I recently watched the film Rocketman and much enjoyed it, though something tells me it may not be quite the full story. Elton and Bernie Taupin produced some great numbers, and when this came out in 1970 it was quite a new sound.
It was first released by Three Dog Night in March 1970 on their album It Ain’t Easy. It was not turned into a single. I like the voice but I don’t think the instrumentation makes the most of it.
Elton recorded it in January 1970 and it was released as a single in the October. It reached No 7 in Britain and No 8 in America. It is at 202 on Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Here’s a live performance from 1971. At least I think it’s live but I am not sure where the strings backing comes from.
- In the interests of full disclosure, I have to add that it contains one of the worst lyric passages of all time, viz: ‘I sat on the roof, and kicked off the moss; but a few of the verses they got me quite cross. But anyway the thing is, what I really mean, yours are the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen.’