Collecting Essential Elton John Recordings

[Library Jon]

I guess that everyone here is well aware that Elton John Is embarking on a farewell tour this fall 2018. A friend and I got tickets to one of the Philadelphia shows this morning. I do know all the hits from his career by listening to the radio all of my life. However, he was always someone that I quite liked that I just never bought his albums. So here is my question. What is essential? Best albums? Worst albums? Any stories to tell? I will probably buy several of his CDs.


Library Jon

[the winter tree]

His best in my opinion -
Good Bye Yellow Brick Road
Self titled 2nd album
Madman Across The Water
Captain Fantastic
Most of his albums are spotty - 3 to 5 great songs and the rest filler of various quality.
But all of his 70s albums are worth having.
I even really like his debut "Empty Sky". The title cut alone is worth the price of admission.

[Library Jon]

You just reminded me that I had Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on cassette back in the 80s. But thanks! He has had so many albums out over the years that it is hard to know where to begin. I know what you mean about spotty because if you look at the track listings on almost any album, you will see a few good songs listed. Right?



Library Jon

[Progatron]

Good list above. I'd also recommend Tumbleweed Connection, especially the 2008 edition with the original version of Madman Across The Water as a bonus track. And yes, Empty Sky from the debut album of the same name is one of the best pieces he ever did IMO (despite the ending which kind of detracts from how great the main song is).

[Library Jon]

I forgot to ask that when you are recommending albums, warn me if there is a certain version to pursue which has extra tracks.


Library Jon

[DocProgger]

For everything pretty much after 1975-76, a good comprehensive hits collection will get all the best songs. There are a few early live albums worth having; 11-17-70 (18 min version of Burn Down the Mission) and Here and There. Get the deluxe versions of Madman, Yellow Brick, Tumbleweed, and Captain Fantastic, they're worth it (extra bonus tracks, extra live stuff).

The best EJ tracks that I'd want to hear live imo: Madman Across the Water, Rocket Man, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, and Someone Saved My Life Tonight.

[GuitarGeek]

The only one I've heard that I really like is Madman Across The Water. Some of the others had some good tracks here and there, but Madman... seems to be the most consistent, at least, for my tastes, anyway.

[Gerhard]

I would say Captain Fantastic and Madman are the two best, the ones where I rarely, if ever, feel like skipping a track.

Agree with Progatron, the early version of Madman on (some versions of) Tumbleweed is fantastic, with great guitar work by Mick Ronson (it's also found on a 2CD collection called Rare Masters, which I don't really recommend ahead of most of his 70's albums).

[mozo-pg]

I think Elton's music in the 70s was brilliant. I'd just echo the 70s album recommendations. His debut is a pretty impressive start.

[Library Jon]

I noticed that there is a 3 disc compilation called "Diamonds" which was released during November 2017 that seems to have all the hits on it. So maybe I should start with that and a few of the early 70s albums?



Library Jon

[Zaragon]

You can make an educated guess based on the red-count from each EJ album on this list, which includes the man's entire 1969–89 output barring Victim of Love and Leather Jackets.

In short, his strongest front-to-back albums are:

Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
Honky Château (1972)
The Fox (1981)

That said, many of his finest songs are on other albums.

[arturs]

Looking at that RYM list made me realize how much of EJ's music I know absolutely nothing about. Yes, I can sing along to all the big hits; but after that... nada...

So is there any prog buried in there somewhere?

[The Dark Elf]

Anything during and prior to Yellow Brick Road can be worthwhile. It gets too sketchy for me thereafter.

[mozo-pg]

Looking at that RYM list made me realize how much of EJ's music I know absolutely nothing about. Yes, I can sing along to all the big hits; but after that... nada...

So is there any prog buried in there somewhere?

I don't hear any but some people say Goodbye Yellow Bridge Road has some proggy parts.

[moecurlythanu]

Captain Fantastic for me.

[SteveSly]

Here are the Elton John albums that I own:

Elton John (1970): This was actually his 2nd album, although a lot of people think it is his first. Solid for the most part.

Tumbleweed Connection (1970): Not really any hits on this one, but a lot of good songs.

Madman Across The Water (1971): Worth it for the title track alone. Several other great tracks too.

Honkey Chateau (1972): Inconsistent with a few great tracks.

Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player (1973): Another inconsistent album with a few great tracks.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973): Probably his all-time best IMO. Double album that has very little filler.

Caribou (1974): A step down after GBYBR, but contains one of my all-time favorite EJ tracks “Ticking”

Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975): Autobiographical album and one of his best.

Rock Of The Westies (1975): Probably Elton’s hardest rocking album, but only some of it works to my ears. This is where the slide in quality started to happen IMO.

Blue Moves (1976): Another double album, but not nearly as good as GBYBR. A lot of filler on this one.

Too Low For Zero (1983): After putting out some real crap in the late 70’s and early 80’s this one was a bit of a comeback form a quality perspective.

Reg Strikes Back (1988): Elton dropped all the frills, freaky glasses and costumes and tried to go back to basics. This album has grown on me over the years. It is poppy, but pretty good.

Songs From The West Coast (2001): After another string of mediocre albums this one was a nice return to form.

Peachtree Road (2004): Not nearly as good as Songs From The West Coast, but a decent effort.

The Captain And The Kid (2006): Sequel to Captain Fantastic. Not quite as good the first one, but a good effort.

The Union (2010): Album done with Leon Russel and a very good one.

[DocProgger]

Captain Fantastic for me.

Essential. In many ways probably the best Taupin-John collaboration from start to finish.

[DocProgger]

I don't hear any but some people say Goodbye Yellow Bridge Road has some proggy parts.

Funeral/Love Lies Bleeding. Certainly not a typical pop song, a lot of instrumental, keyboards etc.

[the winter tree]

One of my favorite songs by Elton is "High Flying Bird" from "Don't Shoot Me...". It beautifully showcases what great voices all three of his then backing band had. They used to kick Elton out of the studio when laying down the backing vocals.
Dee Murray is one of the great underrated bassists in rock. He's the reason I started playing bass at 14. Well, that and the other guitar player in our band could play lead better than me ;-)

[Progbear]

Obviously, everyone’s going to recommend Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and why not? It was both his creative and commercial peak, and surprisingly consistent for a double LP. Really, anything from the Bernie Mk. 1 period (Empty Sky through to Blue Moves) is guaranteed to have a few highlights. Tumbleweed Connection and Madman Across the Water are particular favorites; they’re probably his most “songwriter-ly” albums, before he got all glammed up. The Fox is an unexpected highlight from his Gary Osborne period, with a startling number of strong tunes. You’re on your own with the rest of those, though. Victim of Love, while Osborne contributes nothing to the songwriting (to say nothing of Elton himself), was technically in this period. It was Elton’s collaboration with disco producer Pete Bellotte. Even disco fans hate it.

The only one of his later albums I really like is Songs From the West Coast, which is a good return to his roots after years in MOR-land. Peachtree Road attempts to continue in this vein, with far lesser results (seriously, imagine a bunch of songs that sound like rewrites of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” but with more stripped-down production).

[Tangram]

I noticed that there is a 3 disc compilation called "Diamonds" which was released during November 2017 that seems to have all the hits on it. So maybe I should start with that and a few of the early 70s albums?



Library Jon

Wouldn't start with Diamonds as it is too ballad heavy unless you want just the hits

[Tangram]

A major EJ fan with all of his studio and live albums. Guess that means I'm not the most biased person here but I will give you my 2 cents worth. From his second album, Elton John thru Blue Moves you can't go wrong. That covers 1970-1976. After his initial split with Bernie Taupin, he mainly worked with Gary Osbourne for a few years and the Taupin came back slowly by being on a few tracks for a couple of albums until thinkToo Low for Zero in the mid 80's when he came back full time. Except for Union with Leon Russell, and some of his movie work, Taupin has supplied all of the lyrics since then.

Without going album by album, his initial period is stellar, his 80s - 90s work I always thought of being strong for 2/3 of each album, with some being a little better and others a bit worse. Really none of it being terrible except for the disco album Victim of Love which he only sang on. From 2000 on Elton has been releasing very good albums but he rarely rocks anymore.

My favs:
(On most everyone's list)
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Honky Chateau -EJ's 1st #1 with guest appearance by Jean Luc Ponty
Blue Moves - probably the EJ album I've played the most but I heard this double album has filler by more than a couple of people.
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player
Elton John
Rock of The Westies - his hardest rocking album
Caribou - especially for SteveSly's pick Ticking which is totally out of character but haunting.

Again you can't go wrong with any of the initial albums, like Madman Across the Waterand Tumbleweed Connection either.

11/17/70 is a live, early Elton as a 3 piece with drummer Nigel Olsen and bassist Dee Murray. Note there are several versions of this album, with the recent LP being almost twice as long as the original.
Note that the also live Here and There has also doubled in size over the years. It also contains John Lennon's last concert appearance.

For the 80s-90's you might want to go with:
The One with appearances by David Gilmour and Eric Clapton.
The Fox or 2 Low 4 Zero or Jump Up!

From 2000 on, Elton has gone with a more natural sound and released a handful of very good and more consistent albums. I still find them all very enjoyable. Most will pick Songs From the West Coast as the best of the lot but I'm partial to Peachtree Road. The Union is another fav. Note that all but one of these albums since 2000 have different versions with bonus tracks. Plus the early classic Elton CD's all have bonus tracks on later releases.

Hope this helps.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Madman Across The Water.

Sums it up. Get one, and get this.

As with Stevie and Key or Rod with Atlantic Crossing.

[Trane]

Most of his albums are spotty - 3 to 5 great songs and the rest filler of various quality.

that's about it for me... (and five sounds like a lot , except for his double albums... maybe)

I only own GYBR, but there isn't that much excellent on it (lots of filler, I find)
I've been looking for Madman on CD in B&M stores, but it seems rarer than his other 70's albums - I still own the vinyl, though.

Ideally, I suppose that I'd have to make my own CD-r comilation and borrow the albums from the library.

The only one I've heard that I really like is Madman Across The Water. Some of the others had some good tracks here and there, but Madman... seems to be the most consistent, at least, for my tastes, anyway.

Absolutely... Ken Scott's production is sparkling and this could be Elton's proggiest album because of it (despite FFaF being on GYBR)

Funeral/Love Lies Bleeding. Certainly not a typical pop song, a lot of instrumental, keyboards etc.

Funeral yes, but Love lies Bleeding, I don't see much (if any) prog

[Progatron]

I don't know much about the compilation/hits albums, but if there is one with Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) on it, would be worth seeking out. It's one of his tracks that hits me the hardest. Alternately, you could get the 1982 album it appeared on (Jump Up), but I don't take responsibility for the rest of the tracks on that one.