Elton John
– Elton John
If Empty Sky was the warm-up, Elton John was the moment when everything clicked. Released in 1970, this was the album that announced Elton John as a force to be reckoned with. The orchestration was grand, the melodies rich, and the songs—written with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin—were deeper, darker, and more ambitious than what would come later. Before he became the flamboyant piano rocker of the mid-’70s, before the sequins and oversized glasses, there was this—an album filled with melancholy, longing, and a young artist figuring out just how far he could push his own sound.
The arrangements, courtesy of Paul Buckmaster, give the record a dramatic, almost cinematic feel. Sweeping strings, moody pianos, and folk-rock undercurrents weave through these songs, setting a tone that’s both intimate and grand. This isn’t the upbeat, pop-friendly Elton of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or Honky Château—this is an album drenched in loneliness, searching for meaning, and teetering between hope and despair. It’s an Elton John album, yes, but it also feels like something that could have come from a lost British troubadour with a fondness for baroque pop.
But what really sells it is the voice. Elton had found his range by now, delivering soaring highs and hushed whispers with equal conviction. Whether he’s belting out a desperate plea or crooning through a quiet reflection, there’s a rawness here that later albums would smooth out. Elton John is the sound of an artist standing on the edge of something massive—he just doesn’t know it yet.
Choice Tracks
Your Song
The song that started it all. It’s simple, earnest, and absolutely timeless. A love song without pretension, carried by Elton’s delicate piano and a melody that feels like it was always meant to exist. Even after decades of overexposure, it still hits.
Take Me to the Pilot
Nobody really knows what this song is about, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a gospel-tinged piano rocker with a driving beat, soaring vocals, and one of Elton’s most soulful deliveries. It’s the first real glimpse of the high-energy performer he would soon become.
Border Song
A slow-burning, hymn-like ballad that builds into something huge. There’s a gospel influence here, both musically and lyrically, and when Elton hits those big, sweeping notes, it’s hard not to get swept up with him.
Sixty Years On
Dark, orchestral, and brooding, this is the album’s most haunting track. The strings swell, the piano drifts in and out, and Elton delivers a stark, almost cinematic performance. It’s miles away from his later hits, but it shows just how deep he could go when the moment called for it.
I Need You to Turn To
A baroque gem driven by harpsichord, this one sounds like it belongs in a different century. It’s intimate and sorrowful, with Taupin’s lyrics painting a picture of quiet desperation.
Elton John wasn’t the album that made him a superstar—that would come later. But it was the album that proved he had something special. It’s dramatic, heartfelt, and full of moments that hint at the legend to come.