After spending a number of years within the wilderness, Elton John loved a much-needed comeback together with his seventeenth studio album Too Low for Zero and its High 5 single “I Guess That is Why They Name It the Blues.”
John hadn’t loved a No. 1 album since 1975’s Rock of the Westies – his sixth in a row – and he’d collaborated with a number of musicians outdoors the classic-era Elton John Band within the interim, even breaking quickly with lyricist Bernie Taupin. Dwindling gross sales and lukewarm critiques mirrored John’s personal distracted strategy to music: He’d misplaced curiosity in touring for some time and was admittedly extra focused on being chairman of his soccer membership, Watford F.C.
After a sequence of misfires, John longed to attempt one thing new – or outdated – on Too Low for Zero. He introduced stalwart guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray, drummer Nigel Olsson and percussionist Ray Cooper to the island of Montserrat for studio classes, armed with an album’s value of lyrics by Taupin. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than they realized the outdated magic was nonetheless there.
“We every had a villa on the island, after which we might all come down and meet on the studio and begin work for the day,” Johnstone recalled in 2021. “I took to strolling there every single day … the couple of miles or no matter it was, and get to the studio simply across the time that Elton’s getting there. And we might sit round and speak about stuff, and this at some point, he had stated, ‘This monitor, I believe, ought to be written with guitar.’ And he informed me the title.”
The music was “I Guess That is Why They Name It the Blues,” and Johnstone had gotten a uncommon sneak peek at the lyrics on the flight from California whereas getting “very, very drunk” with Taupin, who wrote the tune as a love letter to then-wife Toni Russo. “It was like, ‘Wow, one other killer. One other sensible, transferring factor,'” Johnstone enthused. “And that was earlier than any music was written. So I hadn’t been fascinated with the music till Elton stated, ‘Let’s do a guitar-based music.’ So we sat down within the studio and we wrote it in 20 minutes, I believe.”
Watch Elton John’s ‘I Guess That is Why They Name It the Blues’ Video
John additionally satisfied Stevie Marvel to carry out a harmonica solo on “The Blues,” marking one among a number of collaborations between the pair. “That was the run-through, by the way in which,” John informed Billboard in 2021 of the take that made the file. “When Stevie performs harmonica, you break right into a smile, as a result of Stevie’s music and his soul is all about pleasure.”
Launched as the primary single off Too Low for Zero in April 1983, “I Guess That is Why They Name It the Blues” grew to become John’s greatest hit in a number of years, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Scorching 100 and No. 2 on the Grownup Modern chart. The album’s subsequent two singles, “I am Nonetheless Standing” and “Kiss the Bride,” reached Nos. 12 and 25 on the Scorching 100, respectively, and helped push Too Low for Zero to eventual platinum standing.
A long time later, John nonetheless spoke fondly of the album and its lead single, which he selected as one among his 20 most significant songs. “Bernie was again on Too Low for Zero – we wrote every part on the album,” he informed Rolling Stone in 2013. “Additionally, it was the primary time I met Renate [Blauel, later to be his first spouse], as a result of she was an engineer on that file. It actually was a return to kind. Though ‘I am Nonetheless Standing’ was type of an anthem, ‘Blues’ is the one for me as a result of it is only a nice music to sing. It is timeless.”
Elton John Albums Ranked
Counting down each Elton John album, from worst to greatest.
