As I was writing the review, it occurred to me how very much Elton has evolved over the years. I loved his 70s stuff, sort of liked his 80s stuff, and started not liking him as much in the 90s. I did like his Lion King performances, but I think the last album I bought by him was The One, which came out in 1992 or so.
Most recently, he showed up on Kate Bush's latest album, 50 Words for Snow. I love Kate Bush's music and I can say that she's stayed just as weird as always. Elton was sounding a bit hammy on his song with Kate Bush, though... I was missing the way he used to be. I'll always respect him as a great talent regardless.
Here are a few of my favorites...
This is probably the first song by Elton that I loved. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to my earliest years when we lived in England. It's an unusual song and I love it's somber sound, especially given Elton's outfit.
I remember hearing the song "Friends" on an ad for a singer-songwriter compilation on TV. I eventually found it on an Elton John rarities compilation. It was composed for the soundtrack of a 1971 film by the same name.
I think "Your Song" is one of the most beautiful songs. The melody is gorgeous and the words are so poetic and loving. I think I would melt if the object of my affections had written a tribute like this for me.
"Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" is an epic track... It's fun to drive to this.
I was introduced to "Writing" when I lived in Armenia and bought a bootleg cassette of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirty Cowboy.
Of course, I also love the song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", which Elton sang with Kiki Dee. When I was in college, my best friend and I changed the words to "Don't Go Pissing Me Off".
Here's a great party song... and perhaps my theme song...
Here's "Rocket Man"... and Elton is sounding a bit tired. Kate Bush covered it and I actually like what she did with it.
Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word" is one that most anyone with a conscience can relate to...
And finally, my favorite Elton John song from the 1980s...
"Empty Garden" is a beautiful tribute to the late John Lennon...
When I started to comprise my list of favorite songs, I deliberately left off the works of three artists: Gordon Lightfoot, Billy Joel, and Elton John. I don't put Lightfoot in the same league as the other two, although I think he's a brilliant lyricist, but either way, if I included any of them, they would have overtaken my list.
ReplyDeleteI have too many Elton John favorites to list, so I'll limit it to a very few. I love "Border Song."
"Tiny Dancer" is a favorite. "Levon" is totally cool. I especially like, for no reason I can articulate, the line, "He calls his child Jesus because he likes the name." And, in my opinion, "Your Song" is one of the loveliest songs ever written.
For some unexplained reason if my mom has been away from a piano for a long time, which is usually like three days for her, and she sits down at the keyboard, without even thinking about it, the first song that comes out is always either "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road" or "Come Sail Away" by Styx. (This is odd considering that the vast majority of music she plays is the classics.)She has no idea why her fingers automatically go to these songs. She likes the them, but they're not her absolute favorites. "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road" does rank up there for me, though.
I think "Come Sail Away" played on piano must be very interesting. The first part of it is very piano friendly, but when it cranks up into high gear, it becomes more of a guitar song.
ReplyDeleteSometimes if my dad was home, he's plug in his Gretsch or Rickenbacker, but other times she'd just pound it out ion her own, It depended on what was going on and how busy he was.
ReplyDeleteYour parents sound so cool.
ReplyDeleteThey are cool as parents go, except that they're still my parents, with the full capabilities of embarrassing me in front of my peers, such as like the time my dad wore the shirt with all the veins, muscles, and organs (Slim Goodbody style exceot thank God he wore normal pants) when he lectured at my high school.
ReplyDeleteWell my dad once came to one of my horse shows, climbed up on the roof of his ugly orange pop-top VW van, and took off his shirt.
DeleteVery embarrassing...
I get what you're saying, though.