Should you ever have any doubts about the genius of Elton John..

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equalsqlequalsql Frets: 6084
edited December 2019 in Music
Then I invite you to listen to the opening two tracks (that really merge as one) of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album.

At the time this track blew away pretty much everyone who listened to it. There really had never ever been any thing quite like this recording with the power of those synths and guitars and that musical theme. It was astonishing for the period... and still is.

Davey Johnston's guitar work on these two amazing tracks is just jaw dropping.

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.


(pronounced: equal-sequel)   "I suffered for my art.. now it's your turn"
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  • WhistlerWhistler Frets: 322
    I agree. I would even say that Elton was at his peak, and a very prolific peak too, back in that era.
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    I've never listened to that before.  Great stuff, especially the first half - I freely admit I don't know much of his material outside the singles, and I wasn't expecting an extended instrumental.
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  • He knows how to put on a show:



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  • Dream Theater done a pretty decent cover of it many years ago. Great tracks however, Elton (with Bernie Taupin) was certainly on a roll at that time. Davy Johnston's a very under rated player. Easy to forget how good guys like him are, who are most known for being "backing band" players and not usually the star of the show
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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4028
    First, thanks for posting this -- I would not have listened to it otherwise.
    Secondly, back in the day I didn't like this stuff, and I still don't.  But I know why now. 
    You know how it changes themes -- I really don't like that.
    And tempo... it changes tempo -- don't like that either.
    The abiding and overarching feeling is like it doesn't know what the hell it's doing. 
    I totally get this issue is me, not EJ.
    My mind doesn't get this stuff as music; it's a mess.
    I'm vaguely adult enough now to know it's good and sophisticated.
    But it still sounds like a mess. 
    But thanks for posting anyway.


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  • PhilW1PhilW1 Frets: 941
    edited December 2019
    I once sat through a whole concert at the NEC back in the eighties with an old girlfriend watching the be-wigged one,,,and now I’ve done it again, can’t believe I’ve just wasted even more time with drama queens that I’ll never get back !
    I think his genius lies in sucking(!) everyone in, but hey l’m a baldy off upstairs to try and play the ‘Small Hours’ badly and he’s a be-wigged millionaire .
    Not for me.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    I've been working my way through the Elton John songbook on piano.
    He is a great player- definitely underrated.

    My favourite EJ song:



    A tribute to John Lennon, which is where the John in his name comes from.
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  • equalsqlequalsql Frets: 6084
    Grunfeld said:
    First, thanks for posting this -- I would not have listened to it otherwise.
    Secondly, back in the day I didn't like this stuff, and I still don't.  But I know why now. 
    You know how it changes themes -- I really don't like that.
    And tempo... it changes tempo -- don't like that either.
    The abiding and overarching feeling is like it doesn't know what the hell it's doing. 
    I totally get this issue is me, not EJ.
    My mind doesn't get this stuff as music; it's a mess.
    I'm vaguely adult enough now to know it's good and sophisticated.
    But it still sounds like a mess. 
    But thanks for posting anyway.


    Isn't it strange that
    PhilW1 said:
    I once sat through a whole concert at the NEC back in the eighties with an old girlfriend watching the be-wigged one,,,and now I’ve done it again, can’t believe I’ve just wasted even more time with drama queens that I’ll never get back !
    I think his genius lies in sucking(!) everyone in, but hey l’m a baldy off upstairs to try and play the ‘Small Hours’ badly and he’s a be-wigged millionaire .
    Not for me.
    I certainly couldn't listen to him now. The Elton of the 70s and the later Elton are two completely different beasts.
    I haven't bought any of his output since 1979 but man! those early recordings were stunnings!

    A bit like Stevie Wonder.

    (pronounced: equal-sequel)   "I suffered for my art.. now it's your turn"
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  • PhilW1 said:
    I once sat through a whole concert at the NEC back in the eighties with an old girlfriend watching the be-wigged one,,,and now I’ve done it again, can’t believe I’ve just wasted even more time with drama queens that I’ll never get back !
    I think his genius lies in sucking(!) everyone in, but hey l’m a baldy off upstairs to try and play the ‘Small Hours’ badly and he’s a be-wigged millionaire .
    Not for me.
    I think I mentioned on the other EJ thread that MrsTheWeary went to see him in Little Rock and reckons it was the worst gig she’s ever been to ( and she’s seen me). 

    The Classic Albums show of Yellow Brick Road was interesting. Almost invariably on those shows when they discuss songwriting it’s musical ideas first, improvise vocal melody across the top then lyric. Elton starts the other way around with lyrics from Bernie Taupin but still makes it work. What they say, IIRC,  on the show is that the sound of lyrics is more important than the meaning of lyrics which I’d wholly agree with and seemed surprising considering their writing process. But, if anything, to me it’s Bernie that’s under rated as he’s doing something much more clever than it might appear. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    EricTheWeary said:

    But, if anything, to me it’s Bernie that’s under rated as he’s doing something much more clever than it might appear. 
    Yes, but Bernie also co-wrote We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll, so he has to go directly to jail without passing Go.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    EricTheWeary said:

    But, if anything, to me it’s Bernie that’s under rated as he’s doing something much more clever than it might appear. 
    Yes, but Bernie also co-wrote We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll, so he has to go directly to jail without passing Go.
    I didn’t know that, although it’s another example of a catchy lyric that doesn’t necessarily mean anything ( or if it does it’s lost on me). Which is an oddly hard thing to do in my opinion. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    I've never been a fan, although he has a few amazing songs. Falls well short of 'genius' for me. I agree with a comment on the radio the other day: one person stated that he was possibly Britain's greatest ever songwriter, and the other person said that technically he isn't a songwriter as he doesn't do lyrics. 

    He's a multi millionnaire from writing and performing music so I certainly can't knock that!

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  • I did have a listen to the tracks in the OP last night. I like some EJ but not that, prog rock nonsense best left in the early 70s. I suspect Elton might even agree with me. Sorry. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    ICBM said:
    Bernie also co-wrote We Built This City On Rock'n'Roll, so he has to go directly to jail without passing Go.
    You can add the cheesetastic Don't Go Breaking My Heart to the charge sheet. E & B also co-wrote that under the pseudonyms of Ann Orson and Carte Blanche.
    Be seeing you.
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  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Just picked up a copy on vinyl, thanks for reminding me how good this is. 
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  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Bennie & The Jets is such an unusual song, the count, the live element, the falsetto, the stutter, the lyrical content... really works though.

    Can't think of another track like it. 
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    The horns in this, and the 3 against 4 feel in places are just amazing.

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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Dig out some of his early albums - they are brilliant. My best friend at school was into Elton from day one (long before Yellow Brick Road) and he used to play the albums when I went to his house. Early years Elton was a class act.

    And he was cool as he was on the OGWT ..




    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • PhilW1PhilW1 Frets: 941
    I’m sorry but shouldn’t this be ‘ behind closed doors’ or on ‘The Keyboard ‘ forum ?
     I’m all for different tastes and stuff but I suffered through all this in the 70’s and 80’s hoping punk would see it off( I know,,it didn’t) .
    Kiki Dee next ? Lynsey de Paul or Gilbert o Sullivan( anyone got the tab to Claire)
    Sorry but it’s all MOR tosh to me,
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