Listened to: CDI got this album for Christmas one year on CD, because since a young age, I had worn down the grooves so bad on this record that it was unplayable. Every year I spend New Year’s Eve crying, taking swigs of my drink, and listening to Elton John. These personal confessions come out so I can once again where my bias on my sleeve before I declare this portrait of the artist as a young man to be truly a gift.
It opens with the legendary “Your Song”, which may in fact be the greatest love song ever committed to record. With it’s lyrical and musical simplicity, it’s gorgeous melody, and it’s heartfelt sentiment, I can’t think of too many sensible songwriters who don’t wish they’d written this track. Besides, if it wasn’t for this song, a lot fewer middle-school girls would have crushes on Ewan McGregor.
The Baroque feeling of “I Need You To Turn To”, which could as easily by a traditional track covered by Simon & Garfunkel, is so soft, so emotional, so smooth that it’s amazing this track never went further than I did.
“Take Me to The Pilot” seems to be the best indication of where John would go later in his career, and also the best demonstration of what makes him unique. Sure, he could be the soft-voiced balladeer, but it’s his ability to be a howling, piano-playing Johnny Rotten that really makes Elton a one of a kind talent.
“No Shoe Strings On Louise” decides to show Elton as not just balladeer and rocker, but country crooner…and doesn’t succeed quite as well as we’d hope. Meanwhile, the criminally ignored “First Episode At Hienton” is song so soft you almost can’t understand Elton for half of the song, and yet you can just feel the suffering pulling at your heart. You’re not sure what he’s lamenting, but god damn if it isn’t the saddest story you’ve half-heard.
“Sixty Years On”, with it’s instrumental majesty, sees a much better rendition on Elton’s “Live In Australia” album (an album omitted from Rolling Stone’s list…why? Oh, so they could fit another Otis Redding Anthology), but is still a beautiful example of 70’s Elton, before he got too caught up in the type of sad-ish rock tracks like the albums next track, “Border Song”, which is a real gospel track (which is apparent by the gospel backing choir). Border Song is fun, but for me is too easy. Gospel isn’t a challenging style to pull emotion from. It’s inherently sad. To manipulate emotion with a gospel song isn’t as impressive as to compose a real heart-wrenching ballad.
The rest of these tracks are just as beautiful, just as intricate, and just as masterful. But I was at this awesome joint last night and got to witness musicians much better than myself tear shit up till well into the night. So, you’ll forgive if I cut this short and say “Listen to this album”. You can thank me later.
-Mike
See you guys tomorrow for #216: The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
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