Tumbleweed Connection was one of the only early Elton John albums that featured a song not written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Sting did a standout cover of Elton John’s “Come Down In Time.” Those songs stand as some of the finest pieces of music Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote together in their early period. Songs such as “Country Comfort, Come Down in Time,” and “Amoreena,” were especially well written and performed. The original issue of the Tumbleweed Connection LP featured a deluxe multi-page booklet bound between a very sturdy hard cardboard cover. The Bass guitar duties were also shared by Caleb Quaye. Nigel would continue to contribute backing vocals and the drum sound that would play a major role in the great Elton John band.Īlso on board for Tumbleweed Connection was the debut of Dee Murry on bass guitar. On drums for the LP was Roger Pope who would eventually lose his drumming seat to Nigel Olsson. The album featured a long roster of musicians including some well-known vocalist such as Dusty Springfield who sang backup vocals. While the album should not be defined as a country album, the musical structure inherent in the melodic lines, chord changes and lyrical content really sounds like what we now call Americana. (October 1970)Įlton John’s third album Tumbleweed Connection was released on October 30 th, 1970.
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The album Songs From the West Coast defined Elton’s renewed vision and clearly was a welcome return by the artist for long time Elton John fans. Elton said it was time to go back to what he did best which was playing and writing on the piano. In a 2001 VH1 interview with Rebecca Rankin, Elton John also said that he was tired of technology because it slowed down the creative process. In interviews at around the time Songs From the West Coast was released, Elton John had been quoted as saying the album Songs From The West Coastwas the best album he had released in twenty years. Elton’s records since the late 1970’s were still great albums but they simply did not come close to the quality of his nineteen seventies records. It had been a while since I so eagerly anticipated listening to a new Elton John record. I instantly went back into time and raced to the mall to buy the new Elton John album. Needless to say, it was quite thrilling to discover that the song was brand new and just issued on Elton John’s new album Songs From the West Coast. ( A period that Elton John said recently on the Howard Stern show was heavily influenced by The Band.) I had pretty much heard every Elton John song from the nineteen seventies so it was odd to hear what appeared to be a vintage Elton John classic song. It was Elton’s best record in twenty years! I was sitting in a doctor’s office when I heard the Elton John song “Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes.” I was at first very confused when hearing the song because it sounded like old Elton John from the Tumbleweed Connection period. Songs From The West Coast was a return to the original Elton John sound. His record companies have released many compilation greatest hits cds over the years including the stand out To Be Continued…. On the live front, Elton John has only released four official live albums despite his incredible track record of live performances. In addition, Elton John has also released nine soundtrack albums.
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This does not count the three c ollaboration albums he has also released. Elton John has released thirty studio albums. In between albums, Elton John released hit singles in similar Beatles fashion.Īs of this updated writing in 2018. During his 1970’s period, the artist released two albums a year due to his MCA Records contract. Since Elton John’s debut album in that historic year, the singer-songwriter has continued to release albums on an almost yearly basis with few exceptions.
In 1969, Jim Hendrix blew away crowds at Woodstock, and the Vietnam War continued to divide a nation. It was the same year Led Zeppelin released their debut album Led Zeppelin. Elton John’s first album entitled Empty Sky was released in 1969.