Also, actually, looking at that Petty list some of it is definite non-hit canon stuff, but I don't know how many of them had become giant radio staples by the time the thing came out. I mean, "American Girl" never charted in the US but I assume it was a well-known song by 1993! "Listen To Her Heart" peaked at #59, tying "Here Comes My Girl," "Into The Great Wide Open" at #92, and "Even The Losers" was an album track.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 21:51 (twelve years ago) link
I mean, we're now pretty far afield of Elton but - I bet that Steve Miller greatest hits would rack up a pretty similar range, those have all become beloved barbecue-and-road-trip classics on the strength of the, what, five or six actual hits that were on it? I could be totally wrong though.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 21:53 (twelve years ago) link
It kinda blows my mind people not hearing Tiny Dancer a lot. Maybe I just heard it a disproportionate amount because my dad played Madman Across The Water a LOT.
― butvi wouls (Phil D.), Friday, 16 March 2012 22:18 (twelve years ago) link
Like some dude, I never really heard it too much until That Movie
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 22:20 (twelve years ago) link
thing about Candle in the Wind is I always preferred his solo live piano version where he riffs a bit vocally at the end than the full-band version on the original.
the Di version was an atrocity. The rhyme scheme and meter didn't fit at all.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Friday, 16 March 2012 22:21 (twelve years ago) link
"Tiny Dancer" peaked at 41 and was on the US charts for seven we
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 22:30 (twelve years ago) link
weeks in 1972
Yeah Elton had more than 10 a-sides prior to "Greatest Hits" getting released ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_John_discography
The 9 biggest hits were all included, and it looks like the 10th song could've been a toss up between Levon, Tiny Dancer or Friends which were all Top 40 (Top 41, whatever)... Levon charted the highest out of those 3.. It's possible Tiny Dancer wasn't included because of its length... Candle In The Wind didn't initially chart at all.
― billstevejim, Friday, 16 March 2012 23:17 (twelve years ago) link
And IIRC that album actually has multiple tracklists since CiTW did chart in the UK. Greatest Hits are funky things.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 23:27 (twelve years ago) link
Just saw "Friends" when I looked at the charts. Wouldn't be able to tell you how that went
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 23:39 (twelve years ago) link
I don't think "Friends" had much longevity chart-wise, but it was on "Freedom Rock."
It was also on this "deep cuts" comp that I used to listen to a lot... It had one of those "Nice Price" stickers on it.http://991.com/NewGallery/Elton-John-Your-Songs-521516.jpg
― billstevejim, Friday, 16 March 2012 23:47 (twelve years ago) link
The only version of "Candle in the Wind" I can listen to is the one most of us knew growing up: the Live in Australia one that became a top ten hit in late '87 or early '88.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 17 March 2012 01:40 (twelve years ago) link
yep that one.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Saturday, 17 March 2012 01:47 (twelve years ago) link
Drunk. Listening to "Funeral For a Friend" on really good speakers for like the first time ever. It may be the best thing ever recorded.
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:31 (eleven years ago) link
no wait i was wrong, it's "goodbye yellow brick road"
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:40 (eleven years ago) link
specifically the drums
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:41 (eleven years ago) link
one thing's for sure it's not the fuckin spotify ads, man do i need to get a new needle post-haste
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:43 (eleven years ago) link
Man, I miss those speakers.
― Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 3 April 2013 19:13 (eleven years ago) link
yeah peak period Elton loud on great speakers while drunk.. a pleasure i've had many a time.
was there ever a proper EJ poll? i missed it if so.
― piscesx, Thursday, 4 April 2013 18:25 (eleven years ago) link
It's in the cards over at the ballot poll order/timing coordination thread! S'what made me think of this thread actually.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 4 April 2013 18:56 (eleven years ago) link
Love Lies POLLing...
― Vol. 3: The Life & Times of E. "Boom" Carter (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:49 (eleven years ago) link
alvin tostig has a poll today.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
POLL Me Closer, ILXor
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
i have little time for elton john, but i picked up the leon russel collab today in local charity shop .. one listen through - i really enjoyed it.a few more spins required to really feel the old school gospel'd up funk vibe did anyone else listen to it ?
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:56 (eleven years ago) link
ahhh ..
A Thread For Elton John-Leon Russell's "The Union"
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:57 (eleven years ago) link
woah..
http://theseconddisc.com/2014/01/30/goodbye-yellow-brick-road-40/
― piscesx, Thursday, 30 January 2014 17:58 (ten years ago) link
''that didn't seem to have a dud on it''
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 31 January 2014 00:40 (ten years ago) link
A reminder to visit and comment here: Mama Can't Buy You Love: The Official ILM Track-By-Track ELTON JOHN 1978-1988 Listening Thread
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 31 January 2014 00:50 (ten years ago) link
Disc 2: Bonus material - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Revisited…and Beyond (previously unreleased)
Candle in the Wind – Ed SheeranBennie and The Jets – MiguelGoodbye Yellow Brick Road – Hunter HayesGrey Seal – The Band PerrySweet Painted Lady – John GrantAll the Girls Love Alice – Emili SandeYour Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock ‘N Roll) – Imelda MaySaturday Night’s Alright for Fighting – Fall Out BoyHarmony – Zac Brown Band
Curious to hear whether Miguel can redeem one of my least favourite songs ever. Not the least bit curious to hear anything else here.
― Inside Lewellyn Sinclair (cryptosicko), Friday, 28 February 2014 17:19 (ten years ago) link
Miguel could redeem "In Neon."
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 February 2014 17:22 (ten years ago) link
"Candle in the Wind – Ed Sheeran"
can this prevented? court injunction, something?
― col, Friday, 28 February 2014 17:26 (ten years ago) link
they should have let him do that, then, and saved "bennie and the jets" for biz markie.
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 28 February 2014 17:29 (ten years ago) link
Miguel and Band Perry the only ones there I'm kinda interested in. Gotta say I wish Miguel was on more of a song but I can sorta picture him making 'Bennie' work with the psychedelic angle.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 28 February 2014 18:01 (ten years ago) link
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding has nary a note out of place. Johnstone's guitar fills compliment the piano so so well.
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 29 March 2014 15:04 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_HJAWe8z9I
― an office job is as secure as a Weetabix padlock (snoball), Saturday, 29 March 2014 15:19 (ten years ago) link
Elton John on 'liberating' recording of 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'
I would get up in the morning, Bernie would be typing away at a typewriter. He would give me a lyric. I would have my breakfast. I'd go to the electric piano. I'd start writing the song. Dee, Nigel and Davey would come down for breakfast and join in. We'd learn the song after breakfast and go over and record it. It was really, really a wonderful way to write and record. We did four tracks a day, probably.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 10 April 2014 00:54 (ten years ago) link
Anyone else throw Elton John lyrics into conversations as naturally as possible to see if people catch them? My favorite is "well it seems to me she lived her lofe like a candle in the wind" but "I'm not a present for your friends to open" can work too during really bitter fights with a s.o.
― très hip (Treeship), Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:16 (ten years ago) link
"To shave in someone else's mirrorIs one desire I haven't dreamed of yet"
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:17 (ten years ago) link
Pretty easy to find opportunities to say "this boys too young to be singing the blues" as well
― très hip (Treeship), Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:18 (ten years ago) link
That lyric is "advanced" for this game Alfred. It usually would seem forced
― très hip (Treeship), Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:20 (ten years ago) link
Oh this album. Who writes songs like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road now? Honestly...what is comparable in 2016?
― It certainly is punk of the Church of England to think that way (tangenttangent), Thursday, 30 June 2016 23:43 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS84BMFszW0
― piscesx, Thursday, 30 June 2016 23:56 (seven years ago) link
very Elton. IMO.
― piscesx, Thursday, 30 June 2016 23:57 (seven years ago) link
I hear that. Probably also accounts for why I like FJM as much as I do. All the aching ooohs and ohs are very Elton, specifically, as in "Curtains," etc.
― Harvey Manfrenjensenden (Doctor Casino), Friday, 1 July 2016 18:55 (seven years ago) link
"Social Disease" is the jam imo
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 4 July 2017 11:51 (six years ago) link
This album had my super cool gatefold art, a different illustration for each song with the lyrics. Social Disease was a good one. I wonder if it's online somewhere...
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 4 July 2017 15:22 (six years ago) link
http://vinylsamongotherthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/105_5184.jpg
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 4 July 2017 15:24 (six years ago) link
One thing I love about Elton John is that he completely, single-handedly debunked the myth that shovelling shitloads of drugs up your nose automatically leads to genius. This album is great, but by god did his material take a nosedive (no pun intended) when the coke addiction took hold.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 4 July 2017 21:50 (six years ago) link
coke gives you tons of energy but it makes you scattered, self critical/confident/doubtful in equal measure. I don't think it can account for bad ideas.
Which albums do you think were lacklustre?
― Unchanging Window (Ross), Tuesday, 4 July 2017 21:56 (six years ago) link
Pretty much everything from Blue Moves onwards.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 4 July 2017 22:02 (six years ago) link