Elton John - Friends (Soundtrack) (1971)

"Friends" is a project Elton John and Bernie Taupin took on before their breakout success in the United States. Recorded as the soundtrack to the film Friends.

Two songs are above standard Elton fare: the two full-band numbers. "Honey Roll" and "Can I Put You On" are the only two times that it sounds like Elton bothered to try. I mean, it is a film soundtrack, it's not like he wasn't saving his best stuff for his own albums, so with that in mind it's kind of nice we even got anything good at all. As far as the other selections go, they're all piano + orchestral backing and not terribly interesting. "Seasons" is like if "Burn Down the Mission" lost all its energy and had no rocking ending, and "Michelle's Song" is a drab ballad that would feel right at home on the album "Elton John". The title track was a minor hit but it's as boring and tossed-off as anything Elton wrote in this period, and having the string "Variations" on "Friends" two songs later is totally pointless (but not uncommon when dealing with a film soundtrack). There are a few nice bits happening in "Four Moods".

Tracklist

01.  Friends  (John, Taupin)  - 2:20

02.  Honey Roll  (John, Taupin)  - 3:00

03.  Variations on 'Friends'  - 1:44

04.  Seasons  (John, Taupin)  - 3:57

05.  Variation on Michelle's Song(A Day in the Country)  (John, Taupin)  - 2:44

06.  Can I Put You On  (John, Taupin)  - 5:52

07.  Michelle's Song  (John, Taupin)  - 4:16

08.  I Meant to Do My Work Today (A Day in the Country)  (John, Taupin)  - 1:33

09.  Four Moods  (Buckmaster)  - 10:56

10.  Seasons Reprise  (John, Taupin)  - 1:33

Personnel

Elton John - piano, vocals

Caleb Quaye - guitars

Dee Murray - bass guitar, vocals

Nigel Olsson - drums, vocals

Paul Buckmaster - orchestral arrangement

Rex Morris - saxophone

Madeline Bell, Lesley Duncan, Kay Garner - backing vocals

Notes

Released:  April 1971

Genre:  Pop, Soundtrack

Label:  Paramount

Length:  38:35

Producer:  Gus Dudgeon

(08) Elton John - Elton John (1970)

"Elton John" is the eponymous second album by English singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1970.
This self-titled album was Elton John's second and breakthrough release in America. Mr. John and Bernie Taupin had been collaborating for a few years, but they really started to gel as a team on this release. The album has almost a baroque sound to it with alot of strings, harpsicords and airy syntheseisers. Of course everyone knows the megahit "Your Song", but the album contains others that would become Elton John classics. "Sixty Years On" is a stirring lament about growing old, "The Greatest Discovery" is a sweet ode to the birth of a brother, while "The King Must Die" ends the album in dark epic fashion. "I Need You To Turn To" & "First Episode At Hienton" carry on in the somber-like tone. The album is dominated by, but not regulated to classical stylings. "No Shoestrings On Louise" has a country twang, "The Cage" is a funky rocker, while both "Take Me To The Pilot" & "The Border Song" have gospel influences (Aretha Franklin had a big hit with "Border"). While not as radio-friendly as future Elton John releases, this album has an experimental feel and is worth repeat listenings.

Tracklist

01.  Your Song  - 4:02
02.  I Need You to Turn To  - 2:35
03.  Take Me to the Pilot  - 3:47
04.  No Shoe Strings on Louise  - 3:31
05.  First Episode at Hienton  - 4:48
06.  Sixty Years On  - 4:35
07.  Border Song  - 3:22
08.  The Greatest Discovery  - 4:12
09.  The Cage  - 3:28
10.  The King Must Die  - 5:04

Released:  10 April 1970
Recorded at:  Trident Studios, London
Genre:  Rock
Length:  39:27
Label:  DJM
Producer:  Gus Dudgeon
Engineer:  Robin Geoffrey Cable
Arranger:  Paul Buckmaster
All songs written by:  Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Personnel
Elton John - piano, harpsichord, vocals
Frank Clark - acoustic bass
Colin Green - guitar, Spanish guitar
Roland Harker - guitar
Clive Hicks - acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, 12 string guitar
Alan Parker - rhythm guitar
Caleb Quaye - guitar
Les Hurdle - bass
Dave Richmond - bass
Alan Weighall - bass
Brian Dee - organ
Diana Lewis - Moog synthesizer
Paul Buckmaster - cello
Skaila Kanga - harp
David Katz - violin
Terry Cox - drums
Dennis Lopez - percussion
Barry Morgan - drums
Tex Navarra - percussion
Madeline Bell - background vocals
Tony Burrows - background vocals
Roger Cook - background vocals
Lesley Duncan - background vocals
Kay Garner - background vocals
Tony Hazzard - background vocals
Barbara Moore - vocals, choir, chorus