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THE REVIEW
"Goodbye England's rose, may you ever grow in our hearts, you were the grace that place itself where lives were torn apart..."
Thinking about Elton John in the grace year 1997, this is the first image that comes to mind, Lady D's funeral and "Candle In The Wind 1997," the best-selling single in the history of the world music industry: EJ seems to be an artist in full bloom, at the peak of his fame; all true? Absolutely not, the Elton John of 1997 is as much the talk of the town as he is in a creative ebb phase, as evidenced by the album "The Big Picture," a rather inconsistent record release that will pay in terms of sales (below expectations) due to excessive media overexposure.
Unlike its much more valuable and consistent predecessor "Made In England," this album does not feature Paul Buckmaster's orchestral arrangements; for "The Big Picture," Chris Thomas, who was already the producer of "The One," was called back, and the sound returns to an electronic imprint, with the inevitable result that the album proves to be a well-packaged and skillfully conceived rehash, but decidedly too weak and uninspired to shine on its own and relaunch the more strictly musical image of Elton John in the eyes of critics, which, on the contrary, will contribute to further sinking.
Despite everything, "The Big Picture" is not devoid of excellent points, particularly the title track, which manages to combine the reflective mood of the rest of the album with a good dose of freshness and rock grit, and ballads like the intimate "Long Way From Happiness" and "Live Like Horses", an outtake from "Made In England" notable for a beautiful melodic crescendo in the finale, where the electronics well support heartfelt and convincing melodies. It's a pity that the remaining eight songs, apart from a couple of good episodes ("The End Will Come" and "Recover Your Soul"), do not offer any interesting insights: they are all decent songs, the levels of ugliness of "Ice On Fire" and "Leather Jackets" are not even approached, but unfortunately they completely lack personality and slip away without leaving a trace, soon becoming boring.
Overall, "The Big Picture" is a substantial misstep that well captures the situation of an Elton John too caught up in far more lucrative commitments to devote himself 100% to his path as an artist, and who was probably the first to notice the mediocrity of the final product, as evidenced by the anonymous single "Something About The Way You Look Tonight", slyly coupled with "Candle In The Wind 1997" in a bizarre attempt at "subliminal" promotion. After a long series of artistic and commercial flops that will follow in the subsequent years (among them the musical "Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida" and the live "One Night Only"), our man will resurrect once again with the excellent "Songs From The West Coast" in 2001, confirming his spirit as an unsinkable highlander.
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Summary by Bot
Elton John’s 1997 album The Big Picture is marked by inconsistency and a lack of creative inspiration, contrasting sharply with its predecessor. Produced by Chris Thomas, the album leans on electronic influences but largely fails to impress critics or fans. Some tracks like the title song and ballads provide lyrical and melodic interest, but most songs lack personality. The album reflects a difficult period in Elton John’s career before his later resurgence.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
09 January (04:04)
Must have been the right month
Must have been a good time
Must have counted every cloud in the sky that night
Every single glass of wine
Must have learned some home truths
Sitting in that cool grass
Must have counted every blade in that emerald field
Every shooting star that passed
Should have had a talk with God
Sitting in the great unknown
Watching all the lovers in the world get together
Sitting in Heaven all alone
And we were love's knot after summer
Tied together in the dead of winter
Wrapped up with spring fever in the air
Bound together in the autumn
Every month means a little something
But January is the month that cares
Must have kissed you 'till I hurt you
Must have been a wild night
Must have rolled in the ashes at the break of day
Rag dolls in the morning light
Must have found a secret place
Hiding in our own world
Must have counted every smile on your sweet, sweet lips
Every single sound we heard
Elton John
Reginald Kenneth Dwight, known as Elton John, is an English singer, pianist and composer who rose to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin provided lyrics for much of his work. He is best known for piano-driven pop/rock songs and landmark 1970s albums; he was knighted and has had a prolific recording and performing career.54 Reviews
