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The post-"Blue Moves" retirement from the stage for Elton John only lasts two years, but "A Single Man" from 1978 marks a total shift from the previous publications of the pianist from Pinner: new musicians, new lyricist, new record label and a sharp cut from the recent past: while "Blue Moves" was overblown, pretentious, and confusing, despite some flashes of genius, "A Single Man" is simple, direct, and smooth; an album that certainly deviates less from pop standards than its predecessor; yet it is neither mediocre nor predictable; quite the opposite, "A Single Man" finds its strength precisely in being catchy and versatile without overdoing it; just with that touch of Elton John-like genius and sophistication that makes it, even 32 years after its release, a still modern album, at times even pioneering in its sound.
"A Single Man" is an organized chaos of different sounds converging into a single harmonic melting pot: in all this, EJ places some pop songs that come close to perfection; primarily the graceful "Return To Paradise", infused with Caribbean atmospheres, and the single "Part-Time Love", an irresistible and sticky pop-rock with a vaguely disco feel, but also the alluring and whimsical ragtime of "Big Dipper" and the compelling gospel ballad "Georgia", accompanied in the choruses by the entire Watford FC, among whose ranks at the time also played the former AC Milan player Luther Blissett; and while the romantic ballad "Shine On Through", the simple pop rock of "I Don't Care", and the crooneresque number "Shooting Star" are somewhat routine pieces, though absolutely pleasant, EJ reasserts his genius with a heavy, tormented blues, "It Ain't Gonna Be Easy", which sinuously drags on for more than eight minutes contrasting with the sunny and light atmosphere of the rest of the album, and especially with the epic piano-rock of "Madness", which with its catchy yet complex and refined melody and its frenetic pace is certainly the most avant-garde track of "A Single Man", along with "Song For Guy", a touching instrumental closing, which stands perfectly even without vocals, to the point of being released as a single and even entering the hit-parades around the world, something absolutely unthinkable nowadays.
Note the inclusion among the bonus tracks of the single "Ego", an electrifying and sharp critique of the entertainment world, as well as one of Elton's most unique, compelling, and melodically genius songs, too advanced to be a top hit in 1978, along with a couple of excellent outtakes from "Blue Moves", "I Cry At Night" and "Lovesick", which further enrich "A Single Man", which is not a perfect album; Gary Osborne's songwriting is not even comparable to Bernie Taupin's, the cover with EJ bizarrely decked out as an English lord is not the best, and the final outcome certainly does not reach the depth of albums like "Madman Across The Water" or "Captain Fantastic..."; but in its own way, "A Single Man" is still a great album: fresh, inspired, and fundamentally superior to almost all of Elton John's 80s production.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
09 Madness (05:49)
The fuse is set and checked once more
Then left beside a back street door
And in the cold grey light
Someone sees a shadow run through the night and out of sight
They hide inside a smoke filled room
To hear at last the blast of doom
And so the deed is done
They listen to the final countdown begun, three, two, one
Madness, it's a kind of madness
Tat turns good men bad
And we're helpless caught up in the madness
Of a world gone mad
The roar of fire rings out on high
And flames light up the black night sky
A child screams out in fear
A hopeless cry for help but no one is near enough to hear
As walls collapse and timbers flare
The smell of death hangs in the air
When help at last arrives
They try to fight the flame but nothing survives of all those lives
And it's madness, every time a victim dies
There is madness, burning in a blind man's eyes
And it's madness, hidden in the hate and pain
There is madness, burning in a wild man's brain
And it's madness, every time the bullets start
There is madness, burning in a poor man's heart
And it's madness, something that we can't control
There is madness, burning in a madman's soul
Madness
10 Reverie (00:52)
Music by Elton John
Available on the album A Single Man
[Instrumental]
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