Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Studio album by Elton John
Released	October 5, 1973
Recorded	Château d'Hérouville, Hérouville, France, May 1973
Genre	Rock, glam rock, pop, piano rock
Length	76:12
Label	MCA Records (US/Canada) DJM Records
Producer	Gus Dudgeon
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Robert Christgau (B) link Rolling Stone (unfavorable) link
Elton John chronology
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) 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 31 million copies 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. In 2003, the album was ranked number 91 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

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. (It was also the final album Elton and the band recorded at the studio before relocation to Caribou Ranch, Colo., for the next three albums.) 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 done.^[1]

In addition to the three successful singles released from this album (see below), many other cuts received substantial airplay at AOR stations when the album was released, including "Harmony" (which had been considered as a fourth U.S. single); 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

Side one

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

Side two

1. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" – 3:31
2. "This Song Has No Title" – 2:23
3. "Grey Seal" – 4:00
4. "Jamaica Jerk-Off" – 3:38
5. "I've Seen That Movie Too" – 5:58

Side three

1. "Sweet Painted Lady" – 3:54
2. "The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-34)" – 4:23
3. "Dirty Little Girl" – 5:01
4. "All the Girls Love Alice" – 5:09

Side four

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

Bonus tracks (2003 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

1. "Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)" – 2:51
2. "Jack Rabbit" – 1:49
3. "Screw You (Young Man's Blues)" – 4:43
4. "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. The album has also been released by Mobile Fidelity as a single disc 24 karat gold CD.

The album was also released (2004) on a DVD-Audio in higher resolution.

B-sides

Personnel

• "Funeral for a Friend"
  • Elton John – piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
  • Nigel Olsson – drums
  • David Hentschel – A.R.P. synthesizer

• "Love Lies Bleeding"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals
  • David Hentschel – A.R.P. synthesizer

• "Candle in the Wind"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals

• "Bennie and the Jets"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano, organ
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – acoustic and electric guitars
  • Nigel Olsson – drums

• "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – Leslie guitar, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals
  • Del Newman – orchestral arrangement

• "This Song Has No Title"
  • Elton John – vocals, Farfisa organ, electric piano , mellotron & piano

• "Grey Seal"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano, mellotron & electric piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, congas

• "Jamaica Jerk-Off"
  • Elton John – vocals, organs
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
  • Nigel Olsson – drums
  • Prince Rhino – vocal Interjections

• "I've Seen That Movie Too"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – acoustic, electric guitars
  • Nigel Olsson – drums
  • Del Newman – orchestral arrangement

• "Sweet Painted Lady"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, tambourine

• "The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-34)"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals
  • Del Newman – orchestral arrangement

• "Dirty Little Girl"
  • Elton John – vocals, Leslie piano, mellotron
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
  • Nigel Olsson – drums

• "All the Girls Love Alice"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
  • Nigel Olsson – drums
  • David Hentschel – A.R.P. synthesizer
  • Ray Cooper – tambourine
  • Kiki Dee – backing vocals

• "Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano, Farfisa organ
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – electric, slide guitars, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals

• "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitars
  • Nigel Olsson – drums

• "Roy Rogers"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – acoustic, steel guitars
  • Nigel Olsson – drums
  • Del Newman – orchestral arrangement

• "Social Disease"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar, Banjo
  • Nigel Olsson – drums
  • Leroy Gomez – saxophone

• "Harmony"
  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • Dee Murray – bass, backing vocals
  • Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals
  • Del Newman – orchestral arrangement

Production

• Producer: Gus Dudgeon
• Engineer: David Hentschel
• Assistant engineers: Peter Kelsey, Andy Scott
• Tape operator: Barry Sage
• Orchestra contractor: David Katz
• Arranger: Del Newman
• Art direction: David Larkham, Michael Ross
• Artwork: David Larkham, Michael Ross, Ian Beck
• Liner notes: Gus Dudgeon, John Tobler

Charts

Album

Singles

Certifications

References

1. ^ Elton John, Bernie Taupin (Lyricist), Davey Johnstone (Guitarist), Nigel Olsson (Drummer). (2001). Classic Albums: Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. [Documentary]. UK: ISIS Productions, Eagle Rock Entertainment. Event occurs at approx. 16 minutes. http://imdb.com/title/tt0829122/. Retrieved 2007-12-24. 
2. ^ "AllMusic Billboard albums". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9fyxq95ld0e~T3. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
3. ^ "AllMusic Billboard albums". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9fyxq95ld0e~T3. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
4. ^ "AllMusic Billboard singles". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9fyxq95ld0e~T31. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
5. ^ "AllMusic Billboard singles". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9fyxq95ld0e~T31. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
6. ^ "AllMusic Billboard singles". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9fyxq95ld0e~T31. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
7. ^ "AllMusic Billboard singles". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:f9fyxq95ld0e~T31. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
8. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=goodbye%20yellow%20brick%20road&artist=elton%20john&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
9. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=goodbye%20yellow%20brick%20road&artist=elton%20john&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
10. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=goodbye%20yellow%20brick%20road&artist=elton%20john&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
11. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=goodbye%20yellow%20brick%20road&artist=elton%20john&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
12. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=goodbye%20yellow%20brick%20road&artist=elton%20john&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-01-30.