Mo' Elton -- Greatest Hits, 1976-1986 (for Greatest Hits, Vol. 3)

These are all stinky.

"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" is probably Elton's last almost-great song. Without the dire backing vox, it might have even been his last great song.

"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"

This is Elton's equivlent of "Sucking In The Seventies"

Hardly his best period, but "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" is a great song.

hahah CONSENSUS ABOUNDS

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is great!

I like "I'm Still Standing"!

the better question which one's the worst. I still have bad associations with "I'm Still Standing" (one of my mom's dork boyfriends when I was a kid used to refer to it is "their song"--nice guy but pretty dim, not unlike the song). "Little Jeannie" is on the sickly side of pleasant. I don't hate "Blue Eyes" but it's such an obvious Sinatra grab it's a little uneasy to remember. the Kiki Dee duet is decent Velveeta. "Empty Garden" is bombastic anguish whose video I get mixed up in my head with watching the actual news reports of Lennon's murder. "Sad Songs" he really SELLS w/the vocal; listening to this while working on a column about '80s Top 10 lists made me realize how truly an automaton he often is. I faintly recall "Nikita" as being like "Little Jeannie" with a Russian accent, or maybe I'm just being hilarious as usual.

I think the worst might have to be "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"--but I barely remember it other than thinking it was kind of dull. Still, I strongly suspect "Mama Can't Buy You Love" or "Kiss the Bride" or "Who Wears These Shoes?" or "Wrap Her Up" might be worse, because I cannot recall a single one of them and if Elton isn't good for memorable he isn't good for anything.

'Blue Eyes' is lovely, despite the doggerel lyrics but went for 'I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues'.

Leaning toward "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

"Blue Eyes" has a lovely vocal and melody; they earn the Sinatra comparisons. "I Guess That's Why..." is probably the classic here, but I'm leaning towards "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word."

If the bastard had waited a couple of years he could have included "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That."

This single wasn't included.

Perhaps my opinions are tainted by nostalgia (unlike volumes 1 and 2, I can remember when all these songs were released), but there are some great songs here! I've always had a soft spot for "Sad Songs" and especially for "Empty Garden", "I'm Still Standing" is fun and the video still makes my head explode, and so on. I never cared much for "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues", oddly enough.

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" -- why the hate? It may be saccharine and sexless, but it's fun! Watch the Muppet Show version and try not to smile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OX2WErOvD4

Well, where is "Passengers" ? Especially the bootmixmash with Iggy's song.

Also, "Bite your lip (Get up and dance)" ?

Also, bear in mind that "Are you ready for love" was a flop during this time, and now is one of his biggest hits, so that one as well...

Oh, and "Part Time Love" especially booxmished with Stevie Wonder's ach never mind.

I'm not looking these up you know!

I like "I'm Still Standing," call me crazy.

You're crazy, but yeah.

"Wrap her up" just for the sight of Elton and George trying to out-macho each other, is brilliant for all the wrong reasons.

Not a bad record at all, except in comparison with its two predecessors. (And it'll look like friggin' monster next to the presumably forthcoming Vol. 4) As for the ones above: Both "blue" songs and the '76 leftovers are contenders, but "Sad Songs" ultimately takes it. (Even though it doesn't say a lot, and isn't particularly sad.)

the collection also missing: "Part-Time Love," "Victim of Love," and a host of minor singles. And the Brits love "Song For Guy."

anyone own the studio albums released in this period?

"Blue Eyes" gets no love from Elton, he's more or less called it a five minute knock off.

"Sad Songs" ultimately takes it. (Even though it doesn't say a lot, and isn't particularly sad.)

OTM

Their very obscurity makes those '78-81 singles refreshing to hear and enjoyable for their trendy genre-hopping. (Synthpop, Eurodisco, Sparks-prog...) Damn, I'm wishing I had a box-set right now

Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word shits on them all from on high

what rogermexico said above about "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"

as to the worst song: "Who Wears These Shoes?" for me. Until last year I though the Weird Al song "Don't Wear Those Shoes" wasn't a parody (Weird Al usually has a few originals on his records). Then I heard the Elton song finally. Weird Al's is better.

rubbish sleeve

That cricket bat is missed

Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word shits on them all from on high

-- Bo Jackson Overdrive, Monday, December 17, 2007 9:07 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

bo jackson speaks truth.

A lot of OK songs here, "Don't Go Breakin'" rises to pretty good so I went w/ that. Man, have some of these been played to death on lite radio/grocery store soundsystems for 20 years +. Never owned it, but I bet I've heard "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" 500 times in my life just at work, either in grocery stores or the radio tuned to lite radio in a photocopy room.

I guess I was right in voting for "I Guess That Why...", but "Empty Garden" is a great song that strangely is among his lesser hits of the period.

"Song For Guy" really ought to be in there. It was his only major UK hit (i.e. top ten) in the six-year gap between "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Blue Eyes."

Also "Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year)" from Too Low For Zero is a seriously underrated song.

Ok I've heard all of these songs again and the best is "Empty Garden" - a decent lyric and a pretty harrowing vocal performance. He clearly missed his lost weekend buddy.

Worst is "Wrap Her Up" - sexist claptrap from the closet like "Livin' La Vida Loca." Only here it's worse because there are two closeted megastars, one echoing the other. Ugh. The pits! Really fuckin' ugly.

But the best song in this thread is "Passengers" which I'd never heard before. Sounds like Elton filtering mbaqanga through Malcolm McLaren.

You mean, Elton John was part of the lost weekend bunch? I thought that was Lennon, Nilsson and Keith Moon.

I thought he coked it up with Elton too, no?

Bowie?

Yeah, "Wrap Her Up" is vile shit. And I'm kind of surprised not many people are boosting "Empty Garden" -- it's by far the best sentimental tribute to John, superior to "All Those Years Ago" or that Paul Simon collab with Philip Glass.

No "Ego", no credibilityvote from me

I love "... Blues" and "Empty Garden" a whole lot, but I went with "I'm So Excited that I'm Still Standing."

"Ego"'s the one that kinda reminds me of Sparks in some way

I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

"Don'tchoo go breaking my heart!"
"I want go breaking your heart!!"

Lots of good songs. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" best of all.

it's by far the best sentimental tribute to John, superior to "All Those Years Ago" or that Paul Simon collab with Philip Glass.

"Empty Garden" is ace, but not better than "Here Today" or "The Late Great Johnny Ace".

I love the mix on "I'm Still Standing." It has a certain energy to it.

"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" is great, but it annoys me greatly that because there is nothing in the song that explains the etymology of the phrase "The Blues," the title refrain is completely nonsensical. Seriously, Mr. Taupin- wtf?

im still standing!!!!

I non-dislike a lot of these, surprisingly enough! The Kiki Dee duet might deservigly win, but I voted for "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," which is a song about sad songs without actually being one, a neat trick (if nobody already pointed that out up above.)

I strongly suspect "Mama Can't Buy You Love" ...might be worse

I agree with the other unmemorable nonentities that Michaelangelo named, but this was toward the tail end of Elton's Philly-disco-wannabe phase (from the Thom Bell Sessions EP, right? Which, now that I think of it, may or may not be up there with the Honeydrippers and David Lee Roth as one of the biggest-selling EPs ever.) And it's not so bad.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Lots of "Nikita" votes!

"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" is great, but it annoys me greatly that because there is nothing in the song that explains the etymology of the phrase "The Blues," the title refrain is completely nonsensical. Seriously, Mr. Taupin- wtf?

OTM, thank you!

You mean, Elton John was part of the lost weekend bunch? I thought that was Lennon, Nilsson and Keith Moon.

no idea if elton was boozing/coking it up with john and harry, but all of elton and lennon's collaborations -- "whatever gets you through the night," "lucy in the sky," madison sq garden -- came during the lost weekend period. for whatever that's worth.

Lots of "Nikita" votes!

i've got a soft spot for that song, too (though it didn't get my vote).

i am only sad that "sorry seems to be the hardest word" didn't get more votes. though i am glad that "empty garden" only got 2 votes -- such sloppy treacle, since elton (and even bernie!) could do sadness and remorse so much better.

has anyone ever tried rifling through the mid period 80s elton stuff for his 'temorary secretary' or same? i mean of that era he's said 'it sounds like a dead man in there' but really that only adds to the unloved-tune-with-electro-dancefloor-potential! it's all on SPOTIFY which might make this easier.

UUUUUUUUUUUGH "Little Jeannie." I just heard you at Target a little while ago.

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" has some of the best anonymous studio musician drumming I've ever heard (the hi-hat kicks!). WHO IS THAT???

I'm pretty sure the drummer was Roger Pope, who was the regular sticksman in the Elton John Band at the time. Ah yes, here we go:

ROCKET ROKN 512 (UK: #1; 14 weeks)

A. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee) (4:23)
B. Snow Queen (with Kiki Dee) (5:54)

A-side writing credit is shown as Ann Orson & Carte Blanche, actually Elton John & Bernie Taupin.
Produced by Gus Dudgeon. Other musicians are: Davey Johnstone - guitar; Kenny Passarelli - bass guitar and Roger Pope - drums. A-side strings arranged by James Newton-Howard

whoa "Empty Garden" is pretty great! The electronic touches are nice and push the maudlin toward creepy, which I suspect was the intended effect.

Hai consensus -- "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" is fuckin' great.

I feel "I'm Still Standing" really got undue short shrift here.

Benny Hill cost it all of its UK votes i suspect

has anyone ever tried rifling through the mid period 80s elton stuff for his 'temorary secretary' or same? i mean of that era he's said 'it sounds like a dead man in there' but really that only adds to the unloved-tune-with-electro-dancefloor-potential! it's all on SPOTIFY which might make this easier.

"Too Low For Zero"?

"Passengers", as mentioned above..

yeah Crystal off Too Low For Zero is pretty much a buried electroclash treasure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIkFqffgzo