Added: 2 years ago
From: sydlivy
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  • Nothing more can be said about GBYBR. I truly feel it is one of the top ten albums of all time. Of course, I also think EVERY album he did before that and up till Rock of the Westies is damn close!

  • wow @tattooedbiker64 you hit the nail right on the head. Listening to Dale Dorman on the transistor radio..SWEET

  • This song brings back memories of hot summer days at Paragon Park,Nantasket Beach listening to 68 WRKO

  • Hands down favorite song by Elton. One of my proudest moments as a kid in the 70s was learing to play this all the way through in time w/the record. Hell, I learned to play (after getting booted by my piano teacher) by playing along w/his records! Anyway, amazing how his early stuff holds up. This STILL gets my blood pumping! Gotta go play me some air piano!! Peace music fans!

  • Children, do some googling. "Grey Seal" (originally recorded and released in 1970 as the B-side to the UK-only single, "Rock and Roll Madonna"). I was listening to the song on a Brit compilation import in 72

  • One of the greatest albums (double) ever. Love this song. Wonderful lyrics. Every song on this album is fantastic (pun intended capt.).

  • @1963DMC1 Agreed Brother! My musical taste has changed-constantly-as I've aged but Yellow Brick Road stayed strong in my top 5 through the decades & changes! What a wonderful, eclectic album. Pretty much embodies the wildly eclectic 70s & wide open FM formats of the time!

  • 2 people are black walruses

  • Dee Murray produces again with such a beautiful bass line. Just listen to thr interaction between the drums, bass and keys on this song. Timeless.

  • @Fitcetera1 I was 13 when this album was released. It was amazing! I close my eyes today and Im back in my room learning about rock n roll

  • hard to believe this album was not well received by critics. It's one of my favorite of all time. The album itself is stunningly beautiful.

  • So great to see so many positive comments. This song is amazing. The whole album was, but Grey Seal got swallowed up a bit as far as "hits" go. To me, this is a true hit. What a great, joyous, and kick-ass song!!

  • olbucknarley my god 8 track i had a 1.6 gt ford capri firengine red i loved that car, first thing i did was put a 8 track in , bought loads of tapes including this one, jeeze kids of today would love them, like you say i will always remember those times, never forgotten

  • there should be a 12 with a comma behind it in front of the amount of plays this has. there's something wrong with the world

  • Its a common misconception that Taupin was the 'songwriter', he wrote the (beautiful) lyrics first, then Elton put them to music. Thats how they generally collaborated to produce magical tunes.

  • Most of Eltons songs have 1 or 2 dislikes at most. Timeless music thats impossible to not like.

  • im 32 yrs old and my father had this LP since its release.Ive grown up listening to this great album.Its my favourite album of all time.A classic.

  • @supersando78 Me too. I'm 26 now and I grew up with this thanks to my parents. I'm grateful I was exposed to real music as a child. <3

  • @toilanguoimy Your parents were "Too Cool" God bless them for caring enough to expose you to "The Good Stuff" I'm 56 and listen to Elton when it first came out- (Didn't like a thing after "Yellow Brick Road"---He went nuts and started doing top 40 am rock) ie."Bitch is back" "Phill Freedom" and "Little Geanie" YUCK!--- Bruce from Bilosi Ms.

  • @brualkar

    These were my sentiments also. I kind-of liked Elton John when he put out "You`re Song"; only occassionally liked songs from his next few albums; began liking him more with the "Don`t Shoot Me ..." album; and then became a fan with "Goodby Yellow Brick Road", and "Caribu". THEN -, he "went nuts", fired his long-time band, went too "Pop-y",and became WAY TOO "over-exposed";and I haven`t liked him much since. GYBR made him a superstar; it`s a shame he couldn`t handle it better.

  • @supersando78 You should thank your father for exposing you to "Class"----He could of listen to "Wham Uk" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH---- I am 56 and loved this album when it first came out--Played it in my college dorm room till it wore a grove in the record ( once again ) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH---- Bruce from Biloxi Ms.

  • Sorry minions realism is at the heart of Bernard.

  • It's all about REALISM!

  • Grey Seal very good but Grey Goose awsome! he he heh

  • @luvtotruck Grey hair, the pits.

  • 1973 a great year....too bad I was only 4 years old.....Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and The Who's Quadrophenia.

  • This album plays like a greatist hits album... all by itself. I can just play it over and over.

  • Rock royalty..hes kind of an old bitch now but he still has my respect

  • it's never quite the same as the real one

  • gre seal is about an indian chief. how awsome is that?

  • I agree it was a magic time. This is one of my favs. Classic Charles Dwight style.

    

  • Una delle prime canzoni di Elton "rispolverata" per questo album che tutti i veri rocker dovrebbero avere, a prescindere dai gusti.Canzoni sincere, potenti, con un fascino seducente che Elton non sempre saprà ricreare. I mattoni gialli sono i giorni della ns adolescenza, quando tutto aveva un sapore che poi sarà difficile ricordare.Bravo Elton e bravo Bernie.

  • thumbs up if you button mashed the keyboard to the piano solo at the start

  • when this came out i miskenly shot my friend in the face , ge lived , but this song dosent let me forget

  • only one troll hating Sir Elton? Cool!

  • Hey

    I have to say that the artwork on this album, falls into the “best eve”r category. This is amazing, one of the best albums ever and some of the best rock, art cover ever seen

  • Ah, I remember the good years of 2009, where good music was only a mouse-click away. I had everything at my finger-tips. The rarities, the golden classics, the radio hits. It was a world where I could explore what my parents grew up on, and then at the same time explore what my generation has to offer.

    Tired of ACDC? Switch to Rammstein. Bored of the deep throated Germans? Pink Floyd. Switch to Elton John. Switch for a short period John Butler. Repeat.

    At least nothing's changed.

  • @AaronMk91 you have a very imaginative sense of humor - perhaps a writing career is ahead ?! My more "boring" take on this song,and Yellow Brick Road in general,though, is that it was some pretty good stuff. Well, as we used to say-"later,dude!"-- the immortal akibubba a.k.a. "your parents".

  • 1974 in my parent's unfinished basement with this song cranked on a RCA dual cabinet stereo record player with tube amp. Thanks MOM for letting me enjoy it so much so often.

  • This is the kind of song that ya never want it to end!!!

  • Eltons best....

  • i love the Who and thie reeks of the WHO

  • Runrome................totally agree, I remember saving up and buying all my records and albums, I still have most of my records and 12" rare releases safely locked away in my album box. My younger sister has tried many times to find them and sell them!!! I am honoured to haved lived through and witness the best years that music had to offer.......all that talent and great memories

  • Elton, Bernie and Co. wrote this entire album in a very short amount of time. There is a great DVD on the making of GYBR. A must see for all Elton fans. He is so talented and humble. I love his music.

  • @UCLAKER22 that was an excellent Documentary! I seen not long ago! :) 

  • Man, I love the sound of that mellotron! It's what makes the song, as far as I'm concerned!

  • THE NEXT TIME rolling stone or uncut or some other rock magazine takes it upon themselves to compile a list of the "20 greatest rock albums ever made" or something like that - and they fail, as they always seem to do, to include this album, write to them and chew their arse.

  • I had just gotten my driver's license when this album came out. I was a proud young man of 16, driving a 1965 Rambler Station Wagon that I payed $20 for. I bought an 8 track player for $25 and the first tape I bought was "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". I bet I put 100,000 miles on that rig listening to that tape. Things were very different back then. Those were "magic times". This record will always hold a special place in my heart.

  • @olbucknarley that's boss, man! born in 87 but the majority of the 60,70,80,90's dominate my cd and vinyl (yeah, i'm a huge mark for LP's!) collection. good times.

  • @olbucknarley you never have to forget these moments....lucky guy!

  • @olbucknarley Amen

  • @olbucknarley 1 year later, I was licensed to drive. Hangin round the house i was figuring out who Elton was?

  • @olbucknarley EXCELLANT choice pal.

    

  • @olbucknarley i miss my rambler.....and yes those were different times, i miss them dearly.

  • me luv dat nigga

  • The Yellow Brick Road Album was more like an Event than an Album! Amazing piece of work.

  • Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is one of my favorite albums of all time. But if you think about it, there was so much good music being made at that time. I'd say late 60s, early 70s was probably the peak period of rock music creativity. And Elton was right in the middle of it.

  • @ls1959 I totally agree!! Late 60s,early 70s. The best music ever created was during that time era!

  • Awwww pure enjoy!!!!!! love it, this album rocks, i was 15 when i got my lp and i still have it!!!

  • I mean really there is something sadly lacking in those innocuous little plastic cases. You just don't get the effect like you do with a full album cover. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band album looks retarded. I appreciate the easier portability of music but man our albums were our art. You kept the sleeves even if you were foolish enough to ruin the album. I remember framing one copy of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Sgt. Pepper and Dark Side.

  • The chorus always reminded me of a part in "Yours is no Disgrace" by Yes.

    Funny how Elton's albums from the 70s are overlooked/ignored by the general public in some european countries. Right here, he's more popular for his 80s/90s material, not this :/

  • Una delle perle del primo Elton. Incedere sontuoso e con il piglio del rock man navigato questa canzone esprime concetti profondissimi.In realtà Elton si pone interrogativi circa la vita, o almeno la sua essenza, divagando forse trooppo su concetti filosofici che poco si sposano con il rock and roll ma l'effetto finale è prepotente e sincero.

  • @Runrome... Right On!... I remember buying this album as a teen, and like you said, you wanted to get your money's worth.... and I remember thinking WOW, I LOVE EVERY song on this album...especially Saturday Nights all right for Fighting!

  • @canadian49

    This was the first album I bought with my own money as a kid. Boy do I feel old.....

  • This song is about a native American Indian Chief, Grey Seal, and the sad situation of the American Indian Nation.

  • @peteworst

    I guess that makes more sense. For decades, I thought it was ol' Elton expressing his bewilderment at the geography and astronomy classes he had to sit through as a schoolboy. But that explanation always foundered at his singing paeans to a frigging harbor seal.

  • i remember those days too! they were awesome. this album came out my freshman year in high school. i had a side to me that really loved this but i also had another side of me that listened to alice cooper and kiss. that side won out in the end.but elton was something else.many good memories when i listen to this album now.

  • I think this song is about how our perceptions are formed by institutions such as school and religion and Hollywood. Animals don't have any illusions about life. Any animal could have been reffered to but I think the grey seal was chosen because they get clubbed over the head. Just my 2 cents.

  • great tune, I was in love in high school, girlie and I in bed room looking a the liner notes and pics listening laughing loving. I was a simpler time

  • My favorite song of this album!!! <3 Beautiful!!!

  • Brilliant album!!!! I was like 11 in 1973. I was into this then! OMG!!!! I loved music then.still do! I had good taste! WOW!!!!

  • Bernie Taupin was the greatest song writer! Elton kicked butt on the piano! The band was awesome! This song kicks butt! I love it!!

  • @youthdew1 Was?  Kicked? I know what you mean but I'm just sayin'... still great now!

  • Bernie was an excellent song writer! Elton's piano was heartfelt! Elton kicked butt!! This song kicks butt! I love it!

  • I love how people say, "Oh, Elton is so heartfelt."

    Remember people... Elton NEVER wrote any lyrics ! It was Bernie Taupin all the way !

    (And Bernie wrote the lyrics to Heart's "These Dreams".... that Nancy sang (not Ann!).... that was a #1 song by them !

  • @TacomaPaul yeah but remember this... Elton composed all the melodies, and without those, Bernie's lyrics would've just be poetry

  • @prober45 Well said my friend.... which PROVES my point that MUSIC is more important than any LYRICS !

    Tell that to a woman.... good luck with that. hehehhe

  • theres one person in here who doesent know how it feels to be so wise

  • I worship this song. My mom and I used to dance around in the living room with this blaring. God bless those days of the 70s. I only wish I had kids now with whom to share this masterpiece.

  • Elton stunned the world in 1973 with his Magnum Opus......GBYBR rocks!!

  • Love the tinkling of the ivories at the start of this.

  • Truly spectacular.

  • brilliant song from a great album

  • One of the forgotten ones...awesome!

  • Remember this song fondly from around 1974...first year in High School, the wonder and the madness and the great tunes of the 70's...sharp sounding song that gets better with time.

    ma049--Grey Seals just stay out of the fray of Humanity...why wouldn't that make them really smart?! :-)

  • playing this for Eminem... u are edumacated in ways most go without in this warped world.... and your own warped wounds are healing cos you so s.m.r.t. (so much raunchy tit --- my favorite type of man... the ONLY man for me)

  • I love this song, I absolutely love it. But I still don't quite get why grey seals are so smart ;-)

  • best, best

  • This is one of his best songs!

  • Elton Prog. Bloody brilliant, this.

  • although elton and bernie got close a couple of times with brilliant albums like "captain fantastic and the dirt brown cowboy" and " sleeping with the past" i still believe this is their best album.

    I have never got tired of listening to it after all these years

  • @gomektampa Anit it the truth. Oh im cumming lol

  • Awesome song! :o)

  • THIS SONG IS THE MOST UNDERRATED SONG IN HIS WHOLE CATALOG ! !

  • Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a Masterpiece.

  • YEAH!!!! :D =D

    I <3 This Song :D

  • this whole album is stellar

  • One of the greatest songs ever recorded - Just listen to the timing...

  • Ah, 9th grade. The year I arrived and this was part of the soundtrack 1973-1974. What happened to Elton later on? I guess he went into his Rod Stewert disco phase.

  • I ate the album whilst I listened to the acid.

  • Fun song!!!!!!

  • The very beginning reminds me of pinball wizard :)

  • First double album I ever bought with my own money! hah!

  • my song at 13...so cool when it came out. I ate acid and staired at the cover

  • @greyno3 'Stared' even !!

  • @MeNext ...haha too much acid.

  • @greyno3 wow! i guess you're having quite the flash back jus' like the rest of us. lol

  • my song at 13...so cool when it came out. I ate acid and staired at the cover

  • my song at 13...so cool when it came out

  • This song reminds me of blazing down the interstate back in 1975 in my 1970 GTO convertible and I can still see that big bag of weed I used to always have in my car....LOL. Ah yes, the good ole days.

  • asesome

    

  • Great quality here! Thx. The one guy augiedoggy is spot on. It is hard enuff to get a few hits, never mind dozens and dozens. Enjoy EJ for the talent he has, whenever the best of it came forth - 70's, whatever.

  • Dee Murray at his best

  • This album was, and still is , great. But Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys is, in my opinion, his best work.

  • This was probably the last great Elton John album. I don't think anything he's done since that time period (early 70s) comes close to being this good.

  • love this song. Elton John was the greatest in the 70's.

  • Awe man, I loved Elton John when I was a teen. He was the greatest in the70's.

  • Dee Murray at his funky best. One of the most under appreciated bass players of all time.

  • @blunt1 too right

  • When I was 15-16 (mid-70s) I was a huge Elton John fan. He could write some songs. His output over the past few decades has been spectacularly mediocre.

  • @squanto2 It was Bernie Taupin who did the song writing back then. I agree with your statement about "...medicore...", as the recent material released is blah.

  • @zenandthen : You guys think there is an endless supply of hits in an artist? Its not like turning on a tap whenever you want it.

  • he was trully at his greatest creative period. this whole album is phenominal.

  • nigel grooved this take. guess that's why they put it down. dee too. solid. and the drums kinda separate in the mix. this and rock of the westies his best stuff.

  • @forestroot lol classic

  • Bloody brilliant.

  • Phil Collins comes close to this, fairly recently. Just shows that good stuff is good and crap is crap , as it should be.

  • why cant todays rock musicians write anything as good as this or the whole album for that matter thank god for instant recall so we can all escape from todays shit and listen to real music with heart and soul like this

  • @Runrome You know, I have pondered this question for years. Back in the day we had "album rock". As a kid you saved your cash and invested, for the music, great packaging with great art, and liner notes, and if you were really lucky a poster or something else cool. Kids wanted value, albums with concepts, where every track was a keeper. Today, rip an MP3 where half of the sound is sampled from someone else and that is called "art". The art is gone, it's all just corporate money crunching.

  • @jchofler3 Amen.

  • @jchofler3 So right you are, My Friend!!! Shame for the new Kids comin' up....but, I am so thankful for the Music I was exposed to and how it came to me!!!!

  • @jchofler3 Indeed you are most correct! There is a downside to the digital age. While I appreciate the convenience of being able to make playlists on YouTube, I'm glad to see that so much of my favorite music is available digitally but I'm like you I do miss the art. Looking at that marvelous prisim refracting on Pink Floyd's masterpiece album Dark Side of the Moon just doesn't have the same effect in the tiny box of a CD. Alas we mourn for great album art.

  • @blueagate Not to mention the wonderful alternative utility of an album cover other than protecting the album, particularly a double album. Tiny little jewel cases just don't cut it. LOL

  • @jchofler3 The art is there, you just don't see it.

  • @jchofler3  Hi. At 52 plus, it's totally true.....about life, let alone just music......it's the old Q and Q.....quality means more than quantity. peace/ john in Mass.

  • @jchofler3 Great analysis and so very true. Not all progress is forward....

  • @jchofler3 plus being "politically correct". The art of it is long gone.

  • @jchofler3 How TRUE

  • @jchofler3 hours spent listening over and over. finding something new in the artwork and the music...what great memories...

  • @jchofler3 at least vinyl has come back...

  • I was 12 when this came out. this album pretty much shot him out of a cannon on his way to stardom.

    37 years later, this tune is still the best groove he ever came up with, IMO.

  • buena bateria de nigel orson y bajo de dee murray desde youtube...la honorable sociedad

  • great song.....but what the fuck is it about?

  • @AWSH17 It really is a matter of opinion,but I will share mine. I believe it was written by Bernie asking E.J. how does it feel?

  • Favorite on this "Greatest" Album

  • CRANK IT UP

    To Hell with the neighbors and their barking dogs

  • @oatbuck I agree.

  • Listen to his second voice in verse 3,,,,, wow.

  • great song - show's us how E.J. sold out about 8 years after after GBYBR. guess bernie taupin is really the reason why E.J. lost his mojo!

  • @tearmann You are SO right!

  • Say what you want about EJ, this and so many of his other songs were WAY ahead of their time. We are so lucky.

  • oh man... what a great song..

  • Lovin that !!! What a mega album YBR is !!

  • I already said this was my fav track on GYBR, but what ARRANGEMENTS! The bass line, the piano, the vocals, the bright drums, wah guitar, just perfect

  • wow just love this got this album but in a cupboard somewhere and havn't heart this for yonks, brings back memories..thanks

  • Been lovung this song since I was 10!!!!!!!

  • @yoshluv7 Howdy fellow 10 year old! I was born in 63 and this was the album I learned Elton John with and bought the older ones and newer ones thereafter.

  • You know what , Ithought this was a track on Madman across the water.

  • I totally forgot about this album till today, I heard it on the car radio... in 7th grade I did a talent show which had three showings. I was a dance student from early on . and remember doing a different dance for each show I didn't know what the hell I was doing.. . I just went out and danced to it... on stage.. lol...if I only didn't meet guys about 5 yrs later..

  • gosh what a good track!

  • My favorite track on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. That dramatic intro that pauses, then the vocals come in from a totally different chord and tone,

    10 out of 10

  • I had the album. Next, the 8 track. Every song worth listening to, at least twice. I was younger then...plenty of time. AAAH, youth. Still, for the young at heart.

  • The soundtrack of my youth. WOW!

  • We used to play this record all the time at the rink in Port Washington, NY when so many good skaters were there-everyone loved it, even d hamill when she trained there.

  • great collaboration and it stands the test of time

  • Best.