The Five Best Songs from Elton John’s “Blue Moves”
“Blue Moves” was released by Elton John in 1976 as his eleventh studio album. It was also the first album that he released under his own record company “Rocket Records Ltd.” In general, the album performed well and peaked at number 3 in the US charts for the best 200 albums released in 1976 and number 3 in the UK chart listing in the same year. The songs included in the album revolved around soft rock, pop-rock, and progressive rock genres.
5. Tonight
Tonight is a beautiful orchestra-style song. The song starts with an instrumental vibe with Elton John on the piano. He collaborated with the orchestra from the Royal Academy of Music in London. In the song, Elton John exhibits his multiple talents as he sings and plays the piano. As the song escalates the orchestra continues playing in the background. When compared to other songs in the album, “Tonight” has the best piano work. The combination of the orchestra and Elton John’s vocals in the song makes it a unique addition to the album. Generally, the song has been beautifully written and recorded. This is the kind of song that someone needs to listen to in a dimly lit room and with a glass of your favorite drink after a busy day. It is a soothing piece that a lot of people can resonate with, if they give it a chance. The perfect combination of John Elton’s vocals and the orchestra could be associated with his previous unofficial performances with the symphony orchestra at the Royal Academy of Music.
4. Idol
Idol is a jazz-infused song. It is a slow song that is laced with heavy emotions. The start of the song is characterized by musical instruments that align with the jazz style of the 1970s. The song seems to be about Elvis Presley and his life as an idol. In the song, John Elton takes about the great songs released by Presley, how he was the number one crush in school girls’ eyes. He describes the rise and fall of Presley and seems to focus on the effects of prescription addiction, which led to his downfall. In the song, he expresses his perception of Presley. Elton’s lyrics suggest that although Presley died of addiction, he still recognizes him as an idol. He expresses his love for Presley’s music throughout the song. Although it did not become a hit song, if a person listens to the song carefully they can capture Elton John’s love for Presley’s song and his perception of Presley’s music.
3. Crazy Water
“Crazy Water” starts with a fast tempo that is characteristic of 1970s pop and disco songs. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and was released as the seventh song in the “Blue Moves” album. It was also released in the UK as a single in 1977, where it peaked at number 27 in the UK singles charts. John illustrates his wide vocal range in the song. The song is about marital issues and the separation that he experienced with his wife Maxine. In the song, he compares the sings about the separation between the missing whalers and the shoreline widows. He also equates the strong crazy waters of the ocean to the drift between people in a relationship. “Crazy Water” was ranked number 6 in a list of the most underrated song recorded by John that was published in the Independent News in the UK.
2. One Horse
“One Horse” is a hard rock song that has also been classified as symphonic rock. Elton exhibits a great range of vocals in the song. The song is also characterized by the use of a wide range of musical instruments. It tells the story of a man who lived in a small village where he did not have much to do. The first section of the song is characterized by a slow tempo and heavy orchestration while the second part of the song has a more upbeat vibe to it. The main interesting thing about this song is John’s combination of numerous musical instruments, which included a xylophone, organs, and vibraphones. Fans of hard rock loved this song more than the other melodic songs in the album.
1. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
The song starts with John Elton’s melodic voice that captures the essence and emotions behind his lyrics. Among the songs included in the album, this song became the greatest hit. It combines Elton’s amazing voice with his piano skills. It is an emotionally mature song about dying love and the emotions felt by someone going through a heartbreak. The song reached number 11 in the UK chart listing and was number 6 on the US Billboard for hot 100 songs. It was also number 1 on the US Adult contemporary chart. The song was also covered by Ray Charles in 2004. Reviews about the song have reported that Elton also considered it his best song from the album. It is still a fan favorite and the most listened to songs from the “Blue Moves” album. Ray Charles’ cover of the song also contributed to its fame as his cover offered fans who were already swooning over the original song an opportunity to hear it from another musician’s voice and style.
Conclusion
“Blue Moves” can be described as an eclectic album that contains a combination of orchestral ballads, soft rock, and hard rock music. “Blue Moves” is an album that requires patience for someone to appreciate the different songs that Elton John included in the album. He displayed his ability to appreciate different genres of music, while at the same time keeping the songs meaningful and entertaining to his fans. “Blue Moves” is an underrated album that more people should consider revisiting. The album exhibits some of his greatest works from the 1970s.
