Originally performed by The Who and written by Pete Townshend, it gave Elton’s music a fresh twist as he had primarily done songs written by Bernie earlier. “Pinball Wizard” / Tommy soundtrack (1975)Įlton made a guest appearance in the Ken Russell film adaptation of the rock opera Tommy. A highlight is the “Saturday, Saturday, Saturday” climax. In fact, the Rocketman film features a brilliantly-choreographed street dance version of the song. In fact, while The Who covered it later, some critics even described it as a Stones parody. The piano is inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis, and Davey Johnstone’s guitar has traces of the Rolling Stones and The Who.
One of Elton’s most hard-rocking songs, it was also meant as a tribute to American rock ‘n’ roll. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” / Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) The album also featured the hit song ‘Daniel’, about a Vietnam War veteran. A highlight is his use of the Farfisa organ. Elton later admitted he got tired of it but played it only because fans requested it. The song was a huge hit at shows, because of its hum-along hook. This uptempo number was written as a fun tribute and even makes reference to the Bill Haley & His Comets song “Rock Around The Clock” on the lines “While the kids were rocking around the clock.” Elton and Bernie were also inspired by the song ‘Eagle Rock’ by the Australian band Daddy Cool. “Crocodile Rock” / Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player (1973) Appropriately, it was used as the title of Elton’s 2019 biopic, with a change to a one-word spelling.Īlso See Elton John Announces Final ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ North American Tour Dates 4. The line “And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time” was sung along by audiences at shows. The song brings out space effects through synthesizers and processed slide guitar. Bernie disagrees with the comments of critics that it is similar to David Bowie’s 1969 song “Space Oddity” though both songs are about astronauts and share a common producer in Gus Dudgeon. It is inspired by a Ray Bradbury short story. “Rocket Man” / Honky Chateau (1972)Īpril 17th will mark 50 years since this classic was released as a single. Bernie was inspired by his first visit to the US and dedicated this to the women of California with lines like, “Blue-jean baby, LA lady, seamstress for the band” and “Ballerina, you must’ve seen her, dancing in the sand.” The song uses intricate pedal steel guitar and string arrangements. Though the song received a sudden boost in popularity following its use in Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film Almost Famous, it was originally released in 1972. “Tiny Dancer” / Madman Across The Water (1971) Some of its memorable lines are, “My gift is my song, and this one’s for you” and “I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind, that I put down in words, how wonderful life is when you’re in the world.” The song has been covered by many, including Rod Stewart and Lady Gaga, besides being sung by Taron in Rocketman. The song’s piano is said to have been inspired by Leon Russell. However, it was actually released earlier by the band Three Dog Night, who Elton opened for on tour. Written by Bernie, it is part of Elton’s self-titled second album. Eight of them have been written by Bernie. To shortlist only 10 songs was obviously a mammoth task, but these numbers are representative of his discography. Indian fans will remember his show in Bengaluru in November 2002, where he sang solo with only a grand piano for company. Unlike many other rock bands from that era, his music was driven by piano and keyboards, which went perfectly with his distinct style of singing.
Having sold over 300 million records, Elton is one of the most successful solo artists of all time.
And with the pandemic now on the decline, he has resumed his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour after a two-year hiatus. This was followed by the collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions, featuring guests like Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and contemporary artists like Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlisle and Charlie Puth, all of who sent in their parts online. Besides his 2019 biopic Rocketman, autobiography Me that came soon after, there was the album Regimental Sgt Zippo, featuring unreleased songs recorded at the beginning of his career in the late 1960s. British rock legend Elton John turned 75 this week, but seems to have been busier than ever.
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