From: jjmckay@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jim McKay)
Subject: Bruce Hornsby on Elton (was Re: EJ's THE ONE)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 21:20:06 GMT


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"elton-john-request@uiuc.edu")

The following is from the "Rolling Stone" article "Artist's 
Choice: Bruce Hornsby's Top Ten Elton John Songs" (Issue 
#587, September 20, 1990).

1.  "AMOREENA"  This is the first Elton song I ever heard.  
My big brother Bobby went to prep school in Connecticut, 
and he used to get turned on to music there that we never 
heard back in southeastern Virginia.  We basically got Otis 
Redding, Wilson Pickett, beach music and Top Forty.  We 
never got what was known then as "FM music."  I still 
remember very well the impression it made on me riding 
down to our cousins' house one day with my brother, 
listening to "Amoreena."

2.  "BURN DOWN THE MISSION"  I still play this one live 
sometimes.  Like "Amoreena," is from "Tumbleweed 
Connection," which to me was Elton and Bernie Taupin's 
version of the Band, depicting Americana in Music.  
"Tumbleweed Connection" remains my favorite Elton John 
record.  Maybe part of that is because it was my first.  But I 
think not, actually.  It's just an album that really spoke to me.  

3.  "TAKE ME TO THE PILOT"  I first remember this one off 
the "Elton John" album, but it's also on his live record, "11-
17-70", which I wore out because there was so much great 
piano on it.  There were so many licks to learn.  I never knew 
what this son g was about, but I always liked it anyway.

4.  "SIXTY YEARS ON"  There's something extremely special 
about this moody, dramatic song form the "Elton John" album.

5.  "MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER"  Another minor-key, 
very dramatic effort.  The song creates a certain dark, intense 
mood, which I love.  It's also the title track on another great Elton album.

6.  "MY FATHER'S GUN"  Also from "Tumbleweed", this 
song's got that sort of pastoral, New Orleans, historical vibe.  
It's very much like a Robbie Robertson composition from the Band days.

7.  "INDIAN SUNSET"  A wonderful mood-setting number 
from "Madman Across the Water."  I know some people who 
rag on this song, but it's always moved me.  It also features a 
particularly well-done arrangement from Paul Buckmaster.

8.  "BORDER SONG"  Another classic from "Elton John," 
with some real gospel spirit.

9.  "WHERE TO NOW ST. PETER"  Yet another favorite from 
the "Tumbleweed" collection.

10.  "BAD SIDE OF THE MOON"  I love the version from the 
"11-17-70" album.  I think I got some real piano playing off 
that track.  Things sort of went full circle for me because a 
couple of years ago I saw this interview with Elton John, and 
he said some really complementary things about me.  I got 
chills hearing this.  It was amazing for me to hear this from 
the guy who -- along with Leon Russell -- really inspired me 
to get into this back when we had a six-foot grand piano in 
our house.  Somehow I never noticed till then.  Hearing that 
from Elton meant a lot to me because Elton's music has 
always meant a lot to me.

JIM'S COMMENTS:  

In a "Chicago Tribune Magazine" celebrity profile 5 or 6 years 
ago, Bruce Hornsby said "Tumbleweed Connection" was his
favorite album--by any artist.

"Indian Sunset" is one of my favs too.  It was written live
in front of an audience.

When Bruce wonders if he likes "Tumbleweed" best because 
it was his first and then discounts that, I should add that I 
consider "Tumbleweed" to be my favorite -- tied with 
"Madman Across the Water" -- and it was the fourteenth 
album of Elton's I purchased. 

In an interview (the source escapes me), Elton says that he 
thinks the best he's ever played live was on "11-17-70" ("17-
11-70" to you folks in the U.K.).  

Considering Bruce's love of "Madman Across the Water", his 
performance of the song on the "Two Rooms..." album, and 
the Grateful Dead-like version recently released on EJ's "Rare 
Masters", I hope that Bruce and the Dead will perform 
"Madman" during next summer's Dead tour.

Finally, according to the Phillip Norman biography, the 
Band, including Robbie Robertson, love the album they 
inspired Elton and Bernie to make, "Tumblweed Connection."




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