Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

You know you can’t hold me forever

I didn’t sign up with you

I’m not a present for your friends to open

This boy’s too young to be singing the blues

Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)

So I owe you guys an entry because I skipped a couple of Sundays ago. I wanted to try something different. I want to showcase songs that I love and kind of go into what makes them special and why you should give them a listen. Yay new stuff!

So I’ve been listening to this song OBSESSIVELY for the last couple of days. Like, seriously to the point that I’m afraid my family is going to make me stop soon. It’s just so freaking good.

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So this song is the fourth track off the record of the same name released in 1973, and it was the second single to be released from it. The music was composed by Elton, and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics. It’s considered to be one of Elton’s best songs, and ranked #390 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Songs of All Time list.

Right off the bat, I LOVE the groove the piano has. There’s this almost dirty bluesy groove (particularly in the left hand) but it’s sprinkled on top with these soft 70’s rock vibes and it just melds together so wonderfully. I also love how the background vocals and the strings blend together on the bridge, it feels so dreamy and grand. It really is beautiful and easily one of my favorite parts of the song.

And the lyrics…..Bernie Taupin uses biting sarcasm to say goodbye to fame so he can go back to living a simpler life. I particularly love the line “Maybe you’ll get a replacement, there’s plenty like me to be found“. The lyrics to me just speak to that feeling of “I need to do what’s right for me, fuck everything else” and I am 100% here for it. Just, my god when Elton and Bernie fire on all cylinders they really do create magic.

ADDED BONUS: SARA BAREILLES

This stripped down acoustic version is absolutely haunting, and the intro and bridge done in a minor key, and how it transitions into the second verse……chef’s kiss. Her voice is beautiful and this is a lovely arrangement of a classic.

Alright kiddos, that’s all from me today. I hope you enjoy my take on a rock classic, I’m going to go back to work stuff. Later Days!