The legendary English songman has certainly set new benchmarks in flamboyance and onstage flair--so much so that we may overlook his massive contributions to pop. John's set of #1 hits shows him mixing everything from soul to early rock to confessional piano into a new vision for arena pop.
The remarkable Elton John celebrates his 60th birthday on March 25 with his 60th concert at Madison Square Garden. Two days later, Elton celebrates a first--his first full-length, over 75 minutes-long U.S. single-disc greatest hits album to be originally issued on CD. Newly compiled and digitally mastered, Rocket Man – Number Ones (Island/UMe), released March 27, 2007, spans the first three decades of the singer-songwriter's career and in a CD+DVD version brings it up-to-date into the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's fourth decade. Rocket Man – Number Ones features 12 classics that hit #1 on various charts plus five other Elton signature songs. A limited edition CD+DVD package adds a bonus DVD with five live performances from Elton's "The Red Piano" concert and five music videos, including that for his latest single, "Tinderbox," presented exclusively.
The single-CD Rocket Man – Number Ones ranges from Elton's first Billboard #1 pop smash, the 1973 platinum "Crocodile Rock," to the also platinum #1s from the '70s "Bennie And The Jets," "Island Girl" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (#1 R&R and Cashbox/#2 Billboard). The gold pop #1s from that decade are "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee) plus the gold Adult Contemporary #1s "Daniel" and "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word."
Representing the '90s are "Sacrifice" (#1 U.K./Top 20 U.S.), gold "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" (with George Michael) and gold Adult Contemporary #1 "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" The five extras are "Your Song" (in 1971 his first pop Top 10), the original 1973 studio version of "Candle In The Wind," "Tiny Dancer" (which earned digital gold in 2005), the #2 charting "Rocket Man" and the Top 20 "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting."
The live performances on the limited edition CD+DVD are of "Bennie And The Jets," "Rocket Man," "Candle In The Wind 1997," "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" and "Your Song." The five music videos on the DVD are of "Your Song," "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," "I'm Still Standing," "I Want Love" (featuring Robert Downey Jr.) and "Tinderbox." The latter track hails from Elton's most recent album, 2006's The Captain & The Kid, his third consecutive Top 20 hit album of the 21st century.