 |
ELTON JOHN - ROCKET MAN: THE DEFINITIVE HITS – UNIVERSAL
Record Rating: *****
One of the top five selling artists of all time (just behind Elvis and the Beatles) Elton John’s the only pop star to emerge out of the introspective singer-songwriter era of the early 70s who’s managed to keep churning out hit after hit well into his fourth decade. For his career has seldom run dry of Top 10 hits, whether they’re the radio staples of the disco decade or the stage and screen anthems of his latter days.
Now that the 60-year-old pop star seems better known for his outrageous behaviour and his travails with George Michael than for his catalogue, Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits is a timely effort to focus attention back where it rightly belongs ~ his music. Yes, John’s fans have been confronted with a dizzying array of retrospectives over the years, but few have had as much going for them as this jam-packed single-disc collection that was released to commemorate the pop star’s 60th birthday. The impressive breadth of subject matter on the 17 tracks includes among other things ~ wistful, elegant ballads (Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, Sacrifice, Don’t Let Sun Go Down On Me), a nod to tennis pro Billie Jean King (Philadelphia Freedom) and feel-good rockers (Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, I’m Still Standing) that have all become pop music standards. Your Song, the Bernie Taupin penned love song is also included here, which many feel is John’s greatest moment.
The quintessential John-Taupin composition on this CD is of course Candle In The Wind ~ 1970’s version from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was written as an ode to Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe, and the 90s version was rewritten to be a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales. The latter went on to become the best selling single of all time after John performed it at the Princess’s funeral. For newer fans, the collection also finds room for the highlights of his more recent albums ~ like I Want Love from Songs From The West Coast.
The only problem with the recent spate of definitive hit collections from the pop elite ~ Elvis, The Beatles, the Bee Gees, and now Elton John ~ is that compiling an entire record around what were the popular singles only shines the spotlight on the really good stuff that made the cut. In John’s case, it’s the omission of classics like Nikita, The One, Can You Feel The Love Tonight, and Something About The Way You Look Tonight among others. Despite those exclusions, Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits doesn’t merely preserve the legacy of Elton John, it gives it a new vivacity, and a power guaranteed to propel the music forward for some time to come. This is money wisely spent.
Read our other reviews:
|
|
|
|
|
 |
The Record has been around since 1998. Do you have every issue of your favourite magazine?
 to order back issues
Would you like to have your favourite music magazine delivered directly to
your doorstep?
|
|
