Artist Discussion Series: Elton John

[AwallaceUNC]

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Elton John

<img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/4 ... _1970b.jpg">
Primary Genres: Pop, Rock, Showtunes
Seconday Genres/Styling: Singer-Songwriter, Score
Instrument: Vocal, Piano
Born March 25, 1947
RIAA-Certified US Sales: 250,000,000+
US #1 Singles (Any Chart): 15
US #1 Singles (Primary Chart): 8
UK #1 Singles (Primary Chart): 8
US #1 Albums (Primary Chart): 7
UK #1 Albums (Primary Chart): 4
US Top 10 Singles: 26
US Top 40 Singles: 61
UK Top 10 Singles: 32
UK Top 40 Singles: 68
RIAA-Certified Multi-Diamond Albums: 0
RIAA-Certified Diamond Albums: 1
RIAA-Certified Platinum and/or Multi-Platinum Albums: 16
RIAA-Certified Certified Gold Albums: 26
Grammys: 5
Academy Awards: 1
Golden Globes: 1
Tony Awards: 1
Inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992
Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994
Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975

Official Discography
<table width="75%" border="1"><tr><td>Empty Sky (1970)</td><td>Lady Samantha (1980)</td><td>Rare Masters (1992)</td></tr><tr><td>Elton John (1970)</td><td>21 at 33 (1980)</td><td>Greatest Hits 1976-1986 (1992)</td></tr><tr><td>Tumbleweed Connection (1970)</td><td>Milestones (1980)</td><td>Duets (1993)</td></tr><tr><td>11-17-70 (1971)</td><td>The Fox (1981)</td><td>Chartbusters Go Pop!... (1994)</td></tr><tr><td>Madman Across the Water (1971)</td><td>Jump Up! (1982)</td><td>Classic Elton John (1994)</td></tr><tr><td>Honkey Chateau (1972) (#1)</td><td>Too Low for Zero (1983)</td><td>Made in England (1995)</td></tr><tr><td>Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973) (#1)</td><td>Breaking Hearts (1984)</td><td>Love Songs (1996)</td></tr><tr><td>Goobye Yellow Brick Road (1973) (#1)</td><td>Your Songs (1985)</td><td>The Big Picture (1997)</td></tr><tr><td>Caribou (1974) (#1)</td><td>Ice on Fire (1985)</td><td>One Night Only (2000)</td></tr><tr><td>Greatest Hits (1974) (#1)</td><td>Leather Jackets (1986)</td><td>Prologue (2001)</td></tr><tr><td>Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) (#1)</td><td>Live in Australia w/ the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (1987)</td><td>Songs From the West Coast (2001)</td></tr><tr><td>Rock of the Westies (1975) (#1)</td><td>Greatest Hits, Volume 3 (1987)</td><td>Live at the Ritz (2002)</td></tr><tr><td>Here and There (1976)</td><td>Reg Strikes Back (1988)</td><td>Greatest Hits 1970-2002 (2002)</td></tr><tr><td>Blue Moves (1976)</td><td>The Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989)</td><td>Peachtree Road (2004)</td></tr><tr><td>Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1977)</td><td>Sleeping with the Past (1989) (#1)</td><td>Elton John's Christmas Party (2005)</td></tr><tr><td>A Single Man (1979)</td><td>To Be Continued... (1990)</td><td>The Captain & The Kid (2006)</td></tr><tr><td>The Thom Bell Sessions (1979)</td><td>The Very Best of Elton John (1990) (#1)</td><td>Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits (2007)</td></tr><tr><td>Victim of Love (1979)</td><td>The One (1992)</td><td>--</td></tr></table>

Select Filmography
Gnomeo and Juliet (Producer) (2008)
It's a Boy Girl Thing (Executive Producer) (2006)
Him and Us (Executive Producer) (2006)
Tommy and Quadrophenia Live: The Who (2005)
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (2004 episode)
"American Idol" (2004 episode)
"Absolutely Fabulous" (2003 episode)
"Pop Idol" (2003 episode)
"Star Academy 3" (2003)
The Country Bears (2002)
"Ally McBeal" (2001 episode)
Bob the Builder: A Christmas to Remember (2001)
The Road to El Dorado (actor, composer) (2000)
"The Simpsons" (1999 episode)
The Muse (composer) (1999)
Women Talking Dirty (Executive Producer) (1999)
Desert Flower (1999)
"South Park" (1998 episode)
Spice World (1997)
"The Nanny" (1997 episode)
The Lion King (composer) (1994)
The Who Live, Feature the Rock Opera Tommy (1989)
"Disney's Totally Minnie" (1987)
"Saturday Night Live" (1982 episode)
"Disneyland" (1978 episode - "Mickey's 50")
"The Muppet Show" (1977 episode)
Tommy (1975)
Games (composer) (1971)

Select Theater/Stage Work
Lestat (composer) (2005)
Billy Elliot the Musical (2005)
Aida (composer) (2000) (Grammy) (Tony)
The Lion King (composer) (1997)

Select Home Video Releases
Music in Review (2007)
Dream Ticket (2004)
To Russia with Elton (2004)
One Night Only: The Greatest Hits Live at Madison Square Garden (2001)
The Very Best of Elton John (2000)
Live in Barcelona (1992)

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Most Popular Songs
Candle in the Wind
Candle in the Wind '97 (#1) (Grammy)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Can You Feel the Love Tonight (#1) (Grammy) (Oscar) (Golden Globe)
Tiny Dancer
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (with George Michael) (#1)
Circle of Life
Your Song
Bennie and the Jets (#1)
Something About the Way You Look Tonight (#1)
Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee) (#1)
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
Crocodile Rock (#1)
The Bitch is Back
Daniel
Philadelphia Freedom (#1)
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (#1)
Island Girl (#1)
The One
I'm Still Standing
Are You Ready for Love (2003 remix) (#1)
That's What Friends are For (with Dionne & Friends) (Grammy)
Passengers
Believe (#1)
Written in the Stars (with LeAnn Rimes)
Sacrifice (#1)
Simple Life (#1)
Ghetto Gospel (with 2Pac)
Electricity
I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That (#1)
Healing Hands (#1)
Little Jeannie

Notable Facts
*His record sales place him among the most successful and most popular artists of all-time
*The RIAA considers John to be the second best-selling solo artist of all time (behind Garth Brooks, though there is an ongoing controversy regarding Brooks, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley as to who has sold the most)
*He was made an honorary knight in the Order of the British Empire in 1998, forever giving him the title of "Sir"
*The Walt Disney Company inducted John as a Disney Legend in 2006
*His real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight
*Elton reportedly plans to release his first Hip-Hop/R&B/Rap album later this year
*He maintained a position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart every year from 1970 to 2000, an unprecedented 30 year run. He surpassed previous record holder Elvis for this honor in 1992.
*Considered a gay icon, John once publically identified himself as bisexual, later marrying a woman for four years before publically identifying himself as gay
*He is often outspoken regarding his long battle with drug addiction and eating disorders
*John made headlines in 2002, when he duetted with the allegedly homophobic Eminem at the Grammys on the rapper's hit single, "Stan". Eminem later referenced the controversy in the lyrics to his song, "Business".
*He is often praised for popularizing the piano in rock music
*Having released his first album in the UK in 1969, his career has technically spanned across five decades so far, giving him one of the longest professional music careers in history
*John is frequently considered one of -- if not the -- most integral artists of the 1970s
*From 1973-1976, he famously released 15 enormously successful singles, including six #1s and three additional #2s
*From 1972-1975, he released five consecutive #1 albums, which spent a combined total of 39 weeks in Billboard's top spot
*His album, <i>Rock of the Westies</i>, was the first in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart
*He directed a professional soccer team, the Watford Football Club, in the mid-70s
*<i>Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road</i> is by far his most successful album and considered by many to be his best. The double-disc project is RIAA-certified at 7x Platinum in the US alone, with a reported 16 million sales worldwide. It launched four singles, including one #1
*John had almost as much success in the 1980s as he did in the 1970s
*He is renowned for his legendary concert performances
*His music was prominently covered as part of the musical <i>Moulin Rouge!</i>'s soundtrack
*He currently headlines his own Las Vegas show
*John is forever associated with the legacy of Princess Diana, thanks to his remake of his own hit song "Candle in the Wind" (originally dedicated in memory of Marilyn Monroe) in the wake of her tragic death. The single became the best-selling and fastest-selling single of all time.
*Including soundtracks and compilations, John has released an astounding 40 albums in the US

Mini-Biography
Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is a multiple Grammy and Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist.

In his four-decade career, John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially in the 1970s. John has sold more than 250 million albums plus hundreds of millions of singles, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits including seven consecutive #1 U.S. albums, 59 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, 4 #2 hits, and nine #1 hits (Crocodile Rock; Bennie and the Jets; Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds; Island Girl; Philadelphia Freedom; Don't Go Breaking my Heart (with Kiki Dee); That's What Friends are For (with Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight); Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (with George Michael); and Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind '97). His success has had a profound impact on popular music and has contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in rock and roll.

Some of the characteristics of Elton John's music are his ability to quickly craft unique melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, his rich tenor voice, his classical and gospel-influenced piano, the aggressive orchestral arrangements of Paul Buckmaster among others and the flamboyant fashions and on-stage showmanship, especially evident during the 1970s.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Elton John #49 on the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Elton John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s and was knighted in 1998. He continues to be a champion for the gay rights movement.

(Biography from Wikipedia.org)

Official Website: www.eltonjohn.com

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Past Artist Discussions:

<table width="30%" border="0"><tr><td>1. Aerosmith</td><td>11. The Chipmunks</td></tr><tr><td>2. Elvis Presley</td><td>12. Garth Brooks</td></tr><td>3. Michael Jackson</td></tr><tr><td>4. The Beatles</td></tr><tr><td>5. Mariah Carey</td></tr><tr><td>6. Pink Floyd</td></tr><tr><td>7. Madonna</td></tr><tr><td>8. Frank Sinatra</td></tr><tr><td>9. Amy Grant</td></tr><tr><td>10. The Rolling Stones</td></tr></table>
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-Aaron

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[PixarFan2006]

I think he is a pretty good preformer. My favorite song by him is Crocodile Rock.

[2099net]

Another noteable fact is Elton John was the subject of one of the best episods of Rock Profile, which revealed these other noteable facts*:

Rock Facts
* Elton John rents a TV and radio from Radio Rentals
* Elton has all three back to the future films on video
* Elton is a member of the Britania book club
* At age 5, Elton was kidnapped by a tribe of Soiux indians.
* Elton is a big fan of war. His favourite is World War Two.
* Elton believes cats have magical powers.
* Elton's marriage to wife Renata failed when he remembered he was gay.
* For his birthday, Elton bought David Furish Brazil
* Elton loves Poirot so much that he murdered someone and invited David Suchet round to solve the crime.

Rock Profile: http://www.davidwalliams.com/RPSeries2.htm

On a more serious note, I do think Elton John is both overrated and underrated. I'm not so much a fan of his "rock" stuff, but I do think he has an amazing talent for putting lyrics to music, and as such his work on musicals tends to be underrated.

Oh and he appeared in SpiceWorld, The Country Bears, Ab Fab and the legend that is Bob The Builder. So what's not to like?

* These Notable facts may not be true.

[AwallaceUNC]

I really enjoy the Elton John music that I'm familiar with, primarily his biggest hits. I think my favorite song outside of <i>The Lion King</i> might be "Something About The Way You Look Tonight", though I also love "Tiny Dancer" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

I have his original Greatest Hits album on CD, though I haven't listened to all of it. Other than that, I only have the soundtracks for <i>The Lion King</i>, <i>The Lion King</i> OBC, and <i>Billy Elliot: The Musical</i> (haven't listened to the latter in full either). I've also got a CD called <i>Elton John: A Piano Tribute by Boyo Suzuki</i>.

I'd definitely like to become familiar with more of his music. I'll probably pick up a more recent Greatest Hits album, the <i>Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road</i> album, and the <i>Aida</i> soundtrack at some point. If I get out to seem some shows in Vegas, I'd really like to see his.

-Aaron

[MadonnasManOne]

I am not a huge fan of Elton John, in that I only own two of his albums. The One and Made In England.

I do, however, really like a great many of his songs. I need to go out and buy one of the Greatest Hits packages.

That being said, it's hard for me to list every song of his that I like. When I hear them on the radio, I just know them. Elton John has a very distinct voice, yet, he has a very wide canvas. He really is very talented.

However, I can give two songs of his as some of my favorite songs of all time. "The One" and "The Last Song", both from the album, The One. They are two of the most beautiful, and haunting, songs that he has ever done. They are both from later in his career, and prove that he still has the ability to create great music. If you haven't ever heard those two songs, you must give them a listen. I think you'll agree.

[DaveWadding]

I love Sir Elton (although, with my track record, I'm sure this surprises no one). I think he's great. My 2 favorite Elton songs are Tiny Dancer and Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting.

For those of you picking up Greatest Hits comps, the best one IMO is Greatest Hits 1970-2002. It's 2 discs and can be had on sale for about $12-15. He and Bernie Taupin have written an amazing amount of great, great songs.

[Lazario]

I don't know very much about his music. But my favorite songs of his are "Nikita," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," and one or two of the first songs on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. I remember really loving something I heard in that/those first songs, but I'm not very familiar with the album to recall what those songs were. On a blind guess, I'd have to say it was "Love Lies Bleeding." If that's the correct name.

But I'm a big fan of his appearence in The Nanny. Somewhere in season 6, I believe it was.

[MickeyMousePal]

Aaron what happen to the song Little Jeannie?

Elton John is a wonderful person and a great song writer.
He made great and power music.

[AwallaceUNC]

Aaron what happen to the song Little Jeannie?

I added it!

-Aaron

[dvdjunkie]

I have seen Elton John live in concert more times than I can count. The last tour I saw was when he was with Billy Joel and that show really rocked.

Elton's sexual persuasion never bothered me, because I have always liked his music, and his concerts were all just over-the-top entertainment. I remember seeing him at Dodger Stadium in the Donald Duck outfit, that was hilarious. I liked his Duets albums, and my favorite album of Elton's is "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". I think it is one of the most complete albums he every did.

I have on video-tranferred-to-DVD most all of his television appearances on Saturday Night Live, the David Letterman Show, and the Arsenio Hall show. I also have most of his music videos recorded off of VH1 when they used to be a music channel.

Great choice Aaron for a discussion. I don't think there are too many people out there who haven't heard at least one Elton John song and liked it.

[jennydumas]

My favorite song by him is "Daniel"

[ajmrowland]

I actually saw the live concert at the Green Bay Resch Center on Saturday Night!

It was really great. Almost all the best songs were performed, like Goodbye Norma Jean, Goodbye Yellow-Brick Road, Rocketman, Bitch, and it concluded with Circle of Life( ). Only disappointment: He didnt "feel the love tonight" nor did he go to "El Dorado".

We had very good seats. Sec.102 on the floor(its an in-door stadium), row R-close enough to get a good view of his face!

[blackcauldron85]

Elton John, Andrew Lloyd Webber And Tim Rice To Bring Animated ‘Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ To Big Screen For STX Family
http://deadline.com/2017/03/stx-cinemacon-1202053721/