Elton John’s third album, Tumbleweed Connection, received some of the best reviews he’d ever get. The album isn’t chock full of hits, though ‘Burn Down the Mission’ became a concert staple through the decades.
This is a concept album about the West, leaning on the country and blues genres and schewing simple verse-chorus-verse structure for a more experimental songwriting style.
I’ve been telling myself for years that I need to listen to this album in full. Every snippet I’ve heard has impressed me. It’s hard to beat Elton John in his prime.
And I read the latest news
I tapped my feet in dumb surprise
And of course I saw they knew
The Pinkertons pulled out my bags
And asked me for my name
I stuttered out my answer
And hung my head in shame
chorus:
Now they’ve found me
At last they’ve found me
It’s hard to run
From a starving family
Now they’ve found me
Well I won’t run
I’m tired of hearing
There goes a well-known gun
Now I’ve seen this chain gang
Lord I say let me see my priest
I couldn’t have faced your desert sand
Old burning brown backed beast
The poor house they hit me for my kin
And claimed my crumbling walls
Now I know how Reno felt
When he ran from the law
(repeat chorus)
(repeat chorus)
(repeat chorus)
There goes a well-known gun…
This is, indeed one of Elton John’s best albums. “Come Down in Time” is one of the most beautiful songs he has ever done.