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Elton John Appreciation Thread


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Since I was born after the majority of Elton's 'classic' material was released, I was never burned out on the 'overexposure' that he must have had (ala most pop artists).

 

It was during the 80's when I was really getting into music, and in my honest opinion, past his prime.

 

Anyway, his music is still timeless to me. Being a piano player myself, he is probably one of the biggest influences to me and my motivation as a player. Here are some of the the things that I love best, and make him a musical genius in my eyes -

 

- Brilliant accompaniment on piano - to his own singing. I wish I could sing AND play like that.

 

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:ymuBV07SxrIJ:www.ratw.com/issues/2/ej.jpg

 

- Melodic sense. Up there with the Beatles in my opinion. I'm biased.

 

- Tumbleweed connection

 

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c452/c452196yo0p.jpg

 

- Rockin Piano riffs

 

http://www.eltonscafe.com/SongPages/CanIPutYouOn/CanIPut_eg1.gif

 

- 70's band. Nigel, Davey, Dee. One of the best rhythm sections . . . EVER!

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/nigelfanclub/images/72band.jpg

 

- Prolific (SP?). His songs have been on the charts EVERY YEAR SINCE THE 70's!! While some of it may not be up to par with his early stuff, he continues to do what he loves to do. And he does it WELL.

 

- Songs From the West Coast - for redeeming himself for the 90's output.

 

http://musicmoz.org/img/editors/bostonatlast/Songs_From_The_West_Coast.jpg

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I really dig his stuff around the "Tumbleweed/Madman" era...through "Yellow Brick Road". Some of the best times of my life had "Tumbleweed Connection" as a background track...and the song "Blues For Baby And Me" off ...uhhh...what was it off?...carries very special meanings for me.

 

Other than that...well, er...there have been a few of his tunes that would go well on the "kill each other with obnoxious songs" thread, among them "Don't go breakin' my heart" and "Crocodile Rock". UGH.

 

Don't get me wrong, he's talented, but I get really tired of hearing him every five minutes on the "all sappy music" station my wife listens to...along with Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, and Celine Dion.

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Originally posted by Fat Tedster:

and "Crocodile Rock". UGH.

.

I agree. About the only bad song on "Don't Shoot Me" album. What's worse - at the Billy Joel / Elton John Face to Face tour, there were about 20,000 middle aged people singing along to that horror of a song . . .

 

"Laaaaaaaa, la-la-la-la-laaaaaaaaa . . . ."

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Originally posted by LanceMo:

as a monument to our culture...

 

"Crocodile Rock" was Elton's first 1,000,000 seller. Not Daniel. Not Tiny Dancer or Levon. Not Your Song. Crocodile fucking Rock!

Bubblegum culture. Disregard ALL emotion, thought, musicianship and ask -

 

"Will it make me shake my booty?"

 

:(

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I went to a rehearsal a couple months back and Elton, Billy Joel, and David Foster were each playing their own Grand. Pretty amazing. Elton did a few songs by himself. I stood a few feet away from him as he played and sang Tiny Dancer by himself. I pissed my shorts. That's one of those things you'll remember forever. I really loved him when his first lp came out, but I kind of lost touch with him for a decade or two. Just an amazing musician.
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Originally posted by shniggens:

Since I was born after the majority of Elton's 'classic' material was released, I was never burned out on the 'overexposure' that he must have had (ala most pop artists).

 

It was during the 80's when I was really getting into music, and in my honest opinion, past his prime.

 

Anyway, his music is still timeless to me. Being a piano player myself, he is probably one of the biggest influences to me and my motivation as a player. Here are some of the the things that I love best, and make him a musical genius in my eyes -

 

- Brilliant accompaniment on piano - to his own singing. I wish I could sing AND play like that.

 

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:ymuBV07SxrIJ:www.ratw.com/issues/2/ej.jpg

 

- Melodic sense. Up there with the Beatles in my opinion. I'm biased.

 

- Tumbleweed connection

 

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c452/c452196yo0p.jpg

 

- Rockin Piano riffs

 

http://www.eltonscafe.com/SongPages/CanIPutYouOn/CanIPut_eg1.gif

 

- 70's band. Nigel, Davey, Dee. One of the best rhythm sections . . . EVER!

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/nigelfanclub/images/72band.jpg

 

- Prolific (SP?). His songs have been on the charts EVERY YEAR SINCE THE 70's!! While some of it may not be up to par with his early stuff, he continues to do what he loves to do. And he does it WELL.

 

- Songs From the West Coast - for redeeming himself for the 90's output.

 

http://musicmoz.org/img/editors/bostonatlast/Songs_From_The_West_Coast.jpg

Perhaps you are not aware that Mr. John is an homosexual ! Gives many of his lyrics an interesting perspective, does it not?

 

But, free speech and all that...

 

NBR

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -- John Adams

 

"I am a senior member, and thereby entilted to all the privileges and rights accorded said status"

-- NBR

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Originally posted by shniggens:

Since I was born after the majority of Elton's 'classic' material was released, I was never burned out on the 'overexposure' that he must have had (ala most pop artists).

 

It was during the 80's when I was really getting into music, and in my honest opinion, past his prime.

 

Anyway, his music is still timeless to me. Being a piano player myself, he is probably one of the biggest influences to me and my motivation as a player. Here are some of the the things that I love best, and make him a musical genius in my eyes -

 

- Brilliant accompaniment on piano - to his own singing. I wish I could sing AND play like that.

 

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:ymuBV07SxrIJ:www.ratw.com/issues/2/ej.jpg

 

- Melodic sense. Up there with the Beatles in my opinion. I'm biased.

 

- Tumbleweed connection

 

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c452/c452196yo0p.jpg

 

- Rockin Piano riffs

 

http://www.eltonscafe.com/SongPages/CanIPutYouOn/CanIPut_eg1.gif

 

- 70's band. Nigel, Davey, Dee. One of the best rhythm sections . . . EVER!

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/nigelfanclub/images/72band.jpg

 

- Prolific (SP?). His songs have been on the charts EVERY YEAR SINCE THE 70's!! While some of it may not be up to par with his early stuff, he continues to do what he loves to do. And he does it WELL.

 

- Songs From the West Coast - for redeeming himself for the 90's output.

 

http://musicmoz.org/img/editors/bostonatlast/Songs_From_The_West_Coast.jpg

Hello??

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -- John Adams

 

"I am a senior member, and thereby entilted to all the privileges and rights accorded said status"

-- NBR

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Originally posted by Linwood:

I went to a rehearsal a couple months back and Elton, Billy Joel, and David Foster were each playing their own Grand. Pretty amazing. Elton did a few songs by himself. I stood a few feet away from him as he played and sang Tiny Dancer by himself. I pissed my shorts. That's one of those things you'll remember forever. I really loved him when his first lp came out, but I kind of lost touch with him for a decade or two. Just an amazing musician.

That's a really cool story. I'm jealous.

 

I guess he is doing his own show in Vegas now?

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Originally posted by NOT Bolt Rifles:

! Gives many of his lyrics an interesting perspective, does it not?

 

But, free speech and all that...

 

NBR

Shit! He's GAY!?!?!?!? Never mind, I take back everything!!!!! Moderator, please delete this thread!!!!! :rolleyes:

 

And thanks for quoting my original post in it's entirety TWICE!!!!! That really proved your point!

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[/qb]

Shit! He's GAY!?!?!?!? Never mind, I take back everything!!!!! Moderator, please delete this thread!!!!! :rolleyes:

 

And thanks for quoting my original post in it's entirety TWICE!!!!! That really proved your point![/QB]

 

Please, don't gush!!

 

NBR

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -- John Adams

 

"I am a senior member, and thereby entilted to all the privileges and rights accorded said status"

-- NBR

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Captain Fantastic was the last album of his that I really enjoyed (well, I guess Caribou is, too). Yellow Brick Road and Tumbleweed are some long-standing, permanent favorites.

 

My wife has had dinner with Elton a couple of times. Says he's actually quite dull until he gets stoned, then he's a riot, among other things telling bad jokes. People enjoy it because, well, he's Elton.

I've upped my standards; now, up yours.
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Originally posted by shniggens:

- 70's band. Nigel, Davey, Dee. One of the best rhythm sections . . . EVER!

The only way you would know that one way or the other is if you saw them live,because on record no one played together or was even in the studio at the same time,just overdubs.
"A Robot Playing Trumpet Blows"
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Originally posted by Alndln FX-51:

Originally posted by shniggens:

- 70's band. Nigel, Davey, Dee. One of the best rhythm sections . . . EVER!

The only way you would know that one way or the other is if you saw them live,because on record no one played together or was even in the studio at the same time,just overdubs.
I saw 'em live in uhmmm, whatever year "Yellow Brick Road" came out. They were good.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Elton's had plenty of great pop hits; Your Song, Benny & The Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Candle In The Wind (NOT the horribly reworked tribute to Lady Di. :rolleyes: ), and most notably, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.

 

But to really appreciate the genius of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, one really must listen to the Live In Australia album, recorded on a short tour with the entire Melbourne Symphony playing arrangements based on the original Paul Buckmaster orchestral scores. Sixty Years On, Have Mercy On The Criminal, I Need You To Turn To, and one of mine and Elton's favorite Taupin lyrics, The Greatest Discovery come through as huge musical events or incredibly intimate poems. Anyone who judges Elton John on his songs from the '80's and '90's is missing a LOT. Heck, even some of the popular tunes pale in comparison to these early songs that were never hit singles.

 

I have only one comment for Not BOLT RIFLES; You're missing out on some incredible music. If bigotry over someone's sexual orientation is worth missing out on genius at work, you're going to have a long list of great works to ignore and miss out on. What the heck, it's your choice.

It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman

 

Soundclick

fntstcsnd

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