A Single Man (1978)
*Ignore all other online reviews for this record. This one is correct!*
Elton John’s A Single Man is the first without his best friend and writing partner, Bernie Taupin. It’s a creative swing marked by experimentation, and it offers a lot of diversity. From somber piano ballads to disco-infused rock, each track holds its own place in Elton’s extensive catalog. This record is far from perfect and maybe even short of “good.” Considering the nuances, the occasional strengths, and the missteps that shape it, here are my ultimate thoughts.
Shine on Through is a somber ballad that opens the album on isolated vocals and piano. It doesn’t reach the heights of the classics, but Elton’s strong vocals and emotive delivery, paired with evolving orchestral grandeur, make it a gorgeous opener. Return to Paradise is deeply infused with tropical clichés. It introduces steel drum elements for that Caribbean feel. While fresh, it lacks vitality, and the Spanish-styled horns and guitar, though agreeable, don’t do much to lift it. Its lyrical depth falls short, making it a miss despite the inventive musical elements.
Full of energy, I Don’t Care features gospel-like backing vocals, lively piano, and catchy guitar interplay. A significant step up, and one of the album’s strongest tracks. Despite slight repetitiveness, its dynamic composition and toe-tapability set it apart in a good way. Big Dipper ventures into a whimsical carnival-burlesque style, reminiscent of a New Orleans Disney cartoon. Unique, but it falters in execution and falls prey to repetition. Simple lyrics and the missing Taupin touch leave it feeling less refined than Elton’s earlier work. Not a miss that warrants skipping, but I’d understand if you didn’t save it to your library.
As the album’s ‘epic,’ It Ain’t Gonna Be Easy runs over eight minutes. It grabs attention with a bluesy power-scat attempt, though the repetition and thin lyrical depth suggest it needed some tweaking. Even so, it stays one of my favorites here for its infectious energy. Turn your critical brain off and you can really get lost in the emotion and drama of this one (in a good way).
Part Time Love weirdly explores themes of adultery and stumbles on uninspired lyrics and a fluffy, wimpy feel. It’s trying to be upbeat and interesting, but it struggles to leave an impression, another miss. Georgia is a cookie-cutter “gospel/pop-rock” entry. From the reviews I’ve read online, it gets more praise than I think it deserves. The harmonies and steel-pedal guitar bring real quality, but it falls victim to a certain blandness, missing the spark to make it truly memorable. Also… the state of Georgia… dedicating a whole song to Georgia?… It’s not all that great… (writes the Florida native).
The jazz-lounge-styled Shooting Star is full of sultry saxophone that appeals to me a lot. I get that it might not for everyone. To me it’s reminiscent of Idol from Blue Moves, which was one of the larger surprises and standouts on that record. Despite its simple lyrics, the highly palatable atmosphere makes it quite memorable.
Madness continues the pre-disco exploration Elton dipped his toes into on Blue Moves. I read a review that said the song resembles a Dudley Do-Right cartoon soundtrack, and now I can’t get that comparison out of my head. Its simplicity and length raise concerns, but the fun elements and impressive piano playing salvage a little extra appeal. Not a lot… Just a little.
Serving as a sonic bridge, Reverie transitions from the intensity of Madness into the ballad somberness of Song for Guy. A poignant instrumental, Song for Guy is a tribute to Elton’s late friend. Built mostly on Elton’s piano, subtle percussion, and a drum machine, its beauty lies in its simplicity and emotional resonance. It’s hard to critique a song with this much emotion and lore behind it, so I’ll let you as the listener decide for yourself.
Originally a Taupin song, Ego digs into Elton’s ego in a Billy Joel style. It’s technically sound and its humor and meta elements are enjoyable, but there isn’t enough here to make it a frequent revisit. Going for a throwback to maybe the Don’t Shoot Me era, Flintstone Boy features pleasant acoustic guitar and piano but again succumbs to simplistic lyrics and repetition. Musically pleasing, yet lacking the depth for repeated listens.
I Cry at Night teeters between a great ballad and a stinker due to it’s very awkward phrasing. A strong middle section reminiscent of Elton’s self-titled record is offset by less polished stretches elsewhere. There’s a solid minute where this ballad is great, and then the rest is just awkwardly worded and sung.
A softer disco-rocker, Lovesick tries to be the Philadelphia Freedom of the record. It falls slightly short of that potential but stays fairly solid. It isn’t the standout Philadelphia Freedom is, but it offers more than a mere pass in the album’s context. This one will grow on you. Closing the album, Strangers successfully channels the style of Captain Fantastic. With twangy guitars, grand-ballad sweep, and impeccable harmonies, it stands as a top-tier song and ends the record on a high note.
The experimental spirit of A Single Man is palpable. From hits to misses, the album is Elton exploring on his own for the first time after Bernie Taupin. It proves he can do a lot solo, but he was clearly missing the love and partnership of Taupin. As Elton would say, welcome to his “C*nt Era.”
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Highlight Songs:
I Don’t Care
Shooting Star
Lovesick
Strangers
It Ain’t Gonna Be Easy
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Own It, Stream it, Forget about it
If you’re an Elton completist then you gotta own it, BUT, for the average listener I would suggest stream it. Not quite low enough to warrant skipping it all together, because there are a handful of songs that might get a replay or two out of you. Give it a listen, save what you want, move on to the next.
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Overall Rating:
3 Stars
