Blue Moves
Studio album by
Elton John
Released22 October 1976
RecordedMarch 1976
StudioEastern Sound, Toronto; Abbey Road, London; Sunset Sound, Los Angeles; Brother, Santa Monica; remixed at Marquee, London[1]
GenrePop rock
Length85:07
LabelMCA / Rocket (US)
Rocket (UK)
ProducerGus Dudgeon
Elton John chronology
Here and There
(1976)		 Blue Moves
(1976)		 Greatest Hits Volume II
(1977)
Singles from Blue Moves
  1. "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
    Released: 1 November 1976
  2. "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)"
    Released: 31 January 1977
  3. "Crazy Water"
    Released: 4 February 1977 (UK)

Blue Moves is the eleventh studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released in October 1976. It was John's second double album (after Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) and the first to be released by his own label, Rocket Records Ltd. The album reached number 3 in the US charts, ending a long streak of chart-topping albums for John that began with Honky Château in 1972.

Background

Having completed what he described as a "gruelling American tour",[2] John gave only a handful of performances at the time of release, and later announced (during a charity concert at Wembley Arena the following year), "I haven't been touring for a long time. It's been a painful decision, whether to come back on the road or not... I've made a decision tonight – this is going to be the last show... There's a lot more to me than playing on the road."[3] He accordingly left the touring/live performing scene for a brief period. Kenny Passarelli, Caleb Quaye, James Newton Howard and Roger Pope played their last shows together as part of the Elton John Band during John's seven-night engagement at Madison Square Garden at the conclusion of the Louder Than Concorde Tour, and formally were let go from the band after the album's release. The shows were the last time Pope, Passarelli, Quaye and John played together. Howard would briefly rejoin John's touring band in 1980, and work with him on the 1986 Tour De Force Tour shows in Australia and New Zealand. Only Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper returned for roles on John's next album, A Single Man and beyond.

John has stated that Blue Moves is one of his favourites of the albums he has recorded.[4] He and Taupin were aware of the challenging nature of the new material. John later said: “I’m very proud of it, but the music was complex and hard to play, quite experimental and jazz-influenced.”[5]

It was the last album Gus Dudgeon produced with John for almost a decade until 1985's Ice on Fire. The cover art is from a painting by British artist Patrick Procktor, called "The Guardian Readers". In the U.S., it was certified gold in October and platinum in December 1976 by the RIAA.

"Cage the Songbird" was a tribute to legendary French singer Edith Piaf, and a year or so later was covered by Kiki Dee on an unreleased Rocket album, which finally was issued in 2008. ("Songbird" originated as part of the Rock of the Westies sessions, but was not completed during them, probably because the song's acoustic, delicate sound did not fit with the more rock 'n' roll approach of the rest of the songs that made the Westies final track list.) The Beach Boys turned down "Chameleon" (which was written two years prior to the album's release), but Bruce Johnston, a former Beach Boy, performed backing vocals on John's version along with former Beach Boys touring member Toni Tennille. John also performed the song at Wembley Stadium in 1975, where he also performed the Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy album in its entirety. An excerpt from "Out of the Blue" was used for the closing titles on Top Gear until the end of that Top Gear format (in 2001).[6] This was one of two albums in which Davey Johnstone does not provide backing vocals; 1997's The Big Picture would be the other.

Basic tracks for Blue Moves were recorded at Eastern Sound in Toronto, Ontario. Additional overdubs were done at EMI Studios, Abbey Road in London, Brother Studio in Santa Monica, California and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California. The album was mixed at Marquee Studios in London.

John has played several songs from Blue Moves live: "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", "Bite Your Lip", "One Horse Town", "Tonight", "Idol" and "Crazy Water" have been played during various concert appearances through the years.

In the summer of 2011, George Michael embarked on what would be his final tour, an orchestral tour of Europe, the UK, and Australia. From the 19 September concert at Budapest Sports Arena, Michael performed "Idol" replacing "It Doesn't Really Matter". At a special gig in the Royal Albert Hall raising money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Michael introduced the song, saying: "This next song was written by someone I hope has made it in here already – Elton. It's a song he wrote in the late 70s and it's about an ageing pop star. Funny that." As Michael cast his gaze around the audience, John waved from the stalls, where he sat beside his civil partner David Furnish and broadcaster Janet Street Porter. Having already recorded his own version of "Tonight" for the Two Rooms album in 1991, Michael's vocals at that concert ended up on 2014's Symphonica.[7]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Christgau's Record GuideC[9]
Rolling Stone(not rated)[10]
Sputnik Music[11]

Blue Moves has received mixed reviews since its release. A contemporary review for Rolling Stone said the album "contains nowhere near enough good songs to justify the extended length" and that the interludes and instrumentals were done "to the exclusion of sense."[10] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau described it as "impossibly weepy" and "excessive".[9] Lindsay Planer of Allmusic later said the album showed the "inevitable fatigue" of John's "immense creativity" that had helped create the previous albums of his career.[8]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Your Starter For..."Caleb Quaye1:23
2."Tonight"
7:52
3."One Horse Town"
5:56
4."Chameleon"
  • John
  • Taupin
5:27
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Boogie Pilgrim"
6:05
2."Cage the Songbird"
  • John
  • Taupin
  • Johnstone
3:52
3."Crazy Water"
  • John
  • Taupin
5:42
4."Shoulder Holster"
  • John
  • Taupin
5:10
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
  • John
  • Taupin
3:48
2."Out of the Blue"
  • John
  • Taupin
6:14
3."Between Seventeen and Twenty"
  • John
  • Taupin
  • Johnstone
  • Quaye
5:17
4."The Wide Eyed and Laughing"
  • John
  • Taupin
  • Howard
  • Johnstone
  • Quaye
3:27
5."Someone's Final Song"
  • John
  • Taupin
4:10
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Where's the Shoorah?"
  • John
  • Taupin
4:09
2."If There's a God in Heaven (What's He Waiting For?)"
  • John
  • Taupin
  • Johnstone
4:25
3."Idol"
  • John
  • Taupin
4:08
4."Theme From a Non-Existent TV Series"
  • John
  • Taupin
1:19
5."Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)"
  • John
  • Taupin
6:43
Total length:85:07

Note: Initial CD versions of the album maintain the same running order, but omit "Cage the Songbird", "Shoulder Holster", "The Wide Eyed and Laughing" and, in some cases, "Where's the Shoorah?".[12] It has since been remastered and re-released as a 2-CD set retaining the original LP track listing.

Personnel

Track numbering refers to the 2-CD and digital releases of the album.

Production

  • Producer and Liner Notes – Gus Dudgeon
  • Engineers – Arun Chakraverty, Gus Dudgeon, Mark Howlett, John Kurlander, Earle Mankey and John Stewart.
  • Mixing – Phil Dunne
  • Remixing – Gus Dudgeon and Phil Dunne
  • Cutting Engineer – Arun Chakraverty
  • Art Direction and Coordination – David Costa
  • Photography – David Nutter
  • Painting – Patrick Procktor
  • Management – John Reid

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] Platinum 50,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[32] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[33] Gold 100,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[34] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[36] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Blue Moves". albumlinernotes. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Video on YouTube
  3. ↑ Video on YouTube
  4. ↑ Elton John: Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, 1987.
  5. ↑ John, Elton (15 October 2019). Me: Elton John Official Autobiography. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-250-14761-5.
  6. ↑ Roach, Martin (2012). The Top Gear Story: The 100% Unofficial Story of the Most Famous Car Show . . . In the World. John Blake. p. 38. ISBN 978-1857826623.
  7. ↑ "George Michael sings for Elton John". 11 April 2012.
  8. 1 2 Planer, Lindsay. "Blue Moves – Elton John". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  9. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 27 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  10. 1 2 "Blue Moves Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "Elton John – Blue Moves (album review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  12. ↑ Elton John (1988). Blue Moves (liner notes).
  13. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5136a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "danskehitlister.dk". danskehitlister.dk. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  16. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Blue Moves" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  17. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  18. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Blue Moves" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 23 February 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Elton John".
  20. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  21. ↑ "Charts.nz – Elton John – Blue Moves". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  22. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – Blue Moves". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  23. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – Blue Moves". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  25. ↑ "Elton John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  26. ↑ "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  27. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5175". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  28. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1977". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  29. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5558". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  30. ↑ "Top Pop Albums of 1977". Billboard. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  31. ↑ "Blue Moves to Platinum" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. 38, no. 29. 4 December 1976. p. 50. Retrieved 15 August 2020 – via World Radio History.
  32. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Elton John – Blue Moves". Music Canada.
  33. ↑ "French album certifications – Elton John – Blue Moves" (in French). InfoDisc. Select ELTON JOHN and click OK. 
  34. ↑ "Holland Reaction" (PDF). Cashbox. 1 January 1977. p. 39. Retrieved 18 March 2023 – via World Radio History.
  35. ↑ "British album certifications – Elton John – Blue Moves". British Phonographic Industry.
  36. ↑ "American album certifications – Elton John – Blue Moves". Recording Industry Association of America.
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