Rock of the Westies
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| Rock of the Westies | |||||
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| Studio album by Elton John | |||||
| Released | October 4, 1975 (UK) October 20, 1975 (U.S.) |
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| Recorded | Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO, June-July 1975 | ||||
| Genre | Pop, Rock | ||||
| Length | 43:39 | ||||
| Label | MCA (US/Canada) DJM Records |
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| Producer | Gus Dudgeon | ||||
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| Elton John chronology | |||||
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Rock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1975 (see 1975 in music).
The name Rock of the Westies is a spoonerism of the phrase "West of the Rockies" as well as a possible reference to people from "Westy", a suburban district in Warrington, England.
Like Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Rock of the Westies also debuted on the United States Billboard charts at #1, the only two albums at that time to have done so. It was less successful in the artist's home territory of the United Kingdom, where it only reached #5. Rock of the Westies also contained the U.S. #1 (but only #14 in the UK) single, "Island Girl," which was released prior to the full album coming out. Elton John noted at the time in a radio interview that he had wanted to release "Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future)" as the album's first single instead of "Island Girl," because he thought it had more commercial potential. He was however, overruled, and "Dan Dare" was never released as a single, and "Island Girl" became a huge hit.
The make-up of Elton John's band was different on Rock of the Westies, with long-time drummer Nigel Olsson and long-time bass player Dee Murray moving onto different ventures. Accordingly, the sound of John's music was somewhat different on this album, and had a much harder edge to it. This was a disappointment to many long-time Elton John fans, which was evident by the disappointing sales of his next single from Rock of the Westies (the double-sided "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" / "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)"), as well as the disappointing sales of his next effort, the double album Blue Moves.
While the music of Rock of the Westies was not well-regarded during and immediately after the time of its release, it has subsequently been revisited over time by music critics and Elton John fans alike as being a strong effort, and probably his last "great" album during that stage of his career.
Outside the US and Canada, this was the last original studio release from John on DJM Records, as he would finally be able to record for his own Rocket Records.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Side one
- "Medley: Yell Help/Wednesday Night/Ugly" (John/Taupin) – 6:13
- "Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future)" (John, Taupin) – 3:30
- "Island Girl" (John, Taupin) – 3:42
- "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" (John, Davey Johnstone, Taupin) – 4:43
- "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" (John, Taupin) – 5:28
[edit] Side two
- "Street Kids" (John, Taupin) – 6:23
- "Hard Luck Story" (John, Taupin) – 5:10
- "Feed Me" (John, Taupin) – 4:00
- "Billy Bones and the White Bird" (John, Taupin) – 4:24
[edit] Bonus tracks (1996 CD reissue US version)
- "Planes" (John, Taupin) – 4:31
- "Sugar on the Floor" (Kiki Dee) – 4:31
[edit] Bonus track (1996 CD reissue UK version)
- "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee) – 4:28
[edit] B-sides
| Song | Format |
|---|---|
| "Sugar on the Floor" | Island Girl 7" (US/UK) |
[edit] Personnel
- Elton John - piano, keyboard, vocals
- Ray Cooper - percussion, castanets, conga, maracas, marimba, tambourine, kettle drums, vibraphone, shaker, cowbell, jawbone, bell tree, wind chimes
- Kiki Dee - vocals, background vocals
- Clive Franks - percussion, vocals, background vocals
- Davey Johnstone - synthesizer, acoustic guitar, banjo, guitar, mandolin, electric guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals, background vocals, slide guitar, voice bag
- Labelle - vocals, background vocals
- James Newton-Howard - synthesizer, harpsichord, keyboard, electric piano, clavinet, mellotron, elka
- Kenny Passarelli - bass, background vocals
- Ann Orson - vocals, background vocals
- Kenny Passarelli - bass
- Roger Pope - drums
- Caleb Quaye - acoustic guitar, guitar, electric guitar, rhythm guitar, background vocals
- Gus Dudgeon - Patti Labelle impersonation, (Stoned).
[edit] Production
- Producer: Gus Dudgeon
- Engineer: Jeff Guercio
- Liner notes: John Tobler
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Pop Albums | 1 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | "Island Girl" | Pop Singles | 1 |
| 1976 | "Grow Some Funk Of Your Own" | Pop Singles | 14 |
| 1976 | "I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)" | Pop Singles | 14 |
| Preceded by Windsong by John Denver |
Billboard 200 number-one album November 8 - November 28, 1975 |
Succeeded by Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon |
