By the early 1970s Elton John was already a cultural phenomenon. His self-titled debut and Honky Chateau had already accelerated his rise from London’s pub scene to international superstardom. All of the elements that made him one of the defining artists of the past 50 years were beginning to truly bloom– his flamboyant stage presence, virtuosic piano skills, and unmistakable voice– but the most critical component of Elton’s success up to that point was his partnership with his songwriter Bernie Taupin.
For those who don’t know, Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s creative partnership is one of the most iconic in music history. Taupin, the poetic dreamer, would craft evocative lyrics, often inspired by American culture and cinematic storytelling, while Elton would bring them to life with his knack for melody and pageantry. The pair’s pace on this album was frankly incredible– Taupin wrote all of the lyrics for Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in just two and a half weeks, and Elton composed nearly all of the melodies in a remarkable three-day burst. The duo initially worked under the titles Vodka and Tonics and Silent Movies, Talking Pictures (an incredible album name in my humble opinion) while staying at the Pink Flamingo Hotel in Jamaica, and to think it took less than three weeks to get these songs in working order is a testament to the magic in a bottle they’ve found throughout their career.
Musically Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a sprawling journey that traverses a diverse array of genres with ease. There’s cinematic prog rock in tracks like “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” sultry R&B grooves in “Bennie and the Jets,” lush introspective balladry in “Candle in the Wind”, and a rag-time swagger in “Bennie And The Jets”. It also explores good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” honky-tonk country influences in “Roy Rogers,” and storytelling reminiscent of the American South in “The Ballad of Danny Bailey.” Much like the man himself, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has layers upon layers to unpack.
It’s pretty incredible that these 17 tracks were written in 21 days and summarily recorded in full in just 15 days. This is one of those albums that deserves a full front-to-back listen any time you’re in the mood to experience the 1970’s premier showman and the cohesive grandeur he and Taupin were able to pull off time and time again.
Standout Songs: “Candle In The Wind”, “Bennie And The Jets”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Saturday Night’s (Alright For Fighting)”, “I’ve Seen That Movie Too”, “Roy Rogers”
