The other night I was watching a documentary about the life and times of Sir Elton John, and as they were reeling off all his albums, I noticed that they completely skipped over one of my personal favorites, his eleventh studio release, Blue Moves.
Even at the time it came out, the two-disk Blue Moves was considered a bit of an anomaly, and as I recall the critics were unerwhelmed. It was Elton's first release on his own label (Rocket Records) and contained many strictly instrumental cuts, which was unusual for EJ. It also wasn't the "classic" Elton John sound we'd all come to know and love, but it in retrospect—having begun with Rock of the Westies—it was the sound he was moving toward.
It garnered one hit single: Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word.
I personally consider it one of his best, and most under-appreciated albums.
My favorite high-energy cuts are Crazy Water (I love to crank this one in the car), One Horse Town, Boogie Pilgrim, and Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance). Elton is quite soulful on Someone's Final Song and If There's a God In Heaven (What's He Waiting For?). Elton's fun, indomitable story telling talent is highlighted in Shoulder Holster.
But you know what the strongest memory this album invokes? The time I had recorded it onto one of those notorious 120-minute cassettes that should never have been used for anything, and the cassette player in truck ate it while I was out running around one afternoon with my friend Steve.
Here are a couple photos from that afternoon…
