I WANT YOU TO BE MY ACROBAT indeed
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:59 (ten years ago) link
also I wish they would do a special reissue of madman with an actual embroidered cover, it's so sad that they printed it as flat art all those years ago. Kind of dulled the effect of all that lady's work
The album cover for Madman Across the Water was embroidered over two weeks by Janis Larkham, wife of the album art director David Larkham. She used the back of an old Levi's jacket, and the original was gifted to John. There was no initial run of expensive album covers with similar embroidery, nor embossed versions; it was flat printed, though it did include a lavish booklet. Janis chose to credit herself as "Yanis" for this artwork.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 18:59 (ten years ago) link
xpost it has heaps of gorm wtf are you talking abt
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:00 (ten years ago) link
lol
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:01 (ten years ago) link
if he's saying "goodbye" to yellow brick road, why is he stepping onto the yellow brick road on the cover?
so much fucking gibberish nonsense with this guy
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:02 (ten years ago) link
and not the fun kind of Donovan/Marc Bolan gibberish, just malformed attempts at compelling imagery
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:03 (ten years ago) link
(xpost, ha ha!) strange thing about the GBYR cover. he appears to be stepping on to the yellow brick road, not off it. more of a "say hello, hello" gesture than a "goodbye" gesture. unless he's backing out.
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:04 (ten years ago) link
mmm gorm I'm hungry
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:04 (ten years ago) link
gormbye yellow brick road.
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:06 (ten years ago) link
Little Jeannie sounds like a dentist's office. I kinda like it when the rhythm ace backing track comes in after the second verse but again distractingly bad lyrics right there in the chorus and the melody isn't particularly catchy or interesting. Drums are terrible. and then oh look a phased sax solo. barfolicious.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:08 (ten years ago) link
bernie is the one saying goodbye to the ybr. elton just walked him out and is on his way back to oz.
― wk, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:09 (ten years ago) link
Nigel GormsonDavey Johnsgorm
― sup (billstevejim), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:13 (ten years ago) link
The horns in "Little Jeannie" are what kill me.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:14 (ten years ago) link
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, August 20, 2013 3:03 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
17-11-70 cover always reminds me of this:
http://www.herbmusic.net/album/cover/2012/07/7326_elton_john_17_11_70.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bryanburnett/2008/05/images/300_r_rex_electric_warrior_400v.jpg
― Lee626, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:31 (ten years ago) link
49. "Too Low For Zero" (1983) [81 points, 4 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjzkGKczRNY
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:33 (ten years ago) link
crossing my fingers for track-by-track trolling from shakey mo
― i am.. a maven (Matt P), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:36 (ten years ago) link
I hope he's up to it!
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:43 (ten years ago) link
the affection for TLFZ is awesome!
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:46 (ten years ago) link
hahaha, ditto
GYBR cover would have been 100000x better with him stepping off of it, I agree.
xp
― cops on horse (WilliamC), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:47 (ten years ago) link
I'd remembered this song before voting time, but the past couple weeks of listening has made it a favorite of mine for sure.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:47 (ten years ago) link
Elton's visual statements were his glasses, not his album covers, guys. this is so obvious.
― some dude, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:52 (ten years ago) link
48. "Border Song" (1970) [82 points, 5 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VIH11m6QGk
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 19:52 (ten years ago) link
Hmm, a favorite of five people who are nowhere to be found, apparently. Holy Moses.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:05 (ten years ago) link
47. "Blue Eyes" (1982) [83 points, 3 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CiyKeSnSxk
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:07 (ten years ago) link
Aretha's version of "Border Song" is okay I guess.
I voted for "Blue Eyes"!
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:07 (ten years ago) link
I think I voted for Blue Eyes too. it should be corny as all get out. Somehow it's not.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:09 (ten years ago) link
There's an Orbison-esque quality to this song, mixed with a hotel lounge performer's schtick. I dunno. It's working for me.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:13 (ten years ago) link
Too Low For Zero -lyrics to this are pretty good actually, although totally unrelated to the feel of the music. I suppose that could be intentional but just makes me think that it's the kind of thing Steely Dan or Bryan Ferry would do in a much different and better way. melodically basic but serviceable, wears out its welcome at 6 minutes, that's for sure. strange song to play at Live Aid or whatever that show is. backing band is atrocious.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:14 (ten years ago) link
xxpost yeah, good call re: orbison! it feels legit sad not just 'ahm in lurve with a gurl who has blue eyes'
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:14 (ten years ago) link
couldn't bring myself to vote for "blue eyes." it's monumental in my memories. that melody. that vocal. but ouch that lyric. gary osborne, who wrote it, does not hold a candle in the wind to bernie taupin. i complain about bernie as much as the next guy, but his words really do sound good coming out of elton's mouth. gary's words somehow sound even worse when subjected to as good a melody and vocal performance as this.
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:16 (ten years ago) link
Border Songwhy is he appealling to Moses, I don't get it. the bad water/back to the border bit makes it sound like he went to Tijuana and got diarrhea. first he complains about being around people who aren't like him and then he wants to live in peace... what? the inscrutability here is pretty irritating. as torch songs go the piano refrain is fine, melody is sort of just there, feel like the backing gospel vocals are there to give the song an emotional heft that the narrator and lead vocal line can't deliver by themselves. not bad but pretty unremarkable.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:21 (ten years ago) link
the bad water/back to the border bit makes it sound like he went to Tijuana and got diarrhea.
HA!
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:22 (ten years ago) link
"harmony," which i did vote for, is what "blue eyes" would sound like if bernie taupin was there.
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:22 (ten years ago) link
Blue Eyesuh the word "blue" doing a lot of heavy lifting here. godawful synth sounds, like the opening theme to some 80s daytime soap. vocal performance seems like the saving grace, something affecting in his dips into his lower and upper registers here and there. again not really impressed with the melody, so many times it feels like Elton's building up to a halfway decent hook or refrain and then things just... peter out.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:26 (ten years ago) link
TIE-45. "Are You Ready For Love?" (1977) [83 points, 4 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jw7MtB2fm0
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:26 (ten years ago) link
^ This is an awesome song that I may have skimmed right past when doing my listening. I'm LOVING IT right now.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:33 (ten years ago) link
Are You Ready For Love?
pretty good Philly soul feel, can totally hear the Spinners or the Chi-Lites rockin this. fairly standard straightforward lyrics nothing special, but a thankful respite from the incoherent nonsense he's usually working with. needs more of the goofy squelchin synth sounds from the end. it seems a bit slight, a throwaway, not that there's anything wrong with that.
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:39 (ten years ago) link
It's from the sessions he did with Thom Bell in Philadelphia, so your ear is serving you well.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:40 (ten years ago) link
I dunno why you guys (ahem Shakey) are concentrating for better or worse on lyrics. "Blue Eyes" is about John's vocal and the keyboard harmonics.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:42 (ten years ago) link
eh I'm a 50/50 kind of listener
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:43 (ten years ago) link
TIE-45. "Holiday Inn" (1971) [83 points, 4 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=666JAioPDhM
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:44 (ten years ago) link
shakey will be playing the role of Simon Cowell for this rollout
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:44 (ten years ago) link
here's one I don't know.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:44 (ten years ago) link
I'm a fan of pointless sitar.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:46 (ten years ago) link
There's just so much you can say when a song's lyrical premise is eye color. I voted for "Blue Eyes" for the great melody, and good vocal delivery even if the lyrics are unexceptional.
I like alot of stuff from the Thom Bell sessions, but none stood out enough to make my ballot.
"Holiday Inn" probably would have made my top 25
― Lee626, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:48 (ten years ago) link
Gary Osborne's lyrics for "Blue Eyes" are just right: they don't strain, they decorate the melody.
― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:50 (ten years ago) link
Holiday InnThis is pretty good! The orchestra breakdowns, the fake sitar, the mandolin picking running through the whole thing. The arrangement effectively shifts the parts of the composition around instead of just relying on bombast or repetition. sentiment of the song isn't all that compelling but whatever, the world always needs another song about world-weary musicians amirite...
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:51 (ten years ago) link
Yeah, it's the 'Wanted Dead or Alive' of its day.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:53 (ten years ago) link
Are You Ready For Love? got a second life in the UK circa five years ago thanks to a remix (for no obvious reason). Thought that might've got it a few more votes tbh, it's excellent.
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:57 (ten years ago) link
44. "Island Girl" (1975) [84 points, 5 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml9K8K8KwpY
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 20 August 2013 20:57 (ten years ago) link