Chartbusters Go Pop! 16 Legendary Covers from 1969/70 as Sung by Elton John

by Elton John

Overview

The title is no joke, but dead-on truth in advertising. Circa 1970, John helped pay the rent and gain studio expertise as a session vocalist for British quickie budget exploitation LPs that "re-created" the sound of current hit singles. John takes on such vintage AM mothballs as "In the Summertime," "Up Around the Bend," "My Baby Loves Lovin'," "Yellow River," and "Signed Sealed Delivered" here, along with a few songs that were only hits in the U.K.. These records were never intended to be taken seriously as artistic statements, and one suspects that the studio players were having fun at someone else's expense on "In the Summertime," with farting raspberry noises and ridiculous orgiastic grunts by John during the instrumental break. Most of the time, though, he played it straight, his supple pipes proving to possess the necessary versatile anonymity required of such projects. This reissue, complete with scholarly liner notes, aspires to do nothing more than preserve this footnote in the budding superstar's career, of interest mostly to completists and novelty seekers. As far as unintentionally funny moments go, the highlight has to be John extolling, "To be young, gifted and black, that's where it's at!" on his cover of the Nina Simone classic. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	06/07/2024
Label:	Purple Pyramid
UPC:	0889466579714
Rank:	56715

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elton John   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Huddie Ledbetter   Composer
Lula Mae Hardaway   Composer
Ronnie Wilkins   Composer
Ray Dorset   Composer
Norman Greenbaum   Composer
Herbert Twyla   Composer
Stevie Wonder   Composer
Carl Sigman   Composer
Syreeta Wright   Composer
Tony Hiller   Composer
Lou Christie   Composer
Albert Hammond   Composer
Tim Joseph   Liner Notes
Peter Simons   Composer
Twyla Herbert   Composer
Charles G. Dawes   Composer
Guy Fletcher   Composer
Andy Fairweather   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Andy Fairweather Low   Composer
Kevin Godley   Composer
Lead Belly   Composer
Eric Stewart   Composer
John Hurley   Composer
Doug Flett   Composer
Lee Garrett   Composer
Cat Stevens   Composer
Jeff Christie   Composer
John Fogerty   Composer
Lol Creme   Composer
Roger Cook   Composer
Roger Greenaway   Composer