years back. He mentioned afterwards that the song was his intro to EJ via the radio, and it was one of the first new music singles he got on 45 (he'd be 8 y.o. at the time). It does have a slightly infectious Sparks feel, not to mention coming off like sped-up Meatloaf/Steinman.
― Maintenance Engineer of Foolhardiness (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 12 December 2013 00:59 (ten years ago) link
I've never heard this one before. There's some seriously funky chord changes goin' on. Not bad.
― Lee626, Thursday, 12 December 2013 01:05 (ten years ago) link
But what would Don 'n' Glenn say?
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 December 2013 01:07 (ten years ago) link
well, yeah
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 12 December 2013 02:19 (ten years ago) link
DON: We knew Elton. He and Bernie were songwriters who sold millions of albums. Glenn and I wondered how they did it. We met him a few times at the Chateau Marmont. He was kind enough to buy us a few bottles of champagne, which we were most appreciative of when we were up and coming.
GLENN: Remember that party in '74? Pretty sure he was watching us up and coming.
DON: Well, yeah.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 December 2013 02:27 (ten years ago) link
"Chloe" from 1981 is a pretty good minor Top 40 ballad.
― jetfan, Thursday, 12 December 2013 02:31 (ten years ago) link
I got The Fox as a joke gift last xmas. I'll be happy to oblige in a couple months.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 December 2013 02:31 (ten years ago) link
the one I'm bracing for is (my God I hope not Don 'n' Glenn-influenced) Victim of Love
― col, Thursday, 12 December 2013 02:56 (ten years ago) link
let's have our fingers crossed for Don Felder on guitar thoughRIGHT? :D
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 12 December 2013 03:01 (ten years ago) link
"Part Time Love", the lead single from A Single Man, would have made a good 3rd or 4th single. But it was the lead single. Always thought it was catchy, but can see why it never went Top 20.
― jetfan, Thursday, 12 December 2013 03:42 (ten years ago) link
can't wait to discuss it
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 December 2013 03:44 (ten years ago) link
I got The Fox as a joke gift last xmas.
A lump of coal in the stocking if there ever was one.
― a fifth of misty beethoven (cryptosicko), Thursday, 12 December 2013 04:08 (ten years ago) link
Don and Glenn will be making a backing vox appearance in a couple albums.
― Maintenance Engineer of Foolhardiness (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 12 December 2013 04:45 (ten years ago) link
I think Elton hates The Fox as much as everybody else. Both Top 40 singles, "Chloe" and "Nobody Wins" haven't shown up on any U.S. singles compilation that I can think of.
― jetfan, Thursday, 12 December 2013 05:31 (ten years ago) link
he looked battered on a repeat of Top Of The Pops last week doing Song For Guy, always liked that one though. the best quote i ever read about his lost years was from EJ himself who said in UNCUT magazine of the coke years "it sounds like a dead person in there".
― piscesx, Thursday, 12 December 2013 07:16 (ten years ago) link
The only Fox-y tune I remember is the gay thing cowritten with Tom Robinson.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 December 2013 13:21 (ten years ago) link
should I do today's, Alfred? I'm awake and have had a cup. I've got all the links, i think
― col, Thursday, 12 December 2013 13:26 (ten years ago) link
I've got a toot waiting, so go for it.
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 December 2013 13:27 (ten years ago) link
say goodbye to diet soda?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOkzRZWMLKA
― piscesx, Friday, 4 April 2014 11:40 (ten years ago) link
what about the one with Paula Abdul?
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 4 April 2014 13:17 (ten years ago) link
80s-Elton-by-numbers, sung well & given a kick midway through w/ some fun piano runs, as if EJ had gotten bored while listening to a track playthrough
― col, Friday, 4 April 2014 13:20 (ten years ago) link
"Heavy Traffic"
http://youtu.be/LnsqaNRTQTc
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UYViqG0MWng/0.jpg
― col, Saturday, 5 April 2014 12:10 (ten years ago) link
We're back to the tone and approach of 'Religion" but not it smerits. Brisky strummed acoustic guitars and EJ's cocktail piano anchor a just-another-day-in-the-burbs scenario about a guy gettin' high on "apple juice and cocaine" while his mate makes PCP in the basement.
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 5 April 2014 12:53 (ten years ago) link
points given: a fairly fresh sound, with the acoustic guitars and piano, and a mix so airy (at least in the verses) it sounds like Neu! by comparison to some of the gunked-up tracks on this album; one line sounds like EJ's muttering "Paul McCartney". points taken: Bernie Taupin using '80s TV movies as pointers as to what "kids these days" are up to; chorus singers wouldn't make the cut for a Lloyd Webber show
― col, Saturday, 5 April 2014 14:28 (ten years ago) link
it's a better "We Didn't Start the Fire."
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 5 April 2014 16:45 (ten years ago) link
"Poor Cow"
http://youtu.be/14ageaewAMs
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/4/24/1366818866351/Terence-Stamp-in-Poor-Cow-008.jpg
(had to break the Elton-photo rule, given the title)
― col, Sunday, 6 April 2014 13:19 (ten years ago) link
"Since God Invented Girls"
http://youtu.be/R-L3wpisJOM
http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/ultimateclassicrock.com/files/2012/06/51147134.jpg
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 April 2014 12:00 (ten years ago) link
John Broadbent4 years ago This song gives me a boner. ....Shaped it like an hourglass, and made the angels moan. Oh, here's a little heat boys, to straighten out them curls. Now there ain't been no angels 'round since God invented girls!
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 April 2014 12:01 (ten years ago) link
Alfred, Lord Sotosyn
What the bloody hell is this garbage?
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 April 2014 12:02 (ten years ago) link
what a way to go out, Elton. Nicely encapsulates the worst of his '80s, though: desperate affirmations of heterosexuality, blustery singing, fretless bass, Taupin too bored to even be cryptic.
forget to say something on "Poor Cow": not bad, esp compared to today's turkey. sounds like EJ trying to be Squeeze in places
― col, Monday, 7 April 2014 13:16 (ten years ago) link
Well, Babylon & On-era Squeeze.
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 April 2014 13:19 (ten years ago) link
more like Babylon & On-era outtakes, to be fair
one more song to go?
― col, Monday, 7 April 2014 13:22 (ten years ago) link
Two, if you can find the live "Medley" that was on some editions of the 12" of A Word In Spanish. Includes Elton covering a bit of Leon Russell's A Song For You ("an American classic" per EJ). Then goes into a couple of classics we've already featured itt. Would be nice to finish on an upbeat note... if that's in the spirit of the thread?
― Jeff W, Monday, 7 April 2014 18:19 (ten years ago) link
I want to review the Aretha collab "Through The Storm."
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 April 2014 18:30 (ten years ago) link
"Rope Around a Fool"
http://youtu.be/kzD6hHzKkBQ
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 8 April 2014 13:10 (ten years ago) link
Elton listen to "Dixie Chicken" before cutting this one? Chorus is a bit ungainly but this is better than at least half of Reg
― col, Tuesday, 8 April 2014 13:22 (ten years ago) link
well, couldn't find the medley Jeff was talking about, so here's The End, a last duet w/Aretha:
"Through the Storm"
http://youtu.be/M44suQXkucQ
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/86/Through_the_Storm.jpg/220px-Through_the_Storm.jpg
― col, Wednesday, 9 April 2014 16:29 (ten years ago) link
an apt title summation
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 9 April 2014 17:55 (ten years ago) link
alright, Pearls From Elton's Lost Years (a guide to people who don't want to slog through this whole thread):
Part Time LoveIt Ain't Gonna Be EasyMama Can't Buy You LoveChasing the CrownBreaking Down BarriersBlue EyesDear JohnBall and ChainI Guess That's Why They Call It the BluesI'm Still StandingToo Low For ZeroReligionBreaking HeartsNikitaLord of the Flies (hey it stuck in my head)
what else?
― col, Wednesday, 9 April 2014 18:25 (ten years ago) link
This was illuminating -- like the Eagles thread it confirmed what I knew. The surprises: the so-called late seventies minor singles like "Part Time Love"; learning that Jump Up! has almost as many good to great songs as TLFZ.
My list, longer than yours (and hey -- where's "I Don't Wanna..." on yours?)
EgoPart Time LoveIt Ain't Gonna Be EasyChasing the CrownBreaking Down BarriersElton's SongWhite Lady White PowderBall and ChainDear JohnI Guess That's Why They Call It the BluesI'm Still StandingToo Low For ZeroReligionBreaking HeartsNikitaI Don't Wanna Go On With You Like ThatGoodbye Marlon Brando
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:04 (ten years ago) link
i would add:
shooting starcold as christmas
and maybe:
passengers
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:17 (ten years ago) link
oh right! "Cold as Christmas" def
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:31 (ten years ago) link
my list got lopped off: meant to include "Marlon Brando" and "Don't Wanna Go On."
― col, Thursday, 10 April 2014 12:38 (ten years ago) link
spotif'ied playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/judgeparker/playlist/5KzQRGivsutcFZYnr8FFIG
― col, Thursday, 10 April 2014 14:08 (ten years ago) link
Missing you already. Thanks for doing this.
I'm down with A,LS's list, but would also add fcc's picks + most of the Thom Bell sessions + "Nobody Wins" + "Belgium".
― Jeff W, Friday, 11 April 2014 13:01 (ten years ago) link
Elton in the wild: "Nikita" at Office Max.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 November 2014 00:54 (nine years ago) link
Cold War epilogue
― col, Monday, 10 November 2014 01:00 (nine years ago) link
i think i would do a paul mccartney one of these if you guys did one! i couldn't do elton. ugh. it just occurred to me that i've probably only heard like 2 or 3 mccartney albums all the way through. i don't know why he had to put out so many records though.
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 15:53 (eight years ago) link
PLEASE DO
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 June 2015 15:59 (eight years ago) link
Pretty sure col would be. Turrican, Tim Ellison, Doctor Casino for sure.
Might be best to circumscribe a time period though.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 June 2015 16:00 (eight years ago) link
i don't want to be in charge of it. i would listen and chime in though...
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 16:01 (eight years ago) link
I've done EJ and Don 'n' Glenn. I'm done.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 June 2015 16:03 (eight years ago) link
macca yes!!!!! he's perfect for one of these.
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 5 June 2015 16:29 (eight years ago) link
'Venus and Mars' thru 'Press to Play' would work (11-12 years' worth)
― Jeff W, Friday, 5 June 2015 16:36 (eight years ago) link
no pressure or anything. i just saw this yesterday and i was like man i don't even remember some of these coming out:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/paul-mccartney-albums-ranked/
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 16:49 (eight years ago) link
now see that's the kind of eccentricity I can get with: Back to the Egg and Flaming Pie in the top ten!
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 June 2015 16:57 (eight years ago) link
jesus, he's made some bad album covers hasn't he?
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 5 June 2015 17:27 (eight years ago) link
you'd think someone in his position would be more....careful? like, if his discography were 6 or 7 really great records of the best tunes he could come up with spaced out over a period of decades...he could be scott walker.
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 17:45 (eight years ago) link
i dunno, i guess he can't help himself. and he can do whatever the hell he wants and that can be a problem sometimes.
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 17:46 (eight years ago) link
He likes to work. Says he takes the tube to his office every morning.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 June 2015 17:47 (eight years ago) link
i respect quantity. artists should be ... making art!
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 5 June 2015 17:50 (eight years ago) link
plus, i take that back about scott. he's made like 15 albums.
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 17:58 (eight years ago) link
i don't know if i respect quantity. you can be making stuff and not presenting it all to the public. but i guess if you're happy with it, why not? just seems like he's made a lot of records that aren't remembered by a lot of people beyond hardcore beatle/paul people.
― scott seward, Friday, 5 June 2015 18:01 (eight years ago) link
i've always believed that the very act of making music and actually releasing it, which is to say forcing yourself not only to make it but to complete it, tends to make your music better. i'm sure there are plenty of exceptions, but in general i've found that the artists i like the most tend to do their best work when they're working fastest.
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 5 June 2015 18:41 (eight years ago) link
I ranked top forty hits from a dark time.
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 28 April 2019 05:31 (four years ago) link
Has anyone dipped into the Jewel Box yet?
And a related question: does anyone know what the hell is going on with the ever-changing digital track list for the jewel box? If he was just adding tracks to it, fair enough. But it seems like things get added then lost again (unless you’ve liked/saved the previous version on Spotify) and other tracks are just released as one-offs (like the jazz version of “Come Down In Time”) and not put in the box at all. I’d say “Classic Neil” but wrong thread obv.
― Jeff W, Monday, 11 January 2021 19:50 (three years ago) link
AND REACH OUTFOR HER HEALLLLLLIIING HANDSSSS
― they were written with a ouija board and a rhyming dictionary (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 26 January 2022 23:25 (two years ago) link
^^^ otm
― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 June 2023 00:41 (nine months ago) link