“They still sound beautiful”:The song Elton John called one of the greatest recordings of all time
If you’re new to music and are looking to start with the very best, you wouldn’t be wrong to start with Elton John.
With Bernie Taupin at his side and a wicked ability as a keyboardist, John was responsible for some of music’s most iconic moments, and so hits like ‘Your Song’, ‘Tiny Dancer’ and ‘Rocket Man’ would all be worthy introductions into the glittering worlds of rock and roll.
But despite a life lived as one of rock and roll’s most opulent figures, milking every ounce of excess the industry has, John has receded into a more appreciative state over the years. His Rocket Hour radio show is nearly completely dedicated to championing new artists, where he helps bridge the ever-widening gap between musical generations.
Despite being a refreshing tonic in the otherwise cynical landscape of classic rock artists, John’s role as curator is nothing new. Throughout his career, his own success has lived alongside a strong sense of effusiveness that results in endless recommendations and tributes to artists he so deeply appreciates.
This goes right back to John’s early career, when his crippling shyness threatened any opportunity to become the performer he did. Alongside Bernie Taupin, John foresaw a future that kept him safe in their own songwriting realm, delivering hits for other people. John never saw himself as the actual frontman of these winning ideas, for the greats whom he admired seemed so far removed from his more humble style.
At that point, John didn’t quite realise that there was an innate soulfulness to his voice that extended outside the realms of tradition. He didn’t have the power of an Aretha Franklin or the technical sophistication of a Marvin Gaye, but he had understood the nuance of the songs he penned with Taupin, and so slowly grew into the role of master performer.
But it frightened him because of just how much he admired some of the very best. And for a piano-playing songwriter like John, there was none better than Nina Simone. She had everything, from the tenderness and delicacy of her songwriting to the grace and presence of her on-stage performance; she set the standard for musicians like John and delivered some of music’s greatest ever hits. But more confusingly for John the songwriter, perhaps her very best was a cover.
He said, “Nina sang Kurt Weill songs, ‘I Loves You, Porgy’ by George Gershwin, ‘I Put a Spell on You’ – one of the greatest recordings of all time – by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. And the great thing is, you listen to those songs today, and they still sound beautiful and fresh.”
While her voice takes centre stage in so much of her artistic praise, John was equally as struck by her piano playing, which he regards as an underrated entity in her legacy. He gushed, “She was amazing! There is a piano solo on ‘My Baby Just Cares for Me’ that is really eccentric and different from anybody else’s.”
While John’s music would be a worthy place to start, for anyone looking to deep dive into the worlds of classic rock, the next stop after would be Simone, who would take your understanding of great songwriting and performance, and double it.
