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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
| name = Elton John
| name = Elton John
| type = studio
| type = studio
| artist = [[Elton John]]
| artist = [[Elton John]]
| cover = Elton John - Elton John.jpg
| cover = Elton John - Elton John.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1970|4|10|df=yes}}
| released = {{Start date|1970|4|10|df=yes}}
| recorded = January 1970
| recorded = January 1970
| studio = [[Trident Studios|Trident]], London
| studio = [[Trident Studios|Trident]], [[London]]
| genre = [[Soft rock]]
| genre = [[Soft rock]]
| length = {{Duration|m=39|s=27}}
| length = {{Duration|m=39|s=27}}
| label = {{hlist|[[Uni Records|Uni]]|[[DJM Records|DJM]]}}
| label = {{hlist|[[Uni Records|Uni]]|[[DJM Records|DJM]]}}
| producer = [[Gus Dudgeon]]
| producer = [[Gus Dudgeon]]
| prev_title = [[Empty Sky]]
| prev_title = [[Empty Sky]]
| prev_year = 1969
| prev_year = 1969
| next_title = [[Tumbleweed Connection]]
| next_title = [[Tumbleweed Connection]]
| next_year = 1970
| next_year = 1970
| misc = {{Singles
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Elton John
| name = Elton John
| type = studio
| type = studio
Line 31: Line 31:
'''''Elton John''''' is the second{{efn|''Elton John'' was John's first album to be released in the United States, as his debut album ''[[Empty Sky (album)|Empty Sky]]'' (1969) would not be released there until 1975.}} studio album by English singer-songwriter [[Elton John]]. It was released on 10 April 1970 through [[DJM Records]]. Including John's breakthrough single "[[Your Song]]", the album helped establish his career during the rise of the singer-songwriter era of popular music.
'''''Elton John''''' is the second{{efn|''Elton John'' was John's first album to be released in the United States, as his debut album ''[[Empty Sky (album)|Empty Sky]]'' (1969) would not be released there until 1975.}} studio album by English singer-songwriter [[Elton John]]. It was released on 10 April 1970 through [[DJM Records]]. Including John's breakthrough single "[[Your Song]]", the album helped establish his career during the rise of the singer-songwriter era of popular music.


In the US, ''Elton John'' was certified gold in February 1971 by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]. In the same year, it was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year]]. In 2003, the album was ranked number 468 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 greatest albums of all time]]. On 27 November 2012, it was inducted into the [[Grammy Hall of Fame]] as an album cited as exhibiting "qualitative or historical significance".<ref>[http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#g "Grammy Hall of Fame Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219001619/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#g |date=19 February 2011 }}. ''Grammy.org''. Retrieved 21 December 2012</ref>
In the US, ''Elton John'' was certified gold in February 1971 by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]. In the same year, it was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year]] at the [[13th Annual Grammy Awards]]. In 2003, the album was ranked number 468 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 greatest albums of all time]]. On 27 November 2012, it was inducted into the [[Grammy Hall of Fame]] as an album cited as exhibiting "qualitative or historical significance".<ref>[http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#g "Grammy Hall of Fame Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219001619/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame#g |date=19 February 2011 }}. ''Grammy.org''. Retrieved 21 December 2012</ref>


==Production==
==Production==
This was the first of a string of John albums produced by [[Gus Dudgeon]]. As Dudgeon recalled in a ''[[Mix (magazine)|Mix]]'' magazine interview, the album was not actually intended to launch John as an artist, but rather as a collection of polished demos for other artists to consider recording his and co-writer [[Bernie Taupin]]'s songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/gus-dudgeon-1942-2002-364951|title=Gus Dudgeon, 1942–2002|first=Rick|last=Clark|website=Mixonline|date=October 2002 }}</ref> Two songs from the album did find their way into the repertoire of other artists in 1970: "Your Song" was recorded by [[Three Dog Night]] as an album track on their LP ''[[It Ain't Easy (Three Dog Night album)|It Ain't Easy]]'', while [[Aretha Franklin]] released a cover of "[[Border Song]]" as a single that reached number 37 in the US pop charts and number 5 on the R&B chart, later included on her 1972 album ''[[Young, Gifted and Black]]''.
This was the first of a string of John albums produced by [[Gus Dudgeon]]. As Dudgeon recalled in a ''[[Mix (magazine)|Mix]]'' magazine interview, the album was not actually intended to launch John as an artist, but rather as a collection of polished demos for other artists to consider recording his and co-writer [[Bernie Taupin]]'s songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/gus-dudgeon-1942-2002-364951|title=Gus Dudgeon, 1942–2002|first=Rick|last=Clark|website=Mixonline|date=October 2002 }}</ref> Two songs from the album did find their way into the repertoire of other artists in 1970: "[[Your Song]]" was recorded by [[Three Dog Night]] as an album track on their LP ''[[It Ain't Easy (Three Dog Night album)|It Ain't Easy]]'', while [[Aretha Franklin]] released a cover of "[[Border Song]]" as a single that reached number 37 in the US [[Billboard Hot 100|pop charts]] and number 5 on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B chart]], later included on her 1972 album ''[[Young, Gifted and Black]]''.


The song "No Shoe Strings on Louise" was intended (as homage or parody) to sound like a [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]] song.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.resurrectionsongs.com/2015/04/18/wont-you-please-excuse-my-frankness-but-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-elton-john-elton-john-1970/ |author= J |date= 18 April 2015 |title= Won't you please excuse my frankness but it's not my cup of tea: Elton John – ''Elton John'' (1970) |publisher= www.resurrectionsongs.com |access-date= 3 October 2016 |quote= The side is rounded off with the 'Rolling Stones country' tinged 'No Shoe Strings on Louise' (even Elton's phrasing is similar to Jagger's at times – "All those city women want to make us poor men and this land's got the worse for the worrying")... |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161003204206/http://www.resurrectionsongs.com/2015/04/18/wont-you-please-excuse-my-frankness-but-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-elton-john-elton-john-1970/ |archive-date= 3 October 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Bernardin |first= Claude |title= Rocket Man: Elton John From A – Z |url= https://archive.org/details/rocketmaneltonjo00bern |url-access= registration |location= Westport, Conn. |publisher= Greenwood/Praeger |year= 1995 |page= [https://archive.org/details/rocketmaneltonjo00bern/page/186 186] |isbn= 0-275-95698-9 |quote= He tried to impersonate Mick Jagger. The song is about loose women.}}</ref>
The song "No Shoe Strings on Louise" was intended (as homage or parody) to sound like a [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]] song.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.resurrectionsongs.com/2015/04/18/wont-you-please-excuse-my-frankness-but-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-elton-john-elton-john-1970/ |author= J |date= 18 April 2015 |title= Won't you please excuse my frankness but it's not my cup of tea: Elton John – ''Elton John'' (1970) |publisher= www.resurrectionsongs.com |access-date= 3 October 2016 |quote= The side is rounded off with the 'Rolling Stones country' tinged 'No Shoe Strings on Louise' (even Elton's phrasing is similar to Jagger's at times – "All those city women want to make us poor men and this land's got the worse for the worrying")... |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161003204206/http://www.resurrectionsongs.com/2015/04/18/wont-you-please-excuse-my-frankness-but-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-elton-john-elton-john-1970/ |archive-date= 3 October 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Bernardin |first= Claude |title= Rocket Man: Elton John From A – Z |url= https://archive.org/details/rocketmaneltonjo00bern |url-access= registration |location= Westport, Conn. |publisher= Greenwood/Praeger |year= 1995 |page= [https://archive.org/details/rocketmaneltonjo00bern/page/186 186] |isbn= 0-275-95698-9 |quote= He tried to impersonate Mick Jagger. The song is about loose women.}}</ref>
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|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>Stephen Thomas Erlewine [http://www.allmusic.com/album/elton-john-mw0000190513 "Elton John"]. Allmusic.</ref>
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>Stephen Thomas Erlewine [http://www.allmusic.com/album/elton-john-mw0000190513 "Elton John"]. Allmusic.</ref>
|rev2 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
|rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|chapter=John, Elton|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|publisher=Omnibus Press|location=London|edition=5th concise|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8|page=2,003}}</ref>
}}
}}


[[John Mendelsohn (musician)|John Mendelsohn]] in a contemporary (1970) review for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' felt that the album was over-produced and over-orchestrated, comparing it unfavourably with the less mannered and orchestrated ''[[Empty Sky]]''; though he felt that John had "so immense a talent" that "he'll delight you senseless despite it all".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/eltonjohn/albums/album/121562/review/5942220/elton_john| author=[[John Mendelsohn (musician)|John Mendelsohn]]|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=12 Nov 1970|title=Album Reviews Elton John| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002034152/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/eltonjohn/albums/album/121562/review/5942220/elton_john| archive-date=2 October 2007}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] in his weekly "Consumer Guide" column for ''[[The Village Voice]]'' also felt the album was overdone ("overweening", "histrionic overload", "semi-classical ponderousness"), but that it had "a surprising complement of memorable tracks", including "Your Song" which, despite its "affected offhandedness", he considered "an instant standard".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=7129|work=robertchristgau.com|author=[[Robert Christgau]]|date=November 1970|title=Consumer Guide Album Elton John: Elton John}}</ref>
[[John Mendelsohn (musician)|John Mendelsohn]] in a contemporary (1970) review for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' felt that the album was over-produced and over-orchestrated, comparing it unfavourably with the less mannered and orchestrated ''[[Empty Sky]]''; though he felt that John had "so immense a talent" that "he'll delight you senseless despite it all".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/eltonjohn/albums/album/121562/review/5942220/elton_john| author=[[John Mendelsohn (musician)|John Mendelsohn]]|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=12 Nov 1970|title=Album Reviews Elton John| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002034152/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/eltonjohn/albums/album/121562/review/5942220/elton_john| archive-date=2 October 2007}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] in his weekly "Consumer Guide" column for ''[[The Village Voice]]'' also felt the album was overdone ("overweening", "histrionic overload", "semi-classical ponderousness"), but that it had "a surprising complement of memorable tracks", including "Your Song" which, despite its "affected offhandedness", he considered "an instant standard".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=7129|work=robertchristgau.com|author=[[Robert Christgau]]|date=November 1970|title=Consumer Guide Album Elton John: Elton John}}</ref>


{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}
Line 89: Line 91:


{{Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = 2008 deluxe edition bonus disc
| headline = 2008 deluxe edition bonus disc
| title1 = Your Song
| title1 = Your Song
| note1 = Demo version
| note1 = Demo version
| length1 = 3:33
| length1 = 3:33
| title2 = I Need You to Turn To
| title2 = I Need You to Turn To
| note2 = Piano demo
| note2 = Piano demo
| length2 = 2:10
| length2 = 2:10
| title3 = Take Me to the Pilot
| title3 = Take Me to the Pilot
| note3 = Piano demo
| note3 = Piano demo
| length3 = 2:34
| length3 = 2:34
| title4 = No Shoe Strings on Louise
| title4 = No Shoe Strings on Louise
| note4 = Piano demo
| note4 = Piano demo
| length4 = 3:31
| length4 = 3:31
| title5 = Sixty Years On
| title5 = Sixty Years On
| note5 = Piano demo
| note5 = Piano demo
| length5 = 4:20
| length5 = 4:20
| title6 = The Greatest Discovery
| title6 = The Greatest Discovery
| note6 = Piano demo
| note6 = Piano demo
| length6 = 3:56
| length6 = 3:56
| title7 = The Cage
| title7 = The Cage
| note7 = Demo version
| note7 = Demo version
| length7 = 3:20
| length7 = 3:20
| title8 = The King Must Die
| title8 = The King Must Die
| note8 = Piano demo
| note8 = Piano demo
| length8 = 5:22
| length8 = 5:22
| title9 = Rock and Roll Madonna
| title9 = Rock and Roll Madonna
| note9 = Piano demo
| note9 = Piano demo
| length9 = 3:10
| length9 = 3:10
| title10 = Thank You Mama
| title10 = Thank You Mama
| note10 = Piano demo
| note10 = Piano demo
| length10 = 3:19
| length10 = 3:19
| title11 = All the Way Down to El Paso
| title11 = All the Way Down to El Paso
| note11 = Piano demo
| note11 = Piano demo
| length11 = 2:48
| length11 = 2:48
| title12 = I'm Going Home
| title12 = I'm Going Home
| note12 = Piano demo
| note12 = Piano demo
| length12 = 3:03
| length12 = 3:03
| title13 = Grey Seal
| title13 = Grey Seal
| note13 = Piano demo
| note13 = Piano demo
| length13 = 3:18
| length13 = 3:18
| title14 = Rock and Roll Madonna
| title14 = Rock and Roll Madonna
| note14 = Incomplete band demo
| note14 = Incomplete band demo
| length14 = 2:53
| length14 = 2:53
| title15 = Bad Side of the Moon
| title15 = Bad Side of the Moon
| length15 = 3:11
| length15 = 3:11
| title16 = Grey Seal
| title16 = Grey Seal
| note16 = 1970 version
| note16 = 1970 version
| length16 = 3:34
| length16 = 3:34
| title17 = Rock and Roll Madonna
| title17 = Rock and Roll Madonna
| length17 = 4:16
| length17 = 4:16
| title18 = Border Song
| title18 = Border Song
| note18 = BBC session
| note18 = [[BBC]] session
| length18 = 3:19
| length18 = 3:19
| title19 = Your Song
| title19 = Your Song
| note19 = BBC session
| note19 = BBC session
| length19 = 3:59
| length19 = 3:59
| title20 = Take Me to the Pilot
| title20 = Take Me to the Pilot
| note20 = BBC session
| note20 = BBC session
| length20 = 3:33
| length20 = 3:33
| total_length = 65:49
| total_length = 65:49
}}
}}


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{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
|-
! Chart (1970-1972)
! scope="col"| Chart (1970–1972)
! Peak<br/>position
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
| align="center"| 2
| align="center"| 2
|-
|-
{{Album chart|Canada|4|chartid=3762|artist=Elton John|album=Elton John|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 12, 2024}}
{{Album chart|Canada|4|chartid=3762|artist=Elton John|album=Elton John|rowheader=true|accessdate=12 January 2024}}
|-
|-
{{Album chart|Netherlands|2|artist=Elton John|album=Elton John|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 12, 2024}}
{{Album chart|Netherlands|2|artist=Elton John|album=Elton John|rowheader=true|accessdate=12 January 2024}}
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref name="JPN">{{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=[[Oricon|Oricon Entertainment]]|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}</ref>
!scope="row"|Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref name="JPN">{{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=[[Oricon|Oricon Entertainment]]|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}</ref>
| align="center"| 40
| align="center"| 40
|-
|-
{{Album chart|UK2|5|date=19710228|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 12, 2024}}
{{Album chart|UK2|5|date=19710228|rowheader=true|accessdate=12 January 2024}}
|-
|-
{{Album chart|Billboard200|4|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 12, 2024}}
{{Album chart|Billboard200|4|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|accessdate=12 January 2024}}
|}
|}
{{col-2}}
{{col-2}}
Line 265: Line 267:
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1974|region=Canada|artist=Elton John|title=Elton John|certyear=2012|award=Platinum|certref=<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.julienslive.com/lot-details/index/catalog/427/lot/193481|date=27 February 2023|title=Elton John: Self-Titled "Platinum" Record Award}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1974|region=Canada|artist=Elton John|title=Elton John|certyear=2012|award=Platinum|certref=<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.julienslive.com/lot-details/index/catalog/427/lot/193481|date=27 February 2023|title=Elton John: Self-Titled "Platinum" Record Award}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|certref=<ref name=CB>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1974/CB-1974-07-06-II-OCR-Page-0178.pdf#search=%22tales%20of%20topographic%20gold%20award%22|access-date=20 December 2020|title=great britain's million sellers, 1972-73|magazine=[[Cash Box]]|date=July 6, 1974|page=8, Part II}}</ref>|relyear=1970}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|certref=<ref name=CB>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1974/CB-1974-07-06-II-OCR-Page-0178.pdf#search=%22tales%20of%20topographic%20gold%20award%22|access-date=20 December 2020|title=great britain's million sellers, 1972-73|magazine=[[Cash Box]]|date=July 6, 1974|page=8, Part II}}</ref>|relyear=1970}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=Elton John|artist=Elton John|type=album|relyear=1970|certyear=1972|region=United States|award=Platinum<ref>{{cite web|url=
{{Certification Table Entry|title=Elton John|artist=Elton John|type=album|relyear=1970|certyear=1972|region=United States|award=Platinum|salesamount=1,000,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/70s/72/Record-World-1972-12-16-OCR-Page-0006.pdf#search=%22elton%20john%20platinum%20two%20million%22</ref>}}
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/70s/72/Record-World-1972-12-16-OCR-Page-0006.pdf#search=%22elton%20john%20platinum%20two%20million%22|title=IT'S PLATINUM}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}


Latest revision as of 04:33, 20 November 2024

"The Greatest Discovery" redirects here. For the Star Trek podcast, see The Greatest Discovery (podcast).

Elton John
Studio album by
Elton John
Released10 April 1970 (1970-04-10)
RecordedJanuary 1970
StudioTrident, London
GenreSoft rock
Length39:27
Label
ProducerGus Dudgeon
Elton John chronology
Empty Sky
(1969) 		Elton John
(1970) 		Tumbleweed Connection
(1970)
Singles from Elton John
  1. "Border Song"
    Released: 3 April 1970
  2. "Your Song"
    Released: 26 October 1970

Elton John is the second[a] studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was released on 10 April 1970 through DJM Records. Including John's breakthrough single "Your Song", the album helped establish his career during the rise of the singer-songwriter era of popular music.

In the US, Elton John was certified gold in February 1971 by the RIAA. In the same year, it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2003, the album was ranked number 468 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. On 27 November 2012, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as an album cited as exhibiting "qualitative or historical significance".[1]

Production

[edit]

This was the first of a string of John albums produced by Gus Dudgeon. As Dudgeon recalled in a Mix magazine interview, the album was not actually intended to launch John as an artist, but rather as a collection of polished demos for other artists to consider recording his and co-writer Bernie Taupin's songs.[2] Two songs from the album did find their way into the repertoire of other artists in 1970: "Your Song" was recorded by Three Dog Night as an album track on their LP It Ain't Easy, while Aretha Franklin released a cover of "Border Song" as a single that reached number 37 in the US pop charts and number 5 on the R&B chart, later included on her 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black.

The song "No Shoe Strings on Louise" was intended (as homage or parody) to sound like a Rolling Stones song.[3][4]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[6]

John Mendelsohn in a contemporary (1970) review for Rolling Stone felt that the album was over-produced and over-orchestrated, comparing it unfavourably with the less mannered and orchestrated Empty Sky; though he felt that John had "so immense a talent" that "he'll delight you senseless despite it all".[7] Robert Christgau in his weekly "Consumer Guide" column for The Village Voice also felt the album was overdone ("overweening", "histrionic overload", "semi-classical ponderousness"), but that it had "a surprising complement of memorable tracks", including "Your Song" which, despite its "affected offhandedness", he considered "an instant standard".[8]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Your Song"4:04
2."I Need You to Turn To"2:32
3."Take Me to the Pilot"3:46
4."No Shoe Strings on Louise"3:31
5."First Episode at Hienton"4:48
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."Sixty Years On"4:35
7."Border Song"3:22
8."The Greatest Discovery"4:12
9."The Cage"3:28
10."The King Must Die"5:21
Total length:39:27
Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and 1996 Rocket reissue)
No.TitleLength
11."Bad Side of the Moon"3:15
12."Grey Seal"3:35
13."Rock and Roll Madonna"4:18
Total length:50:35
2008 deluxe edition bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Your Song" (Demo version)3:33
2."I Need You to Turn To" (Piano demo)2:10
3."Take Me to the Pilot" (Piano demo)2:34
4."No Shoe Strings on Louise" (Piano demo)3:31
5."Sixty Years On" (Piano demo)4:20
6."The Greatest Discovery" (Piano demo)3:56
7."The Cage" (Demo version)3:20
8."The King Must Die" (Piano demo)5:22
9."Rock and Roll Madonna" (Piano demo)3:10
10."Thank You Mama" (Piano demo)3:19
11."All the Way Down to El Paso" (Piano demo)2:48
12."I'm Going Home" (Piano demo)3:03
13."Grey Seal" (Piano demo)3:18
14."Rock and Roll Madonna" (Incomplete band demo)2:53
15."Bad Side of the Moon"3:11
16."Grey Seal" (1970 version)3:34
17."Rock and Roll Madonna"4:16
18."Border Song" (BBC session)3:19
19."Your Song" (BBC session)3:59
20."Take Me to the Pilot" (BBC session)3:33
Total length:65:49

B-sides

[edit]
Song Format
"Bad Side of the Moon" "Border Song" 7" (US)
"Into the Old Man's Shoes" "Your Song" 7" (UK)

Live recordings

[edit]

John performed many of these songs live,[9] and included six of these ten songs on his 1987 album Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Personnel

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Track numbers refer to CD and digital releases of the album.

  • Elton John – piano, vocals (all tracks), harpsichord (2)
  • Diana Lewis – Moog synthesizer (5, 9)
  • Brian Dee – organ (6, 7)
  • Frank Clark – acoustic guitar (1), double bass (10)
  • Colin Green – additional guitar (1, 7), Spanish guitar (6)
  • Clive Hicks – twelve-string guitar (1), rhythm guitar (4), guitar (7, 8, 10), acoustic guitar (9)
  • Roland Harker – guitar (2)
  • Alan Parker – rhythm guitar (3)
  • Caleb Quaye – lead guitar (3, 4, 5), additional guitar (9)
  • Dave Richmond – bass guitar, double bass (1, 7, 8)
  • Alan Weighall – bass guitar (3, 4, 9)
  • Les Hurdle – bass guitar (10)
  • Barry Morgan – drums (1, 3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Terry Cox – drums (8, 10)
  • Dennis Lopez – percussion (3, 4)
  • Tex Navarra – percussion (9)
  • Skaila Kanga – harp (2, 8)
  • Paul Buckmaster – cello solo (8), orchestral arrangements and conductor
  • David Katz – orchestra contractor
  • Madeline Bell – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Tony Burrows – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Roger Cook – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Lesley Duncan – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Kay Garner – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Tony Hazzard – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
  • Barbara Moore – backing vocals, choir leader (7)
Technical
  • Gus Dudgeon – producer, liner notes
  • Robin Geoffrey Cable – engineer
  • Gus Skinas – editing
  • Alan Harris – original mastering
  • Tony Cousins – remastering
  • Ricky Graham – digital transfers
  • Greg Penny – surround sound
  • Steve Brown – production coordinator
  • David Larkham – art direction
  • Stowell Stanford – photography
  • Jim Goff – artwork
  • John Tobler – liner notes

Accolades

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Grammy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1971 Elton John Album of the Year[10] Nominated
Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male[11] Nominated

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20] Gold 20,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[21] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[24] Platinum 1,000,000[23]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

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  1. ^ Elton John was John's first album to be released in the United States, as his debut album Empty Sky (1969) would not be released there until 1975.

References

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  1. ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Award Archived 19 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Grammy.org. Retrieved 21 December 2012
  2. ^ Clark, Rick (October 2002). "Gus Dudgeon, 1942–2002". Mixonline.
  3. ^ J (18 April 2015). "Won't you please excuse my frankness but it's not my cup of tea: Elton John – Elton John (1970)". www.resurrectionsongs.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016. The side is rounded off with the 'Rolling Stones country' tinged 'No Shoe Strings on Louise' (even Elton's phrasing is similar to Jagger's at times – "All those city women want to make us poor men and this land's got the worse for the worrying")...
  4. ^ Bernardin, Claude (1995). Rocket Man: Elton John From A – Z. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood/Praeger. p. 186. ISBN 0-275-95698-9. He tried to impersonate Mick Jagger. The song is about loose women.
  5. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine "Elton John". Allmusic.
  6. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "John, Elton". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 2,003. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  7. ^ John Mendelsohn (12 November 1970). "Album Reviews Elton John". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007.
  8. ^ Robert Christgau (November 1970). "Consumer Guide Album Elton John: Elton John". robertchristgau.com.
  9. ^ "Elton John Albums Statistics". setlist.fm.
  10. ^ "GRAMMYs' Best Albums 1970–1979". grammy.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  11. ^ "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  12. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3762". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Elton John" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  15. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  16. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  18. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  19. ^ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1971" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  20. ^ "Elton John Self Titled LP. Australian Gold Disc Award". 20 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Elton John: Self-Titled "Platinum" Record Award". 27 February 2023.
  22. ^ "great britain's million sellers, 1972-73" (PDF). Cash Box. 6 July 1974. p. 8, Part II. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  23. ^ "IT'S PLATINUM" (PDF).
  24. ^ "American album certifications – Elton John – Elton John". Recording Industry Association of America.
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