Funeral For a Friend/LLB has to be the best opener on any album ever. Also the greatest rock anthem right up there with the best of them. I remember being like 6-7 yrs old and being in awe of that album as well as studying the inside of the album cover to death. Memorizing who played what, loving those pictures. The artistic quality was always so cool with those early albums. Even things like the way Dee is sitting on the ground, looking at his bass. Of course me and my brother were always talking about the ARP synthesizer…going “What’s an ARP synthesizer?” and “whose David Hentschel?”
Yeah, I borrowed the full double album fold-out from my cousin because I wanted to know as much as I could about it. I remember that it said only "Elton - piano" for example, and it gave me a moment of doubt - "What?! He's not the singer?" I guess I figured out that it was just understood that he was in indeed the lead singer.
Elton's run of albums from 1970-1975 may be unmatched in the history of popular music.....so many great songs and when you begin to understand the method that Elton and his band used in the recording process (in alot of cases staring with a lyric, Elton hashes out the music, the band joins in and they record - sometimes 4-5 songs in one day) it is an ASTOUNDING accomplishment. These albums were all very well produced and recorded and they still sound amazing today. Honorable mention to the backup vocals - probably the most underrated in music.
I think that in a recent interview, Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) was saying basically the same thing as you did about Elton John in that 1970-1975 period
All I can do is breathe deep and sigh because I can remember how powerful this recording was in its size,scope,and musicality to millions, but when you're just a young kid growing up learning about life and how to love and be loved by family,friends, and lovers alike, this yellow brick road record is the soundtrack of my life, and for "Harmony" to end it, well there's no more perfect ending...... I heard it said that in one interview years ago when Elton talked about making this epic when harmony rounded out everything he had to say at the end he broke into tears, well Elton you've made a lot of us cry in good ways because we remember life and times and loved ones who are not with us, and the cinematic flow of your music & songs and your voice helps to bring them back vividly........ We all love you and thank you for sharing your heart and passion in your songs making our lives a little brighter along the way...
Thank you for watching and your heartfelt comments. I agree with every word! Based on what you said I think you'll enjoy these as well: ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/Nf_gdw6aC8w/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html
Those 70’s Elton John albums were on a level that was never realized before that time. That’s why he blew everyone’s mind when he debuted here. Even the great Leon Russell, Elton’s idol, wanted to sign him to his Shelter label. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is our generation’s classical music. It’s perfection!
In recent years I have learned to play and sing "Bennie and the Jets" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" on 12-string guitar, performing them at open mics. Getting those chords and changes under my fingers opened a whole new appreciation of the amazing song craft this work represents. Stellar.
This album is an eclectic masterpiece of Bernie’s lyrical story-telling paired with Elton’s gift for marrying the perfect melodies to those lyrics. The synergy is magical🔥🔥🔥
I told my father to go get me Elton John’s Greatest Hits but he came back with the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album and I was really blown away! I will never forget that day back in 1974.
Guys - thanks so much. I’m a lifelong classical musician, and hearing Goodbye Yellow BR on the radio when I was ten was one of the moments in which I fell in love with music.
I absolutely love Grey Seal. It's such an amazing song to begin with; and the was they approached it on GYBR is incredible. I hope you subscribed as I have a lot more coming. If you liked this video you will love this one ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Grey Seal is a phenomenal song that, for unknown reasons, never gained much traction. Elton tried re-recording and sending through a second time with similar, unremarkable results. It is one of my favorite songs on the album, alongside Harmony.
For me it's "I've Seen That Movie, too" with the incredible guitar, phasing, melody and lyrics. Plus, they'd written Grey Seal years before so it had been worked over to get it to that point.
Love this album. This was my first album I had.. 1973 . I was 11 and I memorized the lyrics to every song. As you did I always requested an Elton Kohn album for birthdays and Xmas. After 74 Elton unfortunately plummeted down down down but this album by far was and will always be my love affair with great music of the 70s❤
I am the same age and had the same incredible experience listening to this album. From the opening song it felt more like a movie than a pop album. Elton and Bernie were riding a wave; and this is the big one!
I've Seen That Movie Too is a real gem. Listen to the interplay between Davey Johnston's ethereal guitar solo and Del Newman's orchestral arrangement. Brilliantly balanced by Producer Gus Dudgeon and Engineer David Hentschel. Headphones only. LOUD
You know when I look at this footage and see Elton John at his magical best in 1973, I could never understand how in only seven short years this was the same guy singing your song in a Donald Duck costume. The Seventies thats when nothing could touch him.
Don't get me started! I couldn't agree with you more! I was literally heartbroken with what he released after Blue Moves. It was as if he was kidnapped by aliens and they left behind a clone (dressed in a duck costume). There are several tracks post Blue Moves that I enjoy; but something died after Blue Moves. Anyway I think you'll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html and I KNOW you'll love this I know you’ll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstonethat' all change though when made in England came out... And everything since then has been great my opinion except for the Big picture
Growing up in the 70's Elton's music had a profound effect on me..we never relize were in the presence of greatest till it pass us by and we reflect..he shaped a generation.
Album is a masterpiece. The album jacket having the lyrics and the now iconic drawings inside was genius. Elton’s vocal style doesn’t let you immediately know every lyric and seeing them was like a discovery. You could sing along with them at last. No internet, so we would have kids (or possibly a girl I liked) over to listen to the album and read the jacket for hours. Sad those times are gone, but lucky to have lived them.
Same here and I'll add that my ten your old mind couldn't wrap itself around a lot of it but I was fascinated and mesmerized by it. As an American I still wasn't sure, even after reading it, what "going back to my plough" meant; in the US it's written plow. That may have been the first time I heard of vodka and tonics, mohair suits, and so many other expressions. It was not standard radio pop fare.
Elton should release all the footage he has from the seventies in studio, on stage or being himself in 4k quality. I would go through hundreds of hours of these.
You’re a man after my own heart. In fact I’ve dreamed of producing a boxset of everything in his archives from the 1970s. I would use digital technology to clean up the pictures and remix the audio in 5.1 surround! I doubt he could find a better person to produce that project! Thanks for watching!
Of all the albums I've collected in my 50 years of listening to music, I can't think of one with a better opener and closer. Amazingly, the hits everyone knows were the songs in between.
If I had to pick 1 Elton John album, this would be the one. The power of music and it's affect was channeled through all involved in this masterpiece. It visually and emotionally carved its way into the souls of all who heard it. A timeless treasure!
I have a vague memory of a similar interview with Elton and the gang during the making of _"Madman Across the Water"._ I've seen two different clips where he talks about the song _"Tiny Dancer"._ The one I've seen more often is after he's already written the music, and someone asks him about the writing process and he picks up a sheet of Bernie's lyrics and says something like "here's the lyrics that Bernie handed to me, and then I wrote the music", and he starts playing it. But that was filmed *after* the music had been written. There's another one which caught him earlier in the process, where he's sitting at a piano and he picks up a sheet of lyrics. He then starts reading the lyrics and playing around on the keyboard, and what he's playing sounds nothing like the song we know. I think he then comes to the line "Ballerina, you must have seen her, dancing in the sand", and says something like "That suggests something more like a carnival", so he starts over. And right then he's playing something which is recognizably close to the song we know. The guy came up with the music in less time than it took him to read the lyrics! I've seen that video where he's actually writing the music just once, and I'm hoping that it isn't something I imagined. I remember being pretty impressed by it.
Best way to listen to this amazing analog recordings! Thanks for watching! Have you seen my other videos? ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Really enjoy your Elton video's. Especially the one about the Elton John Band. When I saw Elton in 2013 in Philly, he played "All the Girls Love Alice" it was incredible live! Much better than I thought it could be, it gave me a new appreciation of that song. Live versions of "Alice" the base really resonates in your chest at certain parts. It's a very jarring but cool effect.
I love to hear that! I admit my friend and I were so into The Elton John Band we used to mime to the records. We would act out dramatic scenes between Elton and Bernie and then argue over would play who in the band. He always wanted to be Nigel and I usually did Elton. It reminds me of the kids who pretended to be The Beatles in the '60s. That's how important this band was to me. I ended up working with Dee and Nigel in Nashville. I was waiting tables and I was stunned one day to discover I was waiting on Dee Murray! He was really flattered that I recognized him so easily. I told him it was because I had posters of the band on my wall when I was a kid. He loved that! Have you watched my other Elton videos? I think you'll enjoy these: ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/Nf_gdw6aC8w/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html
My theory? You and I could get it done again! We do Gus’s job as a duo! And I can guarantee we’d deliver the goods again in a month or two! He needs the right honest, friendly, loving, teasing, intuitiveness that you can offer. And I could as well. We have fantastically ears, and huge hearts towards his genius! Loved your take!
Officially my favorite channel. I know everything you’re saying and have been saying it myself since high school. I’m retired now and it means more to me now than then. These vintage clips are fantastic!! The effect of the graphic design and illustrations on this album cannot be overstated. I think if they had done more with Blue Moves art wise it would have given it more sex appeal. Goodbye was an album that hit ALL the right notes.
Thanks for watching! I agree it’s easily among the top 10 best albums ever made (and that’s a tight competition). The songs are incredible alone; but add the impeccable work of the band takes it to another dimension. Have you seen my other Elton videos? I know you’ll love this one: The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching! You were a little younger than I was when you heard that album for the first time. I was around 11 or 12. I remember the album was very magical to me in the same way movies were magical. The songs themselves and the way they’re recorded sound so cinematic; and the packaging makes it seem more than just a album of songs. The days when music was so special are long gone. I was thinking the other day about how Elton’s early albums used to show photographs of every person who worked on the album. even the recording engineers producers, a Rangers musicians. There’s a reason those albums are so special; they were a labor of love for so many incredibly talented people. Thanks again for watching!
I grew up in a very small southern town. Only one radio station, and it went off at sunset. I actually drove to the nearest town that sold records and bought the 45 and gave it to the station so they would play it!
Wow, what a great story! You sound exactly like me. When Elton released pinball Wizard, I couldn’t find it anywhere, because it was never released as a single. I went through hoops to try to find a copy of that record. I actually wrote a letter to the Elton John fan club, asking them if they would send me a vinyl single of Pinball wizard. Eventually, I figured out I could buy the soundtrack to the movie Tommy! 😆
Yellow brick has a vibe and mood that runs throughout the whole lp . Great band . The opening two tracks get me , a bit clockwork orange then that Love lies guitar riff . That place in France helped and the nostalgia of Hollywood
Thanks for watching! Have you seen this episode? The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
I drew my own comic books every waking moment when I wasn't in school. I had the first album but didn't like Blue Moves so I settled on the 6 albums played over again relentlessly. Thanks to Elton, I finally became a professional comic book artist! Thanks, Elton!
Another great video! Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was the big album of my junior high years, and my friends and I played it constantly. Such a classic. I remember when ABC-TV ran the documentary "Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye Norma Jean and Other Things"-- I recorded the audio on my cassette recorder and played it over and over. When VH1 ran the film again in the 1980s I was able to get a video copy. So great to see a lot of that footage here and used so well!
Wow! The best 30 minutes I just spent watching and totally agreeing with. I only wanted the Yellow Brick Road single for Christmas in 1975. I was 17. My sister (Santa) bought me the double album! I learned Funeral/LLB, Grey Seal, Song has No Title, Harmony, etc. on the family piano and organ (no synthesizer). Just a few of my favorites on the GBYBR double album. Seen EJ in concert many times. My favorite keyboard player. We're both Aries too...March 25th, 27th respectively. Many thanks for these beautiful videos.🎵🎹
Back to my Plowwwwwwwwww! Vocal nuances A+! Piano fills - A+!!! Arrangement - A+! Lyric - A++! Gorgeous top 10 of all time Elton. Not matched as a complete package ( album ) since by he or anyone in Rock music in my opinion! Throw in sun and ticking and someone saved it’s not just an opinion - it’s fact! - Claude Bernardin
This was also my first Elton John album. “Your Song” was my into; “Daniel” was my gateway. “Candle in the Wind” hit really hard because we’d just had a classmate commit suicide. Going back years later and re-reading the music credits really blows my mind to realize that a quartet was creating this amazingly complex music! Their harmonies and Nigel’s drumming are still unmatched. Hard to believe it’s now 50 years on and the music is just as fresh now!
Watching this video totally re-sparked my love for all Elton John’s 70s albums. Thank you for this🙏 I’m definitely going to go through the catalogue again. Never really gave Madman or Tumbleweed a full listen through.
*_GYBR was my 1st Elton John's album. Since then, he's been the soundtrack of my entire life and l'll love him and his music til'the end of times 🤗💓🇧🇷🙏_*
Great review of a wonderful album, which I played until the grooves disappeared back in the 70s. Beautiful acoustic introduction to Elton's spectacular opening song Funeral For a Friend, arguably the instrumental peak of his sparkling career ... I really wanted to hear the whole song before your commentary began. Is there a link for this instrumental home recording? 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks for watching and for the kind words! The live version came from this amazing solo show in 1977. It’s my favorite solo Elton show! ua-cam.com/video/PTKb1ZmdDcI/v-deo.htmlsi=I_1_wa0kJ1Sijuwn
Goodbye and Captain fantastic are hands do 2 of the most important albums of the day, and to date as far as I am concerned. The band was at their peak, unstoppable. Dee, Nigel and Davey were on fire, especially on Saturday night. Dee's bass work was phenomenal. Then, just like that, the magic was over, Dee and Nigel were fired. It was one of the most incomprehensible moves of all time. Dee and Nigel were with Elton, even before he was Elton, but Reg. They slugged it through the dirt and paid their dues, helping Elton rise to the top of the world, only to be tossed aside, with no explanation. I lost my respect for him and his music after that for a long time, but Captain Fantastic remains one of my favorite albums of all time.
Thanks for watching! Have you checked out my other videos? I’ve done interviews with Caleb Quaye and Stewart Epps, both of which shares awesome stories about the very earliest days of Elton’s career. I hope you’ll check them out!
The first time I remember hearing GYBR was on Channel 7 WABC (NYC) when a one of the news reporters (John Johnson (?)) was doing a Time Capsule series about event of a certain year...LIke "The Year is ____". This particular episode (Which I've in vain tried to find in UA-cam yet haven't found it yet...) was about the year of 1973. Incidentally, I was one years old on 1973. The show aired about 1981-1982. The segment was displaying about the end of the American involvement in Vietnam. With Elton's GYBR playing in the background, it showed montage of American POWs were place on a plane wearing grey POWs outfits leaving Vietnam and landing in America wearing their Dress Green/Marine Blues/Air Force Blues with their ribbons with their family running in to their arms in happiness. After seeing that, I went and searched for that song and I'd found it at my local record store at the Junction in Flatbush Ave. I actually bought Elton's Greatest Hit songs and all at once, I'd heard the fantastic catalogue of his greatest hits...Crocodile Rock, Daniel, Don't Let the Sun Fall Down on Me, and others. It turns out, though the years, the year of 1973 has placed GYBR on certain instances and scenes that shows reflection or the end of the innocents events. Here are the two other examples that I found in UA-cam. ua-cam.com/video/7ZcLbaKBQ1o/v-deo.html
in mid 70s I used to go see in Long Beach and Newport Beach/ Costa Mesa an up-and-coming local band- Manna. gtr, bass, drums and keys...they always did Grey Seal...keys guy had a Yamaha baby grand and a Hammond B3 w Leslie and a poly zynth (ARP 2600?) on stage And a Cavinet for Stevie Wonder type stuff innervisions was popular then... But when they hit the choruses on Grey seal, the keyboard player held chords with his left hand on the B3 and playing the piano arpeggios 16ths with his right hand. Tony Dean on '60 LP burst and JIM Perez on bass had similar voices and unison sang the chorus, similar to double tracking lead vocals in studio. Bob Wright on keys and a Steve Gadd fan on drums Bobby Guidotti. I watched or danced in a dream pure crestive magic. P s. Check out their album named NaNna GOT Some radio play with some of their songs, plus they backed The Pointer Sisters, opened for logguns/Messina first tour plus they formed other bands in Laguna Beach always in the clubs they showed me leave the model for me for a jam band, where I would play a song and then in the middle establish a quart sequence of some sort with extended solos for everybody. Always tighter than a frog's ass. I'll admit be formed me as a gigging musician they will always be grateful for that to Tony, Jim, Bobby, Bob W. THANKS GUYS ! it was magic ! Steve Taylor, Ild and in the Way in Orange, CA
Thank you! Have you seen our other Elton episodes? The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html Dee Murray & Nigel Olsson - Elton John Stories ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
Yes I LOVE that video! I was bummed that the DVD they included with the 40th anniversary box didn't include all the cool extra footage that was on the "Classic Albums" DVD. It has some really excellent interviews with Davey. I don't know if you subscribed but I have lots of other Elton stuff I think you'll enjoy. Let me know what you think! ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Yes I LOVE that video! I was bummed that the DVD they included with the 40th anniversary box didn't include all the cool extra footage that was on the "Classic Albums" DVD. It has some really excellent interviews with Davey. I don't know if you subscribed but I have lots of other Elton stuff I think you'll enjoy. Let me know what you think! ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstone What funny about all this is, 17 years ago I was asked to help take care of my niece. My job is very flexible, and I generally work from home, so I had no issue with it. However, I had no toys or kid-friendly videos and such, so I had to make do. I work in advertising, and had a bunch of samples that she could play with, so that was a good substitute for toys. As for videos and such, I did have a DVD of the original Winnie the Pooh, some Mr. Bean stuff...and that 'Making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'. She ADORED it. Interestingly, she was fascinated by not just Elton, but the band, and had a toddler-crush on Nigel. She would watch the video (and a few others, and UA-cam stuff), standing at the computer in her onesie with a pencil in each hand, imitating Nigel playing the drums. Now she's 17, is taking piano and drum lessons, and has seen Elton in concert three times. I tell this to everyone. Expose the new generation to great music (and film). Pass the torch.
i think y'all really caught the magic and majesty of an album that was intoxicating on so many levels. thanks for reminding me of what a gift this was...
I remember 7 11s sold the 45s i remember my bro told me he saw step in to chrismas 45 i said kool he turned me on to eltons music my first 45 was good bye yellow brick road thanks j0n awsome review
@@JonBlackstone The music is godly. i'll be coming back very often and watching, especially that Candle In The Wind in studio part. Thank you Jon, you're awesome!
I’m dropping this comment whilst only one minute into this film. Just hearing the piano intro to FFAF…I immediately thought; wouldn’t Ludwig van Beethoven or JSB just love to hear this beautiful yet sad piece of music, if they were among the living? All the while it’s likely because of those two the Elton wrote this piece out. He’s SUCH a good pianist. Maybe it was a tribute to one of them.? All I know is that when I heard this being played in my house as a kid during the middle seventies, it stuck with me. It made me feel so happy yet sad - SIMULTANEOUSLY. That’s the true power of music.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it! I hope you’ll check out my other videos; especially this one: The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
So, the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are the opposite of “Honky Cat” from a year earlier. I’ve been familiar with these songs since they came out but maybe I just now realize this.
@@JonBlackstone I always say the rule is no best of or greatest hits but def can be a double studio album . its tough yellow brick has good jams but id say tumble weed or madman .
I met Gus and his wife six weeks before they died and it was just around that time that the DVD was made. The most interesting fact to me was the use of a second piano frame that hovered over the piano to give the piano a richer sound. Are you playing from an SACD? Nice to hear the piano, vocal & harmonies. I don’t own any SACDs and wouldn’t know how to play them…..
Thanks for watching! There is quite a bit of footage that the BBC has. It would be so cool if someone would do some thing with that footage by restoring the sound and picture. I would love to see them release a Box Set of all of the BBC performances starting from 1970 onward. If I was in Alton Circle, I would encourage him to release a box set as live video in recordings from the 1970s.
@OnlyKidWithCamera Have you ever noticed how people suddenly recognize talent "after" their death? I know EJ is loved by many now, but just wait until he dies. A new found love for Elton will emerge, and so will the greedy ones who hold these rare clips.
Music is a business…and the line between business and friendship can easily and usually does become blurred. The performances on Yellow Brick are stunning, beautiful, legendary - something that certainly John and Paul would give a tip of the hat to. (I’ve always said that “Elton picked up where the Beatles left off.) Just a couple years down the line is when Dee and Nigel (was he relieved of his duties the same time as Dee?) got the call saying they were no longer needed. Imagine all they’ve been through together up to that point and from the very beginning. It’s very insulting to say the least. Just listen to Dee’s bass during Goodbye YBR! I mean…it’s perfection personified! Greed and money win the day though…for some. Elton is no different than Bowie and Alice Cooper…for when they dropped their bands and broke out solo. Mick Ronson got squat when he was dropped…all the while HE was the one who gave the act the shot in the arm that was so very badly needed in the beginning Spiders days! It’s despicable.
Hey Jon, was wondering if you ever had any thoughts on Leo Sayer's 'How Much Love' which hit #8 on the charts in 1977. Many people mistake it as an Elton John song, because Leo sounds so much like him and the backing arrangements were eerily similar to Elton's output during those years. Rumor has it Paul Buckmaster & Nigel Olsson worked with Leo on that song also. Would love your take on this....🤜🤛
So do I my friend. Such amazing music; especially out of England. Have you watched my other Elton videos? I think you'll enjoy these: ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/Nf_gdw6aC8w/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html
CORRECTION: My Gateway song was HONKY CAT, not CROCODILE ROCK. The two came so fast on each other I got confused. And if y'all listen to the Honky Lyrics, they seem like a rough draft of the song GBYBRoad. The Yellowbrick Road album was an instant love affair, and I was 9 going on 10. Sure, I've been a lifelong Elton John fan but I'm also very objective. so listen up. Yes, the Beatles released TOP NOTCH songs. Elton came in a close SECOND to the Best of the Beatles. However, and I'm being VERY objective when I say this: The Yellowbrick Road album is simply the BEST album I've ever heard. You're like bullshit, right? I always felt SGT. PEPPERS and MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR were a pile of amazing Beatles songs, but neither was a 'movie'. Had they been released as one double album, hmm... maybe the best album of all time. But still, to me, they lack the cohesion of GYBR. Now Pink Floyd's THE WALL is a brilliant double album and extremely cohesive. On paper it's a better double than Elton's, but... and this matters... it's music to kill yourself during. Whereas GBYR is as fun as it is touching. I adore Earth Wind and Fire's THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD as much as I love Queen's A NIGHT AT THE OPERA. But Elton's GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK does what those albums do but with twice the song count. I've been given up looking for a better recording. It simply doesn't exist. The only current artist I think who has a prayer of pulling this off is Billie Eilish.
In the Detroit area we were so lucky to have the most amazing music store, Harmony House. They had everything :) also had Foreigner there for an autograph signing😂🤣😂 I also say Springsteen is God, but Berny & Elton are also so close. Danny Bailey? great song.
If you like voice and piano only stuff, you need to get the following boots: BBC 1973, Edinburgh 1973 / Live In Edinburgh, Rainbow Rock. There are others, but these are the cream of the cream of the cream. 10 for both sound quality and performance. It is a revelatory experience.
Totally agreed. They are amazing performances and recordings. Thanks for watching!
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Oh, gosh, I wish I could sit with you guys and be nerdy on Elton's music through a whole week! 🙃 Why two uploads? (side note: there's a typo on the description: 'goodby')
Thank you for watching! My first upload had a technical glitch I wanted to fix. The second upload is the corrected version. I'm actually thinking about doing some live listening parties where we can all interact while listening to tracks. Based on your comments I know you’ll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Based on your comments I know you’ll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
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@@JonBlackstone My, oh, my!!! You're the same guy that hired Nigel and Dee to play on your album!! I remember watching those videos right when you released them, they appeared to me as UA-cam recommendations. And now again, we're here because of those recommendations, I watched the "The Elton John Band 1970-75" video a couple of weeks ago. I'm properly subscribed, now! 😉 And, yay, listening party! Count me in! 🤩
The man , Elton , his work will stand on its own where it belongs ... have you checked out Mike Pattons fantastic Elton John story - a true classic for the books .
In Argentina Elton was not very popular at the time, so the company decided to release GBYBR as one record. At least they were smart enough to include the best of the best so when we heard the record our minds were blown away,it was just perfection. Only years after that I knew that it was a double album, with the “second” record being almost as good as the first one!!!!
Thanks for watching! I’m hoping to do a full length review. This was more of a reflection on our discovery. Have you seen my other videos? You’ll like this one! The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
GYBR, most definetely top three favourites of mine. Talking about Nigel's drumming: do you know the story of the now iconic "wrong" drum fill? And thank you for your hard work on it!
Thanks for watching. No I don't know that Nigel story! Please do tell! I don't know if you subscribed but I just posted this new video I just posted this episode ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstone ua-cam.com/video/X2OUWd35GwM/v-deo.html Hey there, in this interview he talks about it: how he played the drum fill after the GBYR second chorus by instinct, where he was not supposed to. And they kept it. And of course he plays it live ever since. And I am subscribed already!
@@labeaxyz Thanks for sending this link. I had watched that interview but forgot about that comment from Nigel. That's a coo; interview and it was fun to watch again. Thanks!
Only criticism I had of this classic album was that the sing prior to "Saturday Night's Alright..." has a much faster tempo and made "Saturday Night's Alright...." sound much slower than it really was. I could never figure out why it was paced on the album next to that song. "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" blew me away when I first heard it.
Two albums that are pivotal albums with incredible sound are Rubber Soul and GYBR. The songs are great and they sound great. Which is what is lacking in today's music.
Thanks for watching! You sound like a kindred soul. The Beatles and Elton are my favorites. And your comment about modern music couldn’t be better timed. I working on a video that’s about how modern music isn’t actually music at all. Thanks again for watching. Have you seen my full length episode about Paul’s work with The Beatles? UA-cam blocked it so you can watch it here: www.bitchute.com/video/OpkzAT6LZ3o5/
5:06 For me, these songs were his top & most important works. Take these away and his career would not have hit the heights it did: THE BITCH IS BACK SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING BENNIE & THE JETS ROCKET MAN
Funeral For a Friend/LLB has to be the best opener on any album ever. Also the greatest rock anthem right up there with the best of them. I remember being like 6-7 yrs old and being in awe of that album as well as studying the inside of the album cover to death. Memorizing who played what, loving those pictures. The artistic quality was always so cool with those early albums. Even things like the way Dee is sitting on the ground, looking at his bass. Of course me and my brother were always talking about the ARP synthesizer…going “What’s an ARP synthesizer?” and “whose David Hentschel?”
Yeah, I borrowed the full double album fold-out from my cousin because I wanted to know as much as I could about it. I remember that it said only "Elton - piano" for example, and it gave me a moment of doubt - "What?! He's not the singer?" I guess I figured out that it was just understood that he was in indeed the lead singer.
Elton's run of albums from 1970-1975 may be unmatched in the history of popular music.....so many great songs and when you begin to understand the method that Elton and his band used in the recording process (in alot of cases staring with a lyric, Elton hashes out the music, the band joins in and they record - sometimes 4-5 songs in one day) it is an ASTOUNDING accomplishment. These albums were all very well produced and recorded and they still sound amazing today. Honorable mention to the backup vocals - probably the most underrated in music.
I think that in a recent interview, Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) was saying basically the same thing as you did about Elton John in that 1970-1975 period
Sorry IM just now seeing your comment. Obviously I agree wholeheartedly! Thanks for watching!
that period was gold for him and the only period when I bought his albums,,not that the later stuff was nt great but for me it was 1970-75
The backing vocals of Davey,Dee and Nigel were such an integral part of that early Elton sound.
Never were bettered really
All I can do is breathe deep and sigh because I can remember how powerful this recording was in its size,scope,and musicality to millions, but when you're just a young kid growing up learning about life and how to love and be loved by family,friends, and lovers alike, this yellow brick road record is the soundtrack of my life, and for "Harmony" to end it, well there's no more perfect ending...... I heard it said that in one interview years ago when Elton talked about making this epic when harmony rounded out everything he had to say at the end he broke into tears, well Elton you've made a lot of us cry in good ways because we remember life and times and loved ones who are not with us, and the cinematic flow of your music & songs and your voice helps to bring them back vividly........ We all love you and thank you for sharing your heart and passion in your songs making our lives a little brighter along the way...
Thank you for watching and your heartfelt comments. I agree with every word! Based on what you said I think you'll enjoy these as well:
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/Nf_gdw6aC8w/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
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Those 70’s Elton John albums were on a level that was never realized before that time. That’s why he blew everyone’s mind when he debuted here. Even the great Leon Russell, Elton’s idol, wanted to sign him to his Shelter label.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is our generation’s classical music. It’s perfection!
Jon said it BEST: It's EJ & the band's 'Sergeant Pepper's (title track, SO clearly influenced by "A Day In The Life"....)
In recent years I have learned to play and sing "Bennie and the Jets" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" on 12-string guitar, performing them at open mics. Getting those chords and changes under my fingers opened a whole new appreciation of the amazing song craft this work represents. Stellar.
This album is an eclectic masterpiece of Bernie’s lyrical story-telling paired with Elton’s gift for marrying the perfect melodies to those lyrics. The synergy is magical🔥🔥🔥
I told my father to go get me Elton John’s Greatest Hits but he came back with the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album and I was really blown away! I will never forget that day back in 1974.
Guys - thanks so much. I’m a lifelong classical musician, and hearing Goodbye Yellow BR on the radio when I was ten was one of the moments in which I fell in love with music.
Thanks for watching! So glad you enjoyed it!
Such an amazing album. Most underrated song is Grey Seal.
I absolutely love Grey Seal. It's such an amazing song to begin with; and the was they approached it on GYBR is incredible. I hope you subscribed as I have a lot more coming. If you liked this video you will love this one ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Grey Seal is a phenomenal song that, for unknown reasons, never gained much traction. Elton tried re-recording and sending through a second time with similar, unremarkable results. It is one of my favorite songs on the album, alongside Harmony.
For me it's "I've Seen That Movie, too" with the incredible guitar, phasing, melody and lyrics. Plus, they'd written Grey Seal years before so it had been worked over to get it to that point.
To me, the most underrated song on the album is... DIRTY LITTLE GIRL.
@@kevinlakeman5043in my top Elton songs; the backwards guitar is brilliant
Love this album. This was my first album I had.. 1973 . I was 11 and I memorized the lyrics to every song. As you did I always requested an Elton Kohn album for birthdays and Xmas. After 74 Elton unfortunately plummeted down down down but this album by far was and will always be my love affair with great music of the 70s❤
I am the same age and had the same incredible experience listening to this album. From the opening song it felt more like a movie than a pop album. Elton and Bernie were riding a wave; and this is the big one!
I've Seen That Movie Too is a real gem. Listen to the interplay between Davey Johnston's ethereal guitar solo and Del Newman's orchestral arrangement. Brilliantly balanced by Producer Gus Dudgeon and Engineer David Hentschel. Headphones only. LOUD
That song is a masterpiece. There is only one video on here of him performing it live (that I can find) and it looked to be early 2000's
Sounds like Eltons lead vocal track is doubled
You know when I look at this footage and see Elton John at his magical best in 1973, I could never understand how in only seven short years this was the same guy singing your song in a Donald Duck costume. The Seventies thats when nothing could touch him.
Don't get me started! I couldn't agree with you more! I was literally heartbroken with what he released after Blue Moves. It was as if he was kidnapped by aliens and they left behind a clone (dressed in a duck costume). There are several tracks post Blue Moves that I enjoy; but something died after Blue Moves. Anyway I think you'll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html and I KNOW you'll love this I know you’ll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstonethat' all change though when made in England came out... And everything since then has been great my opinion except for the Big picture
that era was when it was cool to be different and we relished in it,,now its all dick,,with poletical correct bull
Probably the best pop album of time. It's so perfect in every way.
Growing up in the 70's Elton's music had a profound effect on me..we never relize were in the presence of greatest till it pass us by and we reflect..he shaped a generation.
Thanks for keeping the music alive Jon!.
Thank you for watching! It’s encouraging to know people like the videos. Music is so wonderful isn’t it?!
Wow, Jon, this footage is awesome! Another great video on one of the best albums of all time. No one else is doing this! Great work again.
Album is a masterpiece. The album jacket having the lyrics and the now iconic drawings inside was genius. Elton’s vocal style doesn’t let you immediately know every lyric and seeing them was like a discovery. You could sing along with them at last. No internet, so we would have kids (or possibly a girl I liked) over to listen to the album and read the jacket for hours. Sad those times are gone, but lucky to have lived them.
Same here and I'll add that my ten your old mind couldn't wrap itself around a lot of it but I was fascinated and mesmerized by it. As an American I still wasn't sure, even after reading it, what "going back to my plough" meant; in the US it's written plow. That may have been the first time I heard of vodka and tonics, mohair suits, and so many other expressions. It was not standard radio pop fare.
Elton is one of those few artists that the non hits are just as much a part of your life as the monster hits in my opinion 🎼🎸🎤🎹🥁🎼
Absolutely! The deep tracks are my go-to👍
yes he and those lads from liverpool what was there name again i have forgot?
Elton should release all the footage he has from the seventies in studio, on stage or being himself in 4k quality. I would go through hundreds of hours of these.
You’re a man after my own heart. In fact I’ve dreamed of producing a boxset of everything in his archives from the 1970s. I would use digital technology to clean up the pictures and remix the audio in 5.1 surround! I doubt he could find a better person to produce that project! Thanks for watching!
This album came out when I was a sophomore in college. Hearing these stories really takes me back. Miss some of the parts of those times.
Of all the albums I've collected in my 50 years of listening to music, I can't think of one with a better opener and closer. Amazingly, the hits everyone knows were the songs in between.
Jon, I love your channel and your videos. Thank you for sharing the magic that is The Elton John Band!!!
If I had to pick 1 Elton John album, this would be the one. The power of music and it's affect was channeled through all involved in this masterpiece.
It visually and emotionally carved its way into the souls of all who heard it. A timeless treasure!
This has to be the greatest album. Listen to it frequently, they are all magnificent, singer , pianist, lyricists , & of course the band.🥰🥰🥰👍
Agreed! Thanks for watching!
I have a vague memory of a similar interview with Elton and the gang during the making of _"Madman Across the Water"._ I've seen two different clips where he talks about the song _"Tiny Dancer"._ The one I've seen more often is after he's already written the music, and someone asks him about the writing process and he picks up a sheet of Bernie's lyrics and says something like "here's the lyrics that Bernie handed to me, and then I wrote the music", and he starts playing it. But that was filmed *after* the music had been written.
There's another one which caught him earlier in the process, where he's sitting at a piano and he picks up a sheet of lyrics. He then starts reading the lyrics and playing around on the keyboard, and what he's playing sounds nothing like the song we know. I think he then comes to the line "Ballerina, you must have seen her, dancing in the sand", and says something like "That suggests something more like a carnival", so he starts over. And right then he's playing something which is recognizably close to the song we know. The guy came up with the music in less time than it took him to read the lyrics!
I've seen that video where he's actually writing the music just once, and I'm hoping that it isn't something I imagined. I remember being pretty impressed by it.
It’s on my turntable as I’m typing this; the original album, scratches and all.
Best way to listen to this amazing analog recordings! Thanks for watching! Have you seen my other videos? ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
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@@JonBlackstone Hi. I’ve seen all your EJ videos, I can’t thank you enough.
Really enjoy your Elton video's. Especially the one about the Elton John Band. When I saw Elton in 2013 in Philly, he played "All the Girls Love Alice" it was incredible live! Much better than I thought it could be, it gave me a new appreciation of that song. Live versions of "Alice" the base really resonates in your chest at certain parts. It's a very jarring but cool effect.
You ain’t the only one brother. Crocodile Rock was my gateway drug too and Dee is the reason I became a bass player!
I love to hear that! I admit my friend and I were so into The Elton John Band we used to mime to the records. We would act out dramatic scenes between Elton and Bernie and then argue over would play who in the band. He always wanted to be Nigel and I usually did Elton. It reminds me of the kids who pretended to be The Beatles in the '60s. That's how important this band was to me. I ended up working with Dee and Nigel in Nashville. I was waiting tables and I was stunned one day to discover I was waiting on Dee Murray! He was really flattered that I recognized him so easily. I told him it was because I had posters of the band on my wall when I was a kid. He loved that! Have you watched my other Elton videos? I think you'll enjoy these:
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ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/Nf_gdw6aC8w/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html
And Nigel is why I got a drumset at 15!
My theory? You and I could get it done again! We do Gus’s job as a duo! And I can guarantee we’d deliver the goods again in a month or two! He needs the right honest, friendly, loving, teasing, intuitiveness that you can offer. And I could as well. We have fantastically ears, and huge hearts towards his genius!
Loved your take!
Officially my favorite channel. I know everything you’re saying and have been saying it myself since high school. I’m retired now and it means more to me now than then. These vintage clips are fantastic!!
The effect of the graphic design and illustrations on this album cannot be overstated. I think if they had done more with Blue Moves art wise it would have given it more sex appeal. Goodbye was an album that hit ALL the right notes.
I appreciate that more than you can know. I mean that very sincerely. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
Love all the live footage. To me, this is one of the most important Albums ever made. I know every song by heart.
Thanks for watching! I agree it’s easily among the top 10 best albums ever made (and that’s a tight competition). The songs are incredible alone; but add the impeccable work of the band takes it to another dimension. Have you seen my other Elton videos? I know you’ll love this one: The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This was my first album bought with my Christmas money at 8 yrs old. I was completely blown away by the whole album.
Thanks for watching! You were a little younger than I was when you heard that album for the first time. I was around 11 or 12. I remember the album was very magical to me in the same way movies were magical. The songs themselves and the way they’re recorded sound so cinematic; and the packaging makes it seem more than just a album of songs. The days when music was so special are long gone. I was thinking the other day about how Elton’s early albums used to show photographs of every person who worked on the album. even the recording engineers producers, a Rangers musicians. There’s a reason those albums are so special; they were a labor of love for so many incredibly talented people. Thanks again for watching!
I grew up in a very small southern town. Only one radio station, and it went off at sunset. I actually drove to the nearest town that sold records and bought the 45 and gave it to the station so they would play it!
Wow, what a great story! You sound exactly like me. When Elton released pinball Wizard, I couldn’t find it anywhere, because it was never released as a single. I went through hoops to try to find a copy of that record. I actually wrote a letter to the Elton John fan club, asking them if they would send me a vinyl single of Pinball wizard. Eventually, I figured out I could buy the soundtrack to the movie Tommy! 😆
Yellow brick has a vibe and mood that runs throughout the whole lp . Great band . The opening two tracks get me , a bit clockwork orange then that Love lies guitar riff . That place in France helped and the nostalgia of Hollywood
Thanks for watching! Have you seen this episode? The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
I drew my own comic books every waking moment when I wasn't in school. I had the first album but didn't like Blue Moves so I settled on the 6 albums played over again relentlessly. Thanks to Elton, I finally became a professional comic book artist! Thanks, Elton!
Another great video! Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was the big album of my junior high years, and my friends and I played it constantly. Such a classic. I remember when ABC-TV ran the documentary "Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye Norma Jean and Other Things"-- I recorded the audio on my cassette recorder and played it over and over. When VH1 ran the film again in the 1980s I was able to get a video copy. So great to see a lot of that footage here and used so well!
Wow! The best 30 minutes I just spent watching and totally agreeing with. I only wanted the Yellow Brick Road single for Christmas in 1975. I was 17. My sister (Santa) bought me the double album! I learned Funeral/LLB, Grey Seal, Song has No Title, Harmony, etc. on the family piano and organ (no synthesizer). Just a few of my favorites on the GBYBR double album. Seen EJ in concert many times. My favorite keyboard player. We're both Aries too...March 25th, 27th respectively. Many thanks for these beautiful videos.🎵🎹
Back to my Plowwwwwwwwww! Vocal nuances A+! Piano fills - A+!!! Arrangement - A+! Lyric - A++! Gorgeous top 10 of all time Elton. Not matched as a complete package ( album ) since by he or anyone in Rock music in my opinion! Throw in sun and ticking and someone saved it’s not just an opinion - it’s fact! - Claude Bernardin
This was also my first Elton John album. “Your Song” was my into; “Daniel” was my gateway. “Candle in the Wind” hit really hard because we’d just had a classmate commit suicide. Going back years later and re-reading the music credits really blows my mind to realize that a quartet was creating this amazingly complex music! Their harmonies and Nigel’s drumming are still unmatched. Hard to believe it’s now 50 years on and the music is just as fresh now!
Watching this video totally re-sparked my love for all Elton John’s 70s albums. Thank you for this🙏 I’m definitely going to go through the catalogue again. Never really gave Madman or Tumbleweed a full listen through.
Thanks for your Efforts Jon another great Elton & the Boys video. Thank You. You just put this album back in the #1 position of E.J. albums for me.
Bloody fabulous album. Elton and Bernie were on fire at the time. Absolutely. On. Fire.
*_GYBR was my 1st Elton John's album. Since then, he's been the soundtrack of my entire life and l'll love him and his music til'the end of times 🤗💓🇧🇷🙏_*
Great review of a wonderful album, which I played until the grooves disappeared back in the 70s. Beautiful acoustic introduction to Elton's spectacular opening song Funeral For a Friend, arguably the instrumental peak of his sparkling career ... I really wanted to hear the whole song before your commentary began. Is there a link for this instrumental home recording? 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks for watching and for the kind words! The live version came from this amazing solo show in 1977. It’s my favorite solo Elton show! ua-cam.com/video/PTKb1ZmdDcI/v-deo.htmlsi=I_1_wa0kJ1Sijuwn
Funeral for a friend begins at 52:50 of the concert I sent above
One of my all time favourite albums.
Thank you Jon for another insightful EJ presentation! Please keep them coming
More to come! Thank you for the great comments and for watching!
Goodbye and Captain fantastic are hands do 2 of the most important albums of the day, and to date as far as I am concerned. The band was at their peak, unstoppable. Dee, Nigel and Davey were on fire, especially on Saturday night. Dee's bass work was phenomenal. Then, just like that, the magic was over, Dee and Nigel were fired. It was one of the most incomprehensible moves of all time. Dee and Nigel were with Elton, even before he was Elton, but Reg. They slugged it through the dirt and paid their dues, helping Elton rise to the top of the world, only to be tossed aside, with no explanation. I lost my respect for him and his music after that for a long time, but Captain Fantastic remains one of my favorite albums of all time.
Thanks for watching! Have you checked out my other videos? I’ve done interviews with Caleb Quaye and Stewart Epps, both of which shares awesome stories about the very earliest days of Elton’s career. I hope you’ll check them out!
There will never be another Elton John and original band members and Bernie Taupin. Always be in a league of their own ❤
The first time I remember hearing GYBR was on Channel 7 WABC (NYC) when a one of the news reporters (John Johnson (?)) was doing a Time Capsule series about event of a certain year...LIke "The Year is ____". This particular episode (Which I've in vain tried to find in UA-cam yet haven't found it yet...) was about the year of 1973. Incidentally, I was one years old on 1973. The show aired about 1981-1982. The segment was displaying about the end of the American involvement in Vietnam. With Elton's GYBR playing in the background, it showed montage of American POWs were place on a plane wearing grey POWs outfits leaving Vietnam and landing in America wearing their Dress Green/Marine Blues/Air Force Blues with their ribbons with their family running in to their arms in happiness. After seeing that, I went and searched for that song and I'd found it at my local record store at the Junction in Flatbush Ave. I actually bought Elton's Greatest Hit songs and all at once, I'd heard the fantastic catalogue of his greatest hits...Crocodile Rock, Daniel, Don't Let the Sun Fall Down on Me, and others.
It turns out, though the years, the year of 1973 has placed GYBR on certain instances and scenes that shows reflection or the end of the innocents events. Here are the two other examples that I found in UA-cam.
ua-cam.com/video/7ZcLbaKBQ1o/v-deo.html
in mid 70s I used to go see in Long Beach and Newport Beach/ Costa Mesa an up-and-coming local band- Manna.
gtr, bass, drums and keys...they always did Grey Seal...keys guy had a Yamaha baby grand and a Hammond B3 w Leslie and a poly zynth (ARP 2600?) on stage And a Cavinet for Stevie Wonder type stuff innervisions was popular then... But when they hit the choruses on Grey seal, the keyboard player held chords with his left hand on the B3 and playing the piano arpeggios 16ths with his right hand.
Tony Dean on '60 LP burst and JIM Perez on bass had similar voices and unison sang the chorus, similar to double tracking lead vocals in studio.
Bob Wright on keys and a Steve Gadd fan on drums Bobby Guidotti.
I watched or danced in a dream pure crestive magic.
P s. Check out their album named NaNna GOT Some radio play with some of their songs, plus they backed The Pointer Sisters, opened for logguns/Messina first tour plus they formed other bands in Laguna Beach always in the clubs they showed me leave the model for me for a jam band, where I would play a song and then in the middle establish a quart sequence of some sort with extended solos for everybody. Always tighter than a frog's ass. I'll admit be formed me as a gigging musician they will always be grateful for that to Tony, Jim, Bobby, Bob W.
THANKS GUYS !
it was magic !
Steve Taylor, Ild and in the Way in Orange, CA
Thank you Jon for more Elton John goodness 🙏
Thank you so much for watching!
Probably the best double album ever. Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life is loaded, too. Most double albums have a bunch of throwaway songs.
With the greatest opening track of any album, Funeral for a friend/Love lies bleeding.
Fantastic episode guys!
Thank you! Have you seen our other Elton episodes? The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
Dee Murray & Nigel Olsson - Elton John Stories
ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
I have the DVD for the making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road...very interesting.
Me too. Davey's interview about the riffs he "wrote" is super cool.
Yes I LOVE that video! I was bummed that the DVD they included with the 40th anniversary box didn't include all the cool extra footage that was on the "Classic Albums" DVD. It has some really excellent interviews with Davey. I don't know if you subscribed but I have lots of other Elton stuff I think you'll enjoy. Let me know what you think! ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Yes I LOVE that video! I was bummed that the DVD they included with the 40th anniversary box didn't include all the cool extra footage that was on the "Classic Albums" DVD. It has some really excellent interviews with Davey. I don't know if you subscribed but I have lots of other Elton stuff I think you'll enjoy. Let me know what you think! ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstone What funny about all this is, 17 years ago I was asked to help take care of my niece. My job is very flexible, and I generally work from home, so I had no issue with it. However, I had no toys or kid-friendly videos and such, so I had to make do.
I work in advertising, and had a bunch of samples that she could play with, so that was a good substitute for toys. As for videos and such, I did have a DVD of the original Winnie the Pooh, some Mr. Bean stuff...and that 'Making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'. She ADORED it. Interestingly, she was fascinated by not just Elton, but the band, and had a toddler-crush on Nigel. She would watch the video (and a few others, and UA-cam stuff), standing at the computer in her onesie with a pencil in each hand, imitating Nigel playing the drums. Now she's 17, is taking piano and drum lessons, and has seen Elton in concert three times.
I tell this to everyone. Expose the new generation to great music (and film). Pass the torch.
@@JonBlackstone ...and I just discovered you guys today with that video, and subscribed like 3 minutes in.
i think y'all really caught the magic and majesty of an album that was intoxicating on so many levels. thanks for reminding me of what a gift this was...
pure Magic ! heard it first Roller Skating in 73 ! thanks Jon
MAN was that ever great! Thanks so much for posting! Top ten greatest rock albums of all time.
I remember 7 11s sold the 45s i remember my bro told me he saw step in to chrismas 45 i said kool he turned me on to eltons music my first 45 was good bye yellow brick road thanks j0n awsome review
Top tier footage. Thank you Jon!
Glad you enjoyed it
@@JonBlackstone The music is godly. i'll be coming back very often and watching, especially that Candle In The Wind in studio part. Thank you Jon, you're awesome!
Amazing video ! The comments, the live music video, seeing Elton record "Candle I The Wind" reminds me of why I love Elton John .
I’m dropping this comment whilst only one minute into this film. Just hearing the piano intro to FFAF…I immediately thought; wouldn’t Ludwig van Beethoven or JSB just love to hear this beautiful yet sad piece of music, if they were among the living? All the while it’s likely because of those two the Elton wrote this piece out. He’s SUCH a good pianist. Maybe it was a tribute to one of them.? All I know is that when I heard this being played in my house as a kid during the middle seventies, it stuck with me. It made me feel so happy yet sad - SIMULTANEOUSLY. That’s the true power of music.
Thanks for this. It's always been one of my favourite songs, and your descriptions have helped me to elucidate why 👍.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it! I hope you’ll check out my other videos; especially this one: The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstone Yes, that was the first one I watched :)
My favorite song has ALWAYS been the Song with No Title (just words and a tune).
I absolutely love that song. I’ve never heard another song like it. It is so uniquely Elton.
I think of the Wizard of Oz for yellow brick road as well and even David Lynch is heavily influenced by the movie.
The Gershwin of Glam.........rock on Elton........we love ya!
Amazing that the song 'Harmony' was not on his Greatest Hits album.
So, the lyrics to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are the opposite of “Honky Cat” from a year earlier. I’ve been familiar with these songs since they came out but maybe I just now realize this.
Another great video , thanks for sharing. pretty cool early footage of the band . whats your take on grey seal ? 70 or 73 ?
I love both; but the 73 version is just so amazing. It’s one of the greatest recordings they ever made. I love that you asked that question!
@@JonBlackstone agreed the one on yellow brick road is great . What if you had to pick only one album to go to the island ?
@@JonBlackstone ua-cam.com/video/nv71baBUrSk/v-deo.htmlsi=4DQB9bd9HskTQyYq
@@96capricelt1tan If I wasn’t allowed to take Yellow Brick Road (because it’s a double album) I would choose Captain Fantasic. How about you!
@@JonBlackstone I always say the rule is no best of or greatest hits but def can be a double studio album . its tough yellow brick has good jams but id say tumble weed or madman .
I met Gus and his wife six weeks before they died and it was just around that time that the DVD was made. The most interesting fact to me was the use of a second piano frame that hovered over the piano to give the piano a richer sound. Are you playing from an SACD? Nice to hear the piano, vocal & harmonies. I don’t own any SACDs and wouldn’t know how to play them…..
It's ashame we dont have more concert footage from the early days
Thanks for watching! There is quite a bit of footage that the BBC has. It would be so cool if someone would do some thing with that footage by restoring the sound and picture. I would love to see them release a Box Set of all of the BBC performances starting from 1970 onward. If I was in Alton Circle, I would encourage him to release a box set as live video in recordings from the 1970s.
@OnlyKidWithCamera
Have you ever noticed how people suddenly recognize talent "after" their death? I know EJ is loved by many now, but just wait until he dies. A new found love for Elton will emerge, and so will the greedy ones who hold these rare clips.
Great clip! :)
Thank you very much! Thanks for watching!
wow to see elton play alone funeral for a friend!
Cool huh?! Thanks for watching!
yes!@@JonBlackstone
In the opening of this video, was it at Elton's old Surrey, England home? Do you have any idea who owns that home now? Thanks Jon!
Music is a business…and the line between business and friendship can easily and usually does become blurred. The performances on Yellow Brick are stunning, beautiful, legendary - something that certainly John and Paul would give a tip of the hat to. (I’ve always said that “Elton picked up where the Beatles left off.) Just a couple years down the line is when Dee and Nigel (was he relieved of his duties the same time as Dee?) got the call saying they were no longer needed. Imagine all they’ve been through together up to that point and from the very beginning. It’s very insulting to say the least. Just listen to Dee’s bass during Goodbye YBR! I mean…it’s perfection personified! Greed and money win the day though…for some. Elton is no different than Bowie and Alice Cooper…for when they dropped their bands and broke out solo. Mick Ronson got squat when he was dropped…all the while HE was the one who gave the act the shot in the arm that was so very badly needed in the beginning Spiders days! It’s despicable.
Hey Jon, was wondering if you ever had any thoughts on Leo Sayer's 'How Much Love' which hit #8 on the charts in 1977. Many people mistake it as an Elton John song, because Leo sounds so much like him and the backing arrangements were eerily similar to Elton's output during those years. Rumor has it Paul Buckmaster & Nigel Olsson worked with Leo on that song also. Would love your take on this....🤜🤛
Damn I miss the 70s
So do I my friend. Such amazing music; especially out of England. Have you watched my other Elton videos? I think you'll enjoy these:
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/Nf_gdw6aC8w/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/VEaCrRdsaFI/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html
CORRECTION: My Gateway song was HONKY CAT, not CROCODILE ROCK. The two came so fast on each other I got confused. And if y'all listen to the Honky Lyrics, they seem like a rough draft of the song GBYBRoad.
The Yellowbrick Road album was an instant love affair, and I was 9 going on 10. Sure, I've been a lifelong Elton John fan but I'm also very objective. so listen up.
Yes, the Beatles released TOP NOTCH songs. Elton came in a close SECOND to the Best of the Beatles. However, and I'm being VERY objective when I say this: The Yellowbrick Road album is simply the BEST album I've ever heard.
You're like bullshit, right? I always felt SGT. PEPPERS and MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR were a pile of amazing Beatles songs, but neither was a 'movie'. Had they been released as one double album, hmm... maybe the best album of all time. But still, to me, they lack the cohesion of GYBR.
Now Pink Floyd's THE WALL is a brilliant double album and extremely cohesive. On paper it's a better double than Elton's, but... and this matters... it's music to kill yourself during. Whereas GBYR is as fun as it is touching.
I adore Earth Wind and Fire's THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD as much as I love Queen's A NIGHT AT THE OPERA. But Elton's GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK does what those albums do but with twice the song count.
I've been given up looking for a better recording. It simply doesn't exist. The only current artist I think who has a prayer of pulling this off is Billie Eilish.
In the Detroit area we were so lucky to have the most amazing music store, Harmony House. They had everything :) also had Foreigner there for an autograph signing😂🤣😂 I also say Springsteen is God, but Berny & Elton are also so close. Danny Bailey? great song.
If you like voice and piano only stuff, you need to get the following boots: BBC 1973, Edinburgh 1973 / Live In Edinburgh, Rainbow Rock. There are others, but these are the cream of the cream of the cream. 10 for both sound quality and performance. It is a revelatory experience.
Totally agreed. They are amazing performances and recordings. Thanks for watching!
Oh, gosh, I wish I could sit with you guys and be nerdy on Elton's music through a whole week! 🙃 Why two uploads? (side note: there's a typo on the description: 'goodby')
Count me in as well! I could Geek-out for hours exchanging stories🙂
Thank you for watching! My first upload had a technical glitch I wanted to fix. The second upload is the corrected version. I'm actually thinking about doing some live listening parties where we can all interact while listening to tracks. Based on your comments I know you’ll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
Based on your comments I know you’ll enjoy this video ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstone My, oh, my!!! You're the same guy that hired Nigel and Dee to play on your album!! I remember watching those videos right when you released them, they appeared to me as UA-cam recommendations. And now again, we're here because of those recommendations, I watched the "The Elton John Band 1970-75" video a couple of weeks ago. I'm properly subscribed, now! 😉 And, yay, listening party! Count me in! 🤩
@ I certainly will. Thanks again!
WOW!
The man , Elton , his work will stand on its own where it belongs ... have you checked out Mike Pattons fantastic Elton John story - a true classic for the books .
"Let me drink deeply from the water and the wine..."
Oh man, I love that song! That album is magical from beginning to end.
Where is the intro version of FFAF piano performance?
In Argentina Elton was not very popular at the time, so the company decided to release GBYBR as one record. At least they were smart enough to include the best of the best so when we heard the record our minds were blown away,it was just perfection. Only years after that I knew that it was a double album, with the “second” record being almost as good as the first one!!!!
Maybe focus on the WHOLE ALBUM !!!! Its all GOLD!!!
Thanks for watching! I’m hoping to do a full length review. This was more of a reflection on our discovery. Have you seen my other videos? You’ll like this one! The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence
ua-cam.com/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/v-deo.html
It is in my Q and I am planning on enjoying it as well!! You did some great cuts and lifts here. You got talent and my attention
@@raindeerprojekt4119 Thank you. I did some cool video stuff in the Elton John Band video. I think you’ll dig it!
The Glory days indeed!
in 89 i heard GBYBR on radio i went home and requested down the yellow brick road or something lol
It was Daniel for me
One of my favorite tracks of all time. Thanks for watching!
İ bought GYBR on the first day of Seventh Grade. Early September 1975.
Thanks for sharing and for watching!
GYBR, most definetely top three favourites of mine. Talking about Nigel's drumming: do you know the story of the now iconic "wrong" drum fill?
And thank you for your hard work on it!
Thanks for watching. No I don't know that Nigel story! Please do tell! I don't know if you subscribed but I just posted this new video I just posted this episode ua-cam.com/video/FtfIWGo50xE/v-deo.html
This is a fantastic 1984 show with the original band ua-cam.com/video/BShA0x4QioA/v-deo.html&lc=Ugws5E9V9uPYN5urbZt4AaABAg
And this video is about my experiences with Dee and Nigel ua-cam.com/video/K4XLH6CEHS0/v-deo.html
And this is footage of Nigel recording on my first album ua-cam.com/video/9knxV4LNu0k/v-deo.html
@@JonBlackstone ua-cam.com/video/X2OUWd35GwM/v-deo.html
Hey there, in this interview he talks about it: how he played the drum fill after the GBYR second chorus by instinct, where he was not supposed to. And they kept it. And of course he plays it live ever since. And I am subscribed already!
@@labeaxyz Thanks for sending this link. I had watched that interview but forgot about that comment from Nigel. That's a coo; interview and it was fun to watch again. Thanks!
Only criticism I had of this classic album was that the sing prior to "Saturday Night's Alright..." has a much faster tempo and made "Saturday Night's Alright...." sound much slower than it really was. I could never figure out why it was paced on the album next to that song. "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" blew me away when I first heard it.
Harmony & sweet painted lady are 2 cuts that could have been hits imo
Harmony would’ve been released, but Caribou was about to come out. Sweet Painted is a great song
@@ActionMediaProductions I think I’ve seen the saucers could have been a hit too
Grandissimo album ... Come Zyggy Stardust BOWIE .. The Stranger and 52nd street Billy joel
Two albums that are pivotal albums with incredible sound are Rubber Soul and GYBR. The songs are great and they sound great. Which is what is lacking in today's music.
Thanks for watching! You sound like a kindred soul. The Beatles and Elton are my favorites. And your comment about modern music couldn’t be better timed. I working on a video that’s about how modern music isn’t actually music at all. Thanks again for watching. Have you seen my full length episode about Paul’s work with The Beatles? UA-cam blocked it so you can watch it here:
www.bitchute.com/video/OpkzAT6LZ3o5/
This is the Paul video: www.bitchute.com/video/OpkzAT6LZ3o5/
"Funeral...." is THE "apex" song/composition of the Elton John Band...
Yeesh, you start with 'Caribou' instead of 'GYBR', 'Madman', or even 'Don't Shoot Me'?
5:06 For me, these songs were his top & most important works. Take these away and his career would not have hit the heights it did:
THE BITCH IS BACK
SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING
BENNIE & THE JETS
ROCKET MAN
First frame: İs this the room from Greatest Hits cover?
Yes, I’m pretty sure it is the same room.