One of Elton and Bernie's Best: A Complete Quality Album . "Honky Chateau" is an example of why Greatest Hits albums just do not work for great artists. This early Elton John effort is an example of when John and Taupin had some edge and grit to their songs with some western influence. The whole album seems interconnected with excellent music, vocals and words that bond to one of their greatest collaborations. "Rocket Man" was the big hit during the albums original debut but the many of the other songs were virtually bigger in quality and longevity. "Honky Cat" starts with a smart jazzy sound with Elton in a cocky voice talking about his "redneck ways" that jumps and hops but in the next song he steps down and eases into the song "Mellow", which slows up to a laid back story of love behind close doors with a lover that makes him sing in a tired but pleased voice "You make me mellow, oh you make me mellow" and the song does make you ease into feeling the mellow he sings about. I like the sound and lyrics of all the songs but the oddly up tempo song about a typical teenager being morose in "I think I am going to Kill Myself" is spritely entertaining sound of a youth complaining about small transgressions like not using the car then he downshifts suddenly  down in a lyrical sound into a slowing middle eight of "Get a little headline news, I'd like to see what the papers say, On the state of teenage blues", particularly when Elton soulfully extends the word blues into a long bluesy wail that just puts this song in a unique category. Salvation is an almost gospel sounding song that starts off slow with "I have to say my friends, this road goes a long, long way" with great guitars and backing harmonies that is virtually uplifting in a sound that is optimistic in spite of the challenges exposed in the lyrics. "Amy" is just a fun tune that sounds like a young man teased by a wild and more mature woman and he sings with pain and but with optimism in his voice "Amy I may not be James Dean, Amy I may not be nineteen, And I may still be in romper boots and jeans, But Amy you're the girl that wrecks my dreams". One of the ultimate classics is "Mona Lisa" an up lifting song about a tough life in NY city that crosses the dimensions of different type of people, the poor and the affluent as Elton mournfully sings "Until you've seen this trash can dream come true, You stand at the edge while people run you through, And I thank the Lord there's people out there like you, I thank the Lord there's people out there like you" that in the end is uplifting, that he has found something and someone in a tough time and place. Finishing with a flourish, "Hercules" is a rollicking tune about being in love with a woman who is unfortunately in love with a muscleman, a "cat named Hercules".  The song has John with an excellent vocal with backing vocals with a touch of beach boys' sound and although the song seems to end in defeat, it sounds like the man will persevere with a touch of humor. "Rocket Man" is the classic song that Elton used to sing for 20 minutes in concert and it is a great song about a man being a long way from home in a cold desolate environment but the whole album is full of great songs and perhaps this is the best John/Taupin collaboration. The additional alternate version of the western sounding "Slave" is more up tempo than the original and is very good but the core 10 songs are just wonderful and always memorable.
Output: POS