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Elton John
Studio album by Elton John
Released	10 April 1970; 54 years ago (1970-04-10)
Recorded	January 1970; 55 years ago (1970-01)
Studio	Trident, London
Genre	Soft rock art pop
Length	39:27
Label	Uni DJM
Producer	Gus Dudgeon
Elton John chronology
Empty Sky (1969; 56 years ago (1969)) Elton John (1970) Tumbleweed Connection (1970; 55 years ago (1970))
Singles from Elton John
"Border Song" Released: March 20, 1970; 54 years ago (1970-03-20) "Your Song" / "Take Me to the Pilot" Released: October 26, 1970; 54 years ago (1970-10-26)

Elton John is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was released on April 10, 1970; 54 years ago (1970-04-10) by DJM Records and by Uni Records in United States. The album was the first release by John in the United States because Empty Sky was not released in the country until 1975; 50 years ago (1975).

The album includes John's breakthrough single "Your Song", which reached number 7 in the UK charts and helped to establish his career during what was considered the "singer-songwriter" era of popular music. In the US, it was certified gold in February 1971; 53 years ago (1971-02) by the RIAA. In the same year, it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

In 2003; 22 years ago (2003), the album was ranked number 468 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. On November 27, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-11-27), it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as an album cited as exhibiting "qualitative or historical significance".

Production

This was the first of a string of John albums produced by Gus Dudgeon. As Dudgeon recalled in a Mix magazine interview, the album was not actually intended to launch John as an artist, but rather as a collection of polished demos for other artists to consider recording his and co-writer Bernie Taupin's songs. Two songs from the album did find their way into the repertoire of other artists in 1970; 55 years ago (1970): "Your Song" was recorded by Three Dog Night as an album track on their LP It Ain't Easy, while Aretha Franklin released a cover of "Border Song" as a single that reached number 37 in the US pop charts and number 5 on the R&B chart, later included on her 1972; 53 years ago (1972) album Young, Gifted and Black.

The song "No Shoe Strings on Louise" was intended (as homage or parody) to sound like a Rolling Stones song.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

John Mendelsohn in a contemporary (1970; 55 years ago (1970)) review for Rolling Stone felt that the album was over-produced and over-orchestrated, comparing it unfavourably with the less mannered and orchestrated Empty Sky; though he felt that John had "so immense a talent" that "he'll delight you senseless despite it all". Robert Christgau in his weekly "Consumer Guide" column for The Village Voice also felt the album was overdone ("overweening", "histrionic overload", "semi-classical ponderousness"), but that it had "a surprising complement of memorable tracks", including "Your Song" which, despite its "affected offhandedness", he considered "an instant standard".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

B-sides

Live recordings

John performed many of these songs live, and included six of these ten songs on his 1987; 38 years ago (1987) album Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Personnel

Track numbers refer to CD and digital releases of the album.

• Elton John – piano, vocals (all tracks), harpsichord (2)
• Diana Lewis – Moog synthesizer (5, 9)
• Brian Dee – organ (6, 7)
• Frank Clark – acoustic guitar (1), double bass (10)
• Colin Green – additional guitar (1, 7), Spanish guitar (6)
• Clive Hicks – twelve-string guitar (1), rhythm guitar (4), guitar (7, 8, 10), acoustic guitar (9)
• Roland Harker – guitar (2)
• Alan Parker – rhythm guitar (3)
• Caleb Quaye – lead guitar (3, 4, 5), additional guitar (9)
• Dave Richmond – bass guitar, double bass (1, 7, 8)
• Alan Weighall – bass guitar (3, 4, 9)
• Les Hurdle – bass guitar (10)
• Barry Morgan – drums (1, 3, 4, 7, 9)
• Terry Cox – drums (8, 10)
• Dennis Lopez – percussion (3, 4)
• Tex Navarra – percussion (9)
• Skaila Kanga – harp (2, 8)
• Paul Buckmaster – cello solo (8), orchestral arrangements and conductor
• David Katz – orchestra contractor
• Madeline Bell – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Tony Burrows – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Roger Cook – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Lesley Duncan – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Kay Garner – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Tony Hazzard – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Barbara Moore – backing vocals, choir leader (7)

Technical

• Gus Dudgeon – producer, liner notes
• Robin Geoffrey Cable – engineer
• Gus Skinas – editing
• Alan Harris – original mastering
• Tony Cousins – remastering
• Ricky Graham – digital transfers
• Greg Penny – surround sound
• Steve Brown – production coordinator
• David Larkham – art direction
• Stowell Stanford – photography
• Jim Goff – artwork
• John Tobler – liner notes

Accolades

Grammy Awards

Charts

Certifications

References

1. "Border Song 45cat". 45cat. Retrieved May 8, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-05-08). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
2. "Elton John". discogs.
3. Colin Larkin (2007; 18 years ago (2007)). "John, Elton". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 2005; 20 years ago (2005). ISBN 978-0195313734. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
4. "Grammy Hall of Fame Award. Grammy.org. Retrieved December 21, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-12-21)
5. Clark, Rick. "Gus Dudgeon, (1942-09-30)September 30, 1942-July 21, 2002(2002-07-21) (aged 59)". Mixonline.
6. J (April 18, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-04-18)). "Won't you please excuse my frankness but it's not my cup of tea: Elton John – Elton John (1970; 55 years ago (1970))". www.resurrectionsongs.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016; 8 years ago (2016-10-03). Retrieved October 3, 2016; 8 years ago (2016-10-03). The side is rounded off with the 'Rolling Stones country' tinged 'No Shoe Strings on Louise' (even Elton's phrasing is similar to Jagger's at times – "All those city women want to make us poor men and this land's got the worse for the worrying")... {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date=, |date=, and |archive-date= (help)
7. Bernardin, Claude (1995; 30 years ago (1995)). Rocket Man: Elton John From A – Z. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood/Praeger. p. 186. ISBN 0-275-95698-9. He tried to impersonate Mick Jagger. The song is about loose women. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
8. Stephen Thomas Erlewine "Elton John". Allmusic.
9. John Mendelsohn (November 12, 1970; 54 years ago (1970-11-12)). "Album Reviews Elton John". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007; 17 years ago (2007-10-02). {{cite magazine}}: Check date values in: |date= and |archive-date= (help)
10. Robert Christgau (November 1970; 54 years ago (1970-11)). "Consumer Guide Album Elton John: Elton John". robertchristgau.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
11. "Elton John Albums Statistics". setlist.fm.
12. "GRAMMYs' Best Albums 1970; 55 years ago (1970)–1979; 46 years ago (1979)". grammy.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-03-04). Retrieved November 1, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-11-01). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |archive-date= (help)
13. "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved July 13, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-07-13). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
14. Kent, David (1993; 32 years ago (1993)). Australian Chart Book 1970; 55 years ago (1970)–1992; 33 years ago (1992) (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
15. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3762". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 22, 2023; 22 months ago (2023-02-22).
16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Elton John" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 22, 2023; 22 months ago (2023-02-22).
17. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970; 55 years ago (1970)–2005; 20 years ago (2005) (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006; 19 years ago (2006). ISBN 4-87131-077-9. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
18. "Elton John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 22, 2023; 22 months ago (2023-02-22).
19. "Elton Johnrefname=Billboard 200 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 22, 2023; 22 months ago (2023-02-22).
20. Kent, David (1993; 32 years ago (1993)). Australian Chart Book 1970; 55 years ago (1970)–1992; 33 years ago (1992). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
21. "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1971; 54 years ago (1971)" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on May 12, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-05-12). Retrieved April 2, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-04-02). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |archive-date= (help)
22. "Elton John Self Titled LP. Australian Gold Disc Award". February 20, 2023; 22 months ago (2023-02-20). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
23. "Elton John: Self-Titled "Platinum" Record Award". February 27, 2023; 22 months ago (2023-02-27). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
24. "great britain's million sellers, 1972; 53 years ago (1972)-1973; 52 years ago (1973)" (PDF). Cash Box. July 6, 1974; 50 years ago (1974-07-06). p. 8, Part II. Retrieved December 20, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-12-20). {{cite magazine}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
25. "American album certifications – Elton John – Elton John". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Elton John at Discogs (list of releases)

• 1970 albums
• Albums arranged by Paul Buckmaster
• Albums produced by Gus Dudgeon
• Albums recorded at Trident Studios
• DJM Records albums
• Elton John albums
• Uni Records albums