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Fast shipping and in excellent shape.Not a scratch-I love it and wish I could buy all my used CD's from the same person.Thanks.
In my opinion this is probably the best era for Elton John as well as many other musicians during that time. Not that I'm casting any doubt on the fine quality of his music in succeeding years, but this style of music with complex melodic arrangements and accompanying guitars to back his piano stylings heralds a time when music was an odyssey into the imagination.
Though I was never a huge fan of "Bennie and the Jets", one can appreciate the diversity it brings to the album as well as its reaching number one on the charts. "The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-34)" is a step back in the right direction, though still not as good as a lot of the other tracks, and "Dirty Little Girl" is a bit better, but the quality really goes up again with "All the Girls Love Alice" which closes out side three of the original release. "Candle in the Wind" is a piece which seems to get more and more popular as time goes on, and of course Elton reworked it when Princess Diana passed away in a tribute to her. Even now when looking back at Elton's entire career up to now, this album stands out as one of the high-points, if not the high point of his long and tremendous career.The album has a tremendous start as "Funeral for a Friend" is a great opening for the album, building to a magnificent crescendo and then transforming into "Love Lies Bleeding" which is the other part of the first track. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is, for many people, the best Elton John album ever released. Over 76 minutes of wonderful music and lyrics from one of the great song-writing duos, and performed by a legend at his peak. It is not horrible, but fairly average in my view. "Jamaica Jerk-Off" is an enjoyable light piece leading into the more somber "I've Seen That Movie Too", which is a strong finish to the first half of the double album."Sweet Painted Lady" is a fairly weak start to the second half of the album, as it is one of my least favorite tracks on the album.
"Roy Rogers" and "Social Disease" are both quirky but enjoyable, and then the album closes fairly strong with "Harmony".Elton John plays a variety of keyboards and sings on all the tracks and is joined by his band which consists of: Dee Murray (bass, backing vocals); Davey Johnstone (guitars, backing vocals, banjo); Nigel Olsson (drums, percussion, backing vocals). "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is of course the title track and was the opening track on side two of the double album and is one of Elton John's best songs of all time. A double album gave his fans plenty of tracks to listen to, and he and Bernie Taupin were at the peak of their collaborative efforts. "Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock & Roll) is another of the weak tracks, but it is worth sitting through to get to "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". Oddly enough Elton didn't want it on side one of the album, nor did he want it released as a single. "This Song has No Title" is the next piece, and not surprisingly it is a step down in quality from the first four tracks, though still very pleasant as is "Grey Seal" which follows. There are also some guests on the album including: David Hentschel (synthesizer on "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" and "All the Girls Love Alice"); Prince Rhino (interjection vocals on "Jamaica Jerk-Off"; Ray Cooper (tambourine on "All the Girls Love Alice"); Kiki Dee (backing vocals on "All the Girls Love Alice"); and Leroy Gomez (saxophone on "Social Disease").A wonderful album which captures Elton John at his best. Definitely worth picking up unless you just don't like Elton John.
2 of the lesser known songs (All the young girls love Alice and Social Disease) are worth an extra special listen. That is not an exaggeration. It's just like that.This album, the music, the lyrics and the era in which is was recorded are all watershed in events in music history.While revisiting this album, I felt compelled to write this review, since I like young people who might not be exposed to this music, to embrace an opportunity to understand a piece of rock & roll roots.These songs are like 3 songs in one, on almost every single track.They almost seem like a 3 part play, where they rise up in the middle, with such awesome rock beats, that it's difficult not to jam with Elton. The remainder are in the public consciousness by now, and should be familiar to most people. Enjoy it, savor it and learn from it.
The CD just came today. I thought it would be another opportunity to preserve my childhood / early adolescence memories in Gold. I then came to like them all -- until the tape quit playing altogether. I LOVE IT. I tell you -- NOTHING makes you feel as good as GOLD. -- especially track no. -- and I listened to it from beginning to end. -- for instance, listening to the 8-track cartridge upstairs in my Mom's bedroom -- I just loved the San Francisco view.The first track was my favorite from the outset -- the music is somewhat depressing at first, but then it quickly picks up.
1, "Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding". But, I have to say, I love all 17 of them. :-( I later got a tape recorder and the cassette for my 14th birthday in 1975, among other things.Great memories and music, literally in 24K Gold. o:-) .
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