Six years before Warren Zevon, here's Elton "A-hoo"-ing in between verses in this rattletrap rocker, and Bernie provides another lyric (probably inspired by the lean years not too distant) about general feelings of powerlessness and imprisonment rather than any specific event.
As congas, wah-wah guitar, soul horns, and Elton's ever-present pounding piano accompany, John spits out lines like these:
Well I walk while they talk about virtue
Just raised on my back legs and snarled
Watched you kiss your old daddy with passion
And tell dirty jokes as he died
There's an odd synth break in the middle eight; while it's completely out of kilter with the rest of the sound of the song it doesn't overstay its welcome. Not quite the best song on the album, but it does serve as a bit of a palate-cleanser for the gothic profundities of the next track "The King Must Die".
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One person's opinions on practically every song in the 1969-1977 Elton John catalogue.
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4 comments:
This song is a good representation of the SUPERB job of sound engineering on this album. I have read a couple of reviews in the past that the bass sound of this album, in particular, is extraordinary and legendary in the recording industry, ESPECIALLY considering is was recorded in 1969-70!! Amazing!
I actually like the synthesizer in the middle. I'm probably the only one
The Moog synthesizer interlude is the best part of The Cage!! Back in 1969-1971, everyone from the Beatles, The Who and the Byrds were experimenting with this new electronic keyboard. Eventually, progressive bands like ELP, Yes and Pink Floyd would bring the synthesizer into greater prominence.
Diana Lewis (who was pictured on the back of the album cover) was an early pioneer of the Moog in the UK. She performed the solo on the Cage. She then used the ARP Synthesizer ( the Moog’s younger cousin) on Madman Across the Water and Rotten Peaches ( in 1971).
Elton hired engineer Dave Hentchel to play the synthesizer on subsequent tunes like Rocket Man, Daniel, Funeral For A Friend and All Tge Girls Love Alice.
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