Tag Archives: Elton John

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Song of the Day #5,428: ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ – Elton John

Continuing my look at the albums of 1975…

I did an Elton John deep dive a few years ago after watching the movie Rocketman. I listened to most of his albums but skipped a stretch between 1974 and 1983 that includes his work without lyricist Bernie Taupin and several releases widely considered his worst.

I gave a cursory listen to 1975’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy but in retrospect should have given it more time. It is purportedly John’s own favorite of his albums, and having given it a few spins myself now, I’m a fan.

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Song of the Day #5,023: ‘Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)’ – Elton John & Dua Lipa

Elton John and Dua Lipa claim the 13th spot on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, with ‘Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),’ PNAU being the Australian electronic group responsible for the track.

Earlier in the year, this song returned Elton John Billboard’s Top Ten for the first time since 1997’s Princess Di-themed rewrite of ‘Candle in the Wind.’ However, this one feels like it should have an asterisk, because John’s portions of the song are culled from older recordings.

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Song of the Day #4,845: ‘Too Low For Zero’ – Elton John

Here’s the title track from Elton John’s 1983 album Too Low For Zero, a comeback record for him following a string of poorly received releases that spanned nearly a decade.

This album also marked a reunion with lyricist Bernie Taupin, who had been sidelined for other collaborators during that dry spell. There’s no question that Taupin is a crucial ingredient in Elton John’s best work.

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Song of the Day #4,815: ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me’ – Elton John

Elton John is yet another legendary artist to release an album in 1974. That release was Caribou, which went double platinum and reached #1 on the albums chart (a feat matched by only four other John records).

It’s also, by all accounts, not very good.

Recorded in just nine days to free John up for a world tour, Caribou is a redheaded stepchild among his run of classic albums in the early to mid 70s.

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Song of the Day #4,273: ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues’ – Elton John

While the world has self-quarantined to stave off the dreaded coronavirus, I figured now is as good a time as any to immerse myself in the more innocent world of the early 1980s.

Yes, it’s the latest installment of my ‘Decades’ series, where I feature the albums from a certain year across four decades (70s to 00s). Last time out I explored 1973, which brings us to 1983. I was 11 years old and hadn’t started up much of a music collection myself, but so many of the artists I’ll write about were very familiar even then.

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