#1941778 - 05/13/08 05:45 PM
What Elton songs go over solo?
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BluesKeys
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I don't currently do any Elton John songs live. I was thinking I should learn a few and wonder what goes over well in a solo gig?
I may even need some up tempo tunes for more rowdy clubs but lay some tunes on me guys. Even stuff that your band does that works.
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#1941785 - 05/13/08 06:02 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: BluesKeys]
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DanS
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Your Song
Come Down In Time
Daniel
Rocket Man
Madman Across The Water
Levon
Tiny Dancer
etc.....
As Elton's tunes are pretty much piano based, the list is endless.
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#1941790 - 05/13/08 06:07 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: BluesKeys]
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timwat
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My own personal opinion, Reggie's tunes are pretty idiosyncratic due to his vocals - in other words, I've heard a fair share of cover attempts that just didn't fly.
That being said, I might suggest some of his lesser known tunes rather than the bit hits like Croc Rock or Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting. Here's a few to chew on:
Harmony
This Song Has No Title
Grey Seal
Goodbye
Elderberry Wine
I Think I'm going to Kill Myself
Susie (Dramas)
Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters
Personally, I'd love to see someone take a run at some of these back catalog sleepers rather than yet another "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". But what do I know?
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#1941799 - 05/13/08 06:26 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: timwat]
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mcgoo
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I agree that I really don't need to hear another cover of "Your Song". I'd perk right up if I heard someone brave enough to attempt "Sixty Years On", "Skyline Pidgeon" or "Madman Across the Water". Then again, asking musicians is probably not the right bunch to ask if ya wanna get paid well. 
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#1941804 - 05/13/08 06:44 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: mcgoo]
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timwat
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Getting paid????!!!
I thought he was just going to be playing for us.
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#1941806 - 05/13/08 06:51 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: BluesKeys]
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ArnoldLayne
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I agree completely with Timwat.
I have heard some brave attempts but I think people are unusually discriminate unless you sound (sing) like Elton and really can play piano like him. I find myself being the same way. You either end up trying to sing like him and sounding like you have speech impediment or you just don't have the range.
I quit a band before because they wanted me to sing Tom Petty's part in "Stop Dragging my Heart Around" (ahh, you sound great...). I thought I was really singing like him until I heard it on tape. Properly enunciating the words like a normal person (sorry Tom) made it seem wrong as well.
I would suggest Sacrifice as it is not a super popular song by him but a very nice one.
Good Luck.
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#1941810 - 05/13/08 07:00 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: ArnoldLayne]
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Jazz+
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#1941811 - 05/13/08 07:03 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Jazz+]
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Jazz+
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#1941814 - 05/13/08 07:12 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Jazz+]
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delirium
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your song is not that hard
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#1941818 - 05/13/08 07:19 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: delirium]
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D-Bon
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Hahaha. Wait, I don't think the notes on that piano sound are individually sampled. 
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#1941819 - 05/13/08 07:21 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: timwat]
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D-Bon
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+1 on "Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters." Mandy Moore, of all people, does a great version of that. 
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#1941825 - 05/13/08 07:28 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: D-Bon]
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kanker.
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I hate to say it, but I'd bet Don't Go Breaking My Heart would go over pretty well. I could be wrong though...
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#1941841 - 05/13/08 08:23 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: kanker.]
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MONTUNOMAN
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Blue Keys- are you going to sing or do instrumental?
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#1941880 - 05/13/08 10:22 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: NoahZark]
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Analogaddict
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Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Country Comfort and Come Down In Time are great songs. For more up-tempo, Dixie Lily is lots of fun.
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#1941958 - 05/14/08 05:18 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Analogaddict]
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Gismo Recording
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Check out Bruce Hornsby's cover of "Madman Across the Water" on the Two Rooms tribute album.
http://www.amazon.com/Two-Rooms-Celebrat...10767306&sr=1-1
A couple of other great songs on that album are Joe Cocker's version "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" and Sting's version of "Come Down in Time".
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#1941960 - 05/14/08 05:19 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Analogaddict]
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BluesKeys
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I will be singing and playing. I like the idea of doing some lesser known tunes. I was thinking there had to be some that people dig when you play them.
Keep em coming guys... I like what I am getting. I played (name?) Think I'm gonna kill myself, make a little headline news, years ago but that doesn't hit my market now.
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#1941964 - 05/14/08 05:27 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: BluesKeys]
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Ed Coury
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Your Sister Can't Twist 
One option could be slowing it down into a blues thing.
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#1941968 - 05/14/08 05:30 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: D-Bon]
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Mike Davis
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For solo piano, almost any of them! I personally would take the course of discretion if it were a vocal situation, though. Maybe you've got the voice to pull it off. And of course Elton does everything down a few steps these days 
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#1942004 - 05/14/08 06:32 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Mike Davis]
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Analogaddict
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You're So Static
All Across The Havens
Skyline Pigeon
This Song Has No Title
Grey Seal
Honky Cat
The Bitch Is Back
I Feel Like A Bullet
Blue Avenue
Amoreena...
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"Lantern or Turbert Paw Kwee..!"
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#1942010 - 05/14/08 06:42 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Analogaddict]
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MikeT156
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I play a few songs from Elton's "Tumbleweed Connection" Album. That album was a bit different from the top 40 radio play songs he was doing at the time, so it was, and is different that most of his other material. Let's face it, back then, our British friends were about as "Country" as a drug store cowboy. That's why the album was somewhat removed from the material he had done up until then.
I love "Country Comfort", and also like "Come Down in Time", "Amoreena", and "Burn down the Mission" from that album. I would also do "Honky Cat" which was a top 40 tune of his, but some decent piano work.
Mike T.
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#1942019 - 05/14/08 06:50 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: MikeT156]
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Dave Bryce
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I love Elton John - I play a ton of his stuff. Some of my faves to do solo:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road segueing into This Song Has No Title
Daniel
Ticking
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Candle In the Wind
Border Song
Rocket Man
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Harmony
Blues For Baby and Me
Texan Love Song
dB
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#1942101 - 05/14/08 08:57 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Dave Bryce]
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wineandkeyz
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A couple that I haven't seen mentioned so far:
Take Me to the Pilot
Blue Eyes
And another vote for Madman Across the Water
Edited by wineandkeyz (05/14/08 08:57 AM)
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#1942106 - 05/14/08 09:01 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Dave Bryce]
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garrafon
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Lots of good suggestions. I won't repeat what's been said (I hope)...
I seem remember hearing Elton once do a solo, rather rockin version of Sad Songs. It was good...and it would be good to do. Its a popular song (or was anyway) and, played up-tempo as he did, it has a really nice groove and bluesy. Something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH276U5PiGQ
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - can be beautiful solo on the piano. I really enjoy playing that song.
You could rock out on Crocodile Rock (although I know you want to stay away from the more popular Elton tunes).
Lots of good choices from his song book.
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#1942129 - 05/14/08 09:54 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: garrafon]
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The Real MC
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Anybody got a tab? *ducks*
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#1942138 - 05/14/08 10:04 AM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: garrafon]
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misterdregs
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Burn Down the Mission
Tiny Dancer
Madman Across the Water
Levon
Salvation
Mellow
Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself
Honky Cat
Hercules
This SongHas No Title
Sweet Painted Lady
Seen That Movie Too
Harmony
Grey Seal
Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word
Guess Thats Why They Call It the Blues
All good solo piano tunes
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#1942175 - 05/14/08 01:59 PM
Re: What Elton songs go over solo?
[Re: Dave Bryce]
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Bill H.
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I've sung and played a lot of Elton over they years. I still do a few. The best one for audience response is and has always been (and this is difficult you guys I don't wanna say it)... "Crocodile Rock". Maybe the corniest stupidest hit he's had.
So this is not as much a recommendation as an observation.
My favorite Elton song to sing and play was "Blue Eyes", but dropped it from my active list long ago because it's not remembered as well as others.
My type of club work keeps me in the familiar.
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