Tower of Babel

I’m aware that the critical consensus holds that Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is Elton John’s greatest masterpiece, and that’s a hard position to argue with. But I would posit that it’s actually Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. A slightly romanticized account of Elton …

Tiny Dancer

I have a confession to make that some of you might find surprising: I absolutely loathed Almost Famous. You might think that Cameron Crowe’s autobiographical ode to life on the road with a touring band in the 70’s heyday of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll would …

This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore

Songs From the West Coast was the moment that Elton John stepped back up and reclaimed his position as a serious artist. Somewhere in the 90’s he found himself with a reputation as a lovable celebrity who hobnobbed with royalty, hosted charity balls and wrote …

This Song Has No Title

If you’re a musician thinking about putting out a double album, ask yourself, could you get two really great LP’s out of this material? Or one really great LP and one piddling one? If it’s the former, go ahead and splurge on that gatefold sleeve. …

That’s What Friends Are For

Taking it back to the early days of celebrity activism. Hard to imagine it now, but before the 1980’s, entertainers were expected to just look pretty and do their jobs. Those that ventured into even vaguely political territory were seen as overstepping the boundaries of …

Tell Me When the Whistle Blows

Which Elton John album would you take to a desert island? Everyone may have their own answer, and the thing about Elton John is that even his less-good albums all have at least a moment of something wonderful. But clearly, the answer is Captain Fantastic. …

Tambourine

Remember when 2016 felt like the low point of a decade? How naïve we all were. We hit a low point and started digging. Anyway, it was a pretty bad year, and there were two flavors of music that I was relating to: double-shot depresso, …

Sweet Painted Lady

Elton John at his best is not always Elton John at his most famous. Of course, Elton’s dossier of hits is abundant and decade-spanning. At his peak, he was so productive that he could cram a double album with so many hits and would-be hits …

Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word

I’ve always preferred Elton John in his campier mode, but you can’t deny that he’s a master of the weepy ballad. This could be the soundtrack of every breakup montage in every romantic comedy ever, which is generally not a compliment. But it’s Sir Elton, …

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Elton John has delivered decades’ worth of moving and dramatic performances, but this has to be the most moving. It is also, of course, one of the most personal. It recounts a particularly low point in John’s life, when he contemplated giving up his struggling …