Elton John: Encyclopedia II - Elton John - 1970s success

Elton John - 1970s success

Elton's self-titled second album was released in the spring of 1970 on MCA, and slowly began to climb the charts. The first single from the album, Your Song, made the US Top Ten, and the album followed path. John's first American concert took place at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, in August, recieving praise from the likes of Quincy Jones.

Elton John was followed quickly with the concept album Tumbleweed Connection in October 1970. It reached the Top Ten on the Billboard 200 like its predecessor, and got heavy airplay on album-oriented radio stations in the U.S., which most likely played a part in its success. Tumbleweed Connection was followed by the live album 11-17-70, an ambitious and largely underrated album showcasing Elton's considerable talent as a rock pianist and father of Piano rock, with astonishing interaction between Elton, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson. Extended versions of his early compositions clearly illustrate the gospel and boogie-woogie influences on Elton's piano playing, as the lead instrument in a successful, yet unusual (for Rock) trio format. The live album was followed by the soundtrack to the obscure film Friends and the album Madman Across the Water, both that same year. Madman Across the Water reached the Top Ten, and produced the hit “Levon” while the soundtrack album produced the hit Friends. In 1972, Elton released Honky Chateau, which became his first American number one album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts, and spawned the hit singles Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time) and Honky Cat.

In 1973, Elton started his own label, Rocket Records. That year, Elton released the pop album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player which produced the hits Crocodile Rock and Daniel, and the more thoughtful, album-oriented double LP Goodbye Yellow Brick Road which gained instant critical acclaim. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road topped the charts and is considered by many to be his best album. It contains the number 1 hit Bennie and the Jets, along with the popular title song, Candle in the Wind (which went on to become the best selling song of all time), and the FM radio favourite Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting). It also contained gems such as the track Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding and Grey Seal.

In 1974, Elton engaged in a noted collaboration with John Lennon, resulting in Elton covering The Beatles's Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Lennon's One Day at a Time, Elton being featured on Lennon's Whatever Gets You Thru the Night, and a surprise joint concert performance of these two No. 1 hits along with the Beatles classic I Saw Her Standing There. Elton got Lennon to perform these songs at Madison Square Garden in what would be his last public performance. The concert was recorded and released two years later with another live concert recording on the album 'Here & There. That year, he also became director of a professional soccer team, the Watford Football Club, and released the albums Caribou and Elton John's Greatest Hits, both #1 hits, like their predecessors. Caribou was widely considered a lesser quality album but demonstrated John's rocking ability with The Bitch Is Back and his versatility in orchestral songs with Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me. Also in 1974, Elton John was asked to play a character called the Pinball Wizard and perform a song of the same name by the British band the Who for their rock opera Tommy. Drawing on power chords, Elton's version was recorded and used for the movie release in 1975 and the single came out in 1976. The song charted #7 in England. Many still recognize Elton John's rocker version more easily than The Who's original version.

With the release of the 1975 autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy Elton John revealed his previously ambiguous personality. In the album, Taupin and John describe their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in London and its environs. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that would otherwise be rare in John's music. Someone Saved My Life Tonight was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life. His next album, the rock-oriented Rock of the Westies, entered the Billboard 200 chart at #1 like Captain Fantastic, a previously unattained feat.

1976 also saw a highly successful collaboration with English singer Kiki Dee, when their duet Don't Go Breaking My Heart went to number 1 on the charts.

Elton, in a way, owes his success at that time to his concert performances. His flamboyant stage wardrobe that included ostrich feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, a Statue of Liberty costume and more, and his dressing up like Donald Duck or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart among others at his concerts made them a success and created interest for his music.

Elton's career slowed down somewhat after 1976. That year he stated in a interview with Rolling Stone that he was bisexual. This revelation may have contributed to a drop in record sales the following years. The decline in his record sales was also probably due to his exhaustion. He cut his performance schedule after that year, and retired from live performances in 1977 and started recording only one album per year.

Nevertheless, Elton John dominated the rock world in the 1970s, as evidenced by his seven consecutive albums that topped the US album charts: Honky Château (1972, #1 for five weeks), Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973, #1 for two weeks), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973, #1 for eight weeks), Caribou (1974, #1 for four weeks), Elton John's Greatest Hits (1974, #1 for ten weeks), Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975, #1 for seven weeks) and Rock of the Westies (1975, #1 for three weeks), and 15 hit singles, including six that went to #1 (Crocodile Rock, Bennie and the Jets, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Philadelphia Freedom, Island Girl, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart) and three that reached #2 (Daniel, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me), during that period.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "1970s success", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki