Elton John-Empty Sky

Elton John in 1969. It's hard to believe that this is from the same guy who wrote Crocodile Rock and Bennie and The Jets. I'm still going to say that Elton was much more interesting musically from 1969 to 1971 and this is a very good example of this.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Elton
• John
• Empty
• sky

[Mikemaniax]

Totally agree. Everything up to Honky Chateau was great. After "Rocketman" was a huge hit, that's when it went downhill. I think "Empty Sky" is a really great album. Too bad Elton and Bernie don't think highly of it, even going so far as to discredit it. I remember seeing Elton being interviewed by Elvis Costello on the Spectacle show last year, talking about "Empty Sky", and how much he hated it, "Hymn 4000" especially. All I know is, if I had made "Empty Sky", I'd be fucking proud of it.

[Percivaldurham]

@Mikemaniax "Hymn 4000" is a really good song. I think Elton and Bernie are fools to completely write off the record. I'd be proud if I made this record also.I know that Elton was proud of "Skyline Pigeon" and there is a recording of him performing "Empty Sky" live in the 1970's, so he must not hate everything from the record. I always thought that Elton should have stayed on this path. The music seems to have more substance and depth to it.

[oldnytv5911]

For me, "Captain Fantastic" is EJ's finest work from start to finish but this album is right next to it IMHO.

[ramenbo]

got this on8track played it to death iloved it so much

[blinkgrl182]

uhh elton john! holy eff thats tha shizzle.

[tangogrrl]

play it again and listen only to the timber and quality of his vocals. then play a newer version. His piano expertise is better, but his voice was at his peak here.

[Mikemaniax]

@Guevara123 I didn't even realize that I did that. Sorry, it was a typo. I will take the wrong finger that pressed the 4 when it should've obviously pressed the 2, cut it off, take it out and beat the hell out of it with a stick for upsetting a Youtube commenter. Fucking finger! Always sabotaging me with numbers. I didn't realize that this particular finger would betray me like this!

[brennanlorraine]

@Mikemaniax you right i gave after honky chateau

[DerekBayRoberts1]

I would love to hear him play this NOW!

[Pull63cat]

@MazterGuitarz "Goodbye Yellow Brickroad" was a flamboyant piece, his "Sgt. Petter" sort of. But to me his four earliest albums had qualities he'd never ever get back to. I personally think "Empty Sky" is an unpolished gem, with a lot of overlong, meandering instrumental passages. After that, he found the polish and his own style. On the three albums of 1970-71. And after that, he got too polished, he became an entertainer more than an artist, and his piano pieces got less memorable. To me. :-)

[23Firedude]

This has to be one of the best albums Elton John ever made. I remember listening to it when I was a teenager.

[rplace59]

I forgot what a great album this is. This song is genius, start to finish. Great production. They use a computer to do guitar effects like this now.