Category: Elton John

Elton John – Nobody Wins (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981

Front Cover

REQUEST

In 1981, when new wave and punk were the movement of the day, Elton John released his first album for Geffen Records, “The Fox”.  Not a “party” album, but a very stately, majestic album.

The first single, “Nobody Wins”. Is a magnificent, soaring piece of electronic-pop that was sweeping and dramatic. It soundeds like the title track to a James Bond film. It was also released in Europe, with EJ singing the vocals in French, under the name of “J’Veux De La Tendresse”.

“Nobody Wins” peaked at #21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song did not do as well in Elton’s home country and only peaked at #42 on the UK singles chart.

This US 12″ contains both the “Extended Version” of the song as well as the “French Version”. Both tracks are exclusive to this release.

DISCOGS LINK

RELEASE/PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Label: Geffen Records
Catalog#: PRO-A-948
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits:  Producer – Chris Thomas
Recorded By – Bill Price
Written-By – Gary Osborne , Jean-Paul Dreau

NOTES
“Nobody Win” from the Geffen Records album Elton John/The Fox (GHS 20002)

Published by Inntersong Music – ASCAP
℗ 1981 Sackville Productions, ILtd

SIDE A
(A) Nobody Wins (Extended Version) 5:20

SIDE B
(B) Nobody Wins (French Version) 5:09

Back Cover

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 20
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Elton John – Sad Songs (Say So Much) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

1984 Front Cover

REQUEST

“Sad Songs (Say So Much)” is a song by Elton John from the 1984 album Breaking Hearts. It is the closing track. It reached the number 5 position on the U.S. chart. The lyrics describe how you sometimes need to listen to old radio blues classics when you’re feeling down, or when someone beloved has left you. In the years since then it has had modest radio airplay compared to some of the bigger 1980s singles from John.

The music video, shot on a street in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, featured John in which he did not wear glasses for portions nor did he play a piano although he did when this was recorded.

DISCOGS LINK

RELEASE/PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Label: The Rocket Record Company
Catalog#: PH 712, 822 087-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Pop, Rock
Style: Soft Rock
Credits:  Producer – Chris Thomas

NOTES
(P) 1984 Happenstance Ltd. England.
Published by Big Pig Music.
Original Sound Recording Made By Phonogram Ltd. (London)
Made In Britain

SIDE A
(A) Sad Songs (Say So Much) (Extended Version) 4:50
Recorded By – Renate*
Written-By – Bernie Taupin , Elton John
This version does not appear on the new album ‘Breaking Hearts’

SIDE B
(B) A Simple Man 3:48
Recorded By – Bill Price
Written-By – Elton John , Gary Osborne
Does not appear on the new album ‘Breaking Hearts’

Back Cover

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 20
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Elton John – Passengers (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE
1984

1984 Front Cover

Released in 1984 “Passengers” reached #5 in the Uk and was taken from the album “Breaking Hearts” the eighteenth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John. It features the classic quartet of Elton John, Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson. This was the last studio album until 2001’s Songs from the West Coast that would feature Nigel on drums. It was also the last in which Elton played all keyboards in the studio. There would be a backup keyboardist for every album on. This is the first album since Rock of the Westies without strings. This is one of only two albums with the classic quartet without Ray Cooper, the other being Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player. This would be the last album Dee Murray would play bass for before his death in 1992. This would also be the last Chris Thomas-produced album until Elton John’s 1987 throat surgery and use of electronic and MIDI pianos in the studio.

A 12″ remix was released for “Passengers” and featured an unreleased track “Lonely Boy” and an extended remix of “Passengerss” remixed by Julian Mendelsohn.

DISCOGS LINK

RELEASE/PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Label: The Rocket Record Company
Catalog#: EJS 512
Format: Vinyl, 12″
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Synth-pop

NOTES
“Lonely Boy” listed on picture sleeve as previously unreleased.

SIDE A
Passengers (Extended Remix) 5:39
Remix – Julian Mendelsohn
Side B
B1 Lonely Boy (Previously Unreleased) 4:48
B2 Blue Eyes 3:26

Back Cover

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 10
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi