Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
1973
Album Summary
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John, first released on 5 October 1973 as a double LP. The album has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and is widely regarded as John's magnum opus. Among the 17 tracks, the album contains the hits "Candle in the Wind", US number-one single "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" plus live favourites "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" and "Harmony". It was recorded at the Studio d'enregistrement Michel Magne at the Château d'Hérouville in France after problems recording at the intended location in Jamaica. The move provided John and his band with a great deal of creative inspiration and an abundance of quality material was produced, leading to the decision to release the work as a double album (LP).In 2020, the album was ranked number 112 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It was also ranked number 59 in Channel 4's 2009 list of 100 Greatest Albums.The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003 when it was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Wikipediato get really into the right frame of mind for this i selotaped some fruit to my glasses and some books to my shoes. did some massive air piano. that amzing vibe i'd built up took a nosedive once it hit the prince phillip reggae song and then i pretty much lost interest then as the pony kept repeating its trick for what seemed like a lifetime. i bet drama kids love this album, loads of excuses for jazz hands and cheeky side glances.
Elton starts out strong with this album, and I mean really strong: he's in his own league and it shows. It drops off a little after Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but it's still good songs overall. There are a few particular weak points on this album (Jamaica Jerk-Off) but otherwise I enjoy Elton John's works. Even here, though, the album is overly long and could have benefited from cutting down on a few of the songs.
I know the first two songs (fucking amazing) and a few other tracks as well. If the rest of the album is as good as those this is heading for a 5. Ok, and it is! This is going in my regular listening, what an album. I knew Elton could write a song, but this is way better than expected. 5/5.
I was already familiar with some tracks from this album but it was my first time actually hearing it and I can see why It's considered Elton John's magnum opus.
Excellent. Classics that I have heard before just get better whilst the ones 'new' to me where all killers. The opening track "funeral for a friend/love lies bleeding" started this masterpiece off and it never took its foot off the pedal. Brilliant
Awwwww yeeeeah. I like 1970s Elton John in general, but this one is his masterpiece. It's a sprawling, baroque romp through rock n roll nostalgia and piano pop that still sounds fresh. The songwriting is great, and Elton is on top form. The sequencing of the tracks starts off well, pulling the album into a coherent whole. "Jamaica Jerk-off" is pretty stupid, and "Roy Rogers" is a weak point. But I don't even care. B-b-b-benny and the motherfucking jets.
How much coke do you have to be doing to decide to open your double album with an 11 minute long prog rock song? This much. A huge mix of styles are across this album from Prog, to ballads, to rock n roll and he nails every one. Even the over played songs still sound good. Just great. Best Tracks: Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding; Bennie and the Jets; Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
One of the greatest singer-songwriters ever with what is probably his best album. It's a powerhouse album that touches on so many different genres that it's dizzying. It feels like every song is Elton banging out a wonderfully alive hit with whichever genre he decided felt compelling. His voice is incredible of course, the band is filled with precise, talented musicians and again, the variety of production here immaculately tied together makes the album continually replay-able. A masterpiece no doubt.
Masterpiece album, Elton in peak form. This is the album I would recommend to anyone who wants to get into Elton John beyond the hits. Yes the hits are there, but with deep tracks that will make you a fan forever. Fave songs: Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, I've Seen That Movie Too, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
First time listening through this one. Usually not a huge Elton John album fan, though I love listening to his hits. This one has some great deep tracks between the hits that make for a very good listening experience. Would love it on vinyl.
Bloody love this album. Should lose a star for Jamaica Jerkoff, but Bennie & The Jets more than makes up for it
What's not to love? Great span of tunes, tempos and moods. Phenomenal instrumental performances. This and Madman... are all the 70s Elton you need.
Wasn't a fan of Elton, until I heard this album. Oh my god. He mixes rock and folk and country so well. Defiently need to give this another listen, as all these tracks are well polished while transitioning seemingly perfect to one another.
Any record that starts out with a track like Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is going to have to have every other track be pretty terrible for me to give it anything less than 4 starts. The rest of the record is pretty amazing as well. 5 Stars it is. Grey Seal has always been a deep cut that I love to hear. I really paid attention to it first way back when I got the Elton John box set. (remember those?) All the Girls Love Alice and Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting? No wonder Goodbye is such a well loved record. Yes, I skipped Candle in the Wind. I have always loved this song. But, I have to admit that once it moved from a Marylin Monroe song to Princess Di, it lost a bit of luster for me. I understand how well it fit the time, but, it's Marylin's song. Lady Di deserved her own.
With all the toing and froing about double albums and whether or not they're a let down, this one is solid throughout and I have no complaints about filler. It has four hits (five if you count Harmony) which is more than the normal number of hits for a double album and the hits are all top shelf. This album is a 5. With that out of the way, I'll now turn to my usual rambling. There are many more songs that were not singles but very good nonetheless. The 11+ min Funeral for a Friend is an excellent kick off and sets the stage for the quality of the other songs on this album that weren't singles. There is also some creative dabbling like Jamaican Jerk-Off which sounds like music from the island. It has some Reggae / Island music accents but isn't Reggae. Likewise Roy Rogers has a country twang to it but I wouldn't call it a country song. It just has a creatively done country accent. This album also has a number of really good rockers such as All The Girls Love Alice which ends Side 3 and Your Sister Can't Twist which starts Side 4. The best rocker on the album is Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting. It would have been the best song to describe Saturday nights at bars in my hometown of Sudbury were it not for Stompin Tom's Sudbury Saturday Night. There are a couple of songs about gay and lesbian relationships on this album and this was released long before Elton "came out". The song about a gay relationship is Goodby Yellow Brick Road. Surprised? I was. This song has been played on the radio forever and I've always liked it but never really understood the lyrics. A few months ago I decided I wanted to play the song on acoustic guitar so I focused on learning the lyrics and found out the song is about a relationship between a wealthy man and a younger man who no longer wants to be his "boy toy". The other song, which is obvious from its title (and confirmed by its lyrics), is All The Girls Love Alice. In 1973 I wouldn't have figured this out. I was a big Alice Cooper fan back then and the apeth 12 year old version of me would have thought it was about his groupies. I wonder if that song had anything to do with the name of the Toronto bar called Slack Alice which was quite popular with lesbians back in the day. This album is the gold standard for double LPs.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John (1973) At the :57 mark of the symphonic opening track (“Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”), the serious listener in 1973 would have known right away this was something special. And I’m not sure if it was David Hentschel’s waxing and waning ARP synthesizer, the haunting lament of Davey Johnstone’s guitar, the all-too-familiar right-hand-heavy piano chording of Elton John, or the (uncredited) castanets at 3:44, but by moment of the triumphant tonic at 5:08, that same listener would have discerned that this album was a game changer. I speak from experience, and I am not alone. This extraordinary musical smorgasbord contains ballads revealing the dark side of fame (“Candle In the Wind”, “The Ballad of Danny Bailey”), cautionary tales for lusty metrosexuals and their suppliers (“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Sweet Painted Lady”, “All the Girls Love Alice”), contemplative reflections on personal responses to entertainment media (“I’ve Seen That Movie Too”, “Roy Rogers”), and ironic paeans to the underclass (“Dirty Little Girl”, “Social Disease”). These are songs that undoubtedly changed lives, however imperceptibly, for the better. Bernie Taupin is probably the greatest pop lyricist of all time. He treats extraordinarily interesting themes and characters with a cinematic imagination—bringing enough light to force the listener to celebrate, lament, enthuse, wallow, and boast right along with the creatures of his contrivance. Master of the metaphor, he provides a ready and unifying connection to the inner meanings of a bewildering array of cultural phenomena. But these wonderful lyrics would go nowhere as songs without the supremely gifted musicality of Elton John. His musical sense employs melody and chord progressions that actually take the listener toward a goal. He provides meter to some decidedly un-metrical phrases, as if that were the plan all along. His arrangements and production choices are Elysian. And the contributions of bassist Dee Murray (“Grey Seal”) and drummer Nigel Olson (everywhere) are both essential and hugely creative. Together, they make a grooving success of the two pure rock (and wonderfully back-to-back) tracks “Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock and Roll)” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”. Davey Johnstone’s guitar compositions and performances superbly executed and remarkably versatile. I’m sure he didn’t grow up playing banjo, but just listen to “Social Disease”. Now Elton John displays little virtuosity on piano. He plays mostly chords and standard flourishes with the right hand, and the left hand generally just keeps a steady beat and harmonic grounding. But with his voice providing deft stylings (in both pitch and diction) on colorful melodies, the combined effect is mesmerizing, even if it does require the added arrangements, effects, and backing vocals that we consistently hear on this recording. Double albums are tricky. Sometimes they are released as a double because there’s slightly too much material for one LP, but have added tracks (of lesser quality) to fill them out. Not so here. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has no filler. Plus, this is the kind of album that provides true favorites that are not among the more ‘popular’ songs—my personal ones are “Grey Seal” and the wonderful closing track “Harmony”, a song the ending of which is fully deserving of its title. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road provided a sorely needed contribution to Anglo-American culture in 1973. Still does. Always will. 5/5
10/10. I'm calling this a 10 for now, but it is very close to being a 9 on account of it being real long with a weaker back half. Even still, this album had a lot of great songs filled in by a lot of good songs, and I enjoyed listening to the whole thing.
Elton and Bernie at their best! Side one is especially good with such a variety of moods that it could stand on its own even if the over three sides were crap. They aren't though. The rest of the album flows amazingly well for a double album with the non-single tracks all having some good hooks in them to keep a listener's attention throughout. Songs like All the Girls Love Alice and Harmony could have been hits themselves if they were put out as singles.
Some of the most solid songwriting ever displayed, an even more excellently executed (just ignore Jamaican Jerk-off lol)
Oh Reggie Dwight you old dog. What a treat this is! From the haunting Goodbye Yellow Brick Road to the frenzy of Saturday Night's Alright, just hit after hit. Look at those platform shoes! You'll snap your bleeding ankle, you daft apeth. By all means say your goodbyes, but be careful on those bricks, you silly sausage.
Irrepressibly tuneful and seriously silly, but why didn’t anyone tell me it’s so outrageously slow? Elton’s sure got some sand to make quote-unquote rock ‘n’ roll that takes so long to get dressed. But like a model stalking down the catwalk, he knows he looks great doing it. So why rush? Don’t--that’s the answer. And neither you nor I have a better one. Now I think about it, slow seems to be part of camp. Queen, Meatloaf, Prince, Springsteen—they’re all at it (the one of them that isn’t dead, anyway). And Elton doesn’t even fill space with overwrought production. Most of this is just him, the ivories, and guitar-bass-drums. I say "just him" even though most of this sounds like it's played to an imaginary audience, which I suppose is a paradox because that should create intimacy. But it doesn't Sure, you’re at the show. But you’re in the wings, peeking out from behind the curtains, looking at Elton’s back while he performs to his own audience—and you ain’t part of it. For reasons I can't explain, I liked that. From-me-to-you earnestness was pretty rife in the 70’s, so maybe this as a refreshing alternative has something to do with it.
Few bangers, otherwise pretty eh. Elton was capable of great highs but always struck me as a bit of a careerist rather than having any real artistic vision, so the majority of his output was pretty bland.
It's got a few extremely good songs on it but my God, this really did not need to be a double album. Also, whoever told Elton John he could do reggae needs to seriously consider their position.
I can see why Elton John is considered a good song writer, but I didn't enjoy this.
Even though I have one song that interesting to me on this one, but it sound really boring. Then I never listened it to the very end.
Ergh. I expected this is actually be alright, but it was absolutely fucking shit and really irritated me.
I really wanted to be one of those smug gits who says "actually its quite good" but it's fucking awful. Unrelentingly shite. I could go on, like this unremitting dross
overproduced too perfect, washes over don't like the instruments wtf jamaica jerk off too competent un-engaging background music, tepid, MOR, boring i do not like this at all
1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John. 17 tracks. I know there are some real belters on here, but there is also the dreaded "Candle in the wind" which I can't stand. Sat Nights Alright and Bennie & Jets are Elton at his best. Despite that, had to skip quite a few. 1/5.
I can’t lie. I love ole Reginald. Incredible pianist and song writer. Full marks
From 1st to last Elton made a point of sharing his feelings and surprised us with his talent. He is the most amazing pianist with a voice to back up those keys. Favorite tracks: Funeral for a friend, Candle 🕯 in the Wind, Benny & the Jets and Harmony. But 🎧 to this album twice and your list will double. Well done Sir John, Good Knight! First 5 rating
Bennie! Bennie! Bennie! Quite a long album but it doesn’t really matter when it’s got this many classics on it. I know the album quite well and was prepared to give it a 4 but after listening last night it would feel wrong to give it anything less than a 5. A classic and probably Elton’s best.
Never really listened to Elton before although I’ve heard most of these songs and loved them
One of my all time favorites.... listening to this in my teenage years seemed like every song on this album was enjoyable including the bonus number one hits Yellowbrick Road, Benny and the Jets $ Saturday nights alright for fighting; then the tribute to Marilyn Monroe-Candle in the Wind.....Back then I bought double album and also double 8-tracks for listening in my 1970 Chevelle..... Awesome album !!!
Wow warum habe ich dieses tolle Album bisher noch nie durchgehört? Ein perfektes Popalbum, das fast 50 Jahre nach dem Erscheinen immer noch mitreißt und berührt. Fast jedes Lied ein Hit! Das Albumcover ist auch toll. Kommt definitiv in meine Playlist, Wiederentdeckung des Jahres!
In my top 20 all time. The sheer quality of tunes in a short period of time that John & Taupin produced is unparalleled. Rivalled only perhaps by the Beatles.
Loved it. Elton John is magical and this album shows his range and variety.
First time listening: 17/17 songs liked Yep. This album was lit. I didn't know that most of my elton discography came from this album alone! That intro song is insanely long but felt so cohesive and short. I think his melody writing with the poppy piano rhythm hits my heartstrings. 5 songs added.
Nothing unlistenable but the number of must listen songs makes this a classic.
Not heard before. Only knew the big singles, but this is great from start to finish.
This would have been one of the most insane single albums ever if it was edited down more. It's a really good double album and even the less memorable songs were good, but I can't give it a perfect score. 9/10
I know lots of Elton John singles but not by albums. This album reminded me how much I adore Elton's piano playing. Funeral for a Friend almost reminded me a bit of the earlier Genesis album (quasi-prog rock feel), including when put together with Love Lies Bleeding (now you have a sweeping rock song with twists, piano and synth, and guitars). The former is touching, the latter about as good as his other high-tempo hits. The first few notes of Yellow Brick Road give me chills - again, just something about his piano playing. I find it amazing how Bernie Taupin can write the lyrics to these songs and then Elton dreams up the music to go with it. Elton is an incredible composer and as a pair they are pretty amazing. I still have something against Bennie and the Jets (never liked it as much as others) but if that's his worst, that's pretty darn good. To be honest, the back half of the first album took a bit of a dip for me but it closed well with I've Seen that Movie Too. The second album really picked up steam about halfway through the Ballad of Danny Bailey - lots of higher tempo rock that sucks you in. From Dirty Little Girl through to Saturday Night's Alright is a great sequence. I also liked the different pacing in Roy Rogers and Harmony. Either album on its own is good but as a package it's gold.
We have an Elton John box set from 1990. I was surprised how many tracks are from this album, how many tracks I know so well. But then again, I shouldn't be; this is probably his best album, by far. So many of his other albums have great stuff on it too, though. Driving into work, there was at least two or three songs that had that 70s reverb and drum sound. You don't hear that on many albums and think that it doesn't sound dated. It fits in well with the music, and does NOT sound permanently lodged in the 70s. Not, almost FIFTY years later, we can listen to it and marvel in it. Perhaps if it was recorded now some of the songs would have a slightly different tinge or quality to it, but I doubt by much.
What a brilliant album and brilliant song writer. Just blows me away every time I hear the title track.
Elton sure dialed it up right now. Flawless execution, a perfect blend of prog with that incredible 11 minute opener and great tunes to hum along to.
This album was so fun front to back. Aside from the obvious singles, I went into this one blind. I don't know what I expected, but it had way more classic rock guitar licks to accompany Elton's fun piano playing than I anticipated. I can't say there's a skip on here. 5 stars all day. Don't be intimidated by the 1:16 runtime... I've listened to 30-minute albums on here that felt like they dragged on for hours. This really is the perfect Elton John album.
Elton grote meneer. veel nummers die weinig listens hebben die ik ook echt goed vond
It doesn't need me saying it, does it, but Elton has a genius for writing songs that goes beyond mere pop-artistry. His truest expression of himself is in the arrangement of chords in a satisfying sequence - which is why it's never mattered that he doesn't tend to write his own lyrics. They're part of the whole, but the whole is the song. Each one is a journey in its own right - John taking you down the Yellow Brick Road, showing you the sights - a laser display here, a drag queen there, all musically, mind - before dropping you back home, safe and sound. You've had such a journey you don't really want to say goodbye.
I don't remember the huge extended musical intro to this album, though its got that early 70s grit. This album is so grand in vision scope and sound. It goes everywhere. Its incredible.
An extraordinarily enthralling pop rock record; possibly Elton John's best critically speaking. 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' (album) utilizes the pure charisma and cheerful energy of John, which in tandem with an exquisitely produced and arranged album, sparks a masterpiece. From start to finish, the album is tremendously upbeat and is paced in such a way that it never loses touch of balancing pure musicality with showmanship all through sound.
Greatest hits, not quite Jamaican Jerk-off a gem you won't find elsewhere.
A fantastic album from one of the best musical artists of all time. Elton John has made a ton of music over the years (31 studio albums according to Wikipedia), and while I haven't heard many of his albums all the way through, it is hard to imagine anything beating this one. His vocals, songwriting, and piano playing are all top notch here, and there's a certain energy to his earlier work that made him the legend we know today. This record features some of the his biggest and best hits (Candle in the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, GYBR, SNAFF), but I was most impressed with how diverse and memorable the tracks outside of these were. Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is a very interesting way to start off an album with its dark overtones in the first half shifting over to a more upbeat and light second half. This track is representative of the album as a whole as it constantly switches between slower/darker songs and fun/light ones. While this can be detrimental to some records, nothing stands out as being out of place here which is crazy impressive. Out of the songs I have never heard before, This Song Has No Title, Grey Seal, All the Girls Love Alice, and Social Disease stood out to me the most (the fact that I can remember so many of these songs after hearing them once is not something that happens very often on this list). The only negative thing I have to say is that it might be a *tad* too long at 1 hour and 15 minutes. While I thought this went by relatively fast, there are a couple of songs that could have been cut to make this an absolutely perfect album; however, this is still nearly perfect and an album I will definitely listen to again in the future. Truly iconic. 4.5/5.
I'd heard plenty of Elton John's hits, but I'd never actually listened through an entire record before. I feel like this album awoke something inside of me, I don't know how to describe it. But I'm certainly going to dive deeper into Elton's discography. Front to back I was genuinely jamming out and loving nearly every track, I never found that momentum was lost at any point. Great listen, will absolutely be revisiting this record.
this was a really cool album I was expecting it to drag considering how long it was but it really felt fresh and engaging the whole time no complaints, just a great album 10/10
The roses in the window box Have tilted to one side - funeral for a friend
The only bad thing about this album is its runtime, and even then I never felt like skipping or rushing through any of the songs. This is the quintessential and definitive Elton John. Legendary voice and piano playing, big songs, great production, dynamics, all really well done. I appreciate the American sounds incorporating with the country and bluegrass, as well progressive rock pieces. I had a bad perception of Elton’s legacy, this all changed it.