Elton John is regarded as a living legend, and rightly so. He has sold 300
million records, earned more than 50 top 40 hits, and nine number one
hits. In his 70s heyday, he was one of Britain’s most important and astonishingly prolific singer-songwriters. Collaborating
with his long-time lyricist and friend Bernie Taupin, he produced at
least half a dozen of significant albums of that over-indulgent
decade.
You’ve got to hand it to Elton John, the unlikely-looking Brit superstar renowned for sporting splashy spectacles hardly looks the part of a gun slinger. But in 1970, he put out a concept album about America’s violent past that almost comes close to equalling The Band's first two albums.
'Tumbleweed Connection' was Elton's third album, and the first to work the vein of Americana that he and John and Bernie Taupin were to mine over the next several LPs.
This is my favorite Elton John album, and I've always wished he made more albums like it. Elton's vocal phrasings and piano playing are some of his best. His melodies to Bernie Taupin lyrics are sublime. I also like that the lyrics are devoid of Bernie Taupin's misogynistic and otherwise clueless lyrics, that mar many of Elton's songs.
The freeload is a cardboard sleeve reissue release in SHM-CD format, using a 192kHz/24bit flat transfer from the 1970 UK original analog master tape, that was remastered at Universal Mastering, in Tokyo, Japan in 2018. This mini LP faithfully replicates the UK first pressing LP design (gatefold) with a 12-page booklet (included in the freeload)
For the freeload, what are some of your favorite western movies?
The only John lp I ever owned - and its a great one. Its somewhat newer in the Western genre, but Eastwood's Unforgiven is epic. Going back to the heyday of the Western genre, have always been a huge fan of another Eastwood flick, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (and, I'm not really an Eastwood fan).
ReplyDeleteBlazing Saddles, Lonesome Dove, Milagro Beanfield War, Magnificent 7 - original & Denzel version, True Grit, Cowboys & Aliens are several. There are lots more, of course.
ReplyDeleteMost of these in particular were at least partially filmed in New Mexico and the vistas are grand. Thanks Babs
Love Blazing Saddles, but oddly, never thought of it as a "Western", but it obviously is (until the last scene).
Delete"Throw out your hands, stick out your tush
DeleteHands on your hips, give them a push
You'll be surprised you're doing the French Mistake"
My wife frequently responds to my inane inquiries with the line (in her best Shtupp voice), "I'm tired..."
DeleteEl Topo (1970) by Alejandro Jodorowsky
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, El Topo. Runner's up: McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Hud, Johnny Guitar, Greaser's Palace, and Dead Man.
ReplyDeleteLove El Topo! A very cool trippy biblical allegory.
Delete"The Eagles also attempted this style on their 1972 album 'Desperado'. The Eagles may have looked more like outlaws with western wear and firearms, but 'Desperado' had exactly two good songs: the title track and "Tequila Sunrise", while all the songs on 'Tumbleweed Connection' are very good to outstanding"
ReplyDeleteOooooh, them's fighting words, Babs.
I probably have so much to say about this album and why it's secretly the Eagles' most coherent and best, that I should probably do that on my blog one of these days.
But that comment about, of course, "Desperado" and "Tequila Sunrise" being the only good songs off it sounds like someone basing their knowledge and fandom of the Eagles on having their Greatest Hits and Hotel California in their collection. Not saying that's the case for you, Babs, but you know, there's precedent.
Matter of fact: once went on the Eagles website Message Board to get info on a track and stumbled on a post where an Eagles 'fan' (at least 'fan' enough to sign up to the board) in alls eriousness asked whether "Doolin-Dalton" was a Joe Walsh solo song that the Eagles also did. Dude, that isn't even a particularly deep cut, it as on their "Ultimate Greatest Hits" for pity's sake! But that sadly confirms your image of what you think of as the typical Eagles fan. Baby Boomer, has the two aforementioned records (and probably the awful The Long Run) in his collection, but knows nothing else of "his favorite band", and is happy to pay 200 $ a ticket to see his heroes in concert (if they don't come to a corporate party first).
"Tumbleweed Connection" and "Desperado" also do wildly different things with wildly different concepts. TC is basiclly Taupin's fantasy Americana, whereas Depsperado's concept was likening Old West Outlaws to 70's rock stars. Whether that's a concept worth exploring is another question, but they are really two different sets of attitudes and approaches with only The Wild West as a common thread.
Favorite Western movies:
Too numeorus to mention, but I'll add
Stagecoach
The Gunfighter
The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Wild Bunch
Red River
The Big Gundown/Colorado
Tombstone
Wagon Master
When it comes down to it, my faves are probably The Good, The Bad And The Ugly and Once Upon The Time In The West. The mise-en-scène is so damn impressive in these movies.
For the record, I bought most of the Eagles catalog, when it was released. To me, there's something very suburban, and pedestrian about it all. Music to eat white bread to...
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYou really wanted to say something mean about the album? Why???
DeleteSorry Babs
DeleteNo worries, my friend.
DeleteAnon RF: The Anthony Mann sequence with Jimmy Stewart.
ReplyDeleteThe Oxbow incident
ReplyDelete3:10 to Yuma ( the original)
McCabe and Mrs Miller
Blazing Saddles ( a must)
Bad day at Black Rock ( a bit a of stretch)
There are a few more, but they can wait til sundown partner.
I like all of the Clint Eastwood westerns, especially 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'. I also like 'The Wild Bunch', 'Little Big Man', 'Shane' ''Dances With Wolves' and 'Once Upon a Time in the West'
ReplyDeleteA few "semi-westerns": 'Giant', 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre', The Misfits.
"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." I wouldn't have thought of "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" as a western, but yes. And who could resist "Blazing Saddles," western or no. "For a Few Dollars More"? Is "Butch Cassidy" a "western"?
ReplyDeleteNo much of a John fan, but there is a live version of "Burn Down the Mission" that is a thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big Elton fan myself, but I like this album.
Delete"The Searchers" is, for me, the best duster ever made. Tumbleweed Connection is perhaps Elton's best album, subsequent efforts featured increasing evidence of his "over-the-top" vocalizing and persona. Although there were quite a few memorable tunes...
ReplyDeleteI like "The Searchers", and I'm not a fan of John Wayne's schtick. It was also the inspiration for Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day"
DeleteTobacco Road. Not a fan of Westerns, but found this movie about a pack of dumb-arse hillbilly types hilarious. We listened a lot to "Elton john" LP, but only liked a couple of tracks, but my favourite is "Madman Across The Water", which is I imagine, is a nod to Nixon, but then there were many loons around running countries at the time. Mind you, with Trump in, it could well re-enter the charts.
ReplyDeleteLoved Tumbleweed & Desperados ( esp. 21 & Cripple Creek).
ReplyDeleteAs for movies: Barbarossa -- Willie Nelson's best movie roll not playing Willie Nelson
When I think of Westerns, mediocre films like "The Sons of Katie Elder" come to mind; I was sent to a matinee of it when young, and it kept me off the streets (and out of my grandparent's hair) for a couple of hours, but had no greater impact. Let's chalk that up to the limits of Dean Martin's acting, and also John Wayne's.
ReplyDeleteMy limited view kept me from thinking of "Milagro Beanfield War" or "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" as Westerns, but it is totally fair to call them that. I just thought of them as films-about-America.
I think I could take many of the titles suggested (although not all) and have some enjoyable evenings of film watching. Just because you root for the Indians doesn't mean you can't enjoy a film, right?
I've never owned an Elton John album, but never wholly rejected him either. Yes, earlier recordings generally suit my tastes better, but he certainly has talents, and millions of satisfied listeners can't all be all wrong.
D in California
Definitely my favourite EJ album as well and I wish he had done more in this style also. Have to admit I was never a fan of westerns unless 'Blazing Saddles' & 'Westworld' count.
ReplyDeleteWestern Movies huh? (again too many too list but just a flavour of them)
ReplyDeleteAll The Clint Eastwood Films
Silverado
Cowboys & Aliens
Magnificent 7 Series
McClintock, The Sons of Katy Elder, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and some of the other John Wayne films
Paint Yer Wagon
Calamity Jane
Tombstone
Paleface
Cat Balou
Once Upon a Time In The West
ReplyDeleteIl Grande Silenzio
Lonesome Cowboys
Zachariah
Link
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/KqjLjCH4RGn
Shane. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence. High Plains Drifter.
ReplyDeleteTrue Grit (both versions), Little Big Man & Shane.
ReplyDeleteIn an oddball vein, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a great "western."
I also liked Elton much better before he became a pop star and like this one more than the others. A great voice perverted to trivial pursuits. A lot of the great westerns have already been named here so I'll recommend the Netflix series Godless. Thanks, Babs.
ReplyDelete