Published on Sep 27, 2004
I was sitting in my dorm room a few days ago, about to hunker
down and (gasp!) study. I whipped out my iPod and started browsing
for an acceptable album. Along the way, I passed up great works
like
Are You Experienced,
Born To Run, and
Dark Side Of The Moon.
[Editor’s Note: Say what?!?] When I got down to the “E”
section, I found
Elton John, the debut album that broke Elton John to the
world.
This is where it all started, folks. This where a pianist from
Pinner made it as a rock star, and as a result attained fame and
fortune beyond anything he could dream of. The funny thing is, it
isn’t close to being his best album. However, it was new and
different, and that’s what drew the people in.
Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard were long past their prime.
Piano-based rock was a thing of the past — that is, until Elton
John came along. His playing was fresh and innovative,
incorporating various styles. His vocals were said to resemble
Jagger, Leon Russell, James Taylor, even Jose Feliciano. John
Lennon proclaimed “Your Song” to be the first “new thing” since the
Beatles broke up. Lost in all the hype was the simple undeniable
fact that Elton was really that good. However, that is not always
evident on
Elton John, and that holds the album back.
I’m not a big fan of
Rolling Stone, so it pains me to agree with them on a key
point regarding this album. On
Elton John, just as on
Madman Across The Water, and to a lesser extent
Tumbleweed Connection, Elton’s piano-playing is buried under
various levels of orchestration. Elton can be a very compelling
artist when he plays by himself; just listen to one of his solo
shows to find that out. His music doesn’t need all the extra bells
and whistles that were given to it. While it gives the music a more
“epic” feel, there are some tracks that are weakened by their
presence.
“The Greatest Discovery,” Bernie’s Taupin tale of the birth of
his brother, is brought to life and by Elton’s gentle vocals, while
the orchestration threatens to undermine the song. One of my
favorite Elton songs, “Take Me To The Pilot,” is a barnburner of a
rock/R&B number that because of its brilliance manages to
overcome the “strings” handicap. For a long time, I thought “Sixty
Years On” actually benefited by Paul Buckmaster’s production —
that is, until I heard the version of the song on Elton’s live
album
11-17-70. That version blows the studio take out of the
water.
Don’t let this all fool you though; there is some great music on
this album. “Your Song” is one of the greatest love songs of all
time, and is perfect lyrically, and in its performance. The
orchestration for “The King Is Dead” is suitably grandiose,
considering the larger-than-life nature of the lyrics, and Elton
delivers them with a snarl that closes the deal. The pseudo-gospel
“Border Song,” the first single off the album, is a plea for of
acceptance and understanding of sorts and when combined with the
backing choir, makes for a powerful track.
It is easy to see why this album made Elton John popular. There
is the basis for a great career evident. This first taste was more
enough for people to crave more Elton John. They got that, as Elton
would release two more studio albums, one live album and one movie
soundtrack in the following two years. That saturation of the
market would threaten his popularity, but not destroy it. However,
that situation would not have occurred without
Elton John.