Album of the Week - Vol. 29

Tumbleweed Connection ELTON JOHN (1970)
Week: Sat 29th Mar to Fri 4th Apr, 2025
Format: Spotify, iPod
Producer: Gus Dudgeon
Tracklisting:
1. Ballad of a Well-Known Gun
2. Come Down in Time *
3. Country Comfort *
4. Son of Your Father 
5. My Father's Gun
6. Where to Now, St Peter?
7. Love Song *
8. Amoreena *
9. Talking Old Soldiers
10. Burn Down the Mission *
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 46:56

Now, I'm not much of an Elton John connoisseur, and the only albums of his I own are Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and that blue Very Best of set that came out in the early nineties. Occasionally I get turned on to the odd Elton tune here and there, but this album took its sweet time.

The first domino to fall came after I watched the movie Men, directed by Alex Garland in 2022. It's a weird watch, and I won't go into it, but the closing credits featured Love Song by Elton John. It didn't register with me at first, but the original version by Lesley Duncan played during the movie's opening. She wrote the song, and contributed backing vocals to Elton's excellent cover, as well as a few other numbers. Beginning with a haunting acoustic guitar that fades in, I became quite obsessed with the track. I even learnt how to play it. It was so different to hear an Elton John song with no piano. 

As I listened to Love Song repeatedly on the Spottersfy while I was learning it, other tracks from Tumbleweed Connection started permeating my playlists. One song in particular caught my attention, the fabulous Amoreena. I was starting to dig it quite a bit and thought that maybe the whole album could be worth listening to. I didn't get round to it, at that point.

Elton's concert film, Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium, coincidentally released in 2022 as well, was recorded on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. It was available on Disney+, so I gave it a look, and for the most part, I really enjoyed it (Am I the only person who doesn't get the whole Brandi Carlile thing?). One song I was not familiar with, Burn Down the Mission, received quite a rapturous response from the audience, and I liked it immediately. It was the only song from Tumbleweed Connection to make the setlist on that tour, but it was played every night.

So, with those little events percolating in the old brainbox, one day I remembered there was an entry for Tumbleweed Connection in the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time magazine. This list has the 2012 results, and has been updated numerous times since. I sought it out, finding that T.C. held the 458th spot. The entry for the album offered up Amoreena as an album highlight, particularly memorable as the opening song in the 1975 movie Dog Day Afternoon. In a freaky coincidence, while channel surfing that very same day, I landed on the SBS World Movies channel. Dog Day Afternoon was starting and it seemed eerily fortuitous. I made the decision to give the whole album a spin as soon as I could. 

I've really gotten into the album recently. I find it hard to believe that I've never taken the plunge before, but then again, I've never really sought out much more from Elton other than the hits. It's all very enjoyable, and although I really like Love Song, it sticks out like a sore thumb. The production on that number is quite sparse compared to the rest of the record. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just something I've noticed. Being a cover as well, it is the only track that isn't credited to the songwriting force of Elton and his lyricist comrade Bernie Taupin. 

There is an obvious American influence on the album, hence its title, and the old west seems to be an overarching theme. Fathers and their sons, guns, barns, cornfields, the American Civil War, revolutions, farms, women, cattle towns and grandmothers are all peppered throughout the record as well. Some have labelled this a country-rock album, but I disagree. It's rooted in pop, while diverting itself from the usual song formats of the late sixties and early seventies. While some tunes have a violin or something on it (looking at you, Country Comfort), I feel that it's more a groovy, soulful affair. There isn't a dud track on it! It's an album you can throw on and enjoy from start to finish. While not one of my highlights, opening song Ballad of a Well-Known Gun sets the scene perfectly, with a dirty swagger and plenty of background vocals to add a sense of campfire singalong. The 2-3 punch of the following tracks Come Down in Time and Country Comfort elevate the album to another level. They're just so good. 

Other big favourites of mine are the aforementioned Love Song and Amoreena, as well as the showstopping Burn Down the Mission, which closes the album. As I said earlier, the latter became quite the live favourite, and its easy to see why. It's such a rousing story and the rollicking piano breaks are fab. In this day and age it's easy to relate to a group who feel they're being oppressed by a wealthier faction, be they political, religious or otherwise. It's call to arms to grab what has been taken away from, or not even offered to, those less fortunate. 

Considering this is Elton's third studio effort, it sounds very self-assured. His vocals and piano-playing are top notch, and as I have espoused, the songs are fabulous. A range of musicians are employed, as this was before the classic Elton John touring band line-up was formed. However, Amoreena marks the first time that said classic musicians, bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson, appear as the rhythm section on an Elton song. 'Twould be the first of many! (Guitarist Davey Johnstone wouldn't arrive until 1972's Honky Château) The groove on that song is just fantastic, and Murray's lines are so funky. It's such a fun song, with the titular lady inspired by Elton's own goddaughter Amoreena. Other players appearing on the album include legendary session bass player Herbie Flowers, drummer Barry Morgan, guitarist Caleb Quaye, organist Brian Dee, and even the wonderful Dusty Springfield contributes backing vocals on a couple of tracks.  

If you've not listened to this album before, and like me, are put off by the fact they are no big hits, just give it a go. If you like Elton John, you'll probably love this.