Growing Up With Elton John – His Self-Titled Album

Your Song kicks this album off to great expectations, and the collection of music delivers. Your Song owns arguably one of the finest fusions of lyric and music in rock history. When the drums kick in midway through the song, you can tell the composer, lyricist and musicians were all on the same page. No wonder Elton has nearly always ended his live performances with this song.

The second track, I Need You to Turn to begins with a harpsichord massaging our ears. Elton used this instrument to great effect early in his career. This ballad is plaintive and well worth a listen.

Take Me To the Pilot is the "rocker" on the album. It gained great popularity with die hard Elton fans. Pilot's frenetic pace can get you worked up by the studio version. Live, the song is, as Taupin would write later in Bennie and the Jets, solid walls of sound. Elton's uptempo prowess appears to be born with this song.

No Shoestrings on Louise is a country flavored tune that I have always felt suited Elton well. On his next album, Tumbleweed Connection, Elton shows off more of his versatility with more country music. This tune is fun, and amazing to people who are not aware of Elton's musical diversity.

First Episode at Hienton is the best song on this album along with The Greatest Discovery. Yes, I know Your Song is on this album, but the lyrics depicting a girl's loss of virginity and the haunting, soft composition is emotionally moving on a level Your Song can't begin to touch. The bittersweet episode is lyrically painted by master brushstrokes of language. Metaphors bring us as listeners to a near voyeuristic view emotionally. Those who are unaware of Elton's album music should listen and revel in beauty.

It is difficult to listen to Sixty Years On and not state this is the best song on this album. I always wanted to hear this one live. I have two live versions of the song, and its power is immense. The lyrical treatment of aging is powerful. Poignant, fully orchestrated and full of intense imagery, Sixty Years On possesses the force necessary to induce depression about one's age. The orchestral pieces within this song are beyond well done. Guitar and flute mesh with Elton's understated piano work to create a masterpiece. His passionate singing is no slouch either.

Border Song was a concert favorite for many years. The songs begins melodically enough, then kicks in with more tempo. Better served up live with Elton's passion, this version is more ballad than the rocker he presents when he performs the song live. With a choral background of singers, Elton kicks the song up to a limited imitation of his live performances. This version stands well on its own, but you must hear it live to really get the full force of the song.

The Greatest Discovery begins with a beautiful violin, joined by the rest of the orchestra, and then, the lyric. The description of the discovery of a newborn brother is so poignant, so emotionally moving, it cannot be listened to without being moved. I wish everyone who ever thought Elton's singles were his best music would have an opportunity to listen to this song. If I were to compile my list of Elton's absolute best music, (and I am sure I will), this song would definitely be on the list. The beautiful picture painted here of family is an ideal we all dream of. There are not enough superlatives to do this song justice.

The Cage is a rocker fronted by Elton's piano. I have always thought this song never got enough attention from Elton. It moves with horns, guitars, tambourines, again, solid walls of sound. I never was graced by this song live at his concerts, but I bet it was incredible when he played it early in his career. I must interject here that there is no "soft" spot on this album where you have a throwaway song. Throughout Elton's career, on nearly every album, you get a quality effort from him and his band.

The King Must Die is tour de force. A piano lead-in brings us to soft melodic contemplations of life thanks to Taupin, but it belies an upcoming storm of passion. The title is well suited to the lyric and Taupin's imagery is superb. This is a song well suited to a live performance, but this studio version is wrought with power. Notice how I use the same words in my descriptions like power, poignant, passion and others. Listen to this album beginning to end and see if you don't have struggles with adjectives that pale in light of the music falling against your ears, whether the music be soft and gentle or hard and driven.

There are a few bonus track additions like "Bad Side of the Moon" which is an uptempo song, "Grey Seal" the original version which pales next to the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road version, and "Rock and Roll Madonna". All three of these songs move well, have excellent lyrics, and would have made most artists' albums back in the day. The fact that such quality material couldn't make it to his albums is a testament to Elton and Bernie's talents.

While this album is still unpolished a bit like Empty Sky (compared to his more famous, later works), both make the most of that rough edged quality. The raw talent is exposed in impossible to ignore. This is truly a great album. I realize it sounds like I believe Elton does not have a bad album, but he does. Everyone is entitled to his mistakes, but early on, you will not find any work by Elton that is not full of, yes, I'm going to use them again, power, passion, poignant as well as many other intense emotions. Taupin's early career lyrics were so spot on, and so fresh that they listen well even today, nearly forty years later.

Treat yourself to some great songwriting. Listen to his self-titled album and smile.

Michael Ray King http://www.michaelrayking.com

I am the father of six children, ages 2, 9, 11, 13, 21, and 26. Four girls and two boys. My first book, "Fatherhood 101: Bonding Tips for Building Loving Relationships" was published in June, 2008. To get a copy of the book, check out http://www.clearviewpressinc.com or look the book up on Amazon.com.



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