A Single Man de Elton John
Álbum de Elton John
- Fecha de lanzamiento: 16 de Octubre de 1978
- Sello Discográfico: The Rocket Record Company
- Compositores: Elton John, Gary Osborne
- Productores: Elton John, Clive Franks
A Single Man es un álbum de Elton John, publicado en 1978 por The Rocket Record Company. El disco incluye 16 canciones, entre ellas «Shine On Through», «Return To Paradise», «I Don't Care» y «Big Dipper».
Introducción: un nuevo capítulo creativo
"A Single Man" es el duodécimo álbum de estudio de Elton John, y es un trabajo significativo por ser el primero en toda su carrera creado sin su legendario letrista, Bernie Taupin. Tras anunciar un retiro temporal de las giras, Elton se asoció con el letrista Gary Osborne para este proyecto. El resultado es un álbum de pop rock y soft rock con un sonido muy pulido, que refleja las tendencias de finales de los 70. El disco explora temas de soledad, amor y desamor, y aunque no alcanzó las cotas de sus trabajos anteriores, contiene el éxito "Part-Time Love" y el emotivo instrumental "Song for Guy".
Cómo se grabó
Grabado en 1978, "A Single Man" fue el primer álbum de Elton John como productor, junto a su colaborador Clive Franks. La ausencia de Bernie Taupin obligó a Elton a buscar un nuevo socio lírico, encontrándolo en Gary Osborne. El álbum cuenta con una nueva formación de músicos, destacando la presencia del percusionista Ray Cooper, cuyo trabajo añade una nueva dimensión al sonido. La portada, con una foto de Elton en el Long Walk del Gran Parque de Windsor, es una de las más icónicas de su carrera.
Las canciones del disco
"Part-Time Love": El single principal es un tema de pop rock enérgico y pegadizo que se convirtió en un éxito en las listas de ambos lados del Atlántico.
"Song for Guy": Una hermosa pieza instrumental de piano, con un ritmo de sintetizador hipnótico. La canción fue escrita como un tributo a un joven mensajero del sello discográfico de Elton que murió trágicamente en un accidente de moto. Es uno de sus instrumentales más famosos y emotivos.
Rendimiento y recepción
"A Single Man" tuvo un buen rendimiento comercial, alcanzando el puesto 8 en el Reino Unido y el número 15 en Estados Unidos. La crítica lo recibió con reseñas mixtas, elogiando la musicalidad pero señalando que las letras de Osborne no alcanzaban la profundidad poética de Taupin. A pesar de ello, es un álbum importante que muestra a un Elton John explorando su independencia creativa.
Listado de Canciones
- Shine On Through
- Return To Paradise
- I Don't Care
- Big Dipper
Letra
Now I saw you talking to a cute little slip of a sailor And it looked at first like the whole thing would end as a failure He had a thing about a quarter to four And he just couldn't handle any more He's got his own big dipper so he won't be needing your big dipper He's got his own big dipper and he won't be needing yours So you filled him up with all kinds of stuff to relax him And you took him down to the fairground after some action And by around about a quarter to six You found a different way to get your kicks Up on the real big dipper where you tried an few new tricks Big dipper Up on a great big dipper did you learn a few new licks He hadn't been too keen at the start Now he seems to have a change of heart He's got his own big dipper Only now he's not so sure, big dipper He's got his own big dipper But there's always room for more Everybody's got a song to sing Everybody's got to do their thing, big dipper, big dipper And at around about a quarter to ten You got up and did it all again He's got his own big dipper and now he knows just what it's for Big dipper He's got his own big dipper but he's got his eye on yours Another ride, another tune Another crazy afternoon Another reason for squeezing your big dipper - It Ain't Gonna Be Easy
- Part-Time Love
- Georgia
Letra
When it's springtime down in Georgia It's winter time up in Maine You can go from snow to sunshine If you board a southbound train You get used to taking orders But it's sometimes kind of rough I got everything that a man could need But it still ain't quite enough Taking about oh Georgia take me to your Southlands I sometimes feel my life is rolling on Oh Georgia lead me through your heartlands I need to see them one more time before I'm gone When it's nighttime down in Georgia It's daytime in L.A. Where they never seem to do much But they sure got lots to say The times are changing down in Georgia Though not always for the best Give me thirty five good acres lord And let progress take the rest Talking about oh Georgia take me to your Southlands I sometimes feel that life is rolling on Oh Georgia lead me through your heartlands I need to see them one more time before they're gone Oh Georgia take me to your Southlands I sometimes feel that life has passed me by Oh Georgia lead me through your heartlands I need to see them one more time before I die - Shooting Star
- Madness
- Reverie
- Song For Guy
- Ego
Letra
Take a look at me now and take a taste of the money I'm not in it for the bread I'm in it for the gravy, honey Step on the thin ice lightly And check out the show twice nightly 'Cause I'm on the stage tonight And if the price is right I will amaze before the light I crave the light Blinding white I need the light tonight Take a look at me now and take a look at my billing I'm not in it as an extra, I'm in it for the killing Inflate my ego gently, tell them heaven sent me 'Cause I'm so expressive and I'm so obsessed with my ego My ego and it's message Oh inform the press, invite the guests I need the press tonight Do you remember acting out your youth A Romeo resplendent on an orange case Do you remember how I would recite And how I'd blow my lines and hide my face Well maybe it was childish, foolish, before schoolish Immaturish, lose your coolish But I had to grow and prove my ego Take a look at me now and take a taste of the money I'm not in it for the bread I'm in it for the gravy, honey Inflate my ego gently, tell them heaven sent me Oh 'cause I'm so expressive and I'm so obsessed with my ego My ego and it's message Oh inform the press, invite the guests I need the press tonight - Flinstone Boy
Letra
Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy He got trouble but he ain't got joy Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy Don't you worry He's alright with me Oh, yeah, oh, yeah Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He got trouble and he ain't got joy Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy Don't you worry He's alright with me Oh, yeah, oh, yeah Well, Joey had a lover but he had to run for cover When someone told a lie Jo, Jo, his lover, he'd been cheating on him Shouldn't he know why Joey had a lover but he had to run for cover When someone let him down Jo, Jo, his lover, he'd been cheating on him He'd been messing around Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy He got trouble but he ain't got joy Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy Don't you worry He's alright with me Oh, yeah, oh, yeah Well, Joey had a lover but he had to run for cover When someone let him down Jo, Jo, his lover, he'd been cheating on him Shouldn't he know why Joey had a lover but he had to run for cover When someone let him down Jo, Jo, his lover, he'd been cheating on him He'd been messing around Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy He's alright with me Please don't worry about the Flinstone boy He got trouble but he ain't no joy Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy Please don't talk about the Flinstone boy Don't you worry He's alright with me Oh, yeah, oh, yeah Oh, yeah, oh, yeah - I Cry At Night
Letra
This house that I live in has no reason This house that I sleep in has no purpose It has a bed and a few old chairs Three flights up, two flights of stairs But it has no reason Then someone shot through the tire swing The dogs barked and bayed in the winter and spring And the ivy that hung now sadly clings To a dying season And I cry at night when the lights go out And the green eyes fuse and the full moon shouts From road maps and red lines to lipstick lies And when the lights go out it's thought to survive This man holds a hand that shows a tremble This man that I live in bears his faults He has a heart and a well worn soul Ten years a slave to rock and roll But he has to tremble For the yellow grass on the sun burnt lawn Sleeps in her seeds from the sunset to dawn And just like your love that's come and gone It goes on breathing - Lovesick
- Strangers