Reviews (page 8 of 15)
Jamaica Jerk-Off enters the chat...
I was surprised by how much I liked this album, once again. There are easily some 10/10ers on this set, and this could easily be a 9 for me except for the fact that there are just a couple of random tracks that being it down just a bit. This guy’s piano is so good I sometimes forget it’s not someone singing background vocals. Like seriously, it feels like his piano is alive. I also found that the songs on this album were very internally consistent, and I basically knew when I was going to love a song within the first 20 seconds, even though the whole thing is 6 minutes long.
Я знаю Сэра Элтона Джона не по его творчеству, а из-за его громкого имени. Поэтому было интересно окунуться в его музыку, благодаря этому альбому. Это было очень ярко, насыщенно и интересно! Наконец, в моих глазах, у Элтона Джона появилась оболочка, и она очень яркая, эмоциональная, громкая, чувственная, но естественная. Красиво! 4,8/5 точно!
This album starts out really strong; the first several songs have a good variety of mood and tempo. The second half was a slog to get through. I think there were 3 or 4 songs with the same chord progression in the chorus as "goodbye yellow brick road". I tuned out halfway through.
👍
3.5/5
A classic and one which features one of the best songs in history
I really wanted to rate this five stars but there is too much filler.
I enjoyed this album! Some Elton John classics mixed in with some deeper cuts
Holy shit what an intro. Honestly pretty great, didn't think I'd have enjoyed as much as I did. Favorite tracks: Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding Grey Seal The Ballad Of Danny Bailey
pretty good. worth the hype :)
4+ stars
First one.... great 😃
Johns magnum opus.
Weird week this week. Two Elton John albums and one from Culture Club. Elton wins the flamboyant front man comp hands down. The other album was Madman Across the Water which I gave two stars for a bunch of filler wrapped around one hit. This one on the other hand is packed with goodness. I am glad I got them both in close proximity. GYBR gets out there, much more experimental and this record has a lot more swing to it, making it altogether more palatable. Elton also gives his supporting musicians more room to breathe this time around and that makes for some really stellar moments. Two years of coke cracked that egg, and inside the egg was classic jams.
good album, long, some good tracks
Great record, Candle in the wind had tears welling up at the bus stop. Such a great song writing combination Elton & Bernie Polymath
Good job, Sir Elton
Decent album. Some songs were lacking spice and really didn't offer much to the album as a whole.
Lots of nice details that elevate this from just a generic pop-rock album to more of a grandiose experience. I definitely had a different notion of what Elton John’s music was, and this one pleasantly surprised me.
Did you know Elliott smith listened to this album for 18 hours straight before writing waltz #1 love Elliott and Elton xxx
7.5/10. Never really listened to that much Elton John before but you can tell it's him from the signature style on the piano. It's very iconic, as is some of the composition of these tunes, I especially enjoyed 'Bennie and the Jets' (which I already knew) and the latter track on the opening tune of the album (which I didn't and have still forgotten the name of). Obviously great vocals as well and plenty of fan favourites in the mix. Having said all this I don't think it did quite enough for me to put it in amongst the top albums in terms of some of the particular brand of emotion which I look for. Can certainly see why this album might take a top spot for some but for me it peaks out at a high 3.
I was expecting a classic album full of iconic songwriter tunes. I got that, but I also got Jamaican jerk off, a prog rock intro, and two country songs at the end. Never change Elton John, never change.
Great album
So many classics. Enjoyed this.
Album starts off on fire with first five tracks, smooths out and ends pretty good but not great.
I saw Elton John perform in Vegas and he was great live. I do not consider myself an Elton John fan, but I only really know his big songs. I liked this but didn't love it. There were some really good songs, but also a few clunkers. It dragged a little and was a bit too long. It is certainly of its time in terms of sound, and it can sound a little dated. I wouldn't rush to play it again, but I also wouldn't rush to turn it off.
I just can't really get into Elton John. Candle in the Wind is incredibly sappy and I think wouldn't be so highly regarded if people cared less about Princess Diana. Saturday Night's Alright rocks, but overall this is a pretty self-indulgently long album for how meh it is. I'll give it a 3 overall
Perfectly fine genre music, but not a genre or style that is interesting to me.
3-4 - many known songs, but newer interpretations may be better than the original
My previous knowledge of Elton John only comes from recent collabs with other artists, so this album was a surprise to me. Great vocals and well-executed instrumentals. Favorite picks: "Social Disease", "Bennie and the Jets"
Amazing album, some amazing hits that stand the test of time, but.......and I may regret this.....did it really need to be a double? It meanders in the middle in places. Think this'd be a 5 album, but there's so much just ok in the middle that i think it downgrades. But honestly, great. I love it. Don't hate me future self.
This guy’s pretty good
This is very good. A lot of his best songs here. Might be overlong being a double album.
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Waiting Candle in the Wind Bennie and the Jets Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
Uhhhh…yeah. I’m just not big on Elton John. It’s the voice thing again. I feel like an idiot about it though!
Piano Rock done right, basically no bad songs and only 2 I'd say don't interest me much. Just a great album, easy to listen to but still complex in its song writing and musical pieces. Surprisingly varied too.
It was pretty good but I didn’t listen to all of it. It really didn’t hold my interest.
Прослышал как-то сумбурно, всё прошло мимо.
Enjoyed this more than I was expecting to. It outstays its welcome a little bit, and that Jamaica song needs to…not, but on the whole it’s a really solid album with an interesting theme about fame and ambition.
Always love putting this one on at a party and having listeners go from “huh? What is this?” to “this piano rips!” to “ SO GOODBYE, yellow brick road…”
A classic
love it
A couple of songs that were enjoyable but didn't get my blood flowing. Don't think i'll be putting it on again anytime soon.
The first half of this is absolutely worthy of a 5. The second half falls away though. Some of these artists get carried away with self indulgence. A bit of trimming and this would be an all time classic. Still gets a 4 though
you can’t like music and not appreciate the great things about this album, one of the world’s best songwriting teams at their peak 4 song run to open the album is an all-timer i don’t think it stays consistently strong enough to be a 5-star record, most songs are closer to good-than-great, but the highs are very high
no one told me elton john was awesome-- songs are bit long. also, jamaican jerk-off is a crazy title
Daydream, nostalgia, honky, pop rock
I should like this album more than I do. I like the upbeat, campy rock and roll on the second half of the record. The first half despite it’s beautiful songwriting isn’t my favourite but Funeral for a Friend is epic. I love all of the songs after Dirty Little Girl, however
Levy on silkkaa genrehupsuttelua. Elton John ei kuulu omiin suosikkeihin, mutta levy on omaperäinen ja henkii iloa.
Classic
Oikein hieno levy, tykkäsin.
I think there's a problem when your lead instrument is a piano played how Elton John plays it. There isn't a lot of expression. So, everything kind of blends into a clangy mush. Despite that I recommend seeking out his John Peel radio session where he played pub piano, no singing. I do accept that it is wrong that I prefer The Scissor Sisters.
Pretty good. Can't go wrong with Elton John.
This is such a great album. It has a lot of variety.
Lots of fun
I really enjoyed this album. I don’t know that every song is perfect, but there is a consistency to how good they are. The most famous songs really stand out, and they are the most enjoyable to listen to. I would definitely give this album another listen.
This album is pretty incredible, with one of the best opening 4 track runs I've ever heard. I've only recently gotten into Elton John; having never really listened to his 70s albums I thought he was a bit of a hack. I see now the error of my ways though. The songwriting and piano are fantastic, and there's only 2 or 3 duds (Jamaica Jerk-off, Dirty Little Girl and Roy Rodgers). That's to be expected with a double album though, especially when multiple genres are experimented with. None of them are bad enough to knock this though, 9/10.
The impression I've developed of Elton John's output is an unending grapple between his personal flamboyance and Bernie Taupin's tortured, homely doggerel. Taupin will write about farmhands, but John will perform it in sequins. Of course, they recognised this conflict themselves in naming a later (and, in my outsider's opinion, probably their best) album: Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. However, this grapple is not a creative tension or a compelling paradox, it is just a bar fight between a glam queen and a trucker: it couldn't happen without both participants, but it begs more questions than it answers. John's renowned facility for setting Taupin's lyrics in twenty minutes or less demonstrates his considerable musical ability, but also the insignificance of the words to the process - he doesn't have to (or doesn't bother to) assimilate them, consider them, draw out their meaning with his music. The words are only a vehicle by which to explore melody and, while some of the melodies here are gorgeous, the mismatch of word and tune is sometimes awful. Listen to the pained articulation of "blu-oo-ooze" or "row-ow-owed" in Goodbye Yellow Road. Those vowels can't withstand such contortions. So, despite the praise John gives his writing partner, it is obvious he doesn't care about the lyrics. Why should he when they are so laboured and unrelatable, so self-satisfied, but unsatisfying? The result is that John hollers lyrics that mean nothing to him (they certainly mean nothing to me), so there is nothing under the performance, no heart, no depth. He is a more than credible rock vocalist - a little McCartney and little Little Richard - but the performance is always one-dimensional singing Taupin's words, because it may as well be a page from the instruction manual for the synthesiser or a screenplay handed to him, hopefully, by his coke dealer. This double album is a lot of music, a natural consequence of churning out songs in a third of an hour. It is the second album he released in 1973. He released another album in 1974 and two more in 1975. However, each one is no more than a document of his coked-up productivity; they're not albums per se. Well, except the obscurely autobiographical Captain Fantastic. That's not to say that the coked-up Elton John and his excellent band didn't document some incredible musical product. The first six tracks here constitute a great half hour of music (if not song - the lyrics are no good!) and that's 75% of a reasonable compilation. Throw in I've Seen That Movie Too, Saturday Night's Alright, and Harmony and the musical experience would be pretty good. If he had spent more time in the songwriting - writing less, refining more, asking what does any of this crap mean, adding discernment to his obvious talents - he might have produced a distinct artistic statement, rather than another link in the glittery sausage of his early 70s output. An Elton John with self-control doesn't write Jamaica Jerk-Off, let alone put it on a record. 2.5 Elton John is a natural entertainer, in the way he writes music as well as the way he performs it. His melodies are lovely and he always creates a terrific sense of momentum in his piano playing. Elton could, as they say, sing the phonebook and it would be good but, unfortunately, he sings the lyrics of Bernie Taupin instead, so it’s bad. That’s about it. I don’t think anyone, Elton fan or not, argues that Bernie Taupin is a good lyricist. Perhaps some people think Elton John‘s music elevates Taupin‘s words. I think Elton John is a hack because he didn’t care enough to send these lyrics back for a second draft. It’s not good enough to say ‘I’m not a lyricist’ - words have sound and texture so in a song they are music. Verdi never wrote a libretto but he put his librettists through hell demanding redrafts, sometimes dozens of redrafts, over years. Elton received a lyric from Taupin, snorted a line of coke, and sat down at the piano to set it in stone. And there those lyrics are; rhythmically illiterate, brain-fart English from a transparently nasty little egotist. The best bits of this album are the bits where you can’t make out the words Elton is singing. 2/5
I only really know Elton’s hits and tbh most of the ones I knew were on this album. It was an incredible journey from start to finish and I had a blast. It’s clear why Elton John is considered one of the greats and this album is him at his best
I love some of Elton's songs, hate others and don't care about the vast majority of them - so my first end-to-end with him (oo-er) could be a fun ride! Favourite tracks:
C’mon. It’s Elton John. It’s like hating ice cream and puppies. You’re just objectively wrong. This album has so many bangers and it’s his magnum opus for a reason.
Songs 2-4 might be the greatest 3 song run I’ve ever heard. 4.5/5. Would be a 5/5 if I listened to it more.
One of my favorite albums.
In high school I don’t believe I owned any albums by Elton. Two of his early albums got reasonable rotation when we played cards (Tumbleweed Connection and Madman Across the Water). I did buy Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (not on streaming), a no-misses compilation. Elizabeth owned this album so is more familiar with it than I am. If this had been a one LP release it’d be a solid 5. It has my two favorite Elton tracks, Bennie and the Jets, and Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting, the latter a hard rocker that swings like nobody’s business. The songs I was not familiar with I was hoping I’d like more than I did. They were OK, but not good enough to make this a 5. Candle in the Wind is not one of my fave hits of his. I did recently buy “Diamonds” a blu-ray surround disc with 51 tracks. A 54 track version is streaming. It’s quite good.
Liked this more than I expected to
Sounds like “true” music Definitely unforgettable
Really great stuff, but a bit bloated. There’s a solidly 5/5 album in there, but I’d give it a 4.7.
If this was a single album would probably be top 5 of all time but will have to settle for just being one of the best all of all time
Am familiar with most of the hits here, but never listened through this album until now. I honestly assumed some of these tracks would have been spread out over more albums because there's so many bangers.
After listening to the first few tracks I was amazed and thought it was gonna be one of my favorite albums ever. But then it went on for much too long with too many weak songs. Shame, because I really thought the first side was fantastic. It's still a 4/5 but I wish it was a bit lighter
I was really hoping that I would love this, since generally I like piano-forward rock and roll (like Billy Joel). And while there are some really good tracks on here, it never really hit a higher level for me. I was really energized by "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" at the start and hope it would carry me through the album, but unfortunately I think that is the best song on here. I liked when he goes a little more upbeat on the B side of the second LP, with "Your Sister Can't Twist", "Saturday Night's Alright" and "Social Disease",but alot of the middle blends together. Good but not great album.
This is the most 70s thing I've ever heard. The Moog synthesizer, the melodramatic orchestrations, the wall of harmonies in the background. When everyone from The Who to Pink Floyd to Queen to Wings were trying to make rock operas, this album definitely fits in. I've never been a big Elton fan aside from some of the bigger singles. Several of them are on this album, so I wasn't dreading it quite as much as that terrible country-western album of his I had to suffer through. I still wasn't looking forward to it, though. Seeing that the opening track is 11 minutes long did nothing to reassure me. But I have to admit, the bass lines and guitar riffs are pretty sick, the piano is fun, and the weird Reading Rainbow synth lines have an odd charm. The next three tracks should be very familiar to even the most casual music listeners: "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and the Jets," and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (though as a Millennial, I'm more familiar with the Princess Diana remake than the Marilyn Monroe original — it was actually one of the first singles I ever bought. And I still find it weird that he recycled a memorial song). Bennie always gets on my nerves by about the halfway point, but Goodbye is one of Elton's best songs. By track 5 we're already 20 minutes deep, with another almost hour to go. Oh boy. As with most double albums, not every song is a winner. "Jamaica Jerk-Off" is amusing to say ... less amusing to listen to. "Ive Seen That Movie Too" is a better song, but it's basically a musical mash-up of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Bennie and the Jets" with different words. Then we get into the meat of Bernie Taupin's morality tales and problematic lyrics over the next several songs, with "Dirty Little Girl" being the peak of the ick. Actually, very few of these songs are winners (in my opinion). It gets a bit repetitive musically, and the lyrics are ... not great. I kind of zoned out for a while until the other big hit, "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)." By the last three songs I was kind of over it. It is both admirable and insane that the actual writing of this album took about three weeks total and that Elton allegedly wrote most of the music in three days. Cocaine is a helluva drug. But perhaps that's why several of the songs sound similar and why so many of the lyrics aren't great. I can't say I loved this album. Honestly, besides the opening track and the four singles I can take it or leave it. Elton's just always been a singles guy for me, and the more albums I listen to, the stronger that opinion becomes. I really dislike a lot of Bernie Taupin's lyrics. If you're the kind of person who only pays attention to the music and doesn't listen to the lyrics, I can see the appeal of Elton John. A lot of this album is fine to listen to, musically speaking. But the lyrics drag it down a lot. Elton John is undeniably an iconic artist who has been hugely influential on music, fashion, and gay culture. I understand why many of his albums are on this list from a historical perspective. But they're not my favorite. 3/5
This album is pretty dang good. I've never been a huge Elton fan, but there's some great tracks on here and it's hard not to love Saturday's Alright for Fighting. 4/5
This has some bangers but also it was overlong. Overall, I felt like it was decent to good. Jamaica Jerk-off is a weird track, y'all. 3/5
He has such a large collections of hits, this is almost a greater album. Pure 70s gold.Even the clunkers are better than others
I honestly didn't expect much from this one; Elton John has never really drawn my interest. Funeral for a Friend was a solid start, and then three very good hits I've heard before, okay, then I figured the album would start to drag. But I have to say it was great from beginning to end. Some tracks I liked more than others, but after listening to this album I guess I finally get the hype.
Great album
actually not a massive fan a bit samey
Great classic
I thought the album would be front loaded seeing all the hits at the beginning, but this is just fun and good all the way through.
It's just incredible how many singles he produced with one album. Even the non singles would have been singles to a lesser artist. Just crazy to think how everything you touch turns to gold. Let's just not talk about the Jamaican song...
Can't deny this feels like a masterpiece. Still a touch boring at times for me PERSONALLY.
i may appreciate it if i had the opportunity
It's Elton John. You don't need me to tell you that it's a banger.
while elton john certainly had his share of hits before this release, this album made him into a superstar. very eclectic, depending on the song you hear influences of glam rock, disco, reggae, and even a little country thrown in for good measure. themes of mortality, the media’s role in celebrity worship, homosexuality, and addiction are explored. it is one of my favourite double albums of all time and starts with my favourite 2 opening songs ever with “funeral for a friend” which morphs into “love lies bleeding”. this one is an all timer, kids. do not miss out on this one. highlights: “candle in the wind” “this song has no title” “i’ve seen that movie too” “saturday night’s alright for fighting”
You know what it's like, you start saying 'Goodbye' and before you know it it's an hour and sixteen minutes later.
Solid 4. Good deep dive, very iconic music in here. I don't think I ever seek out Elton John but every time I hear it I'm impressed.
I am fascinated by Elton John and Bernie Taupin's songwriting process. Apparently, Bernie writes the lyrics first, then Elton reads them, chooses which ones he likes, and writes the music. But what about completely nonsensical, confusing similes like 'You live your life like a candle in the wind, never knowing who to cling to when the rain sets in' made Elton read it and think 'now THATS a hook?' A candle doesn't know or not know anything! Much less what to do when its raining? It's a candle! What the fuck are you talking about? I find the problem with a lot of Bernie's lyrics. He must be the luckiest poet alive to have his harebrained and inscrutable verses immortalized by a musical genius and god-level performer. In the end, it doesn't really matter. Elton john is so talented he could sing the phonebook and make it a hit. Any one who can write a halfway solid reggae song centered around lyrics like: 'Come on Jamaica. Everybody say We're all happy in Jamaica. Do Jamaica jerk-off that way' must really have the goods. Other songs like 'goodbye yellow brick road' do read as though they might be meaningful to the writer (where the dogs of society howl MUST mean something to SOMEone, right?), but making sense of them as the listener is completely impossible. Maybe not knowing what any of his own songs are about frees Elton up to play around with them and arrange them in a way he wouldn't be able to if he'd written them himself? In any event, the combination obviously works more than it doesn't. This album is 7 songs too long but still has enough invention and charm to it to still be a classic anyway.
Really glad we had this over the weekend. Considering its Elton's critically most acclaimed album, I wanted to give it some just time. The prog/glam feel at the start of the album was pretty shocking. Its not the side of him that Im used to, but it was entertaining. Curious to read what others thought there. Bennie and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were slammin' back to back hits. Bennie might be a top 100 rock and roll song for me. The middle of the album was really dense and quite the range. Ballads everywhere... I really liked I've Seen That Movie Too, Sweet Painted Lady (very Parisian sound, not a surprising theme - prostitutes). Dirty little Girl showed Eltons true rock side. The back quarter of the album was good too, but a bit of filler. I thought Your Sister Can't Twist shouldve been kicked off the album entirely. Saturday Night's alright for Fighting is so epic. Social Disease was great too! Ill definitely be working my way back whenever im in the mood for glam rock. Great album overall. 4.25 stars and rounding up to 5
The highs on this album are all-timers for me. Title track and Benny & the Jets especially. Candle in the Wind is so over the top and I love it. At one point in my 20s, I had Goodbye Yellow Brick Road stuck in my head for over a week. It never got old. The guy does DRAMA better than anyone. I love that music with such weird Bernie Taupin lyrics was ever so mainstream. Guy somehow got us all singing along about a howlin old owl in the woods hunting a hawwwwny black tooooaaad A little too sprawling to get 5 stars from me though – the weird ones (like Jamaica Jerkoff???) dilute the good ones enough to knock off a star. If this were a tighter 12-track album, it's 5 stars for me. Gonna have this stuck in my head for a week again, and I don't mind
I go back and forth on whether I like Billy Joel or Elton's catalogue more. I think most days I'm an Elton guy. Don't tell the guys back in NY and Philly. I had listened to this album recently after listening to the Strong Songs on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Even if a little unedited at times, there's just so much to love here. Apart from the classics, Grey Seal is the highlight for me. Other surprises I hadn't heard as often: All the Girls Love Alice, Social Disease, Dirty Little Girl. Yes, Jamaica Jerk-Off kind of sucks, but still a top album overall for me.
Total treat to listen to the whole album. Didn’t realize some of the songs were released that year.
What a gift to the music world!
Startet sehr gut beginnt aber dann schnell sich zu dragen
Very Elton. Nice mix but didn't swing too far in any direction
pretty good fav- bennie and the jets
Very well crafted numbers, some variety, and a couple of classics. Too long, though, and some of the reggae and country doesn't work for me.
Um disco maduro de Elton, de grande qualidade técnica.
Another absolute classic 1001 album. A double album with plenty of familiar tracks. It might be from 1973, it’s as fresh as day it was released.
This is brilliant. I’m so glad I’m listening on my good headphones because it gives me a new appreciation for the complexity in Elton’s music. He truly is a genius. “Bennie and the Jets” on these headphones is a revelation…also did I miss that this whole time the radio version is played live? Okay I am gonna have to google that one…lol. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is obviously a great song but I don’t think I truly appreciated it until hearing it here. One thing that’s clearer for me here is his background singers…wow, crisp and illuminating. I think Elton is so much more than the piano, he is almost more like someone who writes symphonies. You’ll be listening and all of a sudden…a little lick from a guitar that JUST belongs there, you know? The jamming at the end of “Grey Seal” is like some of the best shit I’ve ever heard. Yesterday I read an article that called “Jamaica Jerk Off” as a really bad song on a perfect album, so haha will I agree? Okay it is bad, the fake accents, the ska guitar and what tf is it about really. Interestingly enough, there is a lot that’s redeemable here…a few changes in style, and maybe a whole new concept I’d be impressed.
I knew some songs but hadn't heard the whole album. It was great.
Not my cup of tea, really, but I reckon this is a bit of a classic album from a period in Elton John and Bernie Taupin's careers where they must have so inspired and productive. This isn't an album I had listened to all the way through before, but I'm glad I did - barring a couple of clunkers, a solid set of songs with a strong thematic approach. Not an album I'll play much in the future though.
Never heard the b sides or other tracks sans the classic rock stations. super terrific effort double album
Fun. Can’t believe I’ve waited so long to dive into Elton John. I get it. I love it. 3.9 vibes
I own this album on vinyl, and it's my strongly-held opinion that Elton John is just awesome. This album is no exception. I do think that Madman Across the Water is more consistently good and a better album overall, but I still enjoyed listening to this. Four stars.
A great bunch of songs. 2 or 3 songs I would have removed which is the reason I give it a 4 but not 5.
Would have been 2 were it not for the big hitters.
Some absolute classics on this album. Dynamically fairly one dimensional and repetitive.
- my aunt Jen gave me this original pressing, it’s a family heirloom!
Aunque tiene unos hitazos espectaculares, no siento que el resto del álbum sea igual de sólido. De hecho me aburre un poco porque además es larguísimo. Pero creo que es un buen álbum, solo que mis favoritas de Sir Elton no andan por acá.
The first half of this album is an absolute masterpiece. If he had called it quits it would’ve been a monumental album and his best. Sadly the weaker second half was allowed to live. Still an amazing album due to the highlights but not his strongest.
1. Goodbye yellow brick road 2. Saturday night's alright for fighting 3. This song has no title
I've heard this album a zillion times. It's hard for me to rate it just because I know the tunes so well.. its not a fresh listen.
The songs on this album are all over the place...there is no correlation whatsoever. This just proves that Elton John could do anything (and everything)!! What a king.
Favorite Song: Candle In The Wind and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road There are a lot of melodies here that I couldn't tie to a song until now. Still, the overall jangliness of the piano rock feels dated and many of these songs are just played out. The first half of the record feels stronger and more distinct than the latter half. That said, I can see why this song has 1.5 billion streams. It is solid and goes down easy.
First time listening to this album in its entirety. Some obvious hits on this. 'Goodbye yellow brick road' is such a beautiful song. I actually enjoyed The Ballad of Danny Bailey. All girls love Alice was not for me. The latter half of this album wasn't my favorite. Since this was a double album, safe to say I did not enjoy Side D.
yo piano man fr i get it now the bangers be bangin but i love songs like i've seen that movie too - masterful, takes its time, builds up the drama - this is how u make a song! i had to crank the volume up i enjoyed the journey that is this album
This album reminds me a lot of Supertramp's "Crime of the Century," which is probably a common comparison. The album is very theatrical and lyrically compelling. "Social Disease" stood out as one of my favorites on the album which I was not very familiar with before.
I hadn't heard this album in full and felt a little eye roll happen when it popped up. But I was pleasantly surprised to listen to the hits mixed in with other songs I'd never heard. The intro track (Funeral for a friend/Love lies bleeding) caught me off guard. I was like, hell yeah we're at a fucked up 70's roller rink on cocaine, but it's also a musical! No one can deny Candle in the Wind is a great tune. Benny and the Jets and Goodbye Yellow Brick road wormed their way into my ear and I spent the day with those two worming about interchangeably. The B sides are equally as good and less well known. I enjoyed it more than expected and will keep an eye out for the vinyl. Bonus: my son's review "8.5/10 I really liked it"
11 minute opening is giving rock opera. Some really big hits. Excellent pop rock album, piano heavy.
Inte så mycket att säga, det är jäkla bra! Det är rock'n'roll möter queen + mera. Det är inte en fullträff för mig men det är rätt nära, 4 av 5.
Hit or miss album. Some truly great tracks in Saturday Night and the title track but others run from awful ( the Jamaican one) to fine. I will happily listen to and seek out some songs but the whole album is unnecessary.
easy 5️⃣
Pre-listening thoughts: as excited as I am to get this album (I’ve already heard like over half of it atp), I am upset that we keep getting high rated albums in our first 250. Reallyyyy don’t want to be left with just slop at the end of this journey. So please divide the slop more evenly across our journey, random generator. And save some of these good albums for later!! Post/during listening thoughts: usually I’m not one for long instrumental tracks but I was propelled 5 mins into this opener without really realizing. It’s stunning, even before the lyrics come in. The first four track run is historical. This is just a classic record with so many underrated songs despite how huge it is. Also shoutout to Bernie Taupin. Lyrics are masterful. I can excuse the travesty that is Jamaica Jerk Off because everything else is insanely good. This is what I was expecting from Madman Across The Water - great ballads but mixed with other stuff. 9.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: yes Fav tracks: all of it except Jamaica Jerk Off 😭 Least fav tracks: Jamaica Jerk Off
Really great album with several terrific songs
decent album, not Elton's best tho
классный альбом, очень музыкальный, стоит переслушать
some good catchy tunes, some annoying ones (cough Saturday night's alright for fighting cough) overall solid but it's a little too long, overwrought and theatrical for my tastes
Love Lies Bleeding is incredible, but the elegiac Funeral For a Friend is an extended instrumental tinged with mournful organ. "Candle in the Wind" about a queer youth identifying with the tragic and ephemeral beauty of Marilyn Monroe whose legacy lasted longer than her brief life of exploitation and manipulation. "Bennie and the Jets," "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" are iconic and overplayed. "Jamaica Jerk-Off" is questionable, but even Bonnie Raitt recorded a calypso song complete with "patois" in the 1970s.
What was amazing about Elton is that he could straddle that fine line of the Stones edginess with the Beatles’ pop sensibilities. This is a fantastic album just a tad bloated.
Very good album, Elton is a master on the piano. Bit too long and a handful of tracks that could have been left off, but on the whole I like the sound and the melodies.
Some absolute classics on here but also some killer so only 3 stars sorry eltz
Yes please and some more
really 4.5; eclectic and funky - something for everyone but maybe not everything for anyone lol. i preferred the slower ballad styles and was impressed by the musicality and diversity within 17 tracks. "this song has no title" is definitely one of my tops from this album.
Ok
3.5
Elton John always is good for bangers. Seems to fit a lot of moods.
Eh tycker detta bevisar stt glam rock inte kan skapa 10/10 album(förutom bowie då men han ju undantag som person) överladdar en å man bara orkar inte vid slutändan
Really enjoyed how listening to the full album made it clear how distinctive and impactful Elton's sound and style are.
4.5
Some belters but not enough for a double album. I'll revisit the good stuff but not the album
Really good album throughout. There were a couple of songs here and there that didn’t really click with me but Elton just has that certain sound that’s just special 4 Jamaicans out of 5
Pretty solid album. Would probably be a 5 for me if not for side three and a couple songs in the first half
Incredible stuff from Elton, Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding took off at the 3rd minute of the song and it doesnt really takes a breath until Jamaica Jerk-off. Incredible album that its near perfection for example the fake crowd in Bennie and The Jets, the lyrical matter of Jamaican Jerkoff, why is the bass drum that loud in I've Seen That Movie Too? ( https://imgur.com/FbXI0Vo comment from the Youtube upload of that track) after the rest of the instruments get louder it is less noticeable Of the deepcuts that I didnt know Grey Seal stood out as a highlight of the album alongside Bennie and The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) 9.75/10
I'll admit sometimes an album gets a better rating from me because I was high
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road feels like a classic from the first note. Grand and ambitious, it showcases Elton John's versatility beyond piano ballads, blending rock, glam, storytelling, and hints of prog. Packed with some of his best songwriting, its length never drags thanks to perfect pacing, keeping each track fresh and engaging. A timeless masterpiece that defines his artistry. The songwriting on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is exceptional. Bernie Taupin’s vivid, poetic lyrics create grand, emotional stories, from the nostalgia of the title track to the raw storytelling of Candle in the Wind. Elton John masterfully transforms these words into melodies, ensuring every line resonates. His ability to craft songs that feel both intimate and larger-than-life is truly remarkable. The album’s variety is a major strength. High-energy rock anthems like Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting burst with distorted guitars and swagger, while the theatrical Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding opens with a dramatic instrumental before launching into epic rock. Tracks like Grey Seal and Your Sister Can’t Twist show Elton’s ability to rock just as hard as he delivers ballads, proving his versatility and dynamic range. Despite its 75-minute length and wide variety of styles, the album flows seamlessly. Each song feels essential, and the balance between grand, emotional moments and fun, upbeat tracks keeps it fresh and engaging. The pacing ensures it never drags, maintaining a consistent energy that keeping me invested from start to finish. The main issue with the album is Elton’s high-pitched falsetto at times. While he has an incredible vocal range, on tracks like Bennie and the Jets, his falsetto can feel a bit overwhelming. It’s not necessarily bad, but in certain moments, it feels a little too much and doesn’t always sit right, slightly detracting from the overall experience. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is one of Elton John’s greatest works, showcasing his ambition and versatility beyond piano-driven pop. The top-tier songwriting and rich, varied instrumentals make it a standout, with only a few weaker moments. While not perfect, its highs more than make up for the flaws. A masterpiece that earns a solid 4.2/5.
Went in skeptical and happy to have been proven "wrong" that Elton John is actually a generational talent. He was absolutely in excellent form here churning out banger after banger. Everybody is allowed a li'l sidestep with the Jamaican Jerk-off sesh but hey, very good times here.
I can't give this a 5 because you put Jamaican Jerk-Off on this record. What the hell Elton? Don't google this by the way, Genius is like, the 3rd page.
7/10 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a record that demands a lot of attention for you, not because it’s challenging or deeply conceptual, but because it’s trying to make sure you don’t look away from the fire works, confetti, and jazz hands, it’s very much insistent that you understand this is a magnum opus you’re witnessing. It’s got a fat fucking budget, a new stylistic change on every track, a fake live audience to make you believe you’re watching a sort of theatrical masterpiece, make no mistake this is Elton’s tour de force, but he overdoes it just a little bit. I think the grandiosity of this album tries to compensate for some pretty weak songs on here, while I don’t think Elton is a weak songwriter, his limitations can be pretty clear, especially on a 17 track album, with some embarrassing satirical song choices and “nice while it’s on” tunes. Still, his overconfidence is warranted as a pretty damn good singer and songwriter, it definitely impressed a lot of people, and some phenomenal material is still on here in spite of the mess. Can’t wait to listen to the next most essential Elton John record; Sherlock Gnomes (Music From The Motion Picture)
I love this album. Such and easy listen.
Colorido, lento por momentos pero bueno, que se yo, para escribir algo más tendría que escucharlo otra vez. Nota: 3.8
Supposedly Elton's best record, and it definitely hits better than the previous album of his I had on this list (Madman Across The Water). I'm just never convinced about the vocals. Musically though it's very good and this definitely had more bops on it. 3.5 stars
Absolute classic. So listenable
Solides Pop-Album mit großen Rock-Anteilen. Vielseitig, kreativ und abwechslungsreich geschrieben und produziert, und dabei trotzdem immer wie aus einem Guss. Schöne Produktion und das Mastering ist warm, mit einigen innovativen Effekten wie einem rückwärts angespielten Gitarrensolo. Generell sind die Gitarren auch ziemlich cool gespielt. Das Album hatte für mich etwas nostalgisches und zugleich zeitloses. Mein Favorit war wahrscheinlich der Opener, der mich sehr an die Arbeit von Wendy Carlos erinnert hat. Der einzige Kritikpunkt wäre für mich vielleicht, dass für meine keine klare Struktur im Album erkennbar war, sondern es für mich wie eine Sammlung von Songs aus der selben „Produktions-Session“ und mir das Album etwas zu lang war. Trotzdem, sehr empfehlenswert.
titelsong ist mein favorit, danach viel elton john aus den siebzigern 😁
Ein Hammerlied mit Candle inthe Wind und daneben viel Elton John. Ein grosser Musiker aber diese Platte finde ich mittelmässig und zuviel 70er like
Elton isn’t someone I think of in the context of particular albums. For as long as I can remember Elton had always been a background pop culture mainstay for specific songs. This album is decent overall, and has a couple great songs, but is another example an artist where a best of compilation better aligns with what I’m looking for than multiple albums. An hour long Elton best of seems like a guaranteed five stars.
Not bad, though I found it overlong. The hits are all great but the deep cuts were just fine. Worth hearing though!
When I was younger, I was not an Elton John fan. I think Honky Cat was the only song of his I’d tolerate on the radio. As I’ve progressed in age, I’ve told myself I should be more open to revisiting his music. Maybe I’d end up really liking him. Since then, I’ve come around on a few of his songs, but haven’t dug into his discography, or anything. Asking me to listen to 75 minutes of him was daunting. And I used to HATE Bennie and the Jets. I’ve come around on that song, and liked the other hits. I liked most of the filler. I originally wanted to give this a 3, but I think it earned a 4, honestly. Really solid stuff, with huge hits and above average filler.
One of the greats
4.5
4.5
10 ★★★★★
The first LP is a masterpiece, and although there is a slight dip to the second one, it is still one of the all-time greats. 5 stars
I like "Candle in the Wind", "Bennie & the Jets", and the title track a lot. Could take or leave most of it. Some of the tracks like "Jamaica Jerk-Off" and "Your Sister Can't Twist" are downright bad. Never really liked "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" either. 3.5 stars.
4.5
Elton and his backing band at the very top of their game during the height of glam and expanding out into eclectic double album territory with album cuts as strong as the proggish Funeral For A Friend, surging Grey Seal, Sweet Painted Lady, Harmony and Ballad Of Daniel Bailey. Also hilarious crapcuts like Jamaica Jerk Off and Your Sister Can’t Twist just for some extra eclecticism. This is not to mention the 4 legendary hit singles which populate every Elton best of from here on in. This is an absurdly fun and firm 5 star album.
Sure, the quality drops notably later in the album, and the less we say about Jamaica Jerk-Off the better, but the highs are worth it, so many tracks on here absolutely bang
It’sa shame that the only worthwhile songs on this album are (a) the singles and (b) clustered at the start. Hadn’t really thought about it before, but my clear favourite is Benny and the Jets.
Right, let's get the negatives put the way first. This album definitely tails off towards the second half; there's a deeply questionable cod-reggae song that feels extremely awkward; and as someone who lived in the UK during 1997 I have a visceral disgust reaction to Candle in the Wind. That being said, when this album hits it hits hard, and I definitely feel that the first six or so tracks are awesome. Funeral For a Friend starts off with a bang, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Bennie and the Jets are classics, and I'm a fan of Grey Seal and This Song Has No Title - so had the album finished there it might have got five stars, but as it is that's still a STEONG start to any album and deserves the four.
GYBR is the artistic peak for Elton John. It's the culmination of his early classic period. And he would never quite reach this height, despite a lot of quality work to follow. The album runs nearly 80 minutes; and there's not a skippable track from start to finish.
better than i expected
This is a rich, varied, and interesting album. Elton is extremely talented musically and performs with a presence. I get it.
Amazing !
I cannot even finish listening the 21(!!) tracks. It feels like a drag and I don't understand how Elton John is always glorified: there is not one track that gets me excited or vibing, they all sound generic and I cannot even remember the tune. Not that I actively dislike the music, but I literally don't feel anything and whenever I listen to this album my mind just goes elsewhere. I give it a 3/10.
Pianao was obviously really good but there there where also a lot of electric guitar forward songs too
B-B-B-BENNY N THE JETSSSSS
Memorable songs, wide variety of styles and rythms.An incredible effort for a big album with many themes and concepts. Great sound and production.
Correcto
His masterpiece?
Benny and the Jets is such a great song. Rest of the album is good, but not mind-blowing, must hear this before I die.
A bit bloated. I prefer Madman Across The Water, but I still enjoyed most of the songs.
Good mix of both melancholy and theatrical, ‘big production’ upbeat songs. Would be great live!
Just excellent. So much fun. Great blues, rock, funk, and new age sounds. Elton john is incredible, even if a couple tracks drag. I didn’t wanna skip a song the entire hour.
Þvílík byrjun á plötu. Mér finnst eins og ég sé að fara að hlusta á einhvern frábæran söngleik ef marka má upphafslagið og svo koma bara þrjár neglur í röð og svo fellur platan í meðalmennskuna og nær sér aldrei á strik. 4.5 stjörnur bara til að vera smá góður en dreg niður í 4 bara til að vera smá vondur.
Really fireee
3- Stars (7/15)
Some absolute classics here.
I’m starting to question if this experiment is for me. I’ve heard of most of these albums and I love the idea of digging deeper into to songs I haven’t heard from popular albums but I’m finding it really tough to be engaged in these older albums. This is probably the albums so far that I’d heard the most songs from and you can’t deny that they’re hits but I don’t know, some of this stuff is just not my vibe and i dont know if it’s because it’s ‘outdated’ or I’m just not feeling it, regardless of age. But I’m hopefully I’ll hear something on this journey that I really love. I’m curious how many of these albums are more recent, probably not many. Also what the hell is up with Jamaican Jerk-Off??
Prima muziek, maar niet heel bijzonder. **
great album. a couple hiccups bump it down from a 5, but it's a very high 4.
Elton John at his best
I'm torn. The four singles and two or three others are wonderful songs, the rest - which is a lot - is just ok. I don't see myself returning to listen to this album in its entirety but what's good here is really good.
Decent album.
When does prolific become prolix? Ask Elton John. 13 albums in ten years (including Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, the first album to enter the Billboard 200 at No 1). Any number of absolutely magnificent songs scattered amongst them; no one album rising above satisfactory. Goodbye Yellow Brock Road is typical of the trend. The ten minute epic Funeral for a Friend/Loves Lies Bleeding draws a line in the sand, which the rest of the album backs away from timidly. It’s terribly frustrating. He could have been a contender
The first four songs are absolute bangers, and it's an incredible start to the album. There are a couple that made me roll my eyes and wonder what possessed them to keep them on (Jamaica Jerk-Off and Roy Rogers), but aside from them, this is a great album. Favorite song: Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.
the alice song goes so fucking crazy it makes me want to rank this higher than it really deserves. how come all the songs aren’t that good….i don’t care for his ballad-y stuff nearly as much as the more raucous banging out the tunes tracks because the piano features too heavily in the former songs. i know that playing the piano is literally his whole gig but there you go. fav tracks: all the girls love alice; grey seal
He’s obviously very talented and I’ve been listening to his music in some capacity since I was a little kid but there’s a lot of Elton John flavored filler songs on here. There are a few bangers and his piano playing is INCREDIBLE but it wasn’t enough to sustain my interest for a whole hour and sixteen minutes.
Still an amazing album after all these years. Great songs, great melodies, great lyrics, great vocals and a variety of musical styles.
Love Elton.
Distinguishable, but no Daniel
4.5/5. Elton John has been serving cunt for years, decades even. So much variety on this record, from mourning Marilyn to what’s become a Saturday night hockey anthem.
Elton and Bernie on top of their creative souls,
Solid Elton John pop album. Lots of hits. I still don't like the original Saturday Night's Alright, but that's just me.
Classic album with classic Elton hits. Deep cuts really great as well, definitely overshadowed by top 40 hits
classic Elton John, with a fabulous opener, and songs we all know
3/5
7/10
Some big tunes - candle in the wind - benny and the jets and Saturday night - the rest …..
Joy
I think every Elton John song I know is from this album. Fun and a good listen.
This album is far more epic than I thought. The vocals are impeccable, the piano is notable throughout and the whole thing is very campy and musical theatrical. The standout tracks are “I’ve Seen That Movie Too” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”.
I can't think of a better album by Elton John and at least one of his albums deserve a 5 star and I remember when this first came out when I was young
- Already listened
Too long. Some decent stuff but overall it’s a nah.
Bello, molto bello Ma ziopera Elton accorcia sti album
Ive had a love/hate relationship with Elton John for a while- he has such powerhouse sounds (Someone Saved My Life Tonight) but also such hokey messes (Crocodile Rock). I found myself really enjoying this album- it has a great blend of sound and his talent as a singer and pianist is so evident throughout. Overall- very solid album.
I've never fully deep dived into Elton, mostly because I'm sick of hearing the same singles my whole life. Sort of embarrassed it took me so long to finally give this whole album a listen. Even though it contains a few of those said singles, in the context of a full album, they're pretty great. Also so many great songs I never heard. Nice work, E.
It's a great album, did feel a bit samey in sound at points. The big hits are top drawer still!
Got to see Candel in the Wind performed after the passing of Ryan White at FarmAid IV. What a great moment. Probably the quintessential Elton album.
Bernie and Elton at their brightest. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is fantastic start to finish. This album deserves all 5 sparkling glitter covered feather boa wearing stars.
I mean it's just a fantastic album! One of if not the best Elton has to offer. So many legendary songs. Easy 5 star album!
I’ve heard it before and I expected to give it a 4, but idk something about I’ve Seen That Movie Too coming after that shitty Jamaica song really changed my perspective on this album. There’s something really effortless and vapid about this album, like he’s such a talented songwriter I’m sure he could make 50 albums like this. There’s nothing vulnerable or crunchy here, even if it might look like that on the surface. The emotions he expresses on this album don’t feel like they’re his, I think it’s his closetedness coming through tbh.
STELLAR ON ALL COUNTS
This album rocked. Elton John is NOT soft-ass shit. Some classics and no low points.
I'm sorry I'm not an Elton John fan, as I tend to dislike piano-driven music, but there are at least four classic songs on this album. I'm just not into it. Liked Song Added: Bennie And The Jets
I like the ballads on this far more than the fast ones. (Saturday Night's Alright is such an insane song to me.) This album closes quite strong, even if it gets a little creaky in the middle.
3 stars. Some legendary songs but the curse of the double album is here. A true gem of an album hiding within a whole lot of bloat.
Rock, Pop, 1973 -> 3
Good album but it felt a little bit long?
What on earth is this man thinking? Saturday is most certainly, NOT, alright for fighting. Try talkin it out next time & take it easy Elton. Namaste, bud.
Incredible album
8/10 Favorite Tracks: Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road, You’re sister can’t twist, Least Favorite Tracks: This Song Has No Title, I’ve Seen That Movie Before
Starts strong with Candle In the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road! 4/5
I'm giving it a 1 because I'm not vibing with it. I love certain Elton John songs but this album as a whole falls flat for me. There's no doubting Elton's ability to make great music but this album just isn't for me.
Wenn du dieses Album hörst, wirst du verstehen, warum Elton John ein wahrer Superstar ist – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ist wie eine musikalische Schatzkiste, die immer wieder neue Überraschungen bereithält.
Simply brilliant
Pretty good as far as pop rock goes. Runs a bit long (by the time I got to "Dirty Little Girl" it felt like it wasn't really doing much more), could've cut it around the 1 hr mark and made for a better album. An underrated track is "Grey Seal" with "Bennie And The Jets" and "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" the other two hits.
This is my second favorite Elton album, slightly behind "Dont Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player". The wife would probably throw something at me if I don't give it 5 stars. It's hard not to anyway. :-)
Alright, this one has some absolute classics on it no question, and if it was just Side A&B I'd probably give it 5 stars. But did it really need to be a double album? Sides C&D just don't land quite the same way with me.
Has 2 of my favorite songs. Long album with 2 skips. Wouldn’t listen to it in full again
This was a fun listen. I've never listened to an Elton John album all the way through but I really liked this one.
Absolute essential. I’ve never listened all the way through and am blown away by the sheer number of classics on this one album. Sheesh!
I kind of like Bennie and the Jets, Grey Seal; I almost like Your Sister Can’t Twist, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
This was ok. A few songs I knew
High highs, not-so-low lows (but surely a bunch of them). Have to respect Elton's willingness to explore sounds
Absolutely stacked with amazing songs! There were definitely a couple here and there that left me puzzled but this is ridiculously good throughout the vast majority of it. A delight
There is nothing like hearing your family belt out Goodbye Yellow Brick Road at the top of their lungs when you had no idea they even knew the lyrics. For that alone I have to give the album a 4.
Es muy bueno, pero me aburre. Es muy similar todo, termina cansando, no tiene por qué ser toooodooo piano. Seguro es un gran letrista que no llego a apreciar.
Odličan album, iako nije nešto što bi slušao svaki dan. Prepuno raznolike glazbe, odličnog teksta, sve u svemu jako dobro.
Pretty good, but I kinda expected more. There are far more misses than hits. The misses are still more than tolerable
The Good: Dorothy has managed to leave Oz! The Bad: Finding out that Dorothy isn’t who we believe her to be… The Ugly: Trying to figure out exactly what the wizard has done to her…. Undeniably a stellar album showcasing the importance of great songwriting and musicianship. Though for me this is not Elton’s best album, it sure is a great listen! However, for me, the experience of listening to this album starts off too damn strong, which means it tapers off towards the end. I would have ended with the opening song, but that’s just me. Having said all that, any artist would love to have something like this in their repertoire, and be willing to travel to Oz to talk to a wizard to see if they too can have such success… 4* as there are a couple of songs that are skip-able...
I liked this a lot more than Madman Across the Water. Only giving 4 stars because what the fuck is with Jamaican Jerk-off?
Overblown. Never been a big Elton fan, and this hasn’t changed that. Chas ‘n’ Dave without the humour, and with a few more synths. Which were the interesting bits.
Ah, Reg from Pinner. Punchy, bombastic, overblown. I bloody love it.
seems like everyone tried their hand at a double LP at some point; they just keep coming! Goodbye Yellow Brick Road distinguishes itself from most other double albums from this period by actually being relatively consistent across the entire duration of the experience. that's not to say it's flawless, as there's still the ungodly annoying "Jamaica Jerk-Off" and the very creepy "Dirty Little Girl" to contend with (I'm really not sure where Bernie Taupin's head was at with those). but talk about a strong start! the first four songs here are some of the greatest of their time: two captivating ballads, and two infectious rockers. my other highlights are the dizzying "Grey Seal" and my favorite song here, "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". at its best, this album's symphonic ambitions and blood-pumping performances create some of the most magical rock music I've ever heard. props to Elton John and co. for creating 76 minutes of steadily high-quality material! for the most part, anyway. strong 8/10.
Very few people know this but Houmous & Chutney actually played The Troubadour the afternoon after Elton played that infamous gig. We drew a bigger crowd and from what most people said, we were ‘considerably better than Elton’ just a shame back then Len enforced a very strict no press policy. He’s always been about the music. Which obviously paid off in the end…….4.2
Not bad, a little long, but it is a double album. I'd say very middle of the road
The synergy between Elton John and Bernie Taupin was never stronger than it is here. Even the weaker songs sparkle.
251/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Candle in the Wind and Roy Rogers are the stand out tracks for me on this album. Overall, fairly pleasant to listen to, but not really my thing.
oodbye Yellow Brick Road is the definition of excess being mistaken for greatness. It is big, glossy, and relentlessly confident, but that confidence often feels undeserved. As a double album, it sprawls without discipline, stacking style on top of style until individual songs blur into a parade of theatrical gestures rather than fully formed ideas. What is often praised as versatility comes across more like indecision, as if sheer variety alone is meant to justify the length. The biggest issue is how emotionally hollow much of it feels. Elton John’s melodies are undeniably polished, but they frequently lean toward melodrama without earning it, while Bernie Taupin’s lyrics veer into campy fantasy and vague nostalgia that rarely connect on a deeper level. Songs stretch on past their natural lifespan, repeating choruses and motifs until charm turns into irritation. Even the more celebrated tracks feel overworked, smothered in production and grandiosity rather than allowed to breathe. What makes Goodbye Yellow Brick Road frustrating is how untouchable its reputation seems compared to the actual listening experience. This is not a terrible album, but it is a bloated one, convinced that bigger automatically means better. There are moments of genuine craft scattered throughout, but they are buried under indulgence, filler, and a sense of self-importance that wears thin fast. I get why Elton John is respected as a songwriter, but I just couldn’t get into this. It’s like being shown a famous painting and thinking, “I'd rather look inside my fridge"
Pretty great album. It definitely runs out of steam toward the end, but side one holds its own with the very best. This was the first album my wife ever bought with her own money. Middle schooler listening on her 70’s era portable record player, lying on the carpet, reading everything on the liner, soaking up every sound coming out of the cheap tinny speaker. A small moment of bliss.
I think this would definitely get better with more listens. Not sure 'Jamaica Nero Off' is Elton's finest work.
Really enjoyed this, minus a couple of dud tracks. Some of the songs are so intensely layered they need more than a couple of listens to truly appreciate. Tempted to give it a 5 just for the name of the first track
Catchy and fleshed out instrumentation, piano rock at its finest.
meh, nah
Ok
4 or 5 great songs and e all know and love. The rest range from interesting to decent and I’ll probably never listen to them again
Bunch of classics!
I just love that part on the title song when it’s going into the chorus, I guess? Such a great thing!
hell yeah /between 3 and 4
Better than I thought it might be. Some obvious classics and some fine unheard before tracks
One of the greats and his greatest album. I’d give him a 5 if he wrote his own songs.
Good soup
Really the best. When Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) came on I transcended.
It starts strong and there are so many bangers but it is too long and inconsistent
Very solid, though memorability of the second half is mixed. 4.5 for me probably
Truly an excellent album. No skips listening (though I don’t love Bennie and the Jett’s)
beginning to think that this elton john guy is gay
I'm on the fence with Elton. I can respect his talent / achievements and I do like some of his songs - but others leave me cold. Not that familiar with GYBR and the baggy 11minute opening track was not a great start for an Elton sceptic. I enjoyed the very familiar classics but not much else jumped out at me (other than the reggae song for the wrong reasons) - it being a double album meant only a couple of listens so perhaps on further listens I would find more to enjoy.
3.5
This definitely feels like how I initially perceived Elton John. This grandiose piano prodigy who, at his core, just wrote excellent piano rock/pop songs. Opening with a 12 minute track is super bold but epic (I saw him live open with this at bonnaroo years and years ago and was blown away). The first 4 tracks I would just say listen to in a row and you'll get a great sense of his capabilities. There are also lots of other songs/deeper cuts I never knew about from him on this. This song has no title is great, grey seal is good. I think Jamaica Jerk-Off is....I don't know not very good lol. The songs kind of go in and out of my head. The alice song rocks hard. The closer is good. Saturday Night is also a classic. I think this album's only problem is it's length. Some songs get a little samey or there are experiments that don't work but otherwise this may be my favorite of his next to Honkey Chateau.
Sacrilegio absoluto no escuchar el álbum, es un hito inamovible.
Overall, pretty good Elton John album.
elton john paved the yellow brick road with gold
Funeral For a Friend is terrible. I was on my way to hating this album when Love Lies Bleeding kicks in and I was hooked. Elton John and Bernie Taupin combined to make a masterpiece. It's undeniable.
Bangers
A beautiful voice, accompanied by beautiful piano arrangements. Elton John always seems like he's having the time of his life when he's singing, which makes this album that much more charming. The former half of the album is definitely stronger, though.
A strong opening rock opera album that only lets up a little by the middle. Ballads that have not forsaken to send the listener off with some energy.
1973: A great year for music. One of the most iconic albums from the prolific year. Though not always captivating, this really locks in that feeling of everything being light and boppy and in the 70's. Some big hitters, but really just an incredible, transportive double album
It's always hard for a double album to maintain the momentum the whole way through, and maybe this one doesn't quite, but the first half is so so good. Nothing bad to say about any of the 8 tracks but Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is an incredible opener. Grey Seal stood out as well amidst the other hits. On the back half, I liked The Ballad of Danny Bailey and All The Girls Love Alice. Saturday Night's Alright is a classic anthem and Harmony pulls everything together. It's bombastic, fantastic, and a brilliant legacy for Elton John.
Pretty decent album esspecially looking at the time it was made. The best songs on here here are the self titeled and Funeral for a friend. The worst was easily Jamaica Jerk-Off just look at the title.
I thought I'd put the wrong album on at first. Interesting start. Didn't hate it. I'm not on team Elton tbh, but I'm fine he exists. The world needs a little glam sometimes, this is pretty low down the list for me though. I wouldn't complain if it was on, but I'd be thinking of what to put on next. Saturday is pretty good. That Jamaica song though. Three stars.
Eklektisk, veldig langt, men sykt bra
I saw the 11 minute opener and about rolled my eyes….but quickly realized it was something magical and amazing! The whole album was WOW! Everyone knows the hits but I realized I had never actually listened to Elton John. And I absolutely have a new favorite.
Gostei do álbum, mas não encaixa muito no meu estilo. Dito isto, gostei de Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Bennie And The Jets e Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Classic Elton
My absolute favorite Elton John album