The Empty Sky album is, more than anything else I think, a showcase/tryout effort by two new collaborators who are trying to figure out for themselves what works and what doesn't. In almost every song, you can find echoes of what was popular in 1968- both sonically, as echoes of the Beatles, Stones, Procol Harum, a myriad of Long John Baldry-inspired blues bands, Dylan, etc., as well as subject matters of love, and peace, and the search for same, as well as the search for ideals of truth and honor in their fellow man and even a Sci-Fi scenario...anything that might catch the ear of the Beautiful People and lead to bigger and better things.
"Western Ford Gateway" seems to be, as best as I can tell, a Taupin musing on the transience of life- not especially deep or profound, but then again Bernie was just honing his craft and would go on to do much better. Elton provides a mid-60's Dylan country-rock arrangement, and it sounds like it could fit on Highway 61 Revisited without too much trouble. It's short and tuneful and doesn't overstay its welcome.
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8 comments:
Always seemed a bit Lennon-ish as well, particularly in the vocal delivery.
But definitely Dylan.
I love this song. I have always wondered exactly what Western Ford Gateway is. It looks like a cobble or brick street near the sea with a bunch of old crumudgeons passed out on the street and a few bars open facing the blustery weather... Don't know why, but that is what I think of when I hear that song.
Don't know why but the chorus is stuck in my head at the moment. It's so catchy. I remember when I first listened to Empty Sky in the mid-70s. I was disappointed. It was so rough around the edges and didn't have any of the Elton John finesse that seemed to take off from the "Elton John" album. The singing, the melodies and even the lyrics all seemed kind of off-key, so to speak. Despite all that the melodies, the harpsichord and everything else about the songs seemed to linger in the mind.
Darn good tunes!
Empty Sky has been climbing the Scaffold steadily for me for 40+ years ! Whimsical, catchy melodies and really nice lyrics all the way through. Its almost a concept album... Gulliver, Valhalla, Sailors, Eldorado, it's got the charm of a ghost story, and NONE OF THE CRAP psychedelic cheese or Political redundancies of most late 60's Powerless Flower stench. The title track, & Sails & Hay Chewed are killer tracks ! I love hearing the glimpses of Elton's classic tension and release and the variety of character voices and the cinematic drama of the story telling all ties in to the incomparable dynamics of the bandtracks and mixes. (Ala Mercy on the Criminal) Empty Sky is currently my 5th fave EJ album...
Elton does borrow from John Lennon and the same influences... The purists and the homophobes would disagree, but Elton is the one person who could have, and i wish would've teamed up with Paul George and Ringo to pay homage to John
I love the description by the poster above regarding Western Ford Gateway. I see it exactly as you do. A compliment to Taupin/John
I love this. Feels like a Beatles/The Band hybrid... could have been reworked easily for Tumbleweed Connection (Western Ford Gateway as an Old West saloon)
The title track feels like a Madman Across the Water track. Love em both
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