Elton John followed up his 1970 self-titled album with Tumbleweed Connection later the same year. I’m leaving that country-themed album out of my rundown because the songs I kept from it were already known to me: ‘Come Down in Time,’ ‘My Father’s Gun,’ and ‘Amoreena.’ Nothing else from the album really won me over.
It’s a very different story for 1971’s Madman Across the Water, which would definitely vie for my award as John’s best album overall.
Madman features the stone-cold classics ‘Tiny Dancer,’ ‘Levon’ and ‘Madman Across the Water,’ which makes it a bona fide winner right out of the gate.
I’ll offer ‘Holiday Inn’ as another standout from this album. It’s not at the level of the big three but this life-on-the-road track has a great melody and a lovely mandolin performance by Davey Johnstone.
Boston at last
And the plane’s touching down
Our hostess is handing
The hot towels around
From a terminal gate
To a black limousine
It’s a ten minute ride
To the Holiday Inn
[Verse 2]
Boredom’s a pastime
That one soon acquired
Where you get to the stage
Where you’re not even tired
Kicking your heels
Till the time comes around
To pick up your bags
And head out of town
[Chorus]
Slow down, Joe
I’m a rock and roll man
I’ve twiddled my thumbs
In a dozen odd bands
And you ain’t seen nothing
Until you’ve been
In a motel, baby
Like the Holiday Inn
[Chorus]
Slow down, Joe
I’m a rock and roll man
I’ve twiddled my thumbs
In a dozen odd bands
And you ain’t seen nothing
Until you’ve been
In a motel, baby
Like the Holiday Inn
Meet Me In Montauk 
I really think you owe Tumbleweed Connection another listen. You skipped right over “Love Song” and “Burn Down the Mission,” which are fan and personal favorites. I do agree, of course, that Madman is among John’s best.