Reviews (page 2 of 15)
He’s not my favorite but it was a fun album and has some classic songs
Handful of bangers on this one - didn’t overly care for the rest of it but still definitely enjoyed it
3.5
4.0
moody
You know the hits on this album, but the deep cuts are what make it great. “Jamaica Jerk-off” is wild.
This is phenomenal. Superb songwriting and musicianship, rollercoaster of emotions, great vocals, lyrics and damn the synths are cool. A few of the songs come off a little goofy (Jamaica jerk-off is just kinda huh..??) but everything has it’s place and every track has something great to it. Loved it. 9.5/10
Some classics on here, but a couple of simply terrible songs. Jamaican jerk off especially
The greatest Elton John album of all time.
Very Elton sounding
Elton John's never been a favourite artist, but some of these early albums are OK.
Tough one to rate because Funeral for a Friend is an easy ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and there some heaters to follow. The album tracks aren’t all up to snuff. What was the deal with Jamaica Jerk Off? I’ve heard the album before but maybe blocked that one out of my memory. Overall it’s an important and ambitious album, but feels like too much was crammed in to fit as a double album.
Nice music - could have been shorter
so many good ideas yet none of them make my heart go badum
#139 oughhhh it deserves to be on the list and has some impressive work (looking at the first song especially - a fantastically bold move!) but i found the latter half to be kind of cacophonous in a not fun way. love mr. elton for the bangers but this wasn't my thing as much. shout out to my favourite cover of saturday night from taron egerton. ಄ favourite track(s): saturday night's alright for fighting ಄ least favourite track(s): jamaica jerk-off ಄ album rating: ★★⯪☆☆ ಄ number of albums left to review: 950 ಄ number of albums i agree with being on the list: 59 (+1 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) ಄ albums from the list that i would consider for my list: 26 ಄ albums i would not include on my list: 113
Not entirely my style of music, but there are plenty of bits here and there that I do like!
Illustrated by artist Ian Beck, with the overall packaging and package design handled by David Larkham and Michael Ross is all good. As one of the handful of records on constant rotation by my school friends this album was imprinted into that period of our lives. Although I dislike the whiney Reg Dwight immensely the music is compelling and impossible to give the 1* planned. dammit.
Elton John comes out swinging on this one. The second half of the album is just half, but the start is so good it overshadows it. Did not expect this to start with Prog Rock, but he killed it. Favorite Songs: Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Full of classic hits that take me back to driving in the car with my parents. Fun, catchy, rock songs. Loved it!
Stopped listening by track 6. Elton John is a good musician, but his stuff is a bit too poppy for me. 6/10.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road opens like somebody raising the curtain on a musical. “Funeral for a Friend” works less like prog sprawl than a musical-theatre overture: themes are announced, scale established, the audience told that this is going to be an event. What follows has almost no narrative coherence whatsoever, but that scarcely matters. Marilyn Monroe, futuristic pop stars, broken relationships, sailors, prostitutes, gangsters, Saturday-night fighting and childhood cowboys all wander through. The unity is theatrical rather than thematic. These are scenes. You can hear why Elton’s songs folded into Rocketman so naturally decades later. The theatrical impulse was already present. “Bennie and the Jets” is futuristic spectacle, all wild syncopation and the sense that the future hasn’t been predicted so much as already arrived. “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” is practically a comic strip set to music: broad outlines, movement, mischief and violence, with a chorus designed to have bodies moving before anyone has considered the sociology of pub fighting. Elton is frighteningly good throughout. Hooks seem to occur to him in multiples. His band is absurdly tight: “Grey Seal” drives forward with the piano flying around inside the rhythm section, then the backing vocals join him through the third verse with such precision that the whole vocal line suddenly feels enlarged rather than decorated. Gus Dudgeon’s production is immaculate without becoming airless. Bernie Taupin is much more uneven, and that is where the album becomes interesting. At his best he can be empathetic, cinematic and wonderfully human. “Love Lies Bleeding” has a vernacular directness that never becomes gauche. “Candle in the Wind” works because Taupin approaches Norma Jean almost as an equal, reducing the distance between icon and person instead of adding another layer of myth. “I’ve Seen That Movie Too” has a weary sophistication, its backwards guitar sounding like the scene itself being rewound so everyone can endure it again. “Sweet Painted Lady” takes another version of that here-we-go-again feeling and makes it sentimental rather than exhausted. At his worst, Taupin can be dreadfully small-town and parochial. “Dirty Little Girl” swaggeringly looks down on its subject. Imagine that character in Lou Reed’s hands: she might still be grubby, damaged and difficult, but Reed would probably have found some empathy for her. Taupin mostly sneers. “All the Girls Love Alice” reaches for tragedy but doesn’t really understand the territory it has entered. Lesbianism is tangled up with youthful aberration, exploitation and death until the song becomes more lurid than insightful. The problem isn’t simply that these songs are dated. They feel like lyrics discussing things they aren’t equipped to discuss. It’s tempting to say that Sleaford never quite left Taupin. Sometimes that was his greatest strength. His background gave him somewhere real to look out from. “Roy Rogers” became the emotional centre of the album for me because I know Sleaford and I knew the old Picturedrome there, a huge cinema where I watched films myself. I found myself imagining Taupin as a boy in the balcony, red velvety seats around him, the American West filling the screen while flat Lincolnshire waited outside. Suddenly “Roy Rogers” became much bigger than nostalgia for a cowboy star. It became nostalgia for believing that escape was available simply by sitting down in the dark. That same provincial inheritance could also narrow Taupin’s gaze. Sleaford was both launchpad and limitation: it gave him the hunger to imagine elsewhere, while some of its assumptions still travelled with him. His imagination at this point seems to be expanding faster than his worldview. The album itself has the same uneven generosity. “Jamaica Jerk-Off” is period-piece silliness that would be charming as a track discovered in a vault forty years later. “Your Sister Can’t Twist” is much better knowing kitsch: Little Richard in the attack, Chuck Berry in the storytelling, with the instrumental break laying the joke on with a trowel. “Social Disease” is slight, but the band are clearly having fun inside the costume. Then “Harmony” ends everything quietly, yearning for an idealised state of equilibrium after all the fame, movement, colour and noise. I admire Goodbye Yellow Brick Road more than it moves me. But there is an enormous amount here to admire: melodic abundance, immaculate production, a superb band, theatrical imagination and enough inconsistency to make the album feel human rather than monumental.
Elton had the absolute sauce for those first 4/5 tracks damn
This is an album that is an *album* rather than a collection of songs. Obviously there's no concept album in sight, but there is an undeniable cohesion between the tracks that establishes such a fun tone across the album itself. The run of the first four tracks is so excellent, only slightly marred by This Song Has No Title which isn't quite grandiose enough to keep up the streak. We would be looking at an easy five star if it wasn't for some of the half dud tracks like 'Jamaica Jerk-Off' which is fun but doesn't quite break out of novelty song. Still, the album needed some levity.
I wonder how an album like this would fade today. Kind of a rock pop album that feels fresh because the songs are great but because it’s piano led it has a vintage feel to it. Regardless Benny and the Jets and Candle in the Wind anchor an impressive display of songs. And I really liked some of the swampier songs in the middle like Dirty Little Girl and All the Girls Love Alice. My only gripe here was the album was a bit too long and got samey by the end. Elton could have easily trimmed 4 songs off this thing but it was brilliant nonetheless.
Not my style of music
Oh no. My nemesis. I was dreading this day. Me and Elton have bad blood, from the overplayed candle in the wind to the craptastic step into Christmas - his music is on the perfect frequency to enrage and irritate. Kinda fitting as I am back at work after a nice break. Monday blues suddenly got worse. ----------------------------------------------------------- He can most certainly play and construct songs and the Jets song even got me nodding my head. As did seals. Wait, do I actually like this? This was way better than I was expecting and the proggier elements were a surprise. The bassist is fantastic also. Sure I can't stand when the rock elements fade and we are left with just Elton and the piano but that's actually few and far between. A great surprise. 4*
What a tremendous and beautiful album. Of course I love Elton John’s hits, but this is the first time I’ve listened to one of his albums. He has incredible charisma and the music is full of heart and creativity. A true artist.
Seemingly all Elton’s best songs are on this album. Which is about half of it. The rest I don’t particularly like.
Wish You Were Queer.
Liked most of the songs I already knew, and even the non-hit ones. But it was a little long for me, so I don't feel like I enjoyed it enough to give it a bigger score.
The intro was so exciting, then it kind of fumbled as far as my tastes go, but there's moments all throughout that make this an obvious must-listen. The title track was the aha moment for me, and the hard Americana influence marked my furrowed brow, regulating the experience to something I could live without. Can't pretend I won't get excited if I see this album art when I'm crate digging. 3.2/5
Enjoiyed!
I’ve seen that movie too foi minha preferida!!
I like this a lot and I am in between a 4 and a 5 but I do think this probably has to be a 5? Could see it going either way. Highlights Funeral for a Friend (fav) Bennie and the Jets Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Saturday Nights alright
very fun album, hadn't heard many on the back half and found myself enjoying them a lot! bennie and the jets my fav
I liked the theatricality of this album a lot. Funeral for a friend having a long overture type feel set this album up really well. I really enjoyed listening to the majority of this album there was a couple of songs that I didn’t like but overall really good
This is an unbelievable double album that perfectly intertwines Elton John’s piano ballads with his ventures into rock and opera-esque songwriting. His voice is evocative and powerful. It’s glorious
já começa com a primeira a música sendo muitoooo longa, mas em geral é um álbum divertido! bom para o que ele se propõe, de todas as músicas a minha favorita foi all the girls love alice
Hunting the horny back toooouuaad.
Pretty excellent. It will come as a surprise to no one that "Jamaica Jerk-Off" is indeed the worst song on this double-album (and boy is it a stinker), but otherwise...I mean this thing is freaking solid. Elton John and Bernie Taupin were truly in another league. It's just song after song after song of catchy, deceptively complex, prog-pop-rock. Who else could accomplish that? This is still not my favorite music ever, but I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't love (and I mean love) at least one song on this thing. That's saying something.
Tres fort
I was obsessed with sir Elton John when I was a teen. so gooood!
So today I found out that Spotify suppress the lyrics if the passage of time has deemed them to be offensive. e.g. Dirty Little Girl
*Some OK singles that I don't love too much. *The album lacks cohesion but has some cool moments.
I personally enjoyed the album while it was pretty well paced it tended to drag on a little bit toward the end overall good listen
Elton John at his best. Each song tells a unique story with an equally unique musical influence. This album is absolutely brilliant!
I hurt my back singing goodbye to the red brick road in my backyard. There is a 5+ star 45 minute album in this 1 hour and 16 minutes.
Wowza what a great listening experience all songs have great character added loads some I knew some I didn’t
Some great songs still require context. It’s hard to appreciate what these songs are really all about and commenting on without having lived through it or investing the time and effort to put them in context.i want to meet the person who says “Jamaica Jerk-Off is my favorite song” without irony.
not as big on this one, except that Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) is what the Rolling Stones wish they were doing when they try to make a rocker
If you dropped some of the more ballady stuff this would be an easy 5. Elton John can rock on a piano harder than most people can rock on an electric guitar, which I think is extremely remarkable. Saturday Night is an all-timer.
Kända låter, men smådrygt album. Inte min genre
Loved it. Love the creativity of Elton mixed with the constant of the piano.
Flera bangers men andra halvan drar ned betyget
Inget ont att säga om detta. Klockren fyra.
Denna album har jag alltid tyckt känns som en riktigt bra folklig konsert på en stor festivalscen. Lite ojämnt ibland kanske men blir glad, en halvsvag femma.
Den har allt man gillar: Prog, sväng, soul, rock n roll. Toppenskiva som bara är ett par svaga spår ifrån full pott! 4,8/5
Fantastisk, kunde trimmats en aning men det mesta är för bra.
Vissa låtar faller platt, nån sorts formulär A Elton John låtar. För att citera vad Kejsaren säger till Mozart i Amadeus: "Just cut a few and it will be perfect"
ME gustó mucho más de lo que esperaba, quedé sorprendido.
Pretty excellent album. Some that aren't my fav, but some absolute bops. Highs: Candle in the Wind, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting, Social Disease, Harmony Lows: Maybe like Sweet Painted Lady? Funeral for a Friend? Overall, the sound is awesome, there aren't many lows, some serious highs, and is overall a pretty enjoyable listen. This is the closest to a 5 I've had so far.
I got a very U shaped enjoyment curve out of this album as it went on; strong start and strong end, with a dip in the middle. Don't get me wrong, I love the era of Elton John this album started with him adopting a more rock 'n' roll sound and definitely do consider this album mandatory listening on this list, but this is the impression that I got.
Good lord, Elton John has hooks for days. You can certainly point to weak spots on this album but overall, you'd be hard pressed to find a better collection of all-timer pop songs outside of a Greatest Hits collection. Funeral for a Friend, Candle in the Wind, and Bennie and the Jets has to be one of the strongest three song runs on any album.
Hatten wir den nicht gerade erst? Naja, dieses Album ist besser als der Madman!
Echt lang, aber auch echt vielseitig. Muss ich mich nochmal mehr mit beschäftigen, Stand jetzt so zwischen 3 und 4 Sternen. Bin da aber optimistisch.
Great to revisit one of the all-time classic albums. Such an amazing range of music packed with ballads, love songs and all out rocking tunes.
it's a good album. lots of hits on this album. even the others are worth listening to. i enjoyed it.
This is no doubt Bernie Taupin and Elton John at their peak. What a stellar album. I love the musicianship, I love the songwriting, I love the energy, I love the craftsmanship, it is all there and firing on all cylinders. Not really a bad song on here.
Definitely a classic. When one of the most popular songs of the 70s (Bennie &The Jets) is not even one of the best songs on the alblum, you know the alblum is a 5. Funeral is one of my favorite songs. Might not even be my favorite Elton alblum.
Great album but there are some others I like more. Over an 8 year period I believe he put out 8 albums and 2 were double albums and they’re all excellent. This album has his greatest song in my opinion…. Funeral for a friend/Loves lies bleeding. Elton owned the 70’s
I'm sorry but why is the first song 11 minutes. Goodbye yellow brick road is my fav on this album. I've seen that movie to - I love the instruments in this song. Especially at the start. I can't lie, I did finish this album but I zoned out and got bored halfway through. I think there were some good songs in here, just not ones that interested me or intrigued me that much. Some songs were quite catchy however personally for me it didn't blow me away. I do see why people like it though. 3/5
very flawed and very special
The singles are of course very good. I really liked Grey Seal. I can’t say I liked every song but it’s overall quite good.
Listened
Elton John being Elton John. We love to see it.
Listened before?: yes, one time before using this site to track my 1001 albums progress Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding - 5/5 Candle in the Wind - 4/5 Bennie and The Jets - 5/5 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 5/5 This Song Has No Title - 3/5 Grey Seal - 4/5 Jamaica Jerk-Off - 2/5 I've Seen That Movie Too - 4/5 Sweet Painted Lady - 4/5 The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-34) - 4/5 Dirty Little Girl - 3/5 All the Girls Love Alice - 4/5 Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n' Roll) - 2/5 Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting - 5/5 Roy Rogers - 2/5 Social Disease - 3/5 Harmony - 4/5 Average score: 3.7/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it's a solid album, especially toward the beginning. only complaint i can think of is that the album is about 15-20 minutes too long (for my personal liking). there were also some tracks i felt were either redundant (Dirty Little Girl) or simply didn't fit on an album like this (Jamaican Jerk-Off especially). fortunately, that did little to kill my enjoyment overall. for that reason, i feel okay giving it 4 stars here, though it'd likely receive 3.5 stars in reality
An amazing album and certainly one of his highest rated ones. I remember this on as a twelve year old in 1973. Loaded woith hits and excellent deep cuts. Excellent album
Elton John is really cool—I wouldn't have thought so. I do prefer *Madman Across the Water*, but this is a rock-solid album too.
This might be the pinnacle of 70s pop. I feel like it has everything a good pop album should have, it has energy, but it also knows when to slow it down and have an emotional moment. It's a little unfortunate that the hits were piled onto the front of the album, I think it would've felt better paced if they were throughout, but I don't think that's necessarily a fault of the album. I think that's just how I am. Favorites: Bennie and the Jets, I've Seen That Movie Too, Harmony
What an album to put out in 1973, this is ahead of the curve of at least 5 years I'd never properly listened to Elton John before and this did not disappoint, although my attention did falter a few times
This is monumental - baroque, elaborate, colorful while always accessible. Prog-level virtuosity supporting fun, beautiful songs. The possible demerit is a slight flagging at the middle, but being sprawling and maximalist is simply part of the vision.
Yeah here's another GOATed album on the list. Two 5's in a week, I'm feeling blessed. Elton John covers so much ground here that there's something for everyone on this album, and it's boggling to believe one man could produce the whole thing. Fave track: Bennie and the Jets
I think I forgot how much the Title track goes off. Pretty long (double LP). 3.5/5
A really strong album, laced with classics including Candle in the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, the title track, and Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting. Some of them could certainly come under the category of ‘played out’, but it’s hard to deny that they’re all incredibly memorable songs. I think there’s enough quality throughout the rest to make John more than just a singles artist, especially the songs that join the classics in a generally pacey opening half. It’s denied 5 by being overly long- a more condensed version probably would have had a good shot at full marks.
Unusually among big 70s artists, Elton John is one I’m largely unfamiliar with, aside from the hits, so I was quite interested to hear a full album. I wasn’t disappointed. Impressively for a double album, there are very few weaker tracks here, and only one egregious dud (‘Jamaica Jerk-Off’). Aside from that, it’s stacked with great tracks: the dramatic, multi-part opener, ‘Candle in the Wind’, ‘Bennie and the Jets’, the title track, ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’, and many more besides. It’s a strong 4 for now, possibly rising to a 5 with greater familiarity. A true glam rock classic.
Iconic
좋아용
Not my cup of tea
cool cool cool
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John is definitely a pretty good album, and I can see why it’s so highly regarded. I feel that the most memorable parts of the album live in the first half of the record, but that’s not to say that the other half is subpar. While there are definitely some stronger tracks, I wouldn't skip any one of them when listening back because they are all good songs. The intro was captivating, and I really liked the synths; it reminds me of 2025 Turnstile. Track 8 “I’ve Seen That Movie Too” has one of the best guitar solos I’ve heard in a while. The closing track was also perfect for the record.
This album is an absolute gem.
Comes out with the bangers and then peters off a bit. More of an A side album
I was expecting to give this like a 2 but I have been charmed by Elton John. 3.5/5
Love this album!
Dober dober
Feeling unease while listening to it. Idk why, pretty mid but it's listenable. The only songs that stood out to me was the intro track, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Saturday Night's Alright
There’s always going to be some unevenness in an album that’s 77 mins long, but I’m not sure we needed a guest appearance from Jive Bunny and the Master-Mixers in ‘hYour Sister Can’t Twist’. Having said that, it’s still a great album, if quite heavily front-end loaded.
favorite(s): dirty little girl
Great album! With some classic songs!
MERAVIGLIOSO
Ok, not my style. I enjoyed the piano focus but other than that it was just another pop album...from years past.
Fantastic
Minus 1 for the reggae song
Amazing
wonderful and delightful
8 - GOOD
Le premier son est exceptionnel et le reste dans la lignée. J’ai écouté en deux fois en allant et revenant de cours c’est peut-être ce qui aide à mieux digérer le tout
some hits, some misses. the overture was really cool and I liked the first half more
A few of the songs are uninteresting at worst, but overall a great album. I was already an Elton John fan, and getting to relisten to this album is always a treat. 4/5.
Bloated? Probably! Overly indulgent? Probably! Do I love it despite it going against most things I dislike in my music? Absolutely! :) It is a really well written, and fun album! And despite the hour+ of music, it never sounds like a lab project or lets up on energy. :)
Me gustó mucho principalmente porque el álbum se siente como álbum y no como puros hits juntos.
This is great. He's such a great songwriter and able to do so many different styles.
It’s a fun piece. Definitely felt front loaded as some of the later tracks start falling off a bit. I feel like I’m getting pickier about double albums
lovely
So good
Not every song is great, but there are some top tier songs on here.
OMG It's the Gnomeo and Juliet guy?! I'd been meaning to give this album a listen for years after loving the classics that this album brings, but somehow I never got around to it. And now I've been given the chance, and wow it's good. For a double album it doesn't drag at all, obviously its got the famous tracks but the other lesser known songs it brings are bangers too. Truly amazing listen just for the opening track alone. Fav Songs Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Is it Top 1001 Worthy (is it essential)? ABSOLUTELY It Is. A shining example of a double album filled with some of the absolute best Glam/Classic Rock out there; and it's made by THE Elton John. Come on now.
Some really great songs here, but it’s too bloated with filler to get 5 stars.
Absolute bangers, I've clearly slept on Elton John as an album artist this whole time, only diving into the odd single. Jamacian Jerk Off is a bit... dated, but it's the only true dud on the album.
Friday, 14 August, 2026 Great album. Several all time songs on the record. A little long (not quite worthy of double LP), but most of it is great.
bennie and the jets alone might carry the 4 for this album but some good tunes and almost felt like a musical/play with some of the numbers. in a good way
Muy buen disco! Como siempre Elton John un genio!
buen álbum de Elton, lo banqué aunque no me pareció una locura
A lovely album, and one that I hadn’t heard from start to finish before. It felt very top-loaded but I very much enjoyed Roy Rogers towards the end. I understand the acclaim this record has received. Whilst not perfectly in my wheelhouse, I spent a nice hour and a bit with it. 3/5.
Look there’s no denying this is a good album, but top 100 albums of all time?
Really fun prolonged intro to the first song, the guitar, bass, piano, and orchestra all work together nicely. Candle in the Wind is a classic, but overplayed a bit. The intro to Bennie and Jets in particular is just iconic and a perfect blend of slow, rhythm that uses restraint for its advantage. Great piano, guitar, and sound effects throughout. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is also another classic on an album full of them, but for good reason. The message, songwriting, and harmonies are all top notch. I really enjoyed the lyrics of "This Song Has No Title", very philosophical but also meta and self-aware. Jamaica is the first "miss" and is skippable. The next 4 are standard Elton John and just okay to me. Next 2 are better. Saturday Night's Alright is a classic, always loved it. Roy Rogers is okay. Social Disease starts weird, but is a fun song, love the banjo. Harmony was a good ender. Overall, this album starts so freaking strong, and then has a couple really good songs in the middle. Overall, I like it but I don't love it. Its like a 7/10 for me, but I'll bump it up to 4/5. Favorite Tracks: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, This Song Has No Title, Saturday Night's Alright Least Favorite Tracks: Jamaica Jerk-Off, Dirty Little Girl,
There’s a reason my algorithm always eventually serves me some Elton John, all roads lead to the yellow brick road. He spans genres, and this album is a perfect example of that. “Dirty Little Girl” is a sleeper.
Awesome
3.5
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! It has some bangers like “Bennie and the Jets,” “Goodbye Yellow Road,” and “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)”. And the rest of the tracks sounded good enough. I like the instrumental sections. (Though “Candle in the Wind” is too overplayed and maudlin for me.) I remember trying to listen to this when I was younger and not liking it. So either my tastes have softened or Elton’s continual presence through TV performances and films and guest appearances has inured me to him. I’d listen to this again.
Putting this in the Stone Cold Classic Album That Everyone Knows But Never Really Seems To Come Up When People Talk About The Best Albums Of All Time category (SCATTERBOAT for short) along with Moondance and The Cars. The dogfight between Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding vs. the title song for best song on the album (I'd go with FFF, but it's close) is dwarfed by the true Battle Royale for second best: Is it Bennie and the Jets, Sweet Painted Lady, All the Girls Love Alice, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting or Harmony? No clue - they're all incredible. The worst song is easy, though, and it's not Jamaica Jerk-Off - it's fucking Candle in the Wind, eccch.
goat of piano rock. i only ever want to hear piano rock from him. wtf was he thinking when he made jamaica jerk off tho
3,6 Highlights: Candle in the Wind, Grey Seal
Look, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding is bloody marvellous. The rest of the album is largely fun, but like Elvis Costello (who I listened to just before this one) I could like Elton more than I do. It's the voice and the style I don't quite love. But Candle in the Wind is a great song. I even didn't hate Bennie and the Jets even though it's a bit annoying and lounge rock and I thought I hated it before. Grey Seal was a discovery even though I've heard it before. I think with editing this could have been a 5 for me.
absolutely unhinged to start with a 10 minute song that’s instrumental for most part. i love it. this is brilliant. it’s also 20 minutes too long. other than that outstanding.
This is pretty good, the big tracks are excellent and Elton is good enough that most of the others are decent enough. My only real problem is that it's sooooo loooooong. Silly double albums. Imagine this without the album tracks and once again we'd have an absolute killer album. Instead this is just good.
De lo mejor de Elton
Outstanding
One of the best opening track sequences I've ever heard, the first side of the first disc and the title track are much more than a huge collection of timeless hits; they are a statement of intent about what can be done with different influences without losing the essence, with the overflowing personality of the music being what holds everything together. Taupin's lyrics, full of metaphors and narratives of scenes with very different characters, use very concrete images to deal with much more abstract emotions in a direct way and without the need for explanations, and they fit perfectly with Elton's ability to interpret melodies that feel almost inevitable and that turn the extravagance of the lyrics into songs with the potential for success and that are truly accessible.
Okay Mr John I’ll let you do 76 minutes this time
Ohhh this is why Elton John was kidnapped by Julianne Moore!!! First track provides an epic introduction and the rest of the tracks are varied with emotion powering through each song. Each track gives something different but there are definitely highlights including ‘Saturday Night’s Alright’ and ‘Bennie and the Jets’. Overall, I’m glad I listened to this and can appreciate some Elton John that I was ignorant to prior.
OK
Classic. Would be perfect to me if not for the song Jamaica Jerk-off.
Know it, love the first half, don't really care for the second half (save for "Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting"). "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" is a favorite. The hits are all well-deserved. Could do without "All the Girls Love Alice," "Roy Rogers," and "Social Disease." It's not my favorite Elton John album (that's "Captain Fantastic") but still a good listen. (4/5)
Didn't realise how many more bangers were on here aside from the titular single.
Enjoyable but not my thing. RYM: N Saved a song: N
One of the best artists ever, but not every song on this album is memorable.
An excellent double album by Sir Elton. It's diverse with pop hits rockin numbers and even some prog rock. His vocal range is at It's best.
A brilliant collection of songs. The opening track is very impressive and sets up a pretty great run of songs up to the bizarre Jamaican Jerk-Off, which seems so out of place and stops the album in its tracks. Fortunately, it picks straight back up and ends beautifully with Harmony. I loved the mix of genres on this album (with the exception of reggae) - the rock and roll, country and slow ballads are all fantastic.
Yeah its good
Onhan tämä kova lätty, valitettavasti se vain kärsii omasta pituudestaan. Kaikki biisit albumilla yksinäänkin ovat vähintään kolme tähteä, osa jopa sitä viiden tähden luokkaa. Olisipa osa niistä kolmista tähdistä dropattu pois, niin olisin jaksanut paremmin. Äärettömän hyvä albumi silti!
tykkäsin kovasti! hitit oli tutut mutta muuten ei. jotenki uskomattoman modernin kuulosta ja ajatonta vaikka 70-lukua. varmaan jos ois jotenki lapsuudesta tuttu tms niin vois olla tärkeä levy itelle mutta ei kyllä sitä oo. mutta passeli ja hyvä!
Tää ei lähteny teininä mulla, mut nyt lähtee vidusti! Harkitsin jopa vitosta, mut niukasti jää neloseksi!
Odotukset oli kovat, mut ekalla kuuntelulla autossa jäi vähän taustamusaks ja oli pienoinen pettymys. Kovia hetkiä, mutta kokonaisuutena jäi jotenkin pliisuks. Illalla ilta-auringossa kaupunkipyörällä kruisaillessa sain korvanappiin tiedon et onhan tää nyt kova lätty! ⭐️
Mulla ei oo ennakkoon suhdetta Elton Johniin ja tää levy oli autokuuntelussa. Siksi en ihan saanut innostuksesta kiinni. Ei vienyt jalkoja alta, mutta vaatinee jatkoperehtymistä. Tuntui pitkältä enkä tunnistanut hittejä. Levynä vaikuttaa sellaiselta että tää toimisi varmaan, jos vähän jo tuntisi tuotantoa.
paras elbon jovin levy
Ihan sillein hyviä kappaleita. Pop rokkia, joistain kappaleista ja kohdista saa Queeniä mieleen. Hyviä kappaleita on monta eikä levy käynyt tylsäksi missään kohtaa. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road oli tuttu kappale lapsuudesta. Parhaat: Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Grey Seal
Sounds like great classic rock perhaps a little ahead of its time, reminds me of early 80s/late 70s classic rock, piano work and overall composition is great. I was unaware of how good at guitar this band can be. Some songs sound kind of samey, Candle in the wind was repetitive and boring, but some songs are classics, bennie and the jets, goodbye yellow brick road are both great. Jamican jerk, sucked holy cow there are some greats and there are some stinkers. Seen that movie too is pretty good. This is starting to get quite repetitive towards the end. OVERALL 5.45/10 or 2.73/5 Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding 7.5 Candle in the Wind 4 Bennie and the Jets 6 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 6.5 This Song Has No Title 5 Grey Seal 5 Jamaica Jerk-Off 3.5 I've Seen That Movie Too 7.6 Sweet Painted Lady 5 The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909–34) 5 Dirty Little Girl 4 All the Girls Love Alice 6 Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll) 6 Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting 5.5 Roy Rogers 5 Social Disease 6 Harmony 5
Super album.
Overall, multiple exceptional songs on this album, but there were a few weak ones. I wish he just left them off and the album would have still been plenty long but also perfect.
Brilliant album from a brilliant musician
fun, exciting, fast, though also messy and chaotic at times too. this album really encompasses every musical aspect of elton john and it kinda makes sense why this is concidered his magnum opus. but i found it just a little too much all over the place and without a real direction. nothing but love for elton tho, he is an icon and a legend
2.75 - the classics are the classics, the jamaica one way strange but I liked Social Disease.
Fuck yeah this is great. Its so fun, its so catchy and thats enough for me to slap a big fat 4/5 on this thing. Its not a five because the album loose a lot of its steam in the second half.
A Damned Good Album. Yes, it has a couple of his mega hits, and it arguably should have been edited down to a single LP rather than a double, but I'm nitpicking Elton H John produced an excellent album here. (Tho' my preference is Tumbleweed Collection.)
I’m currently immersing myself deeply in the Elton John era. The album opens magnificently with the track "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding." Such a beautiful medley! And the synthesizers were used to serve the music, rather than smothering the entire sound—unlike how they were often used by other artists during the later New Wave era. Right after that comes "Candle in the Wind," that iconic song originally written for Marilyn Monroe and later rewritten for Diana, Princess of Wales. How we wept—whether in Great Britain, Germany, or anywhere else in the world. When the single was re-released in 1997, we played it constantly at home; Lady Di’s death affected us deeply on an emotional level. Next up is "Bennie and the Jets"; Elton’s piano playing is fantastic, as are the high-pitched vocals at times. After flipping the record over, we get the title track. What a delicate, beautiful song, accompanied by strings. It is one of the highlights of Elton John’s entire body of work. I could go on like this, but time is a bit limited. One thing is certain: this album cements Elton John’s reputation as a fantastic singer, performer, and pianist. He is a truly unique, eccentric talent. From the softest, most delicate moments to full-blown rock 'n' roll, he can do it all. His stage shows remain unsurpassed. I love this album.
A: Älskar riktig musik. Liksom det här albumet är gjort av någon som älskar musik och verkligen vill få saker in i musiken. TACK till Elton John. Gillade mycket i albumet och visste inte att han hade gjort några av albumets kändaste låtar. Uppskattar mycket på grund av mycket. What. E full o dehä kommer liksom en vecka för sent. Hög kvalitet på musiken o produktionen o orden men gillar. lowk 5/5. (A-rank????) D: Tyckte att albumet verkade gult tills jag både förstod varför och att jag är en idiot. Var mycket positivt överraskad, herr John är slay och så är hans musik. 5/5
I understand it is a very good album and classic. It just only had 3 songs I’d replay.
Meh, pretty gay, but I mean, he was gay so understandable
This record was a big hit for a reason... it's a solid album from a bonafide legend. It is critically acclaimed and widely loved. Though not one of my go-to records, I see the value and (dare I say it?) "importance" of this record. It does have a bit of filler and probably could have been trimmed down to a single record without impacting much... but it's been 50+ years, so no sense in debating that.
Een 4. Toppers als de title track en Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting zijn echt verschrikkelijk goed, maar dan heb je ook opeens zo'n giga stinker als Jamaican Jerk-Off
Groots en gezellig, eigenlijk net als Guus Meeuwis, maar dan proggy, gay en vooral heel erg goed.
Not excited about it.
Enjoyable album bietjie lank van die songs was nie so great nie maar die eerste helfte was goed
Pretty good, hadn't really listened before and might revisit at some point. just something missing that stops it being a 4 for me.
Great album by a fantastic musician, and it kicks off with two legendary tracks. Between Bennie and the Jets, Candle in the Wind, and Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting, this album feels stacked. That said... I gotta admit, I kinda stopped caring after Saturday Night. That would have been a perfect closer, but there's three songs after it. Still, great album.
I wanna give it 5 stars so bad I listened to it twice and it moved me to tears, why the FUCK is Jamaican Jerk off on this masterpiece of an album that song sucks take it off
This album made me take a week long break from the project. Not for any reason in particular, I just wasn't really inspired to sit down and listen to Elton John for 80 minutes. Like at all... but I hear this album is immaculate and I'd like to catch back up on the project so here we are! Elton wrote all the melodies (in 3 days), Bernie Taupin did all the lyrics (in 2.5 weeks). Hey! This is where Bowie recorded Low. He said the Chateau was haunted. The melody on the second half of track 1 is awesome, very driving. Is this Boner Music? Candle In the Rain was fun! This album is going to be dramatic huh. Bennie and the Jets is a classic - Tribe Called Quest sample. I wonder if this is another like... rockstar story sort of album, y'know? Ok every time I consume anything about this album everyone is like "wow I didn't realize how many of these songs I knew" and wow yeah. The first 4 might as well be a greatest hits compilation huh. I got distracted but I swear to god I heard a reggae song Your Sister Can't Twist is ridiculous. The circus music melody is notttt it Elton! Oh hey I do know Saturday Night's Alright! This guy has a really great voice I can't lie First song is fun but very long, pretty good though. Second one too! Not my style but it's well done. I DID hear reggae. Who would've guessed Jamaican Jerkoff is the track. It's actually not bad Breakdown in Grey Seal fucks Song bout prostitutes with an accordion.. it's ok. His voice still rules Ballad has a crazy piano solo towards the end Dirty Little Girl is great, dude is belting it Alice is also fucking crazy, less interesting but they're going off more I do not like Sister Can't Twist. Too silly, circus music. Roy Rogers is good.. a little country? Fuck it I'm gonna give Elton a 3 Love Lies Bleeding really is good, the intro is just soooo fucking long
Elton John's voice is amazing, but honestly, after This Song Has No Title it lowkey falls off but the music is still great
No notes. Top 5 album period.
Some of these songs are classics and others are so so. Elton is a weird dude but a fun listen. 6/10 Top song... Bennie and the jets
What an opening 4 songs! Shame about the cod reggae song. Good listen overall.
Well I just finished Elton John- Goodbye yellow brick road...I forgot just how great side 1 and 2 of the first album was. The 2nd album was a loss for the most part.
What can I say? Nearly every track on this double album is great. I've enjoyed it since childhood and still think it's superb. Easiest 5 I can give.
4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/elton-john/goodbye-yellow-brick-road/ Now I just cannot hate on this, can I? Sure, it has some weak songs (Jamaica Jerk-Off looking at you), but all the rest is just so fun.
Jamaica Jerk-Off and Dirty Little Girl pissed me off.
I can safety say that this is my first Elton John album. I’ve obviously heard his music but never listened to an album. This was great. I little long for me but I’ve discovered a new side on Elton’s music which is the rock songs. Funeral For A Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding is a BANGER of a start. Dirty Little Girl and All the Girls Love Alice were pleasant surprises too. Some “filler” songs stop this from getting a 5 though
Sure it’s long, but damn it’s good!
They're not all Bennie and the Jets
On of the best ever
After listening to this I finally understand what the fuss is about with Elton John. Really solid piano pop ballads with excellent production and songwriting. A lot like Bowie, if a bit more one dimensional. Just really good music
Liked: 1,2,3,4,6,8,9,10,12,13,14,15,16,17 Disliked: 5,7,11 Total Songs: 17 Ratio: 14/17 Converted Score: 4.12/5 Top 3 1. Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding 2. Candle In the Wind 3. Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting
First time listening to this album all the way through. I now understand where Scissor Sisters get a lot of their influences from. Definitely worth the listen.
Sir Elton
Love Elton, but he loses a star for Jamaica Jerkoff
Un plaisir
Some hit some miss
duh
There’s some good songs on this, but this double record got a bit long in the tooth for me.
75
A little too long. I was expecting to be annoyed but it was actually pretty good.
Listens: 2 Standout tracks: Bennie and the Jets, Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock'n' Roll), Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) I love a good Bennie and the Jets, and there area few tracks in the back half that are great, but this was a bit long for me. I have also been preoccupied today and didn't really get in any real active listening on the album. Listening was mostly done while doing the bedroom routine (the night before), making coffee in the morning and cooking dinner. BENNIE! BENNIE! BENNIE! and the Jets!
Comme avec Bowie, j'ai un peu de misère à cerner Sir John. Quand même d'excellents tubes là-dessus, mais c'est weird quand ça vire sur le prog, ou le hard rock. Je n'avais jamais réalisé à quel point il avait des atomes crochus avec les Stones à cette époque.
Les singles sont assez incroyables!
You already know the hits on this album, but everything else is great as well. Opening your pop-rock album with an 11 minute prog masterpiece is a wonderful subversion that I did not expect from Elton John. There are so many hidden masterpieces on this album too. This song has no title and I've seen that movie too are gems I hadn't heard before. His ability of songwriting is something to be marveled at. Such a great album all around.
Some early 70's production choices didn't age well. "Jamaican Jerk Off" is going up high in my list of least favorite songs ever. A lot of the rest of this album is strong, however. Because it's a double album that didn't overstay its welcome too badly, I'll give it 4 stars.
This release has its ups and downs. The opening six tracks are very strong. Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - fantastic. Then we get to Jamaica Jerk-Off and you lose me. From there, some good, some not so good. For the strength of the strong tracks, this one is going to be a 4 star album.
Sehr sehr geil
Loved it since it came out
the world's first pop diva!!
some tracks are really good but i am just not a big fan of elton johns music
Meeeh ça passe mais j'ai du mal avec Elton john juste l'intro est prime
4.5
Love Elton John, love this album. The only thing I can ever find any fault with is the 45 min intro song.
no me lo terminé se me hizo bola
This album has some amazing tracks, but it is very long, and honestly the quality of the material does decline quite a bit after the halfway mark.
4/5
Started of suprrisingly strong with Funeral for a friend, candle in the wind and even Bennie and the Jets. But after that it very much fell into the standard Elton John stuff, which sadly very much overstayed its welcome with a total of 1:17hr of Elton John. I can imagine that if you're fan of him this'd be an amazing album, however I just am not a fan of his music. However, I cannot deny that it is a good album overall.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is one of those rare albums that earns every bit of its legendary reputation. Elton John and Bernie Taupin were operating at an almost unbelievable creative peak, delivering an astonishing mix of piano-driven rock, soaring ballads, glam, pop, and theatrical storytelling. The first record alone—Sides A and B—could honestly stand as one of the greatest pop albums ever released. From the explosive opener to the emotional highs and unforgettable melodies, it's hit after hit without feeling manufactured or repetitive. The album isn't absolutely flawless. Side Three loses just a little momentum, and the country influences on Side Four might have worked even better if they'd been spread throughout the running order instead of clustered together. Even so, those are minor observations on a sprawling double album overflowing with inspiration. The songwriting, arrangements, musicianship, and Elton's vocal performances remain consistently exceptional. Few albums feel this ambitious while also being this accessible. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a towering achievement that rewards every listen and easily deserves its place among the greatest albums ever made.
It starts out with an all-time great quality, but just drags on a bit too much for my liking. 4/5
It's good, about on par with what I expected.
A mixed bag: some classics, some confusion Favourite track: Benny and the Jets
Classic Album. 4.5 stars
In listening to this album I had an epiphany: I’m a hater and there’s nothing wrong with that. We are all haters for various things, and as I’ve listened to these albums on this list music has become one more than it was before. And I just can’t get past what feels to me like the pretentiousness of Sir Elton and a lot of “The Greats” of this era. It’s like the people recording these albums knew that their music was going to be A Classic while they were recording it. I’m not saying that’s undeserved, like in the case of this album it’s probably on all sorts of Top Albums of All Time awards. Just not mine.
Good album
I could listen to this album again today. Has some really good songs.
I want to love this. Elton John's top 10 songs are incredible. He's like higher class Billy Joel so his album tracks should be as good as Billy Joel album tracks, but they kinda just feel like filler. Classic "double album that should have been a good single album" syndrome. First four songs are awesome (Bennie is less awesome but still) and Saturday Night's Alright is really good. The one album track I connected with was weirdly Social Disease the country song about a drunk that has a really disorienting start where a whole verse is played at like 25% volume.
Se que no es mal disco objetivamente, pero el siempre me ha parecido abrumadoramente intenso (musicalmente hablando)
Its ok..
The highs are very high but it's a bit long
Given how incredibly prolific Elton John has been across the decades, it's a total mystery why there are only two of his albums in this collection, both from the early 70s (and hopefully only coincidentally from before John officially came out). At least this one (unlike "Madman Across the Water") is one of his best albums--both commercially and critically, it seems--and has an impressive number of enduring singles on it too, not to mention an amazing run with the first four tracks as huge fan favorites. And while a lot of the songs definitely herald from the 70s, they don't sound nearly as dated as a number of other albums in this collection; I also really enjoyed watching the much (much much) later video for "Bennie and the Jets", the winner of a 50th-anniversary Taupin/John competition that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. It's definitely not a perfect album, and the non-hits are kind of all over the map, but it's still an impressive--and impressively rocking--album overall.
I've never understood his appeal but nevertheless, here we are. He can write and perform very popular music that I never am that excited to hear.
Classic. Full of lots of bops
1973 indulgent, listened at harpefLove lies bleeding Candle in the wind Good bye yellow brick road
3/6
Some great hits on this album.
This was my first time really listening to Elton John, and I have to say, that this is an excellent album.
Really enjoyable album, you can clearly hear and experience the level of talent that went into the making of this.
Great album with some absolute classics in it. It does overstay its welcome with some songs getting pretty weird later on, but it's still good overall. The title tracks, Bennie and the jets, and Saturday nights alright for fighting are all time classics, and when elton is at his best his music is tough to beat.
This album has such a stellar opening, and the first half features some of Elton's best songs. I particularly enjoyed Grey Seal, which has less commercial success but was still a great listen. However, this album should not have been a double album. There are too many filler tracks and songs that don't live up to the exceptionally high standards of the openers, and for that it fails to receive a perfect score. Nevertheless, it's still Elton, and the bangers do bang.
I really liked it, tons of classics. However, I found it to be on the longer side.
Good, enjoyable listen. I made art while listening to this album
Just a classic. A lot of bangers
there were good songs mid songs and wierd songs why is most of this songs are about somones sister 7/10
94/95
I always thought of Elton as a singles guy more than an album guy, but this is all bangers. Ballads, disco, reggae, classic rock - this has it all, executed beautifully.
De la trempe de Ziggy.
Les hits sont vraiment des hits. 3.75 étoiles
Growing up, my parents used to play Elton John compilations all the time, so I've always considered myself a fairly big fan of his. The albums have always been a bit inconsistent for me, but this one's probably the strongest of them. Will I return to any of the non-single songs on here all that frequently? Probably not, but for a double album by an artist whose albums are typicall patchy, it's shockingly good! Probably a 4 considered solely on its own merits, but I'm feeling charitable to the man whose music is the soundtrack of my childhood, so let's give it the full 5.
Of course you’ve got like Bennie And The Jets and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but I was quite a fan of Jamaica Jerk-Off had like that good almost reggae vibe and was just something I didn’t quite expect. Sweet Painted Lady was really good it actually made it into the liked songs.
Bennie and the jets is a banger. Goodbye yellow brick road is also very good. I didn’t fall in love with anything else, but still very good overall.
- Surprisingly out-of-time in many ways; when you have a career as long and successful as Elton John, it is perhaps easier to not get too pigeonholed into an era. That being said, a lot of choices (perhaps most notably almost always using a piano rather than a keyboard) allows this to stay perpetually fresh. - Just...divine. So many amazing, propulsive tracks filled by a deep well of emotion and that are remarkably subversive in their lyrics. - The standouts are all the famous songs, though I found "This Song Has No Title" to be remarkably poetic and I want to give a shout out to "Dirty Little Girl." - "Jamaica Jerk-Off" is so bad, both musically and culturally, that I seriously considered knocking off a star. Let's say I knocked off one-half and then rounded up...the rest is just that good.
Seth - I was unaware Elton was more than just a pop singer/songwriter. His music blended a lot of elements: blues, classic rock, jazz and even country. Album is entirely too long with some songs going on and on for seemingly no ~good~ reason. Meh all around, amazing music but it just slogs on. Logan - Genre mixing was likable but overall it has an issue of songs sounding the same after awhile. Potentially due to the length of the album being too long. S - 3.4/5 L - 3.5/5
I like it
Some of this has aged exceptionally well — it could have been put out at any time in a 25-year period, maybe. And some of it is so distinctly from the 1972-74 period that it's spectacularly dated. That doesn't mean those tracks are _bad_, just that when I hear them I know precisely when they must have come out. Those tracks are the same jangly piano pop that Billy Joel was doing simultaneously. I'm really liking "Grey Seal" today.
Un comienzo espectacular que se desinfla desde la segunda canción. Luego, un empalagoso sonido completamente influenciado por la época; no encuentro nada sobresaliente, nada que me llame la atención más allá de los teclados. Rescato muy pocas canciones de un álbum que tiene ¡¡¡17!!! Mínimo la mitad debería gustarme sabiendo el estilo de música que hace Elton, que se asemeja más a mis gustos personales, pero no, por momentos me encuentro en un bache de melancolía muy setentosa que me dan ganas de vomitar. Le doy 3 estrellas por 2 cosas: 1.º, que se ve que Elton es un gran músico y se denota en sus canciones, pero no le encuentro algo característico ni sobresaliente de músicos de la época, y 2.º: porque no puedo poner 0,5, porque si no le daría un 2,5 estrellas. Decepcionante, por lo menos.
A classic for a reason.
Super theatrical rock music, with massive arrangements, many layers of instrumentations and a feeling of grandiosity oozing out of it. It's really good despite being long: I love the piano passages especially (Elton is obviously amazing at it) but really everything sounds great and is in perfect harmony. The arrangements on the intro or title track are stunning. The melodies are super sweet, especially on songs like This Song Has no Title. Grey Seal is a groovy ass tune with also some of the best chord progressions on the whole thing. I don't think the album is perfect, as Jamaica Jerk-off, Dirty Little Girl and Your Sister Can't Twist are weaker cuts and I have to admit the album does get a bit long, but it's still one of Elton's best and pretty impressive overall.
9/10
This album carries so much history and emotion. While listening I felt like I was watching real people living their hard lives, dreaming, struggling, and trying to break free in every song. Elton’s energy is infectious throughout, and his voice sounds godlike — powerful, expressive, and full of soul. The album is beautifully diverse in mood: some songs are funny and playful, others are tragic and heartbreaking, and some are pure joyful rock ‘n’ roll. “Sweet Painted Lady” is my personal favorite — that sleazy, melancholic, yet strangely charming story about a prostitute is just brilliant and perfectly delivered. Tracks like “ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Bennie and the Jets,” “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” “Candle in the Wind,” and the epic “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” also show how much range this double album has. It’s a great album, easily one of Elton John’s very best. A true classic that still sounds massive and heartfelt decades later.
I had pretty high expectations going into this album, and it did not dissapoint. I really did enjoy it, especially the beginning (maybe because by the end I wasn't in a great mood, completely unrelevant to the album). Before this, I had ony heard about 3 Elton John songs that i really do like, so I was kind of expecting that vibe. I love Elton Johns voice, and the way he sings. He has some songs that made me laugh a bit beacuse of the lyrics and the meanings of it (Dirty Little Girl, All The Grils Love Alice). Some of them were also quite sad, the way that they sounded and the lyrics (Sweet Painted Lady, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road). I will say, when i saw that the album was morethan an hour long, inwas kind of freading it, beacuse i don't really like long albums, and I do feel that this was maybe a little too long, but in the end I didn't really mind, because it was really just a great album. I was also a little scared when I saw the first track being 11 minutes long, but that was also a really good track, I just don't think I'll be listening to it, because of the duration. This album wasn't doing too much, but it kinda was at the same time, in the best way possible. I can definitely see myself listening to it, and other albums of his in the future.
Fangt huere schön ah und obwohl es kei vocals hett wird emotione trotzdem krass vermittlet, isch wie en trurige song aber mit mega vielne schöne erinnerige, nacher wenn lyrics chömed gaat de vibe chli verlore, wird meh happy, aber hans gfühl das lit a sinere stimm und sim ton, mega schöns album insgesamt
Puhleezzzz. As if I'm not a fan of this album anyway.
An album years ahead of its time as it pre-empted Spotify bulking up every other album with B-sides and throwaway tracks from the original sessions. What were they thinking actually releasing some of these songs on an actual album? Jamaica Jerk-Off shouldn't be anywhere near the finished product, and it's not the only stinker here. Hello, Sweet Painted Lady, I'm looking at you! A double album that really should be a single album. It would have been decent with a bit of quality control. Presumably Elton was surrounded by "yes men" at this point. Someone should have been brave enough to take out the scissors and have a right old snip. Four stars as a single album with the hits plus the best of the rest, loses two for wasting my time with some utter tripe.
Excellent stuff 4 stars brother mang
A little frontloaded but Love Lies Bleeding and I’ve Seen That Movie Too both revelations
sorry I don't really like it
Very good album
knew this wasn't gonna be my cup of tea but didn't know it was a fucking double album... knock it OFF. "all the girls love alice" is a banger though
I’ve written many times before that I can’t quite wrap my head around the selection of the 1,001 albums. And then, on the other hand, there are recordings that show why someone has become a legend - like Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” - and it’s for revelations like these that I’m on board with this project! To be honest, there’s a lot of glittery stuff here, and not all of it is gold - but Elton shows himself here as a rocker, progressive, soft-pop, soulful, and it all comes together to make sense and shows… well, exactly how Elton John became Elton John. My three stars for “Madman Across the Waters” were perhaps a bit stingy; now I can give "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" a generous five.
Tremendo. Tiene rock, tiene pop, tiene actitud. Canciones muy bien escritas. Entretenidas. Y Sir Elthon en una, cantándolas con todo. Dura más de una hora y ni se nota. Realmente un gran álbum. 9/10
Jamaica Jerk aside and the fact its front loaded - such a classic album full of incredible songwriting and mega hits. Did you know Elton can get down with some Prog?
I'm not a big fan, could be worse, but not something I'd listen to.
I went through a period where I really didn’t like Elton John. I thought he was schmaltzy and over the top. His music didn’t resonate with me and everything about him annoyed me. But I always really liked Rocket Man. And then I realized I liked Your Song. And slowly but surely, other songs started creeping in like Tiny Dancer. Yes I realize none of those are on this album, but Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was one of those songs that grew on me. As was Candle in the Wind and Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting). All of those are on this album and the rest of the songs are pretty damn good too. This is the first time I e ever listened to a full Elton John album and it was pretty great. Looking forward to the next one.
A lot of great songs and I love Elton John, but this probably could’ve been a better single album.
Buenísima la música de Sir Elton. Del disco no resalto ninguna canción en especial, más que Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Muchas se me hicieron muy parecidas, pero a la vez pienso que es a propósito, como el hilo del disco. Me gustó.
I've been able to maintain my sanity for half a century by only consuming Elton John is small doses. I can greatly appreciate a well crafted tune, but pile up a whole bunch of overblown bombast and my psyche crumbles. So I've been avoiding this one for a few days (after avoiding it for that half-century I was talking about). Turns out it wasn't only the songs that were overblown. My worry about it was also overblown. This actually a bop. I was foot tappin' throughout and had a pretty good car-singalong to Candle in the Wind. Saturday Night's Alright remains one of his best tracks. I find his weird, affected American/country music accent he sings in extremely bizarre.
About ten years ago I tried listening to this album as a bit of an academic exercise. It didn’t do much for me. Since then, I have had more passive exposure to Mr John due to the children’s love the Muppets rendition of Crocodile Rock. It has grown on me. While still a bit long overall, this album is his best work.
Ma sooviksin anda talle hindeks 3,5 kui ma saaksin, sest seal albumis on nii palju ilusaid laule, aga samas ma ei kuula seda tüüpi muusikat oma vabast ajast. Nagu kogu minu kriitika on isikliku maitse põhine, kui stiil välja arvata, on vaieldamatult tegu imehea albumiga.
Dit is voor mij een pure 5 uit 5
For someone with such an incredible catalog of singles, entire albums of Elton John always feel like they come up just a little short. Like usual, some all-timers on here. But also a lot of... not that.
I liked it, some songs were too noisy or too disco for my liking. But great album.
Cool!
Elton best album and an absolute masterpiece. The first half is nearly perfect (although I could do without Jamaica Jerk Off). The second half has a few duds, but it also has Saturday Night, so it balances out. -.5 for the duds. 4.5
Not as good as his earlier albums but still good. It was the beginning of his move to a more pop style genre. I give this one a 4.
i generally hate elton john, but this was far better than expected, though way too long.
Very good, I like this one
This was good. Not his best, a bit samey
Containing Elton John's two best songs ("Bennie..." and "Saturday..." and a handful of solid-but-not-spectacular songs, *Goodbye* is also dragged down by a number of inconsequential tracks. Cut this thing down to one LP and you'd have a much tighter disk.
There's only so much Elton John one can listen to before losing one's mind. Unfortunately a double record is too much.
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - 5/5 Candle in the Wind - 4.5/5 Bennie and the Jets - 5/5 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 5/5 This Song Has No Title - 4/5 Grey Seal - 4/5 Jamaica Jerk-Off - 3/5 I've Seen That Movie Too - 4/5 Sweet Painted Lady - 4/5 The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-34) - 4/5 Dirty Little Girl - 3.5/5 All the Girls Love Alice - 4.5/5 Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n' Roll) - 4/5 Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting - 5/5 Roy Rogers - 3.5/5 Social Disease - 3.5/5 Harmony - 4/5 I really want to like this more. I mean, most of it reads like a greatest hits album for him. You've got Bennie and the Jets, Candle in the Wind (before it blew up again 2 decades later), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Saturday Night's on here to elevate it up. I feel like this should be 5*, but a fairly weak second side doesn't do it any favors. It trails off after Jamaica Jerk-Off and doesn't really recover besides Saturday Night. So unfortunately that bumps it down a star to make this a really solid 4*. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
I've never heard this end to end, but the hits are massive hits, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - the song - is an all timer. So I went in excited. It's starts a bit rock opera. Not my thing, but that's OK. It's a big album, he's setting the scene. Then we go into a triple threat of bangers. Yeah, good stuff. Then This Song Has No Title hits and I'm losing the vibe a little, but that's OK. Then Grey Seal, not really sure where this album is going. Clearly not the concept album I thought it was. That's OK. Then Jamaica Jerk Off arrives and... 30 Rock did a better homage to Jimmy Buffet than John and Taupin manage here. It's TERRIBLE. Genuinely bad. I've Seen That Movie Too starts to get things back on track, but then we get a run of three more stinkers - Sweet Painted Lady (terrible), The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (slightly better but only slightly), culminating in Dirty Little Girl which was just as bad as Jamaica Jerk Off. So I look it up, because seriously, WTF are they doing here and apparently it's a satire! Well that makes it better! Oh wait, no it doesn't because now it's not just a shit song, it's a shit satire too. A little further down the track we get Sister Can't Swing, a lesser version of Crocodile Rock I guess. But heck, I can forgive it because... Oh wait... It just went into circus music. I take all that back. I can't forgive it. It's another stinker. Which almost makes me hate the next song but no, while I never thought Saturday Night's Alright was one of Eltons best I'm now discovering it's most definitely not one of his worst! What a mixed bag. The highs are high, but the lows are just awful. He could have made one of the greatest albums ever if it was a single, but instead he made it a double and I can only think people still call it a great because they forget all the garbage mixed in there.
One of his best albums
The hits hit the test also good but not the same
Enjoyment: 8/10 Replayability: 7/10 Cohesion: 6/10 Flow/Pacing: 7/10 Artistic Merit: 6/10 Weighted Average: 7.05/10 Review: This album is jam packed with hits and some deeper cut gems. This was a pleasure to listen through. Liked Song(s): Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding, Candle In The Wind, Bennie And The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Grey Seal, The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-1934), Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) Disliked Song(s): Jamaica Jerk-Off Recommend? Yes Heard Before? Partly
Rating: 5.0/5 Short Review: Grand, emotional, theatrical, and unbelievably consistent. This is Elton John and Bernie Taupin at their creative peak. Every style they try feels effortless, from glam rock to ballads to country-tinged storytelling. Favorite Track: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Beautiful, nostalgic, and quietly heartbreaking. One of Elton’s greatest songs.
Very good! Same vibes throughout basically.
music is love
Eh its Elton john. Its not amazing and its not bad. Its somewhere in the middle. Dude can write a song. I cant deny thay but are they songs that im looking to listen to? Not really alot of the times. There are some good songs here but I got 4 out of a double album and most of them I knew before. BENNY is probably my favorite cause of Stewie in highschool screaming thay randomly cause the spanish teacher hated Elton John. Its just the best overall song as well. All the girls love Alice was the standout of the songs I didnt know beforehand. It just ahs energy and I can get behind that. Bro can tickle the keys too. I'll give him that. Never in a razzle dazzle type way but its good for the part it plays. I dont dislike this record and I dont love it. Its just kinda fine. There are both much worse and much better records. About as in the middle as I can see a record being for me.
One of my all time favorites