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25 of the Best Elton John Songs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard

Jun 10, 2019
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Rocketman is here. And it’s spectacular. As such, I’ve got Elton on the mind.

I didn’t go to the church of Jesus Christ when I was a kid. I went to the church of Elton John. Still do. We had portraits of Elton and his lyricist Bernie Taupin framed, matted, and hanging in the hallway as if they were fuckin’ family members. LOL. Mom took me to my first concert in 1994. I was 11. It was Elton and Ray Cooper at the Greek Theater in LA. In 7th grade, I had a picture of Elton on the front of my school folder and one of Taupin on the back. Caught a lot of shit for it too. It was middle school, it was the mid-‘90s, I was a weirdo.

So I’m a mega-fan for sure.

When people ask me where to start with Elton’s catalog, here’s what I tell ‘em: All the studio albums from the 1970 self-titled Elton John through 1976’s Blue Moves are essential. That’s 10 albums people. 10 ALBUMS IN 6 YEARS. All of them essential. And no, we’re not gonna get into anything after Blue Moves. Don’t have time. Too controversial. But do check out 1981’s The Fox and 1983’s Too Low for Zero if you have the appetite.

Those 10 studio albums aren’t just essential because of their brain-scramblingly good singles, but also because the non-single album tracks are Just. Un. Real. To celebrate all that incredible music and the release of Rocketman, I’ve compiled 25 of the very best Elton John songs I reckon you’ve never heard.

What’d we miss? BRING IT.

By Kenny S McGuane

1.

\"Ballad of a Well-Known Gun\"

Tumbleweed Connection

1970

2.

\"Take Me to the Pilot\"

Elton John

1970

3.

\"Susie (Dramas)\"

Honky Château

1972

4.

\"My Father\'s Gun\"

Tumbleweed Connection

1970

5.

\"Razor Face\"

Madman Across the Water

1971

6.

\"Amoreena\"

Tumbleweed Connection

1970

7.

\"I Think I\'m Going to Kill Myself\"

Honky Château

1972

8.

\"Holiday Inn\"

Madman Across the Water

1971

9.

\"Mellow\"

Honky Château

1972

10.

\"Have Mercy on the Criminal\"

Don\'t Shoot Me I\'m Only the Piano Player

1973

11.

\"I\'ve Seen That Movie Too\"

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1973

12.

\"I\'m Going to Be a Teenage Idol\"

Don\'t Shoot Me I\'m Only the Piano Player

1973

13.

\"Grey Seal\"

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1973

14.

\"The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)\"

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1973

15.

\"Teacher I Need You\"

Don\'t Shoot Me I\'m Only the Piano Player

1973

16.

\"Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy\"

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

1975

17.

\"Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future)\"

Rock of the Westies

1975

18.

\"Social Disease\"

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1973

19.

\"Better Off Dead\"

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

1975

20.

\"Billy Bones and the White Bird\"

Rock of the Westies

1975

21.

\"(Gotta Get a) Meal Ticket\"

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

1975

22.

\"Boogie Pilgrim\"

Blue Moves

1976

23.

\"Ticking\"

Caribou

1974

24.

\"Hercules\"

Honky Château

1972

25.

\"Harmony\"

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1973

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Joseph Belli
June 10th 2019
11:56am

Very nice list; as a long-time Elton fan, I’m submitting a completely different list from the same time frame, to illustrate just how good he was in the 70s:

1. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Honky Chateau)
2. Tonight (Blue Moves)
3. Madman Across the Water (Madman Across the Water)
4. Indian Sunset (Madman Across the Water)
5. Blues For Baby and Me (Don’t Shoot Me…)
6. High Flying Bird (Don’t Shoot Me…)
7. Curtains (Captain Fantastic…)
8. We All Fall in Love Sometimes (Captain Fantastic…)
9. Roy Rogers (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
10. Tower of Babel (Captain Fantastic…)
11. I Feel Like a Bullet in the Gun of Robert Ford (Rock of the Westies)
12. Come Down in Time (Tumbleweed Connection)
13. Where to Now St. Peter? (Tumbleweed Connection)
14. Sixty Years On (Elton John)
15. Your Sister Can’t Twist (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
16. Dirty Little Girl (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
17. Sweet Painted Lady (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
18. All the Girls Love Alice (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
19. Bitter Fingers (Captain Fantastic…)
20. Tell Me When the Whistle Blows (Captain Fantastic..)
21. One Horse Town (Blue Moves)
22. Yell Help Medley (Rock of the Westies)
23. Chameleon (Blue Moves)
24. Texan Love Song (Don’t Shoot Me…)
25. Elderberry Wine (Don’t Shoot Me…)

argentina
June 10th 2019
6:56pm

1. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Honky Chateau)
2. Tonight (Blue Moves)
3. Madman Across the Water (Madman Across the Water)
4. Indian Sunset (Madman Across the Water)
5. Blues For Baby and Me (Don’t Shoot Me…)
6. High Flying Bird (Don’t Shoot Me…)
7. Curtains (Captain Fantastic…)

Doug Smith
June 11th 2019
3:01pm

Joseph Belli,

Thanks for that list. I only discovered the Elton ‘deep cuts’ recently due to a prejudice I had about his music growing up. It’s that top 40 radio flogged his really famous hits so much that I’d long ago tuned him out. I hadn’t realized all the brilliant songs he’d recorded in the 1970-1976 period. The last month has been revelatory.

Your first song ‘Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters’ is my new favorite song and top 10 all time.

Dan
June 15th 2019
5:39am

A younger brother from another mother! We have the exact same Elton trajectory, album wise, but I lived it as it happened. Every song from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Captain Fantastic, & Blue Moves, plus, Dixie Lilly.
Ah, who are we kidding, for those years Elton & Bernie we’re pure pop genius.

James Trost
June 15th 2019
4:54pm

I have been in Elton John fan all of my life the first time I saw Elton John was in 1972 at the Rosegarden Portland Oregon very very very interesting show the Eagles were the back up band who knew at any rate I have all of Elton John‘s albums I have listen to all of his songs probably more than 2000 times I have seen him 34 times and The very last time I took my wife who is from Israel good never seen Elton John to his second to last show in Las Vegas last year now she is a big Elton John fan I have loved I have lost I have regained my hope in humanity and songs and words from Bernie Toppin and Elton John there is no other showman there is no other band the Elton John band should be in inducted into the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame now he has a movie about his life and he’s about to come out with a biography of his life Elton John and Bernie Toppin have change peoples lives for the better I can tell you exactly where I was exactly who I was with and exactly how I felt when I first heard every song that I ever heard Listening to Elton John

Annette
June 24th 2019
6:21pm

A true Elton fan knows all of these songs already!

Jason
July 26th 2019
2:24pm

Does anybody like anything after 1980?  I mean…there’s another 40 years after that.  Love your choices but they seem pretty time-specific…

cyberpunk 2077 V Jacket
August 2nd 2019
1:21pm

I am so happy to come across this piece of write up, very much advanced my understanding to the next top level. Great job and continue to do same.

consultar el ruc
August 6th 2019
12:23pm

good list, the best list of my life.

Cally York
August 12th 2019
3:25pm

Ducimus anim tenetu

RepRightSongs
September 16th 2019
1:56pm

I would have to say my best Elton John song from this list would be #19

HowToWatch
September 22nd 2019
1:47pm

I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great.

1. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Honky Chateau)
2. Tonight (Blue Moves)
3. Madman Across the Water (Madman Across the Water)
4. Indian Sunset (Madman Across the Water)
5. Blues For Baby and Me (Don’t Shoot Me…)
6. High Flying Bird (Don’t Shoot Me…)
7. Curtains (Captain Fantastic…)
8. We All Fall in Love Sometimes (Captain Fantastic…)
9. Roy Rogers (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
10. Tower of Babel (Captain Fantastic…)
11. I Feel Like a Bullet in the Gun of Robert Ford (Rock of the Westies)
12. Come Down in Time (Tumbleweed Connection)
13. Where to Now St. Peter? (Tumbleweed Connection)
14. Sixty Years On (Elton John)
15. Your Sister Can’t Twist (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
16. Dirty Little Girl (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
17. Sweet Painted Lady (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
18. All the Girls Love Alice (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
19. Bitter Fingers (Captain Fantastic…)
20. Tell Me When the Whistle Blows (Captain Fantastic..)
21. One Horse Town (Blue Moves)
22. Yell Help Medley (Rock of the Westies)
23. Chameleon (Blue Moves)
24. Texan Love Song (Don’t Shoot Me…)
25. Elderberry Wine (Don’t Shoot Me…)

Radio de bolsillo
October 31st 2019
1:30pm

Gracias! Una lista de música perfecta para mi <a >radio de bolsillo</a>!!!

ibrar
November 14th 2019
9:37am

nice song collection of elton john

Bill Ray
November 20th 2019
3:36am

I discovered some great songs! Thanks for sharing!

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November 23rd 2019
2:35am

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freefnafworldgame
December 5th 2019
10:39pm

Thanks for the great post.this very valuable content.

krowd darden
December 11th 2019
5:15am

wow, indeed its amazing list. I have heard some of these songs but will listen all these songs. They seems pretty awesome

Sonic Hedgehog Jacket
December 16th 2019
3:07am

It she saw u and then posted on fb that she was. just being nice. she could of told u. like that id say shes interested and if shes not then.

Mark
January 4th 2020
3:34pm

Very nice list. I’m fan Elton John. I listen his every day.

Mark
January 7th 2020
4:08pm

Very good list. I like often listen it.  if I don’t listen it I almost don’t feel complete.