Empty Sky
Encyclopedia
Empty Sky is the debut album of British singer/songwriter Elton John
, released on June 3, 1969. It was finally released in the United States in January 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after John's fame had been established internationally. Recorded during the winter of 1968 and spring of 1969 in a DJM 8-track studio, Empty Sky is the only album in the early part of Elton's career not produced by Gus Dudgeon, instead helmed by friend and DJM staffer Steve Brown.
While the instrumental accompaniment in Empty Sky could be classified as mildly psychedelic rock
, Elton's flair for pop melody is obvious even at this early stage. [] Elton adds to the unique sound of the album by playing harpsichord
on several tracks, including "Skyline Pigeon
", which Elton has described as being "the first song Bernie and I ever got excited about that we ever wrote."
Years away from his classic 70s era band, Elton used musicians that were either his or producer Steve Brown's friends. Caleb Quaye on guitar and Roger Pope on drums, both members of the band Hookfoot at the time, played on many of the tracks. (Quaye and Pope would rejoin John a few years later as part of his studio and touring band behind "Rock of the Westies" in 1975 and "Blue Moves" in 1976.) Tony Murray from The Troggs played bass. Notable on "Empty Sky" is the first appearance with John of then Plastic Penny and Spencer Davis Group member Nigel Olsson, who played drums on "Lady What's Tomorrow?" (Olsson and fellow Spencer Davis bandmate, bassist Dee Murray, would soon join John as his early 70s touring band.) Also listed in the production credits is Clive Franks, who would later produce John's live sound in concert for a tremendous amount of his touring career, as well as occasionally co-produce with John on albums such as "A Single Man" and "21 at 33." The original sleeve design was done by David Larkham (billed as "Dave"), who would go on to create designs for John and other artists.
Although John has since called the album naive, he does have fond memories of making the record. These include walking home from recording at 4 a.m. and lodging at the Salvation Army HQ in Oxford Street, which was run by Steve Brown's father. "I remember when we finished work on the title track - it just floored me. I thought it was the best thing I'd ever heard in my life," John recalled.
sounds like."
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, released on June 3, 1969. It was finally released in the United States in January 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after John's fame had been established internationally. Recorded during the winter of 1968 and spring of 1969 in a DJM 8-track studio, Empty Sky is the only album in the early part of Elton's career not produced by Gus Dudgeon, instead helmed by friend and DJM staffer Steve Brown.
While the instrumental accompaniment in Empty Sky could be classified as mildly psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, Elton's flair for pop melody is obvious even at this early stage. [] Elton adds to the unique sound of the album by playing harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
on several tracks, including "Skyline Pigeon
Skyline Pigeon
"Skyline Pigeon" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the eighth track off his first album, Empty Sky. John performed the song at the funeral of AIDS victim and friend Ryan White in 1990 on a grand piano although he played Roland Piano on tour and in the studio at the time...
", which Elton has described as being "the first song Bernie and I ever got excited about that we ever wrote."
Years away from his classic 70s era band, Elton used musicians that were either his or producer Steve Brown's friends. Caleb Quaye on guitar and Roger Pope on drums, both members of the band Hookfoot at the time, played on many of the tracks. (Quaye and Pope would rejoin John a few years later as part of his studio and touring band behind "Rock of the Westies" in 1975 and "Blue Moves" in 1976.) Tony Murray from The Troggs played bass. Notable on "Empty Sky" is the first appearance with John of then Plastic Penny and Spencer Davis Group member Nigel Olsson, who played drums on "Lady What's Tomorrow?" (Olsson and fellow Spencer Davis bandmate, bassist Dee Murray, would soon join John as his early 70s touring band.) Also listed in the production credits is Clive Franks, who would later produce John's live sound in concert for a tremendous amount of his touring career, as well as occasionally co-produce with John on albums such as "A Single Man" and "21 at 33." The original sleeve design was done by David Larkham (billed as "Dave"), who would go on to create designs for John and other artists.
Although John has since called the album naive, he does have fond memories of making the record. These include walking home from recording at 4 a.m. and lodging at the Salvation Army HQ in Oxford Street, which was run by Steve Brown's father. "I remember when we finished work on the title track - it just floored me. I thought it was the best thing I'd ever heard in my life," John recalled.
Track listing
- "Empty SkyEmpty Sky (song)For the Bruce Springsteen song, see The Rising ."Empty Sky" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the first track off his first album, Empty Sky, released in 1969.-Musical structure:...
" – 8:28 - "Val-HalaVal-Hala"Val-Hala" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the second track off his first album, Empty Sky.-Musical structure:...
" – 4:12* - "Western Ford GatewayWestern Ford Gateway"Western Ford Gateway" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the third track off his first album, Empty Sky.-Musical structure:...
" – 3:16 - "Hymn 2000Hymn 2000"Hymn 2000" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the fourth and closing track of side one on his first album, Empty Sky.-Musical structure:...
" – 4:29 - "Lady What's TomorrowLady What's Tomorrow"Lady What's Tomorrow" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the fifth and opening track of side two off his first album, Empty Sky.It is one of the songwriting duo's earliest, with demos surfacing from as early as 1967....
" – 3:10 - "SailsSails (song)"Sails" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the sixth track off his first album, Empty Sky.-Musical structure:The songs open with an electric guitar feedback accompagnied by piano chords. The song then kicks off to a rather psychedelic feel with Wah-wah pedal-oriented...
" – 3:45 - "The ScaffoldThe Scaffold (song)"The Scaffold" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the seventh track off his first album, Empty Sky.-Musical structure:...
" – 3:18 - "Skyline PigeonSkyline Pigeon"Skyline Pigeon" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the eighth track off his first album, Empty Sky. John performed the song at the funeral of AIDS victim and friend Ryan White in 1990 on a grand piano although he played Roland Piano on tour and in the studio at the time...
" – 3:37 - "Gulliver/Hay Chewed/RepriseGulliver/Hay-Chewed/Reprise"Gulliver", "Hay-Chewed" and "Reprise" are three songs medleyed into one by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. "Gulliver" is a real song with lyrics, "Hay-Chewed" is a jazz instrumental while "Reprise" is fade-ins and fade-outs of all songs on the album.-Musical structure of "Gulliver":This...
" – 6:59*
- "Val-Hala" was properly titled "ValhallaValhallaIn Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
" on the 1975 American re-issue. - "Hay Chewed" was mistakenly titled "It's Hay-Chewed" on the 1995 CD re-issue.
Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and 1996 Rocket reissue)
- "Lady SamanthaLady Samantha"Lady Samantha" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was released on January 17, 1969, six months before his first album, Empty Sky came out...
" – 3:02 - "All Across the HavensAll Across the HavensAll Across the Havens is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was originally the b-side of his second single "Lady Samantha" and appeared as a bonus-track of the 1995 reissue of his first album "Empty Sky".-Musical structure:...
" – 2:52 - "It's Me That You NeedIt's Me That You Need"It's Me That You Need" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was his third single, released five months after "Lady Samantha". As with his two previous singles, it failed to chart in the U.S. and the UK. However, the song became hit in Japan two years later, peaking at the #13...
" – 4:04 - "Just Like Strange RainJust Like Strange Rain"Just Like Strange Rain" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was originally released as the B-side to his third single, "It's Me That You Need". It appeared as the last bonus track on the 1995 reissue of his first album Empty Sky....
" – 3:44
Personnel
- Elton John - piano, organ, electric piano, harpsichord
- Caleb QuayeCaleb QuayeCaleb Quaye , is an English Afro-European rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney and Hall & Oates...
- electric and acoustic guitars, conga drums - Tony Murray - bass guitar
- Roger Pope - drums, percussion
- Don Fay - tenor saxophone, flute
- Graham Vickery - harmonica
- Nigel Olsson - drums (on "Lady What's Tomorrow")
Production
- Producer: Steve Brown
- Engineer: Frank Owen
- Tape operator and whistling: Clive Franks
- Liner notes: Gus DudgeonGus DudgeonAngus Boyd Dudgeon , most commonly known as Gus Dudgeon was an English record producer, most notable for production of many of Elton John's recordings.-Early career:...
, John Tobler
Trivia
Elton later recalled that he was "unsure what style he was going to be... [maybe what] Leonard CohenLeonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
sounds like."
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Pop Albums | 6 |