Honky Chateau [Remaster] - John, Elton (CD 1996)

In the last 31 years, Elton John has released 38 albums, at a rate of at least one per year (often two or three), missing only four years in which he didn't record an album. Pretty prolific guy, pretty brilliant musician.

Honky Chateau was his seventh release, and his second really big one (following Madman Across The Water). It is also one of my favorites of all of his albums.

Recorded in his early years, this is Elton without the glitter and the glamour, just good solid rock and roll with no hype.

Honky Cat - Honky tonk rock and roll at its finest, a song about a young man heading for life in the city. It's about breaking away, growing up, and moving on.

They said stay at home boy, you gotta tend the farm
Living in the city boy, is going to break your heart
But how can you stay, when your heart says no
How can you stop when your feet say go

Mellow - This not so well known love song is one of the best Elton ever recorded. Fantastic piano behind the lyrics, and a rocking chorus combine to make this very mellow song into something that really needs to be listened to.

You make me mellow, you make me mellow
Rocking smooth and slow
Mellow's the feeling that we get
Watching the coal fire glow
You make me mellow, I make you mellow
Wrecking the sheets real fine
Heaven knows what you sent me Lord
But God this is a mellow time

I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself - I don't know about you, but it seems to me like it's a law that if you're a teenager you must be filled with angst. This song pokes fun at teenage dramatics in a tongue in cheek way.

A rift in my family
I can't use the car
I gotta be in by ten o'clock
Who do they think they are
I'd make an exception
If you want to save my life
Bridget Bardot gotta come
And see me every night
Think I'm gonna kill myself
Cause a little suicide
Stick around for a couple of days
What a scandal if I died
Yeah I'm gonna kill myself
Get a little headline news
I'd like to see what the papers say
On the state of teenage blues

Suzie (Dramas) - Solid music with not so solid lyric lines, in my opinion. Bernie Taupin must have had one of his rare off days on this one.

I got frostbitten in the winter
Ice skating on the river
With my pretty little black-eyed girl
She'd make your darn toes curl just to see her
I got a fringe front on my buggy
I got a frisky little colt in a hurry
And a pretty little black-eyed Suzie by my side

Rocket Man - This song was inspired by Ray Bradbury's short story by the same title. In a nutshell, its about a man who goes into space regularly as his job. The short story shows you his family's point of view. The song shows you his.

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone

Salvation - I love this song, about social consciousness (with a little touch of religion hung at the very end for reasons I still don't understand). The melody is fantastic and the lyrics really roll.

I have to say my friends
We're looking for a light ahead
In the distance a candle burns
Salvation keeps the hungry children fed
It's gotta take a lot of salvation
What we need are willing hands
You must feel the sweat in your eyes
You must understand salvation

Slave - This one is written from the point of view of a slave in 19th century America. Although I really don't understand why people who aren't from the US continue to write on this topic and other American issues, even though they lack the historical and cultural influences that growing up here with all of this in our background gives us, I have to commend Elton on a well done job on this one.

There's a river running sweat right through our land
Driven by a man with a bullwhip in his hand
And I've taken just as much as I can stand
Oh we've got to free our brothers from their shackles if we can

Amy - This is another tongue in cheek teen angst song, about a young man who's hot for what sounds to be like the most popular girl in town.

Amy I know you don't have to show your affection
'Cause the big boys like you and to you I'm an infection
So if you don't want me around
I think I'll run along and drown
You can't want this bum in town Amy

Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters - This is the best song on the entire album, and one of my all time favorite Elton John songs. I just love how mellow this ballad is, the gentle piano in the background, and the wonderful vocal harmonies on the chorus.

While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light

Hercules - Frankly, I can't stand this song. I don't like the way it sounds (the vocal track is echoey, the music is grating on my nerves), and I can't think of anything positive to say about the lyrics either. This is the only total loser on the album. Every CD needs one, right?

Ooh I got a busted wing and a hornet sting
Like an out of tune guitar
Ooh she got Hercules on her side
And Diana in her eyes

Together with Madman Across The Water (released in 1971) and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (released in 1973), Honky Chateau (1972) forms the trinity that contains the majority of Elton John's best music. No Elton John collection is complete without Honky Chateau.