| | Elton John Single Man CD Elton John Discography of CDs
 (7 Customer Reviews)
The aptly titled A SINGLE MAN finds Elton John working without legendary partner Bernie Taupin, his usual lyricist, during a much-needed break from each other, following their turbulent, albeit wildly successful mid '70s collaborations. Joining forces instead with Gary Osborne, Elton takes the opportunity to present an album of pure craft--with its scaled down production, A SINGLE MAN is an almost live-sounding album, one of his most straightforward. This approach places in even greater relief John's gift for combining widely varying musical atmosphere with beautiful melodies and honest emotional performance.
If A SINGLE MAN didn't produce any legendary hits for Elton John, it provided a welcome chance for him to cool off and just write songs. As is his wont, John takes on a wide variety of styles: the Spanish-sounding melancholia of "Return To Paradise" moves handily into the upbeat strut of "I Don't Care" in a stylistic segue which few could pull off. The swaggering honky-tonk of "Big Dipper" finds itself juxtaposed with the soft rock of "It Ain't Gonna Be Easy." Stripped down though it may be, the album isn't without its epic--in this case it's the heavily orchestrated, under-sung "Song For Guy."
Digitally remastered by Gus Dudgeon (Abbey Road Studios).
Additional Tracks
Recorded at the Mill At Cookham, Berks, England between January & September 1978. Originally released on MCA (3065). Includes liner notes by Chris White.
Personnel: Elton John (vocals, piano, harmonium, Clavinet, church organ, keyboards); Davey Johnstone (guitar, synthesizer, background vocals); Tim Renwick (guitar); B.J. Cole (steel guitar); Paul Buckmaster (cello); John Crocker (winds); Patrick Halcox, Henry Lowther (trumpet); Jim Shepherd (trombone); Herbie Flowers (bass); Steve Holly (drums); Ray Cooper (marimba, congas, tympani, tambourine, percussion); Clive Franks (percussion, background vocals); Vicki Brown, Stevie Lang, Joanne Stone, Watford Football Team, South Audley Street Girl's Choir, Gary Osborne (background vocals).
Engineers: Phil Dunne, Stuart Epps, Clive Franks.
Single Man Music | List Price | $14.98 (You save $4.39) | | Category | Rock Albums, Pop CDs, Rock/Pop, Singer/Songwriter | | Label | MCA | | Orig Year | 1978 | | All Time Sales Rank |  13817  | | CD Universe Part number | 1003300 | | Catalog number | 558474 | | Discs | 1 | | Release Date | Mar 20, 2001 | | Studio/Live | Studio | | Mono/Stereo | Stereo | | Producer | Clive Franks; Elton John | | Personnel | Elton John - vocals, piano, harmonium, Clavinet, church organ, keyboards
Davey Johnstone - guitar, synthesizer, background vocals
Tim Renwick - guitar
Herbie Flowers - bass
Paul Buckmaster - cello
Steve Holly - drums
Henry Lowther - trumpet
Vicki Brown
Gary Osborne - background vocals
Clive Franks - percussion, background vocals
List all 19 contributors
| | Additional Info | Bonus Tracks; Remastered |
Elton John Single Man Songs Single Man Music Review Average Rating: (3.7 out of 5 stars)   List All Reviews A Somewhat Transitional EJ Album
"A Single Man" was somewhat of a transitional album for Elton. After the previous album "Blue Moves", he started transitioning from classic rock/pop into pure pop. He did it quite well, though. It was quite a change, however, when compared to his earlier albums. I have long been a die-hard fan and I've enjoyed just about anything he's done. I've always considered this album to be one of my favorites and this is considered one of his most underrated and forgotten works.
Submitted by Ron Haynes, Jr. (Covington/Cornelia, GA, USA)
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 Sir Elton's last remotely substantial album
A fairly underrated effort that includes the impossibly catchy "Part-Time Love," the smooth "Return to Paradise," and, as a bonus track, one of his greatest unsung singles, "Ego."
Submitted by hoojib127 (St. Paul, MN, USA)
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You people are carazy
Big Dipper is the best song on this album. Good Ole' New Orleans piano style. What more could a boy ask for...AND ELTON JOHN WAS NEVER DEAD.
Submitted by piano-jack (Victoria, B.C., Canada)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No One underrated Cd
This is a great album in spite of what others might say.Bernie is missing,yet Gary Osborne does a decent job as a lyricist.My favorites are Shine On Through, Return To Paradise, and Part Time Love. The track Georgia is fun listening to as it has been used in tourism commercials for such state.The closing track Song For Guy is an epic tribute to Elton's messenger boy who had been recently killed.Overall,a good record.
Submitted by antonio (Miami, Fl,USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No back to life.
i find with Elton John albums that there is always one song that i'd listen to over and over, on A single man its strangers, what a sad reflective song, great vocals and piano.....madness is a catchy number, and big dipper, dispite being annoying, is actually very catchy.
Submitted by matt coe (watford england)
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Purchase Single Man CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Elton John Ice On Fire CD (1985) Bonus Tracks; Remastered
Single Man
 $10.59  
It seems as if Elton John was still settling on a discernable style on 1985's ICE ON FIRE. He brought in Gus Dudgeon, the architect of such elaborate, wide-screen productions as GOODBYE YELLOWBRICK ROAD, and his touch can be felt in the lush synthesized sound that dominates this record. Even the song credits, full of Simmons drums, synth-guitar, and Yamaha TX81C, attest to the slick production values.
"Nikita" was the record's Top 10 single. The sweeping melody of this gentle ode to a Russian girl rides atop a percolating rhythm track. The synthesizer-drenched sound tends to place it firmly within its era, but the pull of "Nikita"'s melody is fairly irresistible. It features backing vocals by George Michael, who was at his peak of superstardom at the time. Elsewhere on the record, Elton joins forces with the rhythm section of Queen for "Too Young." The fade of "Wrap Her Up," in which Elton sings out the names of women he'd like to wrap up and take home--ranging from Princess Caroline of Monaco to Nancy Reagan--is the record's strangest moment.
Digitally remastered 1998 reissue on Rocket of his 1985album for Geffen featuring the top 10 smash 'Nikita', thetop 20 'Wrap Her Up' and four bonus tracks: 'The Man WhoNever Died' (1985 Remix By Gus Dudgeon), plus ...
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Shortly after his 41st birthday, Elton John (a.k.a. Reg Dwight), released REG STRIKES BACK. At this particular juncture in life, the decision was made to auction off all costumes and props collected and worn at shows over the years. Using the layout of these items as an album cover, the contents within proved to be EJ's most successful album of the late '80s. Driven by the elegantly wrought "A Word In Spanish" and the pounding piano of "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That," REG found Elton John sounding no worse for wear, surrounded by an assortment of guests.
Along with old stalwarts Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, guests included Pete Townshend on "Town Of Plenty," jazz trumpeter ...
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SLEEPING WITH THE PAST finds Elton John finishing off the eighties with a mature, and above all, serious musical statement. Kicking off with the tropical groove and social message of "Durban Deep," the album moves straight into the anthemic "Healing Hands," with its larger-than-life chorus, ...
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