Drummer reacts to "Take Me To The Pilot" / "Sixty Years On" / "The King Must Die" by Elton John

[@WinterGuest08]

As much as I love Elton's early stuff, and this particular album is one of my favorites, I hate it when people say Elton John after 1975 sucks. There are great albums of his in every decade.

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

His early stuff was the greatest

[@WinterGuest08]

@@DENVEROUTDOORMAN it's highly subjective. By stating that you deny his evolution and growth as an artist. Not everything has to stay as it was at the beginning in order to be considered great.

[@johnhitchens2265]

Songs from the West Coast is a gem, as is The One

[@WinterGuest08]

@@johnhitchens2265 I absolutely love Sleeping With the Past

[@johnbuono9475]

I lived my college years with all his earliest albums so naturally I found them to be my favorite. He changed but I didn’t lol.

[@lauraallen55]

Take Me to the Pilot is one of my favorite Elton John songs!

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Great song rarely played heard it on live album 11/17/??? Cause that's my birthday

[@mikeconway9103]

‘The king is dead. Long live the (new) king!’ was a common proclamation when a new king ascended the throne.

[@L33Reacts]

Very true. I was just thrown off I guess haha didn't expect it. Great track.

[@connieb4372]

Welcome to the BEST Elton John.. His earlier stuff is by far the best. Don't get me wrong, I played the hell out of Yellow Brick Road, and still play Captain Fantastic from front to back several times a year but this album, Tumbleweed, Don't Shoot Me, Madman Across the Water and Honky Chateau have some of his best works, in my opinion. Wish you could hit all of them. Love the channel. Keep up the hard work Lee.. good things are coming to you dude! Take care all.

[@lawrencesmith6536]

His live album 17-11-70 is a really good stripped down album. Just Elton on piano and vocals, Nigel Olson on drums, and Dee Murray on bass. Killer live version of 60 Years On on it

[@michaelkeefe8494]

Love that record. Hungry Elton on his first visit to the U.S.

[@Ports2]

When The Beatles broke up nobody could fill the void by musicians like Elton John came along and brought us these great songs and musical productions. He and Bernie Taupin and artists like James Taylor wrote such great stories, arrangements and melodies.

[@jeffgale5307]

1973 - 17yrs. Old - First concert ever, Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour . Back up band - Steely Dan I was in awe. Wow!

[@davidmullens7565]

Great album. My favorite Elton was early Elton. He and Bernie were amazing together

[@1953jazzman]

Those incredible string arrangements were done by a genius - Paul Buckmaster!

[@michaelnorris7353]

To me "Tumbleweed Connection" is his best album. Every tune on it is a songwriter masterpiece. This album we`re listening to is a close second.

[@davidgale7384]

Want a really deep dive? Indian Sunset will rip your heart out. Tumbleweed was the first album I bought of Elton long ago when I was young and it had just been issuued. Brilliant.

[@lauraallen55]

Empty Garden rips my heart out

[@AirDOGGe]

4 years ago I was singing this song. Today I'm singing the Beatle's "When I'm 64". ;-) My favorite version of "Sixty Years On" is heard during his 60th birthday concert at Madison Square Gardens, which was also his 60th performance there. It's available on video and includes celebs like Whoopee Goldberg and Robin Williams. To see it here, search youtube for: "Elton John live 4K - Sixty Years On (Elton 60 - Live at Madison Square Garden) | 2007" (copy & paste in the search window).

[@angielofton6372]

Yes, you will be the same. You will learn more and care less about the small shit. The voice I hear in my head is the one I’ve been hearing all my life, from 0 to 62. The soul stays the same, only the body changes. This is one of my favorite albums. Thanks!

[@EchoesDaBear]

Great reaction Lee!! Early Elton is spectacular!! Sixty Years On (for me) is one of his finest songs - HIGHLY recommend checking his live version from 17-11-70 - it doesn't have the orchestration, but Elton goes bananas on the piano!! My favourite version. It's also double the length...epic performance! I love pretty much all Elton John's stuff - but his early to mid-70's output was something special! Cheers!

[@jeffreythaw3333]

This entire album is excellent!

[@L33Reacts]

I wish we could do them all lol but on to tumbleweed connection next week :)

[@randyhochstein8455]

It seems in keeping with the way royalty works. One king dies and the next in line ascends to the throne. Long Live The King! ✌🏼😎🇺🇸

[@bradjenkins1475]

I think it is so cool that you chose to play 3 of his lesser-known songs. And I don't mean unknown songs. I simply mean lesser-known songs. Again, he was blessed and cursed with that whole startum thing. And by that I'm referring to his. His music being played to death over the course of the past 40 years, also to the extent that it really becomes something that you stop even hearing anymore. Because of the amount that it was played on the radio. Great music but played to death. So yeah, I really appreciate hearing you doing 3 of his lesser-known songs.

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Yup top 40 garbage radio overplayed every 15 mins and short garbage ...too commercial

[@dynodon9182]

Dude, I'm an old guy who's forgotten more songs than you'll ever listen to. I watched many, many reaction channels. You have moved to the head of the table with this early Elton John few know about. Props.

[@balmpatchvideos]

You might like the video I made for another Elto song.

[@patrickmcevoy5080]

I used to listen to this album a lot, and I still think Take Me to the Pilot is among his very best.

[@enta2]

Elton and all his band members were professional musicians and Berny was a real poet, so they were really different than the other bands at that time

[@linjicakonikon7666]

This is my favorite Elton John album by far. Exquisite orchestration and a dark brooding, melancholic ambience with the occasional sweet interlude.

[@XFLexiconMatt]

"Take Me To The Pilot" is a favorite, but "Sixty Years On" really affects me, amazing arrangement on that. Great selections!

[@XFLexiconMatt]

Producer Gus Dudgeon and arranger Paul Buckmaster were also really key to those early records. Fun fact, Gus and Paul worked on the David Bowie "Space Oddity" track, and that's how Elton discovered them as a team.

[@smithpm81]

TUMBLE WEED is his best LP by FAR

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Very great album with the one song my father's gun

[@michaelkeefe8494]

By far? I'm kind of partial to Madman...

[@billbitterman9487]

@@michaelkeefe8494 My favorite is also Madman. The beauty of music is that likes and loves are subjective. Each person's opinion is valid within the scope of their feelings and emotions and personal tastes

[@NancyMoran-r3b]

Lee, have you seen the movie about his life, Rocketman? I just saw it for the second time. It’s pretty good.

[@robertacolarette1594]

I love this and early Elton. His early stuff is what broke him here in the US first. So of course it was great songs.

[@danielferguson3784]

At the moment a King dies a new King follows.

[@Fuphyter]

Tumbleweed Connection is an amazing album. I started classical piano at 8, so I play a lot of Elton. Come Down In Time is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Love your reactions Lee ❤ p.s. I love playing 60 years on lol

[@rosshartley5807]

Lots of orchestra on this one, then Tumbleweed Connection goes pretty country. His first 8 or 9 albums are classics. On this album is one of the sweetest songs ever, called The Greatest Discovery, especially for parents of newborns.

[@ShiverHinge]

Prescient because it's perennial.

[@JohnWesleyDowney]

I hope at some point you'll watch the spectacular performance video of Metallic performing FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/LOVE LIES BLEEDING at the Gershwin Awards in Washington DC and also the video ofJoni Mitchell doing I'M STILL STANDING.

[@nicksylvester426]

You'll find some real treasures on tumbleweed conection too!

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Yes

[@smithpm81]

60 years on is HIS BEST EVR SONG

[@linjicakonikon7666]

I fully agree 👍 Sixty Years On is his finest moment.

[@robertweaver2960]

**** This album was when EJ was at his best, a true serious musician. Such emotion and care.

[@L33Reacts]

That sixty years on track is a work of art. Just absolutely gorgeous.

[@hectorsmommy1717]

Elton has always surrounded himself with great musicians. With "Tumbleweed Connection" he started working with his best known backing musicians who were with him for the bulk of his career: Davey Johnstone on guitar, Dee Murray on bass, and Nigel Olsson on drums (with Ray Cooper frequently on percussion also). This group helped make the 70's run of albums the classics they are.

[@Asymmatrix]

This song had a very deep bass analog synth. Living for the City (Stevie) did too.

[@hopeklemann1]

🤍🤍🤍oh, Elton.....

[@bradjenkins1475]

Fantastic.!! Seen him live 3 times and the best was the last time I saw him when he and Billy Dole toward America with there. 2 grand pianos on stage and it was unbelievable beyond description. Talent was really displayed when they took turns doing each other's songs, which only confirmed in my mind that either one of them would have made the other. One songs hits if they were the 1 that had done it. And then to add to that Kiki. D came out to do song that Elton and her had done some 20 something years ago. Now this might seem to be so you're even petty. But the one thing I really wish that I could change. Or wish they had done was. I think instead of going into the business with the name Elton John, I think they should have named themselves Elton and Bernie. Just that simple, Elton and Bernie.

[@musicairplanes4884]

For me early Elton is the best Elton!!

[@74900kdw]

Watch out cause around 30 the clock and years speed up. From age 1 to 30 seems like it takes forever and from 30 to 60 flies by at breakneck speed. I turned 61 years old in February but in my head I still feel like I'm 30. Here's a really trippy one for you. When I look in the mirror I see a man that looks to be 35 but when I see pictures of myself I see a man that could definitely be 61. I don't know why that is but it's like my perception of myself in a mirror reflects how I feel inside but cameras reflect my real physical appearance. Have a great birthday and try to live in the moment cause life really does go very quickly.

[@lauraschwartz1077]

yes you will still be you. The goal is to be a smarter, wiser you. Great reaction as always.

[@johnpbh]

Hi LEE.... I guess it must be difficult to understand that for a lot of us of a certain age this was our first exposure to Elton.. the first album went by largely un-noticed. So we just went WOW at the time, and have followed him along his journey ever since.... I remember this album being on the record player on New Years Eve 1970 and just on repeat and it bought in 1971 for me.... The phrase The King is dead... long live the King is a phrase used when the current King died and the courtiers praised the new King replacing him... Hence the phrase. It was used for centuries in Britain.

[@enta2]

wow the greatest songs 🤩i'm clicking directly like 😆

[@L33Reacts]

Well thank you! I hope you enjoyed!

[@enta2]

@@L33Reacts I loved your reaction 🥰very much and am glad you will react to the Tumbleweed Connection album. "Come Down in Time", "My Father's Gun", "Where to Now St. Peter?", "Talking Old Soldiers" and "Burn Down the Mission" are my favorits

[@Ocrilat]

There are live version of "Take Me To The Pilot" / "Sixty Years On" on the 11-17-70 album, that completely change the song's sound.

[@dalemcmillan7231]

Love Early Elton. ❤

[@NancyMoran-r3b]

And yet Bernie and Reggie have already lived almost sixty years on. 😮😮

[@judithermer7969]

Still have this vinyl album, time flys, thank u for the reaction ❤️🇦🇺

[@joannparker1977]

One of his best songs. Earlier is best

[@theeloquentbaby]

Impassioned and entrancing! I love very much this early Elton - that I’ve never heard before… Thank you, Barry!

[@bradjenkins1475]

Wow, Tumbleweed Connection, you really did go way back. Since you did, I really think you should play Country Comforts off the same album. It's one of those songs that Elton did that is great but gets no play even when I see Somebody doing a mix of his stuff of maybe a dozen and a 1/2 songs. It never is in there and I've seen him live 3 times through the course of my life. And he's never played that 1 either. I may be wrong but I think that Rod Stewart also did country comforts? And I do also believe it was one of his hits.

[@balmpatchvideos]

Classical classic rock!

[@brucehenninger2662]

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned it yet, but apparently Elton was in the running to join King Crimson in one of their earlier incarnations.

[@scotstevens5263]

Hey, love the music you post. I found you about a month ago. Sooo, I was wondering if you played anything from Roger Waters “ Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking” where he had Eric Clapton playing the leads on guitar but had Jeff Beck when touring Pros and Cons. The album would be an entire play at your choosing why I say this is because it is basically one song with different time stamps as titles of songs other the the albums title of life’s journeys. Anyway, check it out.

[@ajaxfernsby4078]

Hearing those early albums for the first time was really something special back then. So I guess that’s why I’m here, listening for the first time, vicariously thru you. ADDENDUM: you are correct about animals and dogs. Question -when’s your birthday man?

[@craigmarkowski7156]

I just started following you I've been watching your reactions for the last couple weeks you play some awesome music ! This older Elton John is amazing especially the second song !

[@gbsailing9436]

Try his later version from "Live In Australia" of The King Must Die...SO good!

[@ecarteringram]

first album

[@L33Reacts]

It's his second.

[@balmpatchvideos]

Please review THE CAGE from same album.

[@bradjenkins1475]

You want to hear Elton rock out? You need to listened to Benny and the Jets, and Rocket Man. They were from his cocaine years and when I used to go way overboard with his outfit's but put on one hell of life concerts, jump on all around with all that energy and of course, his ability to play the piano standing sitting moving whatever.

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Nope both were stupid, wimpy top 40 and too commercial

[@hopeklemann1]

I do believe that you're in my spiritual beliefs are very very similar

[@blitztim6416]

Great album, but Tumbleweed Connection is my favorite of his. No hits, just great songs. Border Song of this album also would have been a good choice. Looking forward to what songs will be chosen from TC. ‘Where to Now St. Peter’ should be on the list.

[@L33Reacts]

Next week! I can give you a hint at one of them. Burn down the mission. :)

[@blitztim6416]

@@L33Reacts Yes! 👍 And ‘Amoreena’ is very good. Early Elton is the best.

[@Macilmoyle]

@@L33Reacts Might be worth taking a listen to his live album 17-11-70 (or 11-17-70 in the States) even if you don't do a reaction . Just Elton, Nigel Olsson on drums and Dee Murray on bass.It's got killer versions of Take Me to the Pilot, 60Years On and Burn Down the Mission

[@blitztim6416]

@@Macilmoyle Let’s stick to studio albums for now. The kid is just getting to know Elton.

[@badlloyd]

How about Peter Gabriel sounds like this!

[@timjefferson2137]

Two words: Tim Minchin. Much better piano and a blistering vocal delivery.

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

No definitely not Genesis they always started out great promising things and always petering out sadly