Reviews (page 8 of 13)
caralho um album duplo do elton john. to chegando a conclusão de que 80% da lista é dad rock. dessa vez foi dad rock para papais pró-lgbt. mas esse aqui eu curto, acho divertídissimo. beanie and the jets é clássico demais
Good
Really enjoyed a lot of this (Jamaican Jerk aside) but did feel it could have been a few songs shorter.
I still don't like Bennie and the Jets, sorry.
Best intro ever?
Y’know as someone who grew up in the 90s I had no idea “Candle In The Wind” was originally about Marilyn Monroe. Great tunes on here, but I don’t like it quite as much as Madman Across The Water and I can’t give 5 stars to a record with “Jamaican Jerk-Off” on it.
8/10 An all time classic. We see the best from Elton John. this is his masterpiece and his best album Favourite Song=Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Least Favourite Song=Your Sister Cant Twist
Yeah, I enjoyed most of this. Double album, so it needs a couple of tracks editing out. I'd listen to this again. Good solid album. Get a good solid 4 stars from me.
Entertaining and versatile record from a very talented singer.
This was already one of my favorite albums of all time. It has great melody and lyrics. It flows well, and it is well produced. I think I’d give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
yeah elton john is awesome, not sure what else there is to say
Great album, heard individual songs but not all the way through. Lovely
Elton John!!!!!
DAAAAAAAMN THE FIRST TRACK
🎧Lotta top tier Reg tunes here, but a few that definitely could’ve been trimmed (looking at you Jamaica Jerk-Off). Opening track Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is epic and unlike any other Elton song, as far as I know.
Similar to what I've previously but distinct and less rock focused than I expected, I believe it'll take some repeated listens to appreciate it. Initial impression is good however.
The hits hit, and the filler is filler. Not much else to say except the first four songs are an all-time start to an album
This is a great album. I am a fan of the 70s Elton John having recorded many great songs. Some tracks on this album are fluff and not my favorites, so I give it four stars.
He and Taupin were/are forces, and at the height of their powers here. No single song strong enough to push to 5 like madman or rocket man but a lot of good songs.
Should be 5 stars but there's a couple tracks that drag it down into a 4.
If you took the best 9 or 10 songs from this great double album it would be a 5. Have to drop it down a notch for a few less then stellar fillers, but overall great album and the first 4-5 songs are as good as you can start an album. 4.5
What an insanely great album. Even the cheesy songs that have been played to death on the radio sound better in the context of this record because it’s so well put together. But you have the classic double album problem of there being stuff that could have been cut to leave you with a much stronger single album. Honestly though, Elton John might have been the best in the world at this time. What was Stevie Wonder doing? Innervisions. Well, he was up there. If he wasn’t the absolute best, most interesting, recording artist in the world in 1973, he was without question in the conversation. Also, holy shit, Google “albums 1973”. Shit is crazy. We haven’t had as many truly great albums in the last 24 years as came out just in 1973. This album is big, weird, overstuffed, silly, bombastic and insane. Everyone should hear this.
It is so cool that the first few minutes of this album could be the beginning of a Tyler, The Creator album. There are moments of timeless composition, timeless performance on here. Impressive storytelling throughout. The one ding on this album is that it’s a bit long and played out, for how many songs sound so similar. Still, a classic.
Overall I really liked this album, but a lot of Elton John albums lose me halfway through. Feels like he puts some filler in there and the album is really carried by his heavy hitters (and those heavy hitters make up a lot of ground for me). This album isn't any different. He does the whole wailing on the keys and flashy theater kid troupe which I actually like quite a bit, but an hour fifteen of it is a bit much and really drags at times.
A classic from Elton John, but not as cohesive an album as "Madman Across the Water" was.
Cut 4-6 songs, and it’s an instant 5-star album. Bennie & the Jets is one of those that should be cut, along with that Jamaica-thing
It was pretty alright … some beautiful songs where he finds it in a few. Weird songs about women?? Dirty little girl is amazing, sweet painted lady insane.
Olen positiivisen yllättynyt. Pitää kuunnella vielä uudelleen, mutta aikamoisen hyvä kokonaisuus tämä.
4 - some Elton John will always hit, title track is some of his best stuff. I don’t like the more fast paced second half as much (other artists do it better), but it’s still a good time
Some absolute classics on here but I’d never listened to it all the way through, so giving this a 4 so that I’m likelier to come back it for repeat listening.
Ok.
fine
ett fantastiskt album men riktigt många fina låtar. men man kan ju inte låta bli att tänka hur jäkla tight albumet hade varit om man valt att göra det till ett standard album och inte en dubbel-lp.
Very mixed quality on the album as a whole. It's John's first double LP so there is naturally a lot of excess. The Side A of disc one is great, an all time collection of songs. The rest however is not really that interesting, but I did enjoy Side B of disc two. So if they cut out the middle parts, it's a pretty great album. There's just not too much happening for most of it, but some of them are clear indications, that John was in his creative prime.
A rockin' good time. Would look forward to another Elton John album.
interesting concepts
Three really great tracks in a row: Candle in the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. But the rest of the album is kind of meh. I'm not even into the other popular song: Saturday Night's Alright. Still those three tracks are enough for more than a 3.
There's only one double album I've heard off this list so far that justifies being a double album: Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. While Elton might be just as skilled a songwriter, this album suffers from some serious bloat. The only thing saving it is just how good the hits really are (Benny & the Jets, Good-bye Yellow Brick Road) that literally stayed in my head all weekend. Only one other song I hadn't heard before caught my ear and beared repeated listening: Sweet Painted Lady. Otherwise, this was a lot of piano prog filler around a couple of genuinely amazing songs. Maybe more like a 3.5 to 3.75 but, I mean....B-B-Benny and the Jets.
#337. Aside from Jamaican Jerk, which is a terribly annoying song, the rest of it is pretty fucking good. 4/5: yes
Classic. This is a great record. There is indeed some filler but there’s also some unreal music.
This is a great Elton John album. Some of my absolute favorite Elton John songs on here like goodbye yellow brick road, candle in the wind, I’ve seen that movie too, etc. this album is packed with hits. It also has a couple songs that I just find bad. Like straight bad. Songs like Jamaica Jerk off, dirty little girl, and social disease. Overall the hits on this album much outweigh the bad songs so I’d give it an 8/10.
Classic album.
Pretty good. Couple of fun songs.
This seemed a little long. I always feel bad that Bernie Taupin never gets recognized for his contributions... Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Would've been 5/5, but I'm sorry Bennie and the Jets is a terrible, awful song and I resent being made to listen to it.
goeie
Some massive bangers of Elton's in this one, but also some that aren't as fun (but are still great).
While this double album contains some of the best songwriting to come from the John/Taupin collaboration, it's a kind of a wild ride. Uneven in terms of the songs in sound, topic and apparent thoughtfulness. Jamaica Jerk-Off is just weird. If you replaced that track in order with Harmony, the first 8 songs could have been a perfectly solid album. The rest of the songs could well be some Off Off Broadway musical book. Don't get me wrong, Elton John is one of the most enduring musical influences of the era. Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets and Grey Seal alone make the listen worth it.
Fun! Full of ideas! Just a bit too long with too many "fillers"
Didn’t have myself pegged as an Elton fan but had a great time through most of this album (Jamaican jerk off is regrettable). Benny and the Jets is a great song and Saturday Nights alright brings me back to 90s HNIC intros
Fav: Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) Least Fav: Jamaica Jerk-Off
A little too long but soooooooo good
AHHHHHHHH listened to this with maustin in the car ride home and she liked some of it yay. Funeral for a friend = one of my favorite songs ever. But this is not a perfect album thanks to some slow songs that drag on for a bit too long. And a long run time. A 4.5 in my book.
Hits, and slow tho
I haven't listened to this since I was maybe 5. Why? These songs are fantastic.
an abundance of bangers at once with some likeable padding
Picking this mammoth double album apart, you find all kinds of treats and tricks, from the proggy opener, Funeral For a Friend, to ubiquitous classics like Candle In The Wind and the title track, via the rather irritating Bennie and the Jets and Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting) which never quite found a place in my favourites. For me personally, it's an impressive work of art but one I admire from afar. It won't make it onto my regular rotation but that doesn't mean it isn't a great record worthy of its success and acclaim.
Not a huge fan of Elton, but this album is pretty good.
Favourite Song: The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
This is my favourite Elton John's album; unfortunately, it's got too many fillers to rate it a 5. 4 stars
Ok so historically I've not been a fan of this one, just cause it has a lot of songs. But in the environment that I heard it this time I didn't mind the extra filler songs. They actually ain't THAT mid, there's a few decent ones in there. And the bangers BANG Fav songs: - Funeral for a Friend - Candle in the Wind - Bennie and the Jets - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - I've Seen That Movie Too - Saturday Night's Alright
Le Glam Rock est à son zénith, un paon gigantesque et pailleté qui déploie sa roue sur le monde de la pop. Bowie est un Martien, T. Rex fait hurler les gamines et au milieu de tout ça, il y a Reginald Dwight, alias Elton John. Le mec n'est pas un nouveau venu. Depuis 1970, il enchaîne les albums et les tubes à une cadence de stakhanoviste sous amphètes. Mais en 73, il est au sommet de sa montagne. Il est LA plus grande star de la pop mondiale. Et que fait une pop star arrivée au sommet de sa montagne ? Elle ne redescend pas, non. Elle essaie de construire une putain de cathédrale sur le pic pour être sûre que tout le monde la voie depuis la vallée. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" est cette cathédrale. Un double album. Le double album, c'est l'Everest de l'artiste pop. C'est le geste ultime, l'affirmation péremptoire : "J'ai tellement de génie en moi qu'un simple 33 tours ne peut le contenir". C'est aussi, et c'est là que le bât blesse souvent, le piège le plus con du monde. Le syndrome du "White Album", de "The Wall" ou d'"Exile on Main St." : l'oeuvre géniale mais boursouflée, le festin gargantuesque où, à côté du caviar et du homard, on te sert aussi des chips éventées et de la purée Mousline. Et c'est exactement là que se situe "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". C'est un monstre fascinant, un monstre à deux têtes, l'une sublime, l'autre un peu moins inspirée. C'est l'album qui justifie parfaitement cette note de 4/5 : un disque pétri de talent, essentiel, mais qui rate le chef-d'oeuvre absolu à cause de son ambition démesurée. Quand je bossais au magasin de disques, dans les années 90, on en vendait encore. La pochette, avec Elton en satin blanc qui pénètre dans une rue de pacotille, était iconique. Le simple fait de tenir ce double vinyle dans les mains, c'était quelque chose. Ça sentait l'opulence, l'excès, la démesure d'une époque que nous, avec notre grunge boueux, on regardait avec un mélange de fascination et de mépris. Pourtant, il faut être honnête. La première moitié de ce disque, disons les deux premières faces du vinyle, c'est une pure démonstration de force. Un sans-faute. Le mec, avec son complice de toujours, le parolier Bernie Taupin, est en état de grâce. Il y a tout. Le rock'n'roll de stade qui sent la bière et la sueur avec "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". Le glam-stomp irrésistible avec son faux public et son piano bastringue de "Bennie and the Jets". La ballade intemporelle, celle qui te fera chialer à tous les enterrements, "Candle in the Wind". Et bien sûr, la chanson-titre, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", une pure merveille de composition pop, avec sa mélodie qui s'envole et son orchestration digne d'un film hollywoodien. Sur ces morceaux, Elton John n'est pas juste un bon artisan. C'est un putain de génie. Il digère tout ce que la musique populaire a produit et le recrache à sa sauce, une sauce flamboyante, virtuose, mais toujours accessible. Il y a du music-hall anglais, du rock sudiste américain, de la pop californienne, du glam, de la soul... C'est un catalogue de tout ce qui se faisait de mieux, mais avec une cohérence bluffante, tenue par sa voix unique et son piano virtuose. C'est une masterclass. Point. Et puis... et puis il y a le reste. La seconde moitié de l'album. C'est là que la cathédrale commence à montrer quelques fissures dans les fondations. On sent le remplissage. L'obligation de fournir assez de matière pour justifier le double sillon. Attention, ce n'est pas mauvais. Elton John, même en pilote automatique, reste meilleur que 90% des artistes de son temps. Mais on sent une baisse de régime. "Jamaica Jerk-Off", sérieusement ? Une parodie de reggae qui tombe un peu à plat. "Sweet Painted Lady", une jolie ballade, mais qui n'a pas la force des précédentes. On a l'impression d'assister à la fin d'un repas trop copieux. On a bien mangé, on est repu, et on continue de nous amener des plats, bons mais dispensables. C'est tout le paradoxe de ce disque. Il contient certains des plus grands morceaux de l'histoire de la pop. Des hymnes qui ont traversé les décennies sans prendre une ride. Mais en tant qu'album, en tant qu'oeuvre complète, il souffre de sa longueur. Un éditeur impitoyable en aurait tiré un album simple absolument parfait, un 5/5 incontestable. Mais Elton John, en 1973, n'avait personne pour lui dire non. Et c'est tant mieux, et tant pis à la fois. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" est donc ce monument un peu bancal mais grandiose. C'est l'oeuvre d'un artiste au sommet de sa gloire, qui veut tout embrasser, tout essayer, quitte à se perdre un peu en chemin. C'est un disque qui, 50 ans après, reste une porte d'entrée idéale dans l'univers d'Elton John, parce qu'il contient toutes ses facettes. Le rockeur, le crooner, le showman, le compositeur de génie, et aussi le mec qui, parfois, en fait un peu trop. Alors, 4 sur 5, c'est sévère ? Non, c'est juste. C'est la note de l'admiration pour le génie, tempérée par la lucidité sur les excès. C'est un album qu'il faut entendre, absolument. Pour ses sommets vertigineux qui justifient à eux seuls sa place dans cette liste des 1001. Mais il faut aussi savoir pardonner ses quelques longueurs, comme on pardonne à un vieil ami génial d'être parfois un peu bavard. C'est le prix à payer pour fréquenter les géants.
As I get older I’m more a fan of his earlier stuff, maybe just that nostalgic sense of a time gone by…
It's hard to hate on an album hailed as someone's magnum opus. Started off very strong but carried on a bit too long. Some of it could have easily been cut (I'm looking at you, "Jamaica Jerk-off").
There are some truly dizzying highs on this album, but there are some really deep lows too. For every Goodbye Yellow Brick Road there's a Jamaica Jerk-Off. Also, it's really long and bloated. If he had cut the 5 worst songs it would have been a masterpiece.
I’ve heard the big hits from this but never the full album. I’m once again not a fan of double albums, but the over the top extravagance really works here. I’ve seen that movie too has gone straight into my favourite songs playlist.
Ah ha, Elton John's greatest hits album is here. I was ready to be extremely cynical and miserable about this, but the quality of songwriting is absolutely stellar from start to finish. It's annoying in parts, because, y'know, that's Elton, but when he writes a banger he writes a banger. The second album (I listened on record) is particularly monstrous.
The omission of Jamaica Jerk Off would have made it 5 stars. Aside from that song, the album was consistent and engaging listen
Nor my favorite EJ record but overall very good
What a classical album. With great hits.
Let's start with the album art, which may be a trite exercise, but since it's such an iconic image, I suppose I can be forgiven for sliding into my laziest impulses. So, I don't know, something about Elton peeling off this imaginary one-dimensional world and finding enough depth that he can start to walk through (with the other red-ruby-platformed foot firmly in reality) feels appropriate for this record. The image itself looks slightly psychedelic, but has been faded to lose its once spritely neon glow. And so too does Elton shed the skin off of the aesthetic contours of 60s psych rock in order to help usher in a special breed of anthemic rock-and-roll with flamboyance at the front-and-centre. Bernie Taupin is a severely underrated lyricist who also deserved everything that happened to him after "We Didn't Start The Fire." But, the man can imbue so main pain and sadness in the simplest of phrases - "I've Seen That Movie Too?" "Funeral for a Friend?" "Love Lies Bleeding?" Hell, even "Candle in the Wind" is such an evocative image; the tiniest glimmer of brightness and warmth meeting resistance in the form of a shapeless, unknowable force. He's so good at descriptions of people and what it means to be perceived by people (and of course, by logical extension, the celebrity culture that feeds off this idea like chum to a shark). Does it really get any better than the mohair suit and electric boots, which the narrator only knows because of reading it in a magazine? And does it get even more depressing than seeing that the only thing the press had to say about Marilyn Monroe's death was that she was found in the nude? Maybe, but let's be real, maybe not. Still, he deserves some grief for some truly boneheaded moments in the form of "Jamaican Jerk-Off" (get it? Yeah) and "Dirty Little Girl." In listening to this album and reading reviews, I'm surprised at how little attention is paid to Elton's backing band here, composed of guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olson. Sure, we're not missing out on some secret virtuosos (though, I'm inclined to listen closely to Elton's previous records to be sure), but these are no lazybone-two-bit-players up on stage. There is a slight deliciousness to Dee Murray's bass tone in "Candle in the Wind" as well as a slow, sexy strut in "Bennie and the Jets." At this point, it's become cliché to say this, but "Bennie" is my favourite track of the record. Elton's vocals are aces, the piano sounds like champagne glasses clinking together in a toast that lasts for ages. Johnstone brings in the acoustic guitar right before the chorus (for the aforementioned mohair suit, electric boots combo) in a way that it sounds like change swishing in a pocket in order to convey that Bennie looks expensive and knows it. I never tire of this song. Of course, the band is in full form for "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," which singlehandedly lifts up the second disc from being an outright snoozefest. There's a world that I wish to inhabit in which the narrator for "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" knows the narrator in Roxy Music's "Editions of You" off of For Your Pleasure, another glam rock album from 1973. It's fun to imagine that two different dudes are hyping themselves up - in the exact same way - to meet up with each other. In short, dudes rock. A-
liked it more than I though I would, will re-listen
Definitely a classic. A bit front-loaded but a great listen overall. A lot of different styles covered. Made for a fun listen in head-fi.
Starts off hot but gets a little bloated by the end
Un 4, casi 3.
Doesn’t feel like a double album length due to the quality throughout
Great (but long) album. Very recognizable music.
rips !! way too long tho
What a start to an album. The first 6 or so songs of this are absolutely glorious. Elton John is so talented. Just a shame this was a double album as it would have been perfect as a single, some of the songs in the second half just bored me
Great. Classic
Absolutely great although it did go on a bit long. Fab classics!!!
Is it heretical to say he should have cut some songs from this album? The songs that hit are just so good and the songs that are lesser known well I can't even remember them now.
What a classic
Another double album that intimidated me, especially because of the first song being almost 12 minutes. But what a listen, once I got going the vibes were fantastic. So many hits that I’ve heard over the years, and it was nice to hear them in the proper album format. Definitely need to be in a certain mood for this one, but overall a fantastic listen.
Full of absolute classics, but this really tapers off dramatically in the second half. With the exception of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", pretty much everything after the titular "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is only alright, and I found myself checking my Spotify several times to make sure it hadn't started a new album without me noticing. The first four songs absolutely kick down the door and really solidify the album as a hit though. I really loved the decision to open the album with "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", what a way to kick it off.
Tighten it up to 40 minutes and this would be a 5.
What a ride! There are so many classics and many I had never heard that I really enjoyed. Most of the songs from this album pulled me into his space—full immersion. He creates a tangible world. I’m not sure why they resonated so much this time around. Maybe it’s because of listening to the full album. He sings about women in such a different way, from seeing deep into Monroe’s despair and isolation to a painted lady and dirty girl; there are many angles. Maybe it’s the lack of sexual attraction, it’s different.
I was really enjoying the shorter albums. So another double album from an artist I think of as a singles artist. While this one has a lot to give. Better than I thought. I still think the signs are the high points. It doesn't really do anything truly interesting and reach in a double album sort of way. Just more ballads. Enjoyed it more than expected but less is more for me...
Love Lies Bleeding // Candle In The Wind // Bennie And The Jets // Goodbye Yellow Brick Road // I’ve Seen That Movie Too // Saturday Night’s Alright // Social Disease
Peak Elton John album, and overall a really great double album, that deserves the hype. 4/5
dia 01
Might be my mood but I really grooved with this Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) is such a nice song but I actually prefer the Nickelback cover of it (linked below). I remember back when I was ~9 years old and saw a video of Battlefield 1942 with that cover on youtube. Great kino but I havent been able to find it ever since. Here's Nickelback's cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7DL1FUQY9U
This is a wonderful album full of amazing songs
ive been an elton john hater for a while now, ive heard this album in the past and thought it was kinda ass. ive listened to individual songs since then and none of them did much for me. in listening again i actually really enjoyed it. i can see why the songs didnt do much for me by themselves but together it becomes a really cohesive album. i cant quite give this an 8/10 yet but i will give it a strong 7/10 for now and come back to it again soon.
My very first Elton John album and one I was excited to dive into considering I generally enjoy the title track. Aside from that ambitious, foreboding synth opening, this album has quite the established formula encompassing its hour-plus runtime. It's a formula that's hard to hate though, perfectly capturing that gleeful 70s piano rock sound with many memorable melodies and a very distinctly light piano style performed primarily by Elton himself. It's good fun all the way through which is all I was really hoping for out of this. I will say though, I generally enjoy the slower ballad-type tracks like 'Candle in the Wind' and 'Roy Rogers' as opposed to the rockier tracks like 'Saturday Night's Alright'. While I mentioned there is a "formula" here to be lulled into on this relatively long experience, there was never really a moment where the songs sounded too alike or anything - probably because of the generally diverse sonic palate. While not every song hits (I can't say I liked 'Jamaica Jerk-off' or 'Dirty Little Girl'), the sheer amount of great 70s bops here makes up for it.
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding 3.8 Candle in the Wind 3.8 Bennie and the Jets 4 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 4.2 This Song Has No Title 3.5 Grey Seal 3.6 Jamaica Jerk-Off 3.2 I've Seen That Movie Too 3.7 Sweet Painted Lady 3.6 The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-34) 3.4 Dirty Little Girl 3.5 All the Girls Love Alice 3.4 Your Sister Can't Twist (but She Can Rock 'n Roll) 3.6 Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting 4.1 Roy Rogers 3.5 Social Disease 3.5 Harmony 3.7 Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again) 3.6 Jack Rabbit 3.2 Screw You (Young Man's Blues) 3.6 Candle in the Wind (2003 acoustic remix by Greg Penny) 3.6 Score: 3.623809524
I really like Elton, and this album has such a rich tapestry of instrumentation. Hard not to love.
I didn't expect to enjoy this album as much as I did. Having it start with four of his strongest songs must have played a part. I was surprised at how 'rocky' it was in places, and I was surprised to discover that it wasn't just 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' that rocked. The whole album was pretty solid from start to finish, but why does a pop star of any era, feel the need to do a faux country number? Italy a 4 star for Reg.
I don't see how you can't like this era of Elton John. Some tracks are better than others, sure, but this album is full of classics.
It was great
some hits. that Jamaica song is kinda weird eh?
Candle in the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting are still relevant songs in popular music and played in many live performances.
- as one of my first forays into 70s music in general (in regards to whole albums), this seems pretty impressive to me - bold decisions, throughout the album and perhaps most visibly with the opener - often very full and thought out arrangements, for the short time it was created in - some of it is not for me, as i take quick issue with certain cadences and chord changes, but that's more my fault than Elton's - does seem to have a bit of filler - i would blast Grey Seal all day
Good album. This has some really solid piano/pop ballads and is just a fun listen. I'm not a deep Elton John fan, but he has a lot of songs that I think are phenomenal. ****
It’s a classic for a reason, although suffers a bit from double LP syndrome
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" rocked music charts and is considered one of Elton John's greatest works, which is saying something considering his prodigious career. Pop rock, John has a remarkable knack for creating hits that make the listener to get up and dance. The successful tracks outweigh the other more lackluster and obscure tracks on this double album. This album produced greats including "Bennie and the Jets," "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," and the title track, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."
very cool but also not really something i would listen to on repeat.
This is the hallmark of Elton John's albums. But you must like his style. I find that under the exciting arrangements there's always a bit of a similiar formula.
So who knew the only Elton John songs I actually like are all on the same album! So I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Really good song writing obvs but generally I just like the sound/production of it. Downside is that it was a bit long and dragged a bit + Jamaican Jerk off is awful (why is that even on there).
this one has really grown on me
I never really payed Elton John much attention. That might have been a mistake as this is yet another excellent album (after Madman across the Water). Not good enough for 5 stars but an easy 4.
Liked Songs Funeral for a Friend Candle In The Wind Bennie and the Jets Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Grey Seal Sweet Painted Lady
I think this is Elton’s best overall album. The piano is excellent and his voice is in its prime.
I’m not a big EJ fan but there’s no denying there is a unique brilliance to his sound and lyrics which have had a major influence on pop. Some true gems on this record. Dragged down a bit by the hokey Candle in the Wind.
Let's start with the good - This album opens so perfectly. You have an absolutely amazing set of four songs that highlight John's songwriting capabilities, musicianship, and charisma as an artist. Side B continues strongly with "This Song Has No Title" and "Grey Seal" both of which are fun and bright and keep the energy going. Other standout songs to me were "I've Seen That Movie Too," "Sweet Painted Lady", "All The Girls Love Alice", and "Harmony" What I don't like - Let's start with Jamaica Jerk-Off - which I have very mixed feelings about. At times, I loved it, at most times, I hated it. I like the diversity it brings to the sound of the album, but at first listen thought it seemed out of place. I also am not a big fan of "Saturday Night" - partly just find it obnoxious. I think overall the album is strong and fun, but can be shortened a tiny bit for perfection.
El primero es un temazo. Luego va decayendo, pero mantiene un buen nivel
Another solids album!
4/5. From the gate, just 25 minutes of amazing songwriting then a huge drop of quality. Song Has No Title and Jamaica and huge fumbles especially after the first four songs. The rest of the album kind of goes up and down in quality but overall, a great album full of singable and well-written songs. I think this is a good double album, 15-20 minutes per side, but maybe just like 3-4 songs less and it would be perfect. It's also Elton, hard to have a full miss with the king. Best Song: Funeral/Love, Candle in the Wind, Saturday Night, I've Seen That Movie Too
Bellissimo audio, pieno di idee nuove.
His style is immediately recognizable! I think it's the piano that does it.
Hey kids, what a start! Disc 1 Side A is smash hits, all legendary songs. Side B still really strong. Disc 2 Side C not that good. We weren’t familiar with the songs and realized that we never really listened to this side. Strong finish on D with Saturday Night and Harmony. Uncle Danny had this album, sides A and D got a lot of play. Hour sixteen didn’t seem too long, in fact the album was over before we wanted it to be. (3.9*)
This man is a force to be reckoned with and it shows. Less than a minute in and you just know there's something special here. Very strong full album, fun listen, really enjoyable, and not even too long. I just convinced myself that this album alone can convert someone into an Elton fan. It fucking slays.
Elton's finest album. Despite the length it's pretty strong from start to finish. Even the weakest songs don't need to be skipped and there are enough hits and recognizable songs to get you through the whole thing. Well deserving of all the praise. The opening side belongs in the pantheon of all time great album sides. A must-listen for so many reasons. 3.85 stars
The big songs on this record are fantastic. I'm not much of an Elton John guy though, we'll see though.
the titular song is definitely the standout and one of the best songs out there. every else holds up pretty well too
Good album, not his best work but I absolutely adore the title track. Easily my favourite song by Elton
A classique. Not my fav John tbh but still good. My dad loves this one which makes sense to me. I prefer the more science fiction Elton. Candle is the wind makes me teary. I remember driving to school once and my dad pointing out Marilyn's apartment. It seemed to have made a big impact on him, the song and her. Bennie and the jets reminds me of the world I thought I was growing up into. Boys in high heels and sunset blvd but its no longer there. I wasnt exited this was my first album but by the end I felt chills. I love it all. My ratings are dumb, dont take them seriously. 3.5
4.5/5 Great album, listened to a lot of Elton John, only never a full album. There are so many good songs on this album, but also a few which are mediocre. That’s why I can’t give it 5 stars. Favourite songs: - Bennie and the Jets - Goodbye yellow brick road - Grey seal - Saturday night’s alright
Lovely use of piano, excellent musician Fav: This Song Has No Title Pretty good tbf, some songs quite long tho
One sounded like a song from ratatouille
How can you hate this guy
i really liked it. defo going to relisten to some tracks.
Pretty fun, much like queen elton john is an artist i dont think you can hate , best songs on the album are goodbye yellow brick road and saturday nights alright stand out in particular
der große Elton John... "Candle in the wind", einfach großartig
has some awesome moments and some forgettable parts. wish it was shorter with just the bangers
Great listen. In the future will only listen to specific tracks.
Top of his form and showcases the full range of his skills from rocking out to ballads and story telling.
А старина то оказывается жаришки давал, а не только под хвост баловался
Kakav opener! Dugacak ali raznovrsan album, kako tematski tako i zanrovski. Sve u svemu ugodno iznenadenje. Favs: Funeral for a friend, Candle in the wind, I’ve seen that movie too, Saturday night’s alright 8/10 = 4+
Very nice little album, enjoyed it and there were even some songs that I recognised. I can imagine how much people would've enjoyed this album 50 years ago, and it's still pretty bop-y.
- Was intimidated by the length but was very enjoyable - Some absolute bangers in the second half (Saturday Night's Alright, All The Girls Love Alice) - Elton is a master on the piano - Great variety of sound
- Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) is an all time great. Makes me want to hit the Oklahoma drill in the bar with the fellas - the 4 song stretch to start this album is stunning - Grey Seal and Jamaica Jerk-Off surprised me in a good way - there are a few fillers in here
Touches of Pink Floyd. The singles are amazing. The rest of it, eh. This didn’t need to be a double album and it’s not his opus, but it is pretty great.
Such a hot start. I feel like EJ has Bruce Springsteen syndrome; if half of the material was held back instead of released, so much more of it would be amazing. Which I suppose is true. “It’s a hundred floors of frights. They ain’t all gonna be winners…”
I like Elton John, some of the songs in this album are exceptional, and none of them are bad, but most of them didn’t do much for me. He’s great in this album if not very consistent.
Pas fan d'Elton mais là, c'était génial.
Elton John never really works for me
I hate how this site only does it out of 5 instead of out of 10, as this feels like one of the most 7/10 albums I can think of.
Better than I expected. I thought Elton John was boring and irrelevant, but listening to this album has made me interested in listening to more. Not every track is a winner, but they're all well-constructed and pleasant to listen to. A fun blend of rock, pop, prog, and folk.
Elton John :)
This does drag on a bit, but there is no denying that on the whole, this is a fantastic album. Elton John is undeniably one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and oh boy does that man know how to play the piano. The vocals are amazing, such passionate delivery, and the music in just about every song is so perfectly crafted. While Elton John (in my opinion at least) wasn't as groundbreaking or ahead of his time as some of his contemporaries (*cough* Bowie *cough*), he is still amazing at what he does, and has made some incredible albums.
Good songs
4.3
I've known all the hits most of my life, but have never listened to the album in completion. Not something I would reach for regularly, but undeniably a good album.
Singer songwriter at its finest.
Already have listened before; and listened again. Love this one
If this wasn't a double album, this could be his Thriller. It has about the same amount of hits that are still in constant rotation but is bogged down by the deep cuts. That being said, I do love this album and like all those songs.
Classic Elton
Epic and heartful. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a sweet -and long- journey full of great sing-a-long songs. I wish this album was shorter. Maybe I did not get all the references; maybe cutting one or two songs butcher the concept. I do not know! True fact is that this is a great album! Solid 8!
SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY/ SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY 4/5
Elton John is a weird one. A few songs and he’s the greatest song writer of his generation, a whole album and I want to never hear his music again.
good
It‘s a Klassiker
Good songs, mostly upbeat 3/4****
Enjoyed the second half much more than the first. Some good bluesy tracks!
god damn
Erm erm yeah it’s a great album, this man can write, sing, play, you have it. 3.9
Easy to see why this was such a sensation. A little slow paced for me though.
Legendary. It was fun listening to the other songs from the period in addition to the hits we've heard a million times.
Goed album. De opener is gelijk echt giga hard! Knap dat je 7 albums diep in je discografie nog zo origineel maar ook goed kunt zijn. Na het vorige album van Elton John in de lijst die ik verrassend leuk vond, mag deze er ook zijn! Mijn mening over hem even bijgesteld
First front to back Elton John album listen. My god, this man is incredible. Will be consuming him more frequently now.
This album is amazing and has some truly incredible classics on it. Despite being super tired today, it really put me in a good mood. Other than the obvious hits, I really enjoyed "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" at the beginning and "Sweet Painted Lady". Elton is the man.
Straight bangers!
interesting concept album, overall enjoyed.
Might actually be his best album
Really good songs.
I have only listened to his hits and never a full album. I really liked this. This showed a nice side to him I didn’t realize he had.
Great musician
Best Song: Goodbye yellow brick road Vibe: Whimsical, bittersweet, patronizing Themes: Pop star, partying commentary
Elton at his best!
a great album bit not one of my favorites
I liked the energy of this, plus the variety of styles and influences. Elton John has certainly earned his status as a legend in the field.
Love the Moog synthesizer at the beginning of the album. Really good album, even though there are some "overplayed" songs on it. Worth listening to for the "lesser known" songs, they are good.
Bunch of hits that still flow together to make a great album.
An immediate Holy Shit ™ album and it rarely lets up. It's both unapologetically sincere and tongue-in-cheek camp, and that dichotomy only underlines the gorgeous tone of nostalgic queer storytelling explored throughout. Sometimes this means it crosses into cringe, and sometimes that cringe is dated and gross and really makes you question if this needed to be a double-album even if compositionally those songs still kinda hit, but then those sore spots are over and you're back into piano-glam greatness. Absolutely great, will be picking it up next time I go record shopping for sure.
A good album
I love this album!! So cool! Listened to it growing up in my teens! 4 stars
I've always considered Elton John as a singles artist, as in his albums are uneven, inconsistent, and contain a lot of filler sprinkled with a couple of hits to sell the record. I'm talking about Elton from the early-mid 70's, his peak period. The first "real" album I bought was the Elton John's Greatest Hits album which was probably one of the top selling records of the 70's. This was really all you needed to hear John's hits without spending money on the albums. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the only album I would consider essential, it's an excessive double album with a lead off-double track (Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding) that takes up more than half of side one and it might be my favourite song on the album. My biggest issue with the album is that it's too long. There are a lot of second tier John songs as filler, but a bunch of his best songs. If they made this a single album, take all of side one, most of side two (get rid of the insufferable, Jamaica Jerk-Off and replace it with, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting and maybe, Harmony (both from side 4), this would have been a solid 5 star classic. Instead we are left with a top heavy record with enough good filler tracks to still deem this Elton John's best, non-greatest hits record.
3.5. Bloated in the middle
I'm actually going to break with my normal scoring rules today and give this album four stars. Ordinarily I would give it only three stars, based on the fact that I didn't hate it, but it wasn't life changing, and I don't plan to listen to it again any time soon. It's music that I wouldn't ordinarily want to listen to, but I appreciate that, for the popular music genre, it's about as good as it's ever going to get. There's also variation, a bit of reggae, a touch of progressive rock even. It all works, the lyrics are great, the singing is fantastic. The hits don't even stand out too far from the rest of the songs, which are all either very good, or good enough to not feel out of place.
This album starts off really strong. Funeral For a Friend is such an unusual and cool way to introduce a pop album, I forgot all about that song and it feels so out of place for an Elton John record. The next few songs are all solid. They're some of his best pop singles ever and almost play like a greatest hits. I know the sound isn't to everyone's taste, but I really have no complaints about the first part of this album. Other songs really bring the whole thing down. Jamaican Jerkoff is one I really wish I didn't have to listen to again, and nothing in the latter half of the album really does anything to reach the heights of its momentous opening. Three and a half. Fave track: Bennie and the Jets
I've heard a ton of Elton, but never listened to a studio release of his straight through. Onward... Grandiose synth intro on Funeral For a Friend; could imagine David Lee Roth screaming through this, or ripping into a proggy ELP exploration. Instead this strips away to a spacious piano + bass melody before sort of going the proggy route. This song caught me completely off guard and is forcing me to change my perception of Elton John. Rips right into the vocal second part "Love Lies Bleeding." This is a driven jam with multiple parts. Guitar work reminds me vaguely of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Candle In the Wind is a beautiful piece of songwriting in dedication to Marilyn Monroe. Can't really say any more than that. Bennie And The Jets: easily one of my favorite Elton John songs that feels as if it could be a Billy Joel song. My flex is far less than Kev's - I didn't get to see Sir Elton do it himself - but it was pretty cool to see Umphrey's cover this during an encore and embed a Pink Floyd Echos jam in the middle. Grey Seal sorta rips too. Love the funky guitar skwank through the back quarter. I've Seen That Movie Too is a beautiful song. I feel like its nothing revolutionary, but his vocal quality is so great here. All The Girls Love Alice is a jam. Your Sister Can't Twist, taps a bit into the carnival spirit towards the end. Pretty straightforward rock song tapping into old school sensibilities. Then there's Saturday Night's Alright, which is probably my favorite of his songs. Such a fun jam that feels like a Bowie song in many ways, but with Elton's lovely key work interspersed. This was a solid album with a lot of depth to it. Vocals and songwriting were great, as was the production. I lost focus a bit through the middle, but there was enough to keep me interested for the most part. Solid 4 / 5.
Unpopular opinion, Bennie and the Jets is an annoying ass song. I've Seen that movie too is sick. Not sure if I knew that song. I liked listening to this album a lot. Elton is good but not my favorite.
Another pleasant album that is nearly flawless. Bennie and the Jets is kind of an annoying song, but just for the "BENNIE" parts. The rest of it is a jam. Mr. John certainly knows how to tickle the ivories. A good mix of classic piano with some electronic mixed in which I wasn't expecting. This one flirts with 5 star territory. I will likely listen to this one back.
Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is an absolute heater to start. I have never heard this song before, but if the album keeps up like this (besides the many songs that I already know) I will be a happy boy. This album was filled with absolute classics that I have known for years, with Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting being my favorite going in. The rest of the album was above average but could have done with a few less songs that seemed to just be a bit of filler. Still very good album that I have always known about but never listened to entirely.
Oh man I haven't listened to this in full since *flex incoming* I saw Elton John at Roo in 2014. It starts off with a monster song in Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding and is filled with jams throughout (Candle In the Wind, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night). Hearing Bennie and the Jets brought me back to when I showed Ian that song on our way to Europe and he apparently sung it non-stop for the two weeks with my Mom and Robert. All the songs on here are great but some get lost on me through a long record. High 4 good job Elton!
Love me some Elton John! Outside of the (very well played) extended instrumental intro to the first track, this is a very fun album, complete with very well known songs and a familiar format that is easy to digest. Love the inclusion of country-western sounds on a few songs. Mid 4!!
I like Elton john and his music. His talent is amazing, but some of the songs just kept it from being a 5. Regardless of my personal opinion, I totally understand why this album is included.
Very good I would say.
This has tons of good songs. But it also is too long. It has Benny and the jets, but it also has Jamaican jerk off. Ultimately for me it's a 4 because it's clearly great at lots of points but doesn't maintain that greatness enough to climb to a 5.
I was never a big fan of Elton John. So I was a bit skeptical when this album was suggested to me. And of all things, it contained Candle in the Wind. The inflationary playing of this song after Diana's death really spoiled it for me. Now that I've listened to the album, I have to say that I quite like it. I was thrilled to hear Saturday Night's Alright again.
Bennie and the Jets has gotta be the most delightful song ever. @kailey watching 27dresses w you and then sobbing will forever be a core memory and this song just lives in my soul. Rest of the album is also very good. Yesterday was just a good day for an Elton John album 8.5/10
8/10 - All of the popular songs are fantastic. The rest are fine but I liked harmony of the songs I did not know.
Very good album, I already had a few songs downloaded from it, I did get a bit bored by the end though, I may have just not been in the mood for this album and should give it 5 stars 8.5/10
Very pleasantly surprised by that first song, and otherwise a pretty good album 8/10
- Heard this before - Think this is easily his best album - Would probably be 5* if it wasn't so bloated with songs that just don't need to be on there - A few classics as well though - Fav songs: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Bennie and the Jets, Funeral for a Friend
Saved songs: - Candle in the Wind - Bennie and the Jets (Favourite) - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - I've seen that movie too - All The Girls Love Alice Honorable Mention: -Harmony - Saturday Night's Alright -The Ballad of Danny Bailey I've heard songs off of this record before but never listened to it's entirety, silly me, this is a stunning record and it's obvious as to why it's argued as his best. Catchy tunes, relatable lyrics, good stories that carry through the songs perfectly. Some filler here and there but expected with its size. The album fluctuates genres a bit as well with some rock, some fusion, lots of Jazzy tunes and even a touch of country near the end (tf? lol). Overall 4/5 *
I liked it, definitely Elton John at the top of his game, some good rockers and Candle in the Wind is a classic. 9/10 would recommend.
The album is full of Elton John "classics" which I enjoyed, especially after a couple listens. The real treat are some of the lesser known (to me) later tracks like Roy Rogers and Danny Bailey. Unfortunately all the songs kinda sound the same if you listen all the way through.
There’s some great songs here and some I can live without. I think it would work better as a single album with some of the filler omitted
Suena éste disco y pienso en Daft Punk, en Justice y en cómo, sin saberlo, Elton John se adelantaba a ellos y a gran parte de la electrónica. Sonidos contemporáneos al Ziggy Stardust de Bowie y a los primeros discos de Genesis (me recuerda en algunos tracks a Selling England by the Pound). Gran trabajo. Orquestado, preciso.
4 stars instead of 5 because there are about a million songs on this album that could probably have been cut. But the songs that I love are awesome - the opening song(s) build the mood, the title track, Saturday Night's Alright, Harmony, a couple more I can't remember.
I rate Honky over this… as I keep wondering why he stacks it all up front and then sort of fades away… but I guess that’s above my pay grade.
An absolutely iconic album. It has candle in the wind, bennie and the jets, goodbye yellow brick road, and saturday night's alright. The first song had a crazy synth intro, and felt like I was listening to an electronic album, which was absolutely crazy. The album ran a bit long at 1hr 16mins, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the other filler songs in the album (apart from jamaica jerk-off), but given the fact that this is album contains half of elton john's greatest hits, I can't rate it lower than 4/5.
Great Album.
Pretty cool rock/pop album. Good for walking around, although I would probably need to be engaging in something to enjoy this album. The so far are long and take their time to fade or transition into something new. Lots of catchy elements
Never listened much to Elton John but this does pretty much live up to the hype. Catchy, bright, sparkly, well-produced pop rock. Interesting prog-rock opener and mix of styles. A great album. Best song: Bennie and the Jets
Trying to not rate it to harshly for the filler because it would be an almost perfect album at 8-10 songs. But the filler does still exist. When the album hits it hits hard and the forgettable stuff isn’t hard to listen to either. Rating: 4.3
Sympathique mais je l'ai éocuté il y a longtemps oops
Ок. Неплохо для ознакомления. На 7-8
Classic album… if it was cut down to normal album length it would probably be one of the best albums of the 70s, but as it is it’s just great 😉
De va nog jättenice första halvan o sen va de rätt chill andra halvan. Nelonen!
Fave: Sweet Painted Lady
Straight up classic. Though if I remember the second half kinda loses momentum. Will happily listen again. Intro song is fantasmic. Yes it does drop off but still a great album.
Justo estaba escuchando este disco el otro día. No sabía que estaba incluido en esta lista. Me gustaron varias canciones que no conocía, así como la portada.
A lot of very fun songs on here.
Elton John lavede virkelig nogle fede albums i første halvdel af 70'erne - synes den her har det samme problem som mange dobbeltalbums (for lang), men nærmest alle numrene er gode og de passer generelt godt sammen
Ville ha været en 5er hvis det ikke var et dobbelt album. Virkelig høj kvalitet og mange bangers, men det bliver lidt for same-same over 75 minutter
He can make a mediocre song better with just a piano riff. He has a way of making a song sound good that has no right to sound good.
This pop rock album has some really strong sections interspersed with a few weaker tracks. There’s times when I’m really in it, but occasionally my interest drifts. Solid compositions/arrangements, quality performances (love the bass), nice groove, and great vocal melodies and harmonies. After a strong start, things begin to slow down a bit in the middle of the album. Mostly solid songs but the album is a bit long. My attention starts to wane a bit mid-side B through mid-side C, but then the album comes roaring back for a few songs. I prefer the uptempo rocking songs & sounds with a bouncy feel to most of the slower, ballad types. Overall, a good pop rock album in which the highs outweigh the lows. May have benefitted from being a bit leaner, but an enjoyable listen nonetheless.
For me, Elton John has always been a quantity over quality artist. There’s a lot of tracks from his classic era I really enjoy and some that are just kind of there. There are also tracks where songs are just for a joke and don’t have that much depth, like ‘Jamaica Jerk-Off’. My favorite is ‘I’ve Seen That Movie Too’ which shows Elton John at what he’s best at. Overall, this album could’ve been shorter. A lot of songs seem to blend together in tone and style and you lose track of which song is which. When albums are this grand in scale, diversity is usually key (The White Album), or an abundance of great material (Blonde on Blonde) or a concept going on (The River). Still, it has a lot of great moments and some of Elton’s best. However, Honky Chateau still remains my favorite of his.
Classic, and inspired in places. I suspect that if this had been released as a single album, with the obvious hits on it, that it would rate more highly for me.
Æðisleg plata frá Elton. Algjör bomba!
8/10 Two of his albums in a row and … I think I really like Elton John? For some reason his brand of Americana hits better than the American bluesy rock artists that inspired him Cracking album, lovely production First 6 songs are amazing. Grinds to a halt with Jamaica Jerk-Off. A couple of other duds but that’s it. First half stronger than the second half (which is more straightforward and has country influences) Best: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
A bit too long
Pretty rock-y Good bangers Some so so
I've never listened to a full Elton John album before. I usually like what I hear from him though, so I'm looking forward to this. Why do we always have to start albums with songs that last my entire lifetime? Okay, apart from that first song, I'm liking this. I forgot how much I like the title track. 4/5 There's not doubt that Elton John knows what he's doing. This was a really cohesive album.
Hard to hate. This album is a lot of fun, even if a bit too long. I could have gone without that weird Jamaican song.
Great album. But long and a lot of songs are very similar.
Interesting beginings
Classic
Classic
This is a damn good album. Great music. I really enjoyed this.
Buenísimo. Me encanta. Genial
vocally Elton does a very good job. Musically this album does a really good job with dynamics and makes use out of a variety of genres very well.
Way less filler than there usually is on a double album, so I won't give it my normal one star deduction for over indulgence. Also, it could be a quintuple album and still get a four based solely on the inclusion of Benny and the Jets.
The versatility this man displays is remarcable, very enjoyable album
Best Elton john
Easy to see why this became a classic. Not completely my cup of tea but some great songs. Elton doesn't really sound like anyone else, either, except maybe The Who a bit and obviously they knew each other anyway. Mostly, very strong songs.
The last of the truly great Elton records. Most, if not all, of his 80s stuff is pretty unlistenable. Here he was at the peak and has never duplicated that success. While the two subsequent 70s albums are also good, they get nowhere near this one. He never really recovered after that. But at least we have this one, which is pretty incredible. 9.1/10
Pretty enjoyable album, a lot going on Top tracks: Bennie And The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)
Listen this at 22/1/2024
Has some great songs on it. The rest of the album is alright
Awesome, much less honky tonk than expected
I very much enjoyed listening to this album. Quite a few songs of his I had never heard before, I especially enjoyed Funeral for a Friend, This Song Has No Title, and All the Girls Love Alice. Of course Saturday Night's Alright and Bennie and the Jets are the greatest of bops.
Best Songs: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Sweet Painted Lady, Roy Rogers Listen Again: Yes
Otro clásico con canciones como la de "Benny and the Jets". Muchas baladas y canciones lentas. En mi opinión no es de sus mejores álbumes. Aún así sigue siendo Sir Elton John.
Great artist. Classic. Some really amazing songs on here.
What an album. Not all hits (some songs haven’t aged well and some were just boring or unoriginal) but man when this album hits it HITS. As someone somewhat familiar with John’s work (the biggest hits, mainly), this was a treat. I’d heard it before years ago but remembered nothing and so essentially got to listen to it again for the first time. I knew “Benny and the Jets,” of course, as well as “Candle in the Wind,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.” The rest were new and were amazing.
My first Elton John album. Was fun and Jaunty. 8/10
Elton John, what's there not to like?
A cinematic, nostalgic and grandiose set of songs, superbly sung at the peak of his mid seventies popularity. It features strong production (by Gus Dudgeon) and there's lots of his all time classics: "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Bennie and the Jets" plus the original "Candle in the Wind". There's a few missteps, but this is rightly regarded a classic.
Sumt er frekar boring (Jamaica, Roy, Twist) og ég sé bara ekki alveg sjarmann við Bennie. Þá væri Candle in the wind betra ef ekki væri fyrir endurútgáfuna. En sum lögin eru æði (Funeral/Love, Grey Seal, Alice, Saturday, titillagið), og þetta er flottur flutningur í gegn og frekar gott stuð.
un concentré de tubes qui s'est a mon gout un peu éternisé
Used to have this album on repeat. Want Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding played at my funeral. Grey Seal is one of my favorites too
I do not receive my album in the morning. Nor are they generated at 3am.
All time great tracks and a couple cringey/corny ones as well.
A lot of famous songs
One of my most listened to records as a kid. Made a tape of the wind blowing from Funeral for a Friend to play on loop during a haunted house I made in my basement when I was 10. In hindsight it doesn’t hold up 100% (looking at you Jamaican Jerk-off).
GBYBR I actually listened to it a few times not that long ago. It is a great album. First 6 songs are great, particularly side 1 of the original vinyl, Funeral for a Friend, Candle in the Wind and Bennie and the Jets. Really do Love FFAF and BATJ. Have heard CITW too many too many times but it is great. Jamaica jerk off is fucking awful. It does dip in the middle and feels a bit long, but I do like the Ballad of Danny Bailey. Saturday Night a bit overfamiliar but still great. The run from Saturday Night to Harmony is very nice, I like Roy Rogers a lot and Harmony is a tune. Not my no1 Elton album, but it has some of his best songs and is really really good. It is a bit long overall though, and Jamaica Jerk off is wank.
Awesome album. Problem is, you judge Elton by Elton. So some filler here by Elton's standards. Some White Album syndrome too - if you could cull 20% of the tracks it's the perfect album. 4 stars.
i really enjoyed this album. on paper, opening with an 11-minute mostly-instrumental prog song was a bit... unorthodox, but on my second listen through i really enjoyed it. the following tracks are pretty much all huge bangers. then there's like 45 minutes of filler, then saturday night's alright for fighting, then 10 more minutes of filler. the filler is all fine, nothing terrible here (except maybe jamaica jerk-off lol) but the high points are SO good. i'll definitely come back to this in the future. favorites: funeral for a friend/love lies bleeding, candle in the wind, bennie and the jets, goodbye yellow brick road, grey seal, saturday night's alright for fighting
Solid work and good story telling. Epic synth intro.
I had a great time with this album! Eltons always got a fun way about his music.
Really fun album!
Nice
Surely no-one ever needs to hear the big singles from this ever again, doubly so for 'Candle' - there's a nice Zydeco-flavoured cover from kate Bush I'd recommend. Elsewhere this is still a pretty pretty good 70s singer-songwriter album and a solid four stars. Even though I really don't like EJ all that much.
Three bangers in a row and then a lot more other songs. 3.5/5
Great first half, good album in general. Good finals songs
done
4
This is kinda perfect.
Avausraita bängeri, hyvä levy
A fantastic album and one of my favourites. Candle in the wind though has been ruined forever by the schmaltzy version that was recorded for Diana.
Ensimmäiset minuutit. 5 Tähteä. niin vitun totta. mutta pitk'stelee pitkästelee paikallaan.. hyviä biisejä mutta voit aina. aina tarvi sitä pianoa klik klilk, mutliple fingers on the piano at the same time... chord and whatnot. liian britti, olisipa elttonn joni suomalaista verta. toimisi paremmin, puhtaamminín. ooksford akatemia musiikki opisto paskiainen. tollanen kaipaa kuria funeral for a friend
Wonderful album, the singles are massive but there are plenty of hidden gems too
Another incredible album this week. This is such an intricate piece of art - really like it.
Elton John is the master of crafting wonderful 70s pop songs. A lot of his work is regarded as classic and for good reason. This album is a nice introduction to him for anyone who wants to get into Elton John. The only downside is that it’s a little long for me. 4.4/5 Favorite Track(s): Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night’s Already For Fighting Least Favorite: Jamaican Jerk-Off
Decent variety of moods. Very good opener. I tend to like British artists and he plays the piano. Of course I was going to like this
Feels like Elton at the height of his powers.
A classic album
Lots of bangers but a little long
Generally speaking the first half of this album is phenomenal. Then towards the back half of the album the style changes and it's tougher to get into. Especially jamaica jerk-off, I've seen that movie too and sweet painted lady. But then it gets good again starting at dirty little girl. Overall, without those tracks, it's a 5-star album, but 4-stars for having skips. 5 stars will be reserved will be albums with no skips.
it's Elton!
Whoa - GREAT intro! I get why this is on the vinyl wishlist. Have listened to CITW, BATJ, GYBR before evidently. Is there a hidden sarcasm between the CITW -> BATJ tracklist order? reading in the magazines / papers, these performances both intentional and unintentional... and then on side 2, GYBR as a showstopper reclaming that role as artist/performer and romanticizing his retreat. (but is this only the beginning?) best: CITW is so good!! underrated: Roy Rogers worst: jamaica jerk-off (yikes) dirty girl (wtf) overall: 3.75/5. some tracks are good, a couple are amazing, a couple did not age well...
Elton John is a literal legend and this album had some his best songs. Everyone knows “Bennie and the Jets”, “Candle in the Wind”, and “Yellow Brick Road”. All this album needed was “Rocket Man” and it would’ve been his greatest album ever made. Now, there’s no need to have 17 songs on an album, even if your Elton John. So, a couple of points will be taken off because I was getting fatigue towards the middle/end of this album. 8/10
The beginning of this album is quite literally banger after banger. I have never really sought out Elton John’s music but just through sheer popularity I have heard the majority of his songs. Even if you don’t like this type of music you have to admit the widespread success of the songs of this album is extremely impressive. The middle of the album starts to teeter totter from great song to forgettable song. The latter half of the album is borderline country which really confused me. This is a LONG album. At one point I thought we might be getting close to finishing and we still had ten songs left. The album is banger filled, the album is too long, the album is diverse in its sound, the album has a few songs that sound really similar, the album is probably the best way to listen to Elton John, the album is kind of too much Elton John. Great album. 7/10
New and fresh in its day. I can no longer listen to "Benny and the Jets," due to over play in 1973. Rest of the record is great.
Although there were a few filler tracks that were underwhelming, the hits make this an undeniably great album.
Opens like a greatest hits album