In this look at the best Elton John songs of the 70’s I will look at the singles and albums of Elton released in the 1970’s.

I will also give you some information on Elton John. His early life, how he chose his stage name etc…

I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.

25 Best Elton John Songs – The Singles

I will list the song name, the year released in the UK and the chart position reached in the UK and where applicable the US.

1. Your Song (1970) (7) (8)
2. Rocket Man (1972) (2) (6)
3. Honky Cat (1972) (31) (8)
4. Crocodile Rock (1972) (5) (1)
5. Daniel (1973) (4) (2)
6. Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (1973) (7) (12)
7. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) (6) (2)
8. Step Into Christmas (1973) (10)
9. Candle In The Wind (1974) (11)
10. Bennie And The Jets (1974) (37) (1)
11. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (1974) (16) (2)
12. The Bitch Is Back (1974) (15) (4)
13. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (1974) (10) (1)
14. Philadelphia Freedom (1975) (12) (1)
15. Someone Saved My Life Tonight (1975) (22) (4)
16. Island Girl (1975) (14) (1)
17. Pinball Wizard (1976) (7)
18. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (1976) (1) (1)
19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (11) (6)
20. Crazy Water (1977) (27)
21. Bite Your Lip (Get Up And Dance!) (1977) (28) (28)
22. Ego (1978) (34) (34)
23. Part Time Love (1978) (15) (22)
24. Song For Guy (1978) (4)
25. Are You Ready For Love Part1 (1979) (42)

Elton John’s Studio Albums Of The 70’s

As above I will list the album name, year of release and position reached in the UK and if applicable the position reached in the US.

1. Elton John (1970) (5) (4)
2. Tumbleweed Connection (1970) (2) (5)
3. Madman Across The Water (1971) (41) (8)
4. Honky Chateau 1972) (2) (1)
5. Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player (1973) (1) (1)
6. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) (1) (1)
7. Caribou (1974) (1) (1)
8. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) (2) (1)
9. Rock Of The Westies (1975) (5) (1)
10. Blue Moves (1976) (3) (3)
11. A Single Man (1978) (8) (15)
12. Victim Of Love (1979) (41) (35)

Live Albums

1. 17-11-70 (1971) (20) (11)
2. Here And There (1976) (6) (4)

Greatest Hits

1. Elton John’s Greatest Hits (1974) (1) (1)
2. Elton John’s Greatest Hits Volume II (1977) (6) (21)

Best Elton John Songs – Elton John’s History

The man who was to become Elton John began life as Reginald Kenneth Dwight he was born in Pinner, Middlesex, England on the 25^th March 1947. He began taking piano lessons at the age of 4, when he was 11 he won a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy Of Music were he studied every Saturday for 5 years.

He left school at 16 and went to work as a messenger for Mills Music and in the evenings he would entertain the locals on the bar piano at the Northwood Hills Hotel in Pinner. He joined a group called The Corvettes who changed their name to Bluesology after a song title by Django Reinhardt.

He stayed with the band for 5 years, during one of their regular spots at the Cromwellian Club in London they were spotted by Long John Baldry who asked the band to become his full time backing group. In 1966 they toured the UK playing R&B in the smooth Baldry style. The band also included a future Roxy Music guitarist in Neil Hubbard and a saxophonist called Elton Dean.

Realising his name was not one you would associate with a rock star he changed his name to Elton John after Elton Dean and John Baldry. In June that year he answered an advert in the New Musical Express magazine for new talent, but he failed the audition. He was though offered a pile of lyrics and asked to compose some music for them. The lyrics had been written by Bernie Taupin with whom Elton eventually had massive success. After having no success writing for other artists the pair decided to do their own material and released a single called Lady Samantha and an album called Empty Sky on the new DJM’s label.

The single and album created enough interest with it’s folk style songs, laced with harpsichord and flute for the follow up album Elton John to make the charts in the UK at number 45. The highlight of the album was Your Song which was released in 1971 and made it to number 7 in the UK singles chart. That was the beginning of a great partnership and as you saw above a string of hits followed throughout the 70’s.

Best Elton John Songs – Elton In The 80’s

Here is a list Of Elton’s hits singles in the 80’s. I will name the song, the year released and position reached in the UK chart and if applicable the US chart.

1. Little Jeannie (1980) (33) (3)
2. Sartorial Eloquence (1980) (44) (39)
3. I Saw Her Standing There (with John Lennon) (1981) (40)
4. Nobody Wins (1981) (42) (21)
5. Blue Eyes (1982) (8) (12)
6. Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) (1982) (51) (13)
7. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues (1983) (5) (3)
8. I’m Still Standing (1983) (4) (12)
9. Kiss The Bride (1983) (20) (25)
10. Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year) (1983) (33)
11. Sad Songs Say So Much (1984) (7) (5)
12. Passengers (1984) (5)
13. Who Wears These Shoes (1984) (50) (16)
14. Breaking Hearts (Ain’t What It Used To Be) (1985) (59)
15. Act Of War (1985) (32)
16. Nikita (1985) (3) (7)
17. Wrap Her Up (1985) (12) (20)
18. Cry To Heaven (1986) (47)
19. Heartache All Over The World (1986) (45) (55)
20. Slow Rivers (1986) (44)
21. Candle In The Wind (1987) (5) (6)
22. I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That (1988) (30) (2)
23. Town Of Plenty (1988) (74)
24. Healing Hands (1989) (45) (13)
25. Sacrifice (1989) (55) (18)
26. Whispers (1989) (42)
27. Amazes Me (1989) (43)

As you can see that by the end of the 80’s Elton John songs were not doing well in the charts but a re-issue of Sacrifice gave Elton his first solo number 1 single in the UK in 1990. He also had another 3 number ones in the UK. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (with George Michael) in 1991 and Something About The Way You Look Tonight/ Candle In The Wind in 1997. He sang this song at Princess Diana’s funeral. He also had a remix of Are You Ready For Love make it to number 1 in 2003. The song was used for an advert for sky sports premier league coverage for the new season and that why it made number 1.

You can see Elton John has had a very successful career. He is still touring but he says this is his final tour. So this could be your last chance to see him. He was playing in Cardiff about 3 weeks ago, I didn’t go but I heard he was as brilliant as ever.