In 1970, I heard Border Song on an FM station. I ran out and bought Elton John. A few months later, Your Song became a big hit. As with many artists, the early stuff was the best. I still love much of Elton's later works. Although there were no hits, Tumbleweed Connection is still my fave.
Fred, I know you're the consummate Elton Fan. Yet, I have to disagree that GBYBR is a lesser work than anything before it. It is a wonderful album, head and shoulders above all but Tumbleweed.
As to being commercial, I believe that much of this lies with Bernie Taupin, who wrote the lion's share of Elton's lyrics. It may have been conscious pandering to commercial tastes, but I believe that Bernie evolved from a romantic dreamer to somewhat less adventurous in his themes.
There are many Elton songs I might consider duds. Yet, I can't think of many other artists with his longevity or consistently good music.
oh no, Linda! you've got the wrong end of the stick! I was saying that I don't agree with par4ken at all..!
imo, GYBR is just as good as the first 3 Buckmaster-orchestrated '70-'71 albums, if not better!
certainly all his classic albums (and even the non-classics!) from Don't Shoot Me onwards were much more varied & diverse than EJ/TC/Madman. plus they were/are much more accessible, catchier and far more popular, none of which detracts from them, for me at any rate..!
as for the 'dumbing down' of Elton (as I've heard it referred to) when he became poppy, flashy, glam (and fabulous!) which started in earnest in '72, I think it can be equally apportioned to EJ & BT, they were both going for a more commercial sound & feel. ("..together, the two of them were mining gold.."). BT's lyrics & EJ's music both changed direction, pretty much for good, around that time.
I still say there's a fair bit of BT the ethereal, romantic dreamer (I like that description, Linda) upto and including GYBR.
Bernie the country mouse to Elton's town mouse, alongside the more knowing, cynical BT that was creeping in as he was maturing. it's easy to forget Bernie was only 19 when he wrote the lyrics to "Your Song".
the song "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" itself, for example, points to the more grown up cynicism of a 23 year old, who's crammed a lot into the last 4 years. there's a sneering weariness in some of his lyrics, from '72 onwards, largely absent in the first 4 LPs, along with misogyny and a trend towards stereotypes & cliches that did eventually get worse, that I will concede to, after the 70-76 golden period. a facet that was particularly more prominent from '74 (the Caribou LP) onwards (I'm thinking things like You're So Static, Sick City).
still, even by the time of "Captain Fantastic", despite digs at music industry big-wigs ("Bitter Fingers") Bernie still had that magical way of expressing joy, beauty. he hadn't become totally hardened to the world.. yet..
".. we wrote it and I played it,
something happened,
it's so strange this feeling..
naive notions that were childish,
simple tunes that tried to hide it
but when it comes..
We all fall in love sometimes."
