HiRez Poll John, Elton - GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD [SACD/DVD-A/BDA]

[fredblue]

Hi CV,

I'm glad you are enjoying EJ's GYBR. I love it to death though I always skip Jamaica Jerk-Off(Sorry Fred)

Might I suggest: Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy? I find that to be EJ's best from start to finish though it doesn't have the heavy-weight classic songs like GYBR...

Welcome to the magnificent world of discrete 5.1!

Cheers,

DennisMoore

I'll never forget the first time I heard the 5.1 of Jamaica Jerk-Off.. when Bernie does his best cod-Jamaican accent "WATCH OUT NOW!!" I nearly fell off my chair! :yikes

So many fabulous things Greg Penny brought out in those remixes, I could nigh-on write a book about all the "new" stuff he unearthed. I'd like to meet him someday and give him a big hug for being a real unsung hero both in Elton fandom (he never got the credit he deserved for his contribution over the years imho) and to surround music via those Elton mixes.

 

[fredblue]

There is one heavy-weight classic on that disc: Someone Saved My Life Tonight.

Certainly is! It's the crown jewel of that album

The extra tracks are no slackers either.. I love the way Greg solo'd James Newton-Howard's keys in the centre channel in Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.. and despite it being a bit loud and very full-on, the kitchen-sink levels of detail in Philadelphia Freedom (particularly the horns & strings) are something else.

 

[fredblue]

Yeah man, I'm with you. All of Elton John's classic records have at least one monster hit on them. GYBR had like 6 or 7. Amazing really. All the records had some clunkers to avoid as well. @:

Too true.. every one has at least one track that's a clunker for some.

I can't skip anything from Captain Fantastic.. but that's about it, I think just about every other album of his that I rate (and there are quite a few I don't!) there's a track or two I'll skip, especially nowadays.

 

[Perp]

...Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds...

I was never one for "The Beatles" cover songs but "LSD" is the one, even though I love them to death, I feel Elton nailed it and the version I prefer to listen to. He places quiet a bit more excitement into that track. It's almost like that song was written for him to perform.

 

[Perp]

Hi CV,

I'm glad you are enjoying EJ's GYBR. I love it to death though I always skip Jamaica Jerk-Off(Sorry Fred)

I don't dislike one song on the album but feel when I listen to Jamaica Jerk-Off, it could have been originally mixed better.

 

[Perp]

Linda, I love you! I agree with everything you just said!

Gee, I think I'm in love with her too.

 

[Perp]

Hey?! Did someone combine the DVD-A/SACD & BDA poll? Or, did I just miss the BD part? Anyway, I feel these two should be separate due to the over 10 year difference in release.

 

[fredblue]

I was never one for "The Beatles" cover songs but "LSD" is the one, even though I love them to death, I feel Elton nailed it and the version I prefer to listen to. He places quiet a bit more excitement into that track. It's almost like that song was written for him to perform.

YEAY! Well said! :banana: it's even got a reggae break in it, its bonkers! Plus you can really hear Lennon's contribution in Greg Penny's remix. FAB-YOU-LUSSSSS...!!!! :worthy

Its possibly sacrilege to say but EJ's version of Pinball Wizard totally kicks The 'Oo's ***** too! (Linda will probably kill me for saying that!) I love The Who to deeeeeath but Elton and the boys took that song to planet EJ and totally smashed it to pieces! Elton's crazy flipper (chipolata) fingers are all over the keys and I LOVE Davey's guitar work on that track, he totally let's rip - several times, he solo's more than once! Anytime I've had a mate say Elton can't rock out, I play them his cover of Pinball Wizard.. and watch their jaw hit the floor! :yikes

 

[Perp]

Yeah, I forgot about "Pinball Wizard".

 

[fredblue]

I don't dislike one song on the album but feel when I listen to Jamaica Jerk-Off, it could have been originally mixed better.

afaik, the original idea was for Elton (and Davey, Dee & Nigel.. and Bernie.. and Gus.. and Dave Henschel.. and the tea-boy too, no doubt) to be jabbering away in mock West-Indian chit chat all the way through the song in the background.. but that got paired back to virtually nothing on the final stereo mix.

I'd love to hear some of it.. if anything from those try-outs for extra effects/ambience on that track ever survived.

its a real off the cuff throwaway number (slight pun intended..) and it is a bit naff.. but at least we never got
"Gotta Get Back To England" instead! Can you imagine!? I've never heard it (I don't know any fan who has) but it sounds even cornier than Jamaica Jerk-Off imho!

did you know EJ & the band recorded an astonishing 26 tracks during those Goodbye Yellow Brick Road sessions at the Chateau (in just 2 weeks!)..

the outtakes were:

Screw You (Young Man's Blues),
Jack Rabbit,
Whenever You're Ready, We'll Go Steady Again ..
(which so many of us have heard)
Supercool,
Lonnie & Josie,
The Last Good Man In My Life
(all gifted to Kiki, Elton's versions have never surfaced.. I'm presuming since they didn't appear on the 40th Anniversary set, they're not held in the archives)..
Good Morning,
Let Me Be Your Car,
Gotta Get Back To England.

oh and also another little bit of trivia, the GYBR album was originally going to be called "Silent Movies, Talking Pictures".

 

[Perp]

oh and also another little bit of trivia, the GYBR album was originally going to be called "Silent Movies, Talking Pictures".

Actually, I didn't know this but I really like that title!

 

[fredblue]

Hey?! Did someone combine the DVD-A/SACD & BDA poll? Or, did I just miss the BD part? Anyway, I feel these two should be separate due to the over 10 year difference in release.

Uh oh! Can of worms alert! :yikes

 

[Perp]

Okay, I'm going to start out by listening to the SACD in it's entirety. Then, do the same with the BDA. After that, if I need to do a song by song comparison before I Post my thoughts, I will.

 

[fredblue]

Okay, I'm going to start out by listening to the SACD in it's entirety. Then, do the same with the BDA. After that, if I need to do a song by song comparison before I Post my thoughts, I will.

Oh I didn't know you had the BDA already! I thought you were waiting for it to come in the mail Looking forward to hearing all your thoughts

 

[Perp]

You must have missed my Post in the other Thread.

 

[fredblue]

You must have missed my Post in the other Thread.

Oops..

 

[DennisMoore Jr.]

I can't skip anything from Captain Fantastic.. but that's about it, I think just about every other album of his that I rate (and there are quite a few I don't!) there's a track or two I'll skip, especially nowadays.

Yeah m8, that is my point about Captain Fantastic. The songs on CF may not be the strongest but from start to finish it is a wonderful journey. No skipping needed.

GYBR is a complete masterpiece but some skipping is needed like all his other records. I don't want to break Linda's heart, but Tumbleweed needs a skip here & there as well.

Elton released the complete Captain Fantastic live set from the 1975 London concert in a recent deluxe edition. That must have been an all time great show to hear CF from start to finish along with Caleb Quaye, Davey Johnston & Skunk Baxter playing three lead guitars! What a show! I never understood why Elton ditched Caleb Quaye. His work on the Tommy Soundtrack on the Who songs is incredible.

 

[fredblue]

It was only the complete CFATBDC album plus the encores of SNAFF & Pinball on the Deluxe Ed., DMJ. Elton's entire setlist at the Wembley gig included other numbers (things like Dixie Lily, Chameleon, Philadelphia Freedom, etc.. iirc.?). I have the complete boot somewhere on tape, I got it from a fan about 20 yrs ago, albeit in v.poor quality.

 

[DennisMoore Jr.]

Its possibly sacrilege to say but EJ's version of Pinball Wizard totally kicks The 'Oo's ***** too!

I felt the same way back when the Tommy soundtrack came out in 1975. I am the biggest WHO fan you'll find. But... EJ's Pinball Wizard is the definitive version. I got into trouble saying this in grade school back then, but I'll never change. EJ's version is one of the best rock songs ever. That of course had Caleb Quyae on guitar.

 

[fredblue]

It was only the complete CFATBDC album plus the encores of SNAFF & Pinball on the Deluxe Ed., DMJ. Elton's entire setlist at the Wembley gig included other numbers (things like Dixie Lily, Chameleon, Philadelphia Freedom, etc.. iirc.?). I have the complete boot somewhere on tape, I got it from a fan about 20 yrs ago, albeit in v.poor quality.

Here's the Wembley 75 complete setlist:

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/elton-john/1975/wembley-stadium-london-england-13d1e971.html