Elton John - pre or post 1980s?

Thanks for your response Andicat! Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has to be one of his definitive albums. Excellent! Incidentally, didn't he actually write "Pinball Wizard"? I always thought he did...?

Well, now that you mention it . . . maybe he did? All I remember is that the Who sang that song on the "Tommy" soundtrack, and Elton John was/played the pinball wizard. But I really don't know who wrote it. Hmmmmm . . . now you've got me thinking . . .

I just checked my copy of "Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II", and it looks like Pete Townsend actually wrote "Pinball Wizard".

I haven't heard Candle In the Wind in a long time. I like both versions. I hope wuth time you can like it again.

I'm with you on that princess! His outfits were completely outrageous, and from what I hear, his stage shows were an incredible experience. He still dresses outrageously on occasion, but that tends to be at his epic parties (judging from the photos I've seen on the 5 minute Entertainment slots on the TV). Thanks for your response, and happy bopping to the early tracks!

Cheers for your thoughts and memories of Elton's music. It's good, as you say, that he's not cashing in on the nostalgia trend, which reached rock bottom, when I saw Mick Jagger performing with the Stones (or what's left of them in body and mind!) at the Superbowl a couple of years back. Mr. Jagger looked less like a red rooster strutting about the stage, than a doddering alzheimer's patient who was trying to find his zimmerframe. It really was a case of "I can't get no Sanatogen" :-) But back to Elton, I reckon it's sadder that he carries on writing sub-par tracks than if he were to have retired gracefully. But it's up to him, and if it makes him happy, all power to him. I won't be hurrying out to buy his latest tracks, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying his excellent music from the 1960s and 1970s! I do think he had a brief moment of inspiration with "Sleeping with the Past", but in my opinion that was his last music which was truly "Elton".

Thanks for your contribution to the discussion freesoul! I'd have to disagree with you about Elton's voice not being as good during his early career. I do think he had a great voice in his earlier years, and it suited the music he wrote. His voice did change later, and I think it still sounded great up until the late 1990s (it has gone somewhat nowadays). All the best!

Well good on you Angelwhispers! Taste in music is always personal, and I'm glad you get so much enjoyment from Sir Elton's work throughout his career! It sounds like you have many happy and special memories connected with his music, and I wish you many more to come. By the way, I went to school with a girl who was distantly related to him (second cousin several times removed), but unfortunately the musical gene didn't seem to have reached her :-) All the best to you, and enjoy the music you love!

Thanks for answering Withoutwings! He has produced a lot of good stuff - Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting is one of my fave dancey ones, but I also like some of his more low-key subtler songs like Daniel. Cheers once again for your answer, and all the best!

Thanks for answering foxyfire. I agree - people seem to have forgotten about his early classics, and seem to rave on about the safe "nicey nicey" tracks of nowadays. Ah well, maybe there will be a revival of his past glory sometime! Cheers, and all the best.