Elton John - 21 at 33
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CD Details
Artist: Elton JohnEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Enhanced, Import, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2003-05-12
Music Label: Universal I.S.
Soundtracks:
- Chasing The Crown
- Little Jeannie
- Sartorial Eloquence
- Two Rooms At The End Of The World
- White Lady White Powder
- Dear God
- Never Gonna Fall In Love Again
- Take Me Back
- Give Me The Love
Music reviews of 21 at 33
Music Review: 21 At 33-- 17, actually
Rating: 5 Stars
In fact, 21 At 33, supposedly Elton's 21st record at the age of 33, is his seventeenth (unless collections count). Either way, the numbers don't matter; Elton sounds on this record like he has the energy of age 21 at 33-- hell, that's what I thought the title meant when I was a kid and I first bought this record on cassette! Having just received the CD through the Amazon Marketplace, replacing that long-lost cassette, I put it right on, hearing it for the first time in about fifteen years. Unlike me, the record hasn't aged a day; if anything, it sounds better, and the reissue art and liner notes from the omnipresent John Tobler are lovely additives. Not that the record needs them; 21 At 33 is, in my estimation, one of Elton's best, not only from this transitional period of his career but from his entire ouvre. Bernie Taupin makes a triumphant return to his partner's work here, with the three best songs on the record: 'Chasing the Crown' (John/Taupin's answer to the Rolling Stones' 'Sympathy for the Devil'), a hard-rocking testiment of the eternal Adversary that has never received the attention it deserves (Elton, if you're listening, you should add this one to your live show!); 'Two Rooms at the End of the World,' a state-of-their-union update and response from John/Taupin to the rumour that their creative relationship had reached its end, and 'White Lady, White Powder,' an honest and good-humoured ode to Bernie's coke habit (which, according to Phillip Norman's book 'Sir Elton,' was coming to an end around this time). Of the non-Taupin songs, the best is 'Sartorial Eloquence,' with lyrics by the gay punk-pop songwriter Tom Robinson. This one should go down in music history as one of the gayest love songs ever (sample lyric: 'Oh your lifestyle shows / In the clothes you chose / Sitting pretty in the masquerade'). Robinson's other lyric on this album, 'Never Gonna Fall In Love Again,' isn't as much of a standout, however; it's merely good. Of the remaining four tracks, three are written by Elton's collaborator on A Single Man, Gary Osbourne, whose best contribution here is the hit single 'Little Jeannie,' a seemingly straight love song that verges on sappiness at times, but is redeemed by Elton's emotionally effective but restrained vocal and the song's relaxed tempo. Osbourne's other two contributions here, the spiritual 'Dear God' and the countrified 'Take Me Back' are good, if not especially remarkable; the important thing is that they work in their context, neither slowing the record down or otherwise upsetting its flow. Outside of their context, neither song stands out particularly, but in it, they work beautifully. One of the great strengths of Elton John over the years is the diversity of not only his work entire, but specifically of his 'love songs.' While many an artist sticks with one, or at best, two dimensions of what we call 'love' (namely hetero-sexual lust and romantic love of the straight variety), the work of Elton John (particularly in tandem with Bernie Taupin) runs the gamut: straight love ('Tiny Dancer,' 'Amy,' 'Blues For Baby and Me,' 'Little Jeannie,' etc.); [...] love ('Elton's Song,' 'Sartorial Eloquence,' 'Razor Face,' 'Dan Dare [Pilot of the Future],'); brotherly love ('Daniel,' 'Two Rooms...,' 'We All Fall In Love Sometimes/Curtains'); etherial love ('Candle In The Wind,' 'Lady Samantha,' 'High Flying Bird'); dysfunctional love ('All the Girls Love Alice'); damaged and failed love ('Someone Saved My Life Tonight,' 'Cold As Christmas,' 'Sacrifice,' 'Dear John,' 'Love Lies Bleeding'); rented love ('Sweet Painted Lady,'); interracial love ('Amazes Me'); international love (Nikita) long-distance love ('I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues,') and just all-purpose, whomever-you-are love ('Your Song,' 'Love Song,' 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me,' etc). Lord knows I could go on; off hand, I can think of several more categories and tunes to fill them, but I digress. This brings me to the good all-purpose love song that concludes the album, the appropriately titled "Give Me the Love,' Co-written by Elton and Judie Tzuke (an artist that was signed to Rocket at the time). It's a funky little number, and an excellent closer to an underrated record by a man who still hasn't even come close to running low on energy and a songwriting team who still have much to teach us about love.
Description of 21 at 33
Remastered reissue of 1980 album for MCA that's out-of-print domestically. Nine tracks including three co-written with Bernie Taupin & the hit, 'Little Jeannie'. 2003.Classic Rock CDs
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