Maps of Music

Elton John (1970)

Where the lyrics of Elton John take you, and where it was really made.

Not meant to launch its singer: the album was first conceived as a set of polished demos for other artists to consider recording John and Taupin's songs.

Key places

Trident Studios, London (1970)

Recording site Trident Studios — The album was recorded at Trident Studios in London, according to the article's studio entry. The point marks the studio building, not a specific room. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Elton John: second studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John
• Released 10 April 1970 through DJM Records
• Includes the breakthrough single "Your Song"
• Helped establish his career during the rise of the singer-songwriter era of popular music

Background

• The album was not actually intended to launch John as an artist
• It was conceived as a collection of polished demos for other artists to consider recording John and co-writer Bernie Taupin's songs
• It was the first of a string of John albums produced by Gus Dudgeon
• Dudgeon described this in a Mix magazine interview

Recording

• Gus Dudgeon served as producer and wrote the liner notes
• Robin Geoffrey Cable was the engineer
• Paul Buckmaster provided the orchestral arrangements and conducted
• Caleb Quaye played lead guitar on several tracks
• Diana Lewis played Moog synthesizer on two tracks
• "No Shoe Strings on Louise" was intended as an homage or parody, made to sound like a Rolling Stones song

Cover

• Stowell Stanford handled the photography
• David Larkham was the art director and Jim Goff did the artwork

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, on 25 March 1947.
• Won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.
• Formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962; took the name Elton John in 1967.
• Joined DJM Records as a staff songwriter with lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1968.

Members

• Partnered with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967; Taupin writes lyrics and John composes the music.
• Backing band over the years included Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray and Ray Cooper.

Career

• Debut album Empty Sky (1969); Honky Château (1972) became his first US number-one album.
• Seven consecutive US number-one albums between 1972 and 1975.
• Composed The Lion King and Aida with Tim Rice; won Academy Awards and a Tony Award.
• Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour (2018–2023) was the highest-grossing tour at the time.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone: John Mendelsohn's 1970 review judged the album over-produced and over-orchestrated
• The same review compared it unfavourably with the less mannered and orchestrated Empty Sky, while still praising John's talent
• The Village Voice: Robert Christgau, in his weekly Consumer Guide column, also found the album overdone
• Christgau still noted a surprising set of memorable tracks in the album

Reappraisal

• Christgau considered "Your Song" an instant standard despite its affected offhandedness
• Rolling Stone ranked the album number 468 on its 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
• On 27 November 2012 the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as an album cited for its qualitative or historical significance

Records

• In the US the album was certified gold by the RIAA in February 1971
• It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The US 8-track tape released by MCA Records repeats the tracks "Your Song" and "I Need You To Turn To", running 46:00 in total
• The Rolling Stones parody in "No Shoe Strings on Louise" was intended as an homage or a joke
• Robert Christgau called "Your Song" an instant standard even while criticising the album's overall production
• John performed many of these songs live
• The album was built from demos meant for other artists, yet it became the start of John's own career

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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