Elton John (1970)

The stars align in all the right ways for Elton John on his self-titled record. The magic of Elton’s sophomore release cannot be overstated. The music scene was in a whirlwind of change, and right in the middle of it emerged Elton John, with a second record that solidified his reputation and shot him to fame on one of the most important and influential albums in rock ‘n’ roll history.

The opening track, Your Song, is the melodic equivalent of a love potion and will absolutely be played at my wedding. Elton’s piano playing is nothing short of beautiful, and Bernie Taupin’s poetic lyrics capture the essence of love with aching sincerity. You’d have to be made of stone not to be moved by this timeless ballad, and if you find yourself untouched… well then, you have no soul. I don’t make the rules.

As the record continues, we hit the irresistible anthem Take Me to the Pilot. It’s a pulsating rocker fueled by Elton’s boundless energy and piano virtuosity, and its fusion of rock, blues, and gospel makes it a dynamic, genre-defying hit.

Sixty Years On slows the pace to something hauntingly beautiful, Elton’s voice guiding you through vivid images of time passing. It’s a dramatic power ballad that pulls raw, vulnerable emotion right to the surface. The same goes for The King Must Die and its larger-than-life drama. There are few songs where Elton sounds more powerful than these two, and it only hits harder heard live.

And how do you overlook Border Song? It’s soul and gospel stacked together, Elton’s voice backed by a full gospel choir, building and building until it breaks open into something grand and leaves you lifted. Aretha Franklin later covered it in a version every bit as iconic.

The party doesn’t stop there! Bad Side of the Moon and The Cage take us on a rocking joyride with Elton’s piano leading the way. Much like Take Me to the Pilot, these tracks have a driving, anthemic feel that dares you not to sing along.

This 1970 version of Grey Seal has gone through a real metamorphosis over the years. This original take, the precursor to the iconic one released later, still lands on youthful, infectious energy. The 1973 version found fame on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but this earlier rendition remains a cherished glimpse into how a classic evolved. And then there’s the pulsating Rock and Roll Madonna, a fusion of old-school rock ‘n’ roll and gospel that catches the electric spirit of the ‘70s scene. Catchy hooks, irresistible rhythm, all of Elton’s larger-than-life persona in one track.

The weaker songs here are still pretty great. I Need You to Turn To brings back the harpsichord, but it isn’t over the top and the song is quite beautiful. No Shoe Strings on Louise has a slight country twang, and it works well on this record with its gospel-like backing vocals. The Greatest Discovery has gorgeous orchestration and melodies. First Episode at Hienton is the least memorable, musically, a straightforward piano ballad with very sweet, loving lyrics. It won’t get many replays from me, but in the context of the record it fits and belongs.

Elton John proves his talent as a singer-songwriter and plants his flag in the music scene. It may not be as groundbreaking, cohesive, or “innovative” as some of his later work, but the strong melodies, heartfelt performances, and growing artistry are a real glimpse of the genius Elton would become. Between the catchy tunes and the emotional ballads, this album is early Elton brilliance and the start of a career that would shape music for years.

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Highlight Songs:

• Your Song

• Take Me To The Pilot

• Border Song

• The King Must Die

• The Cage

• Bad Side of The Moon

• Rock and Roll Madonna

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Own It, Stream it, Forget about it

This is so close to being a No Skip Album, and any NSA deserves to be owned. Same goes for this one. It’s an absolute classic with boundless hits, and you can play it start to finish without much worry. I stand by this being one of Elton’s best records to date and one of the most important records in the history of popular music.

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Overall Rating:

4.5 Stars