Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Infobox Album |
Name = Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Type = Album
Artist = Elton John


Released = October 5, 1973
Recorded = Château d'Hérouville, Pontoise, France, May 1973
Genre = Rock
Glam Rock
Pop
Length = 76:12
Label = MCA Records (US/Canada) DJM Records
Producer = Gus Dudgeon
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:4k2gtq2ztu47 link]
*Robert Christgau (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=elton+john link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/eltonjohn/albums/album/235969/rid/6067993/ link]
Last album = "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" (1973)
This album = "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973)
Next album = "Caribou" (1974)

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is the seventh studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1973. It is regarded by many as his magnum opus. With worldwide sales of at least 30 million it is his best selling studio album. In 2000 "Q" magazine placed it at number 84 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. RS500|91

History

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was recorded at the Château d'Hérouville, where John had previously recorded "Honky Château" and "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player". The amount of material was such that "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was released as a double album, his first. This album had originally been planned to be recorded in Jamaica, since The Rolling Stones had recorded "Goats Head Soup" there. Technical difficulties, coupled with political unrest in the country at the time forced the band to make an early departure without any productive work getting done. [ cite video
people = Elton John, Bernie Taupin (Lyricist), Davey Johnstone (Guitarist), Nigel Olsson (Drummer)
date2 =
month2 =
year2 = 2001
title = Classic Albums: Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
url = http://imdb.com/title/tt0829122/
format =
medium = Documentary
publisher = ISIS Productions, Eagle Rock Entertainment
location = UK
accessdate = 2007-12-24
accessmonth=
accessyear =
time = approx. 16 minutes
id =
isbn =
oclc =
quote =]

In addition to the three successful singles released from this album (see below), many other cuts received substantial airplay at AOR stations when it was released, including "Harmony"; the 11-minute epic, "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"; and his Marilyn Monroe tribute, "Candle in the Wind".

Track listing

All songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

ide one

#"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" – 11:09
#"Candle in the Wind" – 3:49
#"Bennie and the Jets" – 5:23

ide two

#"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" – 3:13
#"This Song Has No Title" – 2:23
#"Grey Seal" – 4:00
#"Jamaica Jerk-Off" – 3:38
#"I've Seen That Movie Too" – 5:58

ide three

#"Sweet Painted Lady" – 3:54
#"The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1903-34)" – 4:23
#"Dirty Little Girl" – 5:01
#"All the Girls Love Alice" – 5:09

ide four

#"Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n' Roll)" – 2:42
#"Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" – 4:53
#"Roy Rogers" – 4:08
#"Social Disease" – 3:43
#"Harmony" – 2:46

Bonus tracks (2003 30th Anniversary Hybrid SACD Deluxe Edition / DVD-A Edition)

#"Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)" – 2:51
#"Jack Rabbit" – 1:49
#"Screw You (Young Man's Blues)" – 4:43
#"Candle in the Wind" [Acoustic version] – 3:51

The original LP and CD issues were on two discs, while the 1995 CD remaster put the album on one disc as it was slightly less than 80 minutes. The 30th anniversary edition followed the original format, splitting the album across two discs to allow the inclusion of the bonus tracks, while a DVD on the making of the album was also included. There is also an MFSL version of the album.

B-sides

Certifications

References

succession box
before = "Goats Head Soup" by The Rolling Stones
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = November 10 1973 - January 4 1974
after = "" by The Carpenterssuccession box
before = "Jonathan Livingston Seagull (soundtrack)"
by Neil Diamond
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = March 18 - April 7 1974
after = "Band on the Run" by Paul McCartney & Wings