Maps of Music

Blue Moves (1976)

Where the lyrics of Blue Moves take you, and where it was really made.

Blue Moves was the last John and Bernie Taupin collaboration for several years, and the last album Gus Dudgeon produced for John until 1985.

Key places

Basic tracks recorded in Toronto (1976)

Recording site Eastern Sound — The basic tracks for Blue Moves were recorded at Eastern Sound in Toronto, Ontario. The rest of the overdubs were done at studios in London, Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Overdubs at Abbey Road (1976)

Recording site Abbey Road Studios — Additional overdubs for Blue Moves were done at EMI Studios in Abbey Road, London. The studio is listed among the album's recording locations. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: Jubilee line to St John's Wood station, then about a 5-minute walk.

Overdubs in Santa Monica (1976)

Recording site Brother Studios — Additional overdubs for Blue Moves were done at Brother Studios in Santa Monica, California. The studio is one of the album's listed recording locations. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Overdubs in Los Angeles (1976)

Recording site Sunset Sound — Additional overdubs for Blue Moves were done at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California. The studio is one of the album's listed recording locations. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Blue Moves is the eleventh studio album by British musician Elton John
• Released 22 October 1976 through John's own Rocket Record Company, his first release for the label
• Distributed alongside MCA Records in certain countries
• John's second double album
• Last album produced by longtime collaborator Gus Dudgeon until Ice on Fire (1985)
• Last collaboration with lyricist Bernie Taupin for the next few years, until a partial resumption with 21 at 33 (1980)
• Music fuses pop, gospel, disco and jazz, with orchestral elements and extended song lengths
• Guests include David Crosby, Graham Nash, Bruce Johnston and Toni Tennille on backing vocals

Background

• Previous album Rock of the Westies (1975) was his first since 1970 to lack Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson
• After the Rock of the Westies Tour (1975) and Louder Than Concorde Tour (1976), John took an indefinite break from touring
• In an October 1976 Rolling Stone interview, John said he wanted to focus on other projects for the time being
• In the same interview John came out publicly as bisexual; he came out as gay in 1992

Recording

• Basic tracks were recorded at Eastern Sound in Toronto, Ontario
• Additional overdubs were done at EMI Studios in Abbey Road, London, at Brother Studios in Santa Monica, and at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles
• The album was mixed at Marquee Studios in London
• Orchestral parts by the Martyn Ford Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra, with string arrangements by Paul Buckmaster

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, on 25 March 1947.
• Won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.
• Formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962; took the name Elton John in 1967.
• Joined DJM Records as a staff songwriter with lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1968.

Members

• Partnered with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967; Taupin writes lyrics and John composes the music.
• Backing band over the years included Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray and Ray Cooper.

Career

• Debut album Empty Sky (1969); Honky Château (1972) became his first US number-one album.
• Seven consecutive US number-one albums between 1972 and 1975.
• Composed The Lion King and Aida with Tim Rice; won Academy Awards and a Tony Award.
• Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour (2018–2023) was the highest-grossing tour at the time.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone said the album contains nowhere near enough good songs to justify its extended length
• Rolling Stone also said the interludes and instrumentals were done to the exclusion of sense
• Village Voice critic Robert Christgau described the album as impossibly weepy and excessive
• Some critics found the album excessive, while others felt it lacked enough strong material for its length

Reappraisal

• Lindsay Planer of Allmusic later said the album showed the inevitable fatigue of John's immense creativity, which had helped create his previous albums
• Some retrospective reviews have been more positive, highlighting it as one of John's most underrated releases
• Retrospective reviews praise the album's experimental nature
• John himself has declared Blue Moves one of his favorites

Records

• Reached number 3 on the US Billboard 200, breaking his streak of number one albums there
• Matched number 3 on the UK Albums Chart
• First single Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word reached the top 10 in the US and the top 20 in the UK
• Singles Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!) and Crazy Water, the latter released only in the UK, both reached the top 30
• Certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States
• Certified Gold by the BPI in the United Kingdom

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Cage the Songbird, a tribute to Edith Piaf, was covered by Kiki Dee about a year later on an unreleased Rocket album that was finally issued in 2008.
• The Beach Boys turned down Chameleon, but Bruce Johnston and Toni Tennille performed backing vocals on John's version.
• John also performed Chameleon at Wembley Stadium in 1975.
• An excerpt from Out of the Blue was used for the closing titles on Top Gear until that format ended in 2001.
• In September 2011, George Michael performed Idol at the Budapest Sports Arena in place of It Doesn't Really Matter.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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