Another epic classic Elton gem! He most certainly always hits and never misses. Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe, like and comment below to help support the channel. Peace... 🥰
The ARP synthesizer was played by a 21 year old guy named David Hentschel, who later co-produced the first 4 post-Gabriel albums from Genesis, up to Duke (1980), as well as the Seconds Out live album and Tony's first solo album.
I caught this tour in 1974 as a teenage fan....to have the smoke and dark stage to start off and then having that ARP Synth come in put chills up the spine. What a first song of a concert!
Thanks!! Hit it twice so far haha....but I'm very happy and grateful for this success after just 6.5 weeks...I was at around 47 subs at this point on the other channel..
THANK YOU for playing these tracks and especially for selecting the studio versions. While many of the live versions are good, the true experience for me is remembering laying that needle down on the first track and experiencing the audio orgasms.
My favourite song by my favourite artist! And yes; it’s great live! I’ve been on six Elton shows over the last 28 years (from when I was 10 yrs old) ; all in my native Sweden, the last one being two weeks ago in our capital of Stockholm; also the very last show of his six year long Farewell tour. He always has this wonderful massive monster piece on the set list; it’s expected, and so powerful to have seen possibly the last ever live performance of it!
Found your reaction to this!!! When you mentioned the great guitar tone, I was thinking the exact same thing. Sounded like a Gibson Les Paul. This album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, is a classic in rock history with several great songs. His following album, Caribou, also has some great songs. Again, great reaction!
Definitely Elton's proggiest songs - definitely reminds me of Floyd, especially Shine on You Crazy Diamond. Also some elements that remind me of Rush 2112.
I've seen EJ live probably something like 15 times. Back in the day, every show started with this song. Lights out, all you hear are the wind and bells, dry ice all over the stage! What a show. It never got old.
YESSSSS! The first time I say EJ (LA Colloseum) was in the late '70s, and he opened with this track. Lights off and only ONE spotlight on EJ. He was wearing a yellow jumpsuit covered in little round mirrors, so when the spotlight hit him, there were rays of light all over the venue as he play the piano. F'n awesome, blew my mind (too young to be stoned... glad I wasn't!)
A masterful opening track on the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album. Davey Johnstone is such an underrated guitarist, as is Dee Murray, bassist, Nigel Olsson, drummer. Elton, well, not enough can be said. Genius!!
Masterpiece. A track that gets no love but is fab is "I feel Like a Bullet from the Gun of Robert Ford" if you don't react to it (which you don't have to ) then just give your ears a treat n your own. It's also a break up song but is about Elton!
Love that your screen was dark with just the candles. Just perfect for this masterpiece. As always, really enjoy your intelligent and sophisticated reactions.
Yes Elton John was in the prog-era, and a child of it, for sure. This is near from the start of his solo career. He almost joined the band Gentle Giant in 1970. If I remember well, he event toured with them but they thought he wasn't what they expected and changed for another keyboardist, Kerry Minnear. In my opinion they did great as Kerry was a much more innovative player and composer and Elton could do a great solo career.
If you haven't already, Burn Down the Mission is epic! Instrumentally you can actually hear the mission burning down towards the end of the song. At about 5:20 Amazing!
Wow, ask and ye shall receive! I suggested 2 days ago. Thanks so much. I remember being too cool for Elton. At that time, he was largely relegated to AM radio pop stations. The cool kids listened to FM AOR (album oriented rock) stations. When this came out and hit the AOR , a lot of ears perked up. I bought the album straight away and was not disappointed.
👍😎 I was same way. I didn’t like Elton, that was like being aJustin Bieber fan back then. A friend in high school asked if I wanted to go see Elton (1975) I said not really. But he said Joe Walsh was playing too, oh heck yeah. (Was at Dodger Stadium) I went away being a huge Elton fan mostly from this song. Seen him 4 times over the years.
There is a documentary about the recording of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road with Gus Dudgeon the Producer. Elton would write the song while they ate breakfast and the band would play the song shortly thereafter. Elton would take a break and Nigel Olson, Davey Johnson and Dee Murray would do the back up vocals. They all had their own abilities and contributed to the record!
'Funeral for a friend' & 'Love lies bleeding' comes from his vinyl Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' & I'll never forget when it came out. I was a teenager & loved Elton & his band. He & Bernie Taupin wrote this song. They were/are always together arranging songs together. Just fabulous!!!
@@retroreactions.... It will all be good. Davey Johnstone has been a guitarist for Elton John for years, and live is fantastic, and there is no horrible fade out of this amazing track.
@@retroreactions.... That's nice that we both seen him. I'll go back and watch "Madman", sorry my bad. I love the movie Rocketman. It's one of my favorite movies.
ANOTHER Great Reaction to an EJ Masterpiece...I've been an EJ Lifer Fan since DAY ONE... thought you might also enjoy watching an informative documentary from The Classic Albums series back in the day on VH1... the entire doc can usually be found under the possible titles "Classic Albums: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"....or "Behind The Music: The Making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"...Enjoy! And PLEASE keep going through the VAST historic catalog of EJ & BT's songs... from Empty Sky to The Lockdown Sessions..and counting...Much appreciated from Calgary, Alberta, Canada!
Elton was the first Major concert I attended it was November 1975 and that was the opening song of the concert, memorable moment , but I invite you to have a listen to what is considered his best album , The Critically acclaimed, Madman Across the Water. There is also an awesome track on Caribou , Ticking, that has lyrics that are still contemporary , sad, brutal and somewhat disturbing even from the 70's and there is only Elton playing IMHO, his best piano ever.
Excellent songs and enjoy your reactions! Elton was very big in my teen years. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (album) had so many hits! I didn't hear this piece until I got into AOR radio. Another tune from this album worth reacting to is the title track. Still my favorite and on the darker side for Elton/Bernie. It is raw and Elton is just so great at emotional angst. Arguably the darkest prog album from the 70s is Genesis's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Very dark lyrically and filled with top notch prog music from the original line up. It was Peter's last album with Genesis and the lyrics ooze his personal struggles (madness)? The darkest of the dark is In the Cage. Just brutal and has fantastic keyboard work by Tony Banks. My vote for a reaction!
Oh I love "Goodbye"... One of my favorites from him, but song #7 LOL..... Oh wow, I hope the music of "Cage" is dark too. Putting your vote in my book as a big checkmark. Many seem to want Dance on a Volcano next though...
Give the Album, ‘Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy’, a try. (1975). Along with ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, it’s my favourite Elton John Album. Captain Fantastic is an autobiographical account of the early musical careers of Elton John (Captain Fantastic) and his long-term lyricist Bernie Taupin, (the Brown Dirt Cowboy). It’s beautiful. 🎶❤️🎶
@@retroreactions.... Yes that’s a great song too. Total length of the ‘Captain Fantastic’ Album, is 46 mins. Side 1, (25 mins) and Side 2, (21 mins). So not too lengthy at all. Hope you enjoy. 🎶❤️🎶
@@retroreactions.... Back in the 50/60/70s AM radio was the home of commercial radio. The DJs had set lists of the most popular songs to play hourly and it was for the masses and appealed to a younger audience and restricted to ~3 min or less songs so they could have more ads. In the late 60s FM radio took off with playing rock music which up until then FM was were most classical music stations broadcast from due to its higher fidelity. FM wasn’t interfered during lightening storms hence the Steely Dan refrain, “no static at all, FM”. However, unlike AM stations these rock FM stations played the longer songs and the more progressive music like psychedelic and folk rock and groups such as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Blood Sweat & Tears, Cream, CSN, the Doors and underground music, who all had longer songs. Often especially at night whole albums would be played uninterrupted. Also, the FM DJs were not the shock jock type found on the AM pop stations but interesting personalities who knew the music and could talk intelligently about it. Sirius Radio had some of these former FM DJs on it. Not exactly the same scenario but in England the situation was worse for hearing rock music and there’s a movie about a pirate (illegal broadcasting) radio station called The Boat That Rocked which played songs banned by BBC radio.
@@retroreactions.... Yeah, FM was great to listen to. This was pre-internet era so the DJs were main source of hearing new and interesting music besides going to concerts and from your friends.
HAHA you beat me to the Floyd comparison. Speaking of, QUESTION for the room: If anyone remembers the Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute cover album from 1991 called "Two Rooms" (wiki link below), had this song been chosen for inclusion, who do you think would've been perfect for it? My answer has already been given. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Rooms:_Celebrating_the_Songs_of_Elton_John_%26_Bernie_Taupin
I really liked early Elton when he was pretty much a folk singer, with albums like "Madman Across the Water"& "Caribou". And this is a really good song. But after this album (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) he got really silly (live shows), his music turned to pure pop, and his music lost me entirely. Kinda like Genesis after Peter Gabriel left, and then Steve Hackett. Some ok songs here and there, but it was never the same.
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Another epic classic Elton gem! He most certainly always hits and never misses. Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe, like and comment below to help support the channel. Peace... 🥰
The ARP synthesizer was played by a 21 year old guy named David Hentschel, who later co-produced the first 4 post-Gabriel albums from Genesis, up to Duke (1980), as well as the Seconds Out live album and Tony's first solo album.
I caught this tour in 1974 as a teenage fan....to have the smoke and dark stage to start off and then having that ARP Synth come in put chills up the spine. What a first song of a concert!
Sweet! Epic opener no doubt...
CONGRATS ON 800 subs, Brandon!!!! 👍
Thanks!! Hit it twice so far haha....but I'm very happy and grateful for this success after just 6.5 weeks...I was at around 47 subs at this point on the other channel..
The backup singers was his 4 piece band.
Backing vocals Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsen such a great choir.
THANK YOU for playing these tracks and especially for selecting the studio versions. While many of the live versions are good, the true experience for me is remembering laying that needle down on the first track and experiencing the audio orgasms.
My pleasure!
You picked up the transition flawlessly you really listen love you
Love your channel
Thank you so much William!
Fantastic live!
Thanks for the shout out to the bass, Dee Murray. Most underrated bass ever.
Seeing him for the first time ever in July!
Awesome! I don't need to tell you that he's still amazing live..enjoy the heck out of that night :)
@Retro Reactions will do brother! I have a few signed things vinyl etc by him too! I collect musicians autographs C
Dude I always notice your backdrops wonderful
Thanks, it's a lot of fun picking them every day...
My favourite song by my favourite artist! And yes; it’s great live! I’ve been on six Elton shows over the last 28 years (from when I was 10 yrs old) ; all in my native Sweden, the last one being two weeks ago in our capital of Stockholm; also the very last show of his six year long Farewell tour. He always has this wonderful massive monster piece on the set list; it’s expected, and so powerful to have seen possibly the last ever live performance of it!
Solid review. FWIW, "Love Lies Bleeding" is a 1845 poem by William Wordsworth.
And NO autotune!!!!!!
:)
Another interesting tidbit - "Love Lies Bleeding" is a type of flower, and Brits love their gardens!
Nice, would have never known about that, thanks!
@@retroreactions.... - “Love-lies-bleeding stood for hopeless love or hopelessness in the Victorian language of flowers.” according to Wikipedia.
Found your reaction to this!!! When you mentioned the great guitar tone, I was thinking the exact same thing. Sounded like a Gibson Les Paul. This album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, is a classic in rock history with several great songs. His following album, Caribou, also has some great songs. Again, great reaction!
Definitely Elton's proggiest songs - definitely reminds me of Floyd, especially Shine on You Crazy Diamond. Also some elements that remind me of Rush 2112.
I've seen EJ live probably something like 15 times. Back in the day, every show started with this song. Lights out, all you hear are the wind and bells, dry ice all over the stage! What a show. It never got old.
EPIC....I wonder if that's on video? Would love to see the footage :) Hope all is well..
@retroreactions.... that would be amazing! I'll look around. Doing good thanks!
YESSSSS!
The first time I say EJ (LA Colloseum) was in the late '70s, and he opened with this track. Lights off and only ONE spotlight on EJ. He was wearing a yellow jumpsuit covered in little round mirrors, so when the spotlight hit him, there were rays of light all over the venue as he play the piano. F'n awesome, blew my mind (too young to be stoned... glad I wasn't!)
That’s how to open an album, magnificent 🎉🎉
Exactly!
A masterful opening track on the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album. Davey Johnstone is such an underrated guitarist, as is Dee Murray, bassist, Nigel Olsson, drummer. Elton, well, not enough can be said. Genius!!
One of his and their very best. Other songs I would suggest are "Madman...", "Indian Sunset" and "Ticking".
Thanks. I reacted to Madman already and loved it! It's up on the channel... The other 2 are on my list...
@@retroreactions.... I think I remember that. Was it other than the studio version from the album with the same name? That one, for me, is the better.
I reacted to the studio version of Madman, not a live version..
Masterpiece. A track that gets no love but is fab is "I feel Like a Bullet from the Gun of Robert Ford" if you don't react to it (which you don't have to ) then just give your ears a treat n your own. It's also a break up song but is about Elton!
Ok thanks
Great song reaction, glad to see someone listen to this masterpiece, one of my dad's favourites, god bless you
Thank you so much! Many blessings to you as well, thanks for watching!
Love that your screen was dark with just the candles. Just perfect for this masterpiece. As always, really enjoy your intelligent and sophisticated reactions.
Thanks. I love my backdrops! Really appreciate you watching and the compliment 😊
Yes Elton John was in the prog-era, and a child of it, for sure. This is near from the start of his solo career. He almost joined the band Gentle Giant in 1970. If I remember well, he event toured with them but they thought he wasn't what they expected and changed for another keyboardist, Kerry Minnear. In my opinion they did great as Kerry was a much more innovative player and composer and Elton could do a great solo career.
If you haven't already, Burn Down the Mission is epic! Instrumentally you can actually hear the mission burning down towards the end of the song. At about 5:20 Amazing!
On my list and will add your vote! Thanks
Wow, ask and ye shall receive! I suggested 2 days ago. Thanks so much. I remember being too cool for Elton. At that time, he was largely relegated to AM radio pop stations. The cool kids listened to FM AOR (album oriented rock) stations. When this came out and hit the AOR , a lot of ears perked up. I bought the album straight away and was not disappointed.
Good timing then haha! Great decision you made there, I know this is an iconic album...Thanks for watching!
👍😎 I was same way. I didn’t like Elton, that was like being aJustin Bieber fan back then. A friend in high school asked if I wanted to go see Elton (1975) I said not really. But he said Joe Walsh was playing too, oh heck yeah. (Was at Dodger Stadium) I went away being a huge Elton fan mostly from this song. Seen him 4 times over the years.
Wow, u were at the iconic Dodger's show?
Been hearing this classic for 50 years now...and it has aged well!
i love Elton John......check out "Empty Garden".....it is about John Lennon
Me too! OK, added to the list...thanks
He and Bernie Taupin wrote and recorded the entire album in 2 weeks which had 18 songs. Incredible production!
That's insane! Wish I could have sat in on those sessions!
There is a documentary about the recording of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road with Gus Dudgeon the Producer. Elton would write the song while they ate breakfast and the band would play the song shortly thereafter. Elton would take a break and Nigel Olson, Davey Johnson and Dee Murray would do the back up vocals. They all had their own abilities and contributed to the record!
Amazing!
@@retroreactions.... The only album they spent more time on was Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy... That was 1 month in Colorado.
I have read there were 22 songs and 17 made in on the record, which was recorded in 3 days.
Masterpiece off a classic lp too. The lad is a musical genius.
YES..I love his work from every decade!
@@retroreactions.... Nikita is a great one! I have it signed by 3 backing musicians who worked with John!
Nice, thanks
When someone very close to you dies, love lies bleeding in your hands. All the beautiful music here only underscores that sad fact.
Yes, it's a powerful metaphor...
'Funeral for a friend' & 'Love lies bleeding' comes from his vinyl Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' & I'll never forget when it came out. I was a teenager & loved Elton & his band. He & Bernie Taupin wrote this song. They were/are always together arranging songs together. Just fabulous!!!
The amount of brilliant art they have created together is mind blowing! Thanks Deborah
You were right, this is played live, and is absolutely amazing. Thanks for the upload and great reaction.
I will go hear it live in the 70s then a recent version, see the difference. Thank you so much Keith for watching and for the compliment!
@@retroreactions.... It will all be good. Davey Johnstone has been a guitarist for Elton John for years, and live is fantastic, and there is no horrible fade out of this amazing track.
The members of the Elton John Band performed the backup vocal, which they provided in many songs Elton did in the 70's.
Ok thanks John!
If given only one last song to hear - this would get serious consideration .
I feel you...
👍😎 Seeing him perform this (1975 Dodger Stadium) made me a huge Elton fan. Didn’t even like him before that. One of my favorites.
Did you see his farewell Dodgers "televised" show a couple months ago?
@@retroreactions.... Don't know about XCAL, but I was there front row and center!
WOW awesome!!
LOVE THIS!! I saw him in concert in the 80's." Madman Across the Water" and " Someone Save My Life Tonight".
Sweet! Luckily I got to see him live in the 2000s some time. I know "Someone" and I reacted to "Madman" on the channel already in case you missed it!
@@retroreactions.... That's nice that we both seen him. I'll go back and watch "Madman", sorry my bad. I love the movie Rocketman. It's one of my favorite movies.
Yes, was a great movie!
ANOTHER Great Reaction to an EJ Masterpiece...I've been an EJ Lifer Fan since DAY ONE... thought you might also enjoy watching an informative documentary from The Classic Albums series back in the day on VH1... the entire doc can usually be found under the possible titles "Classic Albums: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"....or "Behind The Music: The Making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"...Enjoy! And PLEASE keep going through the VAST historic catalog of EJ & BT's songs... from Empty Sky to The Lockdown Sessions..and counting...Much appreciated from Calgary, Alberta, Canada!
Woohoo another Canada subscriber! Thank you so much sweetieguy...Elton will be a regular here, already have a big list for him :)
Elton was the first Major concert I attended it was November 1975 and that was the opening song of the concert, memorable moment , but I invite you to have a listen to what is considered his best album , The Critically acclaimed, Madman Across the Water. There is also an awesome track on Caribou , Ticking, that has lyrics that are still contemporary , sad, brutal and somewhat disturbing even from the 70's and there is only Elton playing IMHO, his best piano ever.
Ticking on my list! I reacted to Madman song already in case you missed it!
@@retroreactions.... I meant the whole album but I will go listen to the reaction on the song if not the album.
@@retroreactions.... i had listen to the song reaction and even commented on it
Excellent songs and enjoy your reactions! Elton was very big in my teen years. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (album) had so many hits! I didn't hear this piece until I got into AOR radio. Another tune from this album worth reacting to is the title track. Still my favorite and on the darker side for Elton/Bernie. It is raw and Elton is just so great at emotional angst.
Arguably the darkest prog album from the 70s is Genesis's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Very dark lyrically and filled with top notch prog music from the original line up. It was Peter's last album with Genesis and the lyrics ooze his personal struggles (madness)?
The darkest of the dark is In the Cage. Just brutal and has fantastic keyboard work by Tony Banks. My vote for a reaction!
Oh I love "Goodbye"... One of my favorites from him, but song #7 LOL..... Oh wow, I hope the music of "Cage" is dark too. Putting your vote in my book as a big checkmark. Many seem to want Dance on a Volcano next though...
Synth was all Dave Hentchel
If you like this song you would also like another song by him Someone Saved My Life Tonight!
Hi Polly. Oh I know SSMLT very well. Great song for sure..he has countless gems!
Give the Album, ‘Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy’, a try. (1975).
Along with ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, it’s my favourite Elton John Album.
Captain Fantastic is an autobiographical account of the early musical careers of Elton John (Captain Fantastic) and his long-term lyricist Bernie Taupin, (the Brown Dirt Cowboy). It’s beautiful. 🎶❤️🎶
"Captain" song is on my list! I love Philadelphia Freedom!
@@retroreactions.... Yes that’s a great song too.
Total length of the ‘Captain Fantastic’ Album, is 46 mins. Side 1, (25 mins) and Side 2, (21 mins).
So not too lengthy at all. Hope you enjoy. 🎶❤️🎶
Thanks Eddie!
@@retroreactions.... You’re very welcome. 🎶❤️🎶
Long tunes got more FM play back then
Wow. Would not have expected that..
@@retroreactions.... Back in the 50/60/70s AM radio was the home of commercial radio. The DJs had set lists of the most popular songs to play hourly and it was for the masses and appealed to a younger audience and restricted to ~3 min or less songs so they could have more ads. In the late 60s FM radio took off with playing rock music which up until then FM was were most classical music stations broadcast from due to its higher fidelity. FM wasn’t interfered during lightening storms hence the Steely Dan refrain, “no static at all, FM”. However, unlike AM stations these rock FM stations played the longer songs and the more progressive music like psychedelic and folk rock and groups such as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Blood Sweat & Tears, Cream, CSN, the Doors and underground music, who all had longer songs. Often especially at night whole albums would be played uninterrupted. Also, the FM DJs were not the shock jock type found on the AM pop stations but interesting personalities who knew the music and could talk intelligently about it. Sirius Radio had some of these former FM DJs on it. Not exactly the same scenario but in England the situation was worse for hearing rock music and there’s a movie about a pirate (illegal broadcasting) radio station called The Boat That Rocked which played songs banned by BBC radio.
Thanks for the history! So FM spoiled y'all back in the day it sounds like...
@@retroreactions.... Yeah, FM was great to listen to. This was pre-internet era so the DJs were main source of hearing new and interesting music besides going to concerts and from your friends.
HAHA you beat me to the Floyd comparison. Speaking of, QUESTION for the room: If anyone remembers the Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute cover album from 1991 called "Two Rooms" (wiki link below), had this song been chosen for inclusion, who do you think would've been perfect for it? My answer has already been given. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Rooms:_Celebrating_the_Songs_of_Elton_John_%26_Bernie_Taupin
Billy Joel?
The sound is muted on this. Like when radio stations would program the songs not to go above a certain volume level...🤌😒
Sorry for any audio issues, I've since made the output louder on my vids...
I really liked early Elton when he was pretty much a folk singer, with albums like "Madman Across the Water"& "Caribou". And this is a really good song. But after this album (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) he got really silly (live shows), his music turned to pure pop, and his music lost me entirely. Kinda like Genesis after Peter Gabriel left, and then Steve Hackett. Some ok songs here and there, but it was never the same.
He def evolved...do you enjoy when he plays songs like this live in today's time? Obviously his voice has changed a lot...