Tumbleweed Connection
Encyclopedia
Tumbleweed Connection is the third album by English
international recording artist Elton John
. It is a concept album
based on the Country and Western/Americana
themes. All songs are written by Bernie Taupin
and Elton John with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan
. It was recorded at Trident Studios
, London, England in March 1970 and released in October 1970. It peaked at # 2 on the UK Album chart and # 5 on the US Billboard Pop chart. It was certified Gold on 3/22/1971 and Platinum on 8/26/1998 by
the R.I.A.A.
In 2003, the album was ranked #463 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
. Dee Murray
and Nigel Olsson
appear for the first time together on this album as the rhythm section on "Amoreena." Olsson had played on one track on "Empty Sky" for John in 1969. This album marks Dee Murray's first appearance on an Elton John studio album.
In 1975, the movie Dog Day Afternoon
featured "Amoreena" in the opening sequence. In 1998, a bootleg CD was released called Tumbleweed Collection. This was a collection of piano demos and live tracks.
No singles were released from the album, though one of the songs recorded during the sessions, "Into The Old Man's Shoes" was released as a b-side for at least one single issue of "Your Song." An early version of "Madman Across the Water," featuring Mick Ronson on electric guitar, was also recorded during the sessions for the album. It was released on several albums and reissues of "Tumbleweed Connection," though the track was ultimately re-recorded for the "Madman Across the Water" album.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
international recording artist Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. It is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
based on the Country and Western/Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
themes. All songs are written by Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
and Elton John with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan
Lesley Duncan
Lesley Duncan was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received a lot of airplay on British radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, but never achieved great commercial success.Duncan was born in Stockton-on-Tees...
. It was recorded at Trident Studios
Trident Studios
Trident Studios was a British recording facility, originally located at 17 St. Anne's Court in London's Soho district. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield a drummer of former 1960's group The Hunters and his Brother Barry....
, London, England in March 1970 and released in October 1970. It peaked at # 2 on the UK Album chart and # 5 on the US Billboard Pop chart. It was certified Gold on 3/22/1971 and Platinum on 8/26/1998 by
the R.I.A.A.
In 2003, the album was ranked #463 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
. Dee Murray
Dee Murray
Dee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
and Nigel Olsson
Nigel Olsson
Nigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
appear for the first time together on this album as the rhythm section on "Amoreena." Olsson had played on one track on "Empty Sky" for John in 1969. This album marks Dee Murray's first appearance on an Elton John studio album.
In 1975, the movie Dog Day Afternoon
Dog Day Afternoon
Dog Day Afternoon is a 1975 drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, written by Frank Pierson, and produced by Martin Bregman. The film stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, Penny Allen, James Broderick, and Carol Kane. The title refers to the "dog days of summer".The film was...
featured "Amoreena" in the opening sequence. In 1998, a bootleg CD was released called Tumbleweed Collection. This was a collection of piano demos and live tracks.
No singles were released from the album, though one of the songs recorded during the sessions, "Into The Old Man's Shoes" was released as a b-side for at least one single issue of "Your Song." An early version of "Madman Across the Water," featuring Mick Ronson on electric guitar, was also recorded during the sessions for the album. It was released on several albums and reissues of "Tumbleweed Connection," though the track was ultimately re-recorded for the "Madman Across the Water" album.
Side one
- "Ballad of a Well-Known GunBallad of a Well-Known Gun"Ballad of a Well-Known Gun" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the opening track off his third album, Tumbleweed Connection released in 1970.-Musical structure:...
" – 4:59 - "Come Down in TimeCome Down in Time"Come Down in Time" is the second track on Elton John's third album, Tumbleweed Connection, released in 1970. The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton's long time writing partner. The song was originally recorded for John's second album, Elton John...
" – 3:25 - "Country Comfort" – 5:06
- "Son of Your FatherSon of Your Father-Son of Your Father:"Son of Your Father" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It's the fourth track on his third studio album, Tumbleweed Connection. It is one of the two songs to contain the word "father" in the title...
" – 3:48 - "My Father's GunMy Father's Gun"My Father's Gun" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It's the fifth track on his third studio album, Tumbleweed Connection. The song tells the story of a young Confederate whose father has just been killed during the American Civil War...
" – 6:20
Side two
- "Where to Now St. Peter?Where to Now St. Peter?"Where to Now St. Peter?" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It's the sixth track of his third studio album, Tumbleweed Connection...
" – 4:11 - "Love Song" (Lesley DuncanLesley DuncanLesley Duncan was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received a lot of airplay on British radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, but never achieved great commercial success.Duncan was born in Stockton-on-Tees...
) – 3:41 - "AmoreenaAmoreena"Amoreena" is a song written by singer/songwriter Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and is the eighth track on John's 1970 Tumbleweed Connection album. A live version is also available on the 1995 reissue of the 11-17-70 album. The song accompanied the opening credits of the 1975 film Dog Day...
" – 5:00 - "Talking Old SoldiersTalking Old Soldiers"Talking Old Soldiers" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It's the ninth track of his third studio album, Tumbleweed Connection. The song tells the story of chance meeting of a young man and an old man inside a bar. The old man describes the great times he had in the bar with...
" – 4:06 - "Burn Down the MissionBurn Down the Mission"Burn Down the Mission" is the tenth and final song on Elton John's album Tumbleweed Connection, released in 1970.-Song information:"Burn Down the Mission" is musically driven by the story told by Bernie Taupin's lyrics, as is common in John/Taupin collaborations.The lyrics themselves, while...
" – 6:22
Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and 1996 Rocket reissue)
- "Into the Old Man's Shoes" – 4:02
- "Madman Across the Water" [Original version] – 8:51
Bonus tracks (2008 Deluxe Edition)
- "There Goes a Well Known Gun" – 3:27
- alternate take of "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun"
- "Come Down in Time" [Piano demo] – 3:21
- "Country Comfort" [Piano demo] – 4:12
- "Son of Your Father" [Piano demo] – 4:13
- "Talking Old Soldiers" [Piano demo] – 4:13
- "Into the Old Man's Shoes" [Piano demo] – 3:40
- "Sisters of the Cross" – 4:38
- early 1970 demo not available elsewhere
- "Madman Across the Water" [Original version, featuring Mick RonsonMick RonsonMichael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
on lead guitar] – 8:52 - "Into the Old Man's Shoes" – 4:06
- "My Father's Gun" [BBC session] – 3:43
- "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun" [BBC session] – 4:36
- "Burn Down the Mission" [BBC session] – 6:52
- "Amoreena" [BBC session] –- 5:12
Personnel
- Elton John – piano, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, keyboards, vocals - Madeline BellMadeline BellMadeline Bell is an American soul singer, who became famous as a performer in the United Kingdom during the 1960s, having arrived from the US in the gospel show Black Nativity in 1962, with vocal group The Bradford Singers.-Career:She worked as a session singer, most notably backing for Dusty...
– background vocals - Paul BuckmasterPaul BuckmasterPaul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
– conductor - 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...
– guitars - Roger Pope – drums
- Dee MurrayDee MurrayDee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
– bass, backing vocals - Tammi Hunt - background vocals
- Nigel OlssonNigel OlssonNigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
– drums, backing vocals - Dave Glover – bass, backing vocals
- Barry Morgan – drums
- Tony BurrowsTony BurrowsAnthony "Tony" Burrows is a British session singer. He has been credited with singing lead on hit singles for more groups than any other recording artist, both on the UK Singles Chart and the U.S...
– background vocals - Brian DeeBrian DeeBrian Dee is a UK-based jazz pianist.Since leading his own trio featuring Allan Ganley and Lennie Bush in 1957, appearing at the opening of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in 1959, and co-leading The Jazz Five with saxophonists Vic Ash and Harry Klein, Dee has led his own trios and quartets, often backing...
– organ - Ian Duck – harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
- Lesley DuncanLesley DuncanLesley Duncan was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received a lot of airplay on British radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, but never achieved great commercial success.Duncan was born in Stockton-on-Tees...
– acoustic guitar, vocals, background vocals - Mike Egan – acoustic guitar
- Herbie FlowersHerbie FlowersHerbie Flowers is an English musician specialising in bass guitar, double-bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T...
– bass - Kay Garner – background vocals
- Dusty SpringfieldDusty SpringfieldMary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
- background vocals
Production
- Gus Dudgeon – producer
- Robin Geoffrey Cable – engineer
- Gus Skinas – editing
- Ricky Graham – digital transfers
- Greg Penny – surround mix
- Bernie Taupin – lyricist
- Paul BuckmasterPaul BuckmasterPaul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
– arranger - David Larkham – art direction, design, cover design, artwork
- David Larkham, Barry Wentzell – photography
- John ToblerJohn ToblerJohn Hugen Tobler is a British rock music journalist, writer, occasional broadcaster, and record company executive.With Pete Frame, he was one of the founders of ZigZag magazine in April 1969...
– liner notes
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | UK Albums Chart | 2 |
| 1971 | Billboard US Pop Albums | 5 |