Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (song)
| "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Screw You" |
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is a ballad performed by musician Elton John. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and composed by John for his album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Its musical-style and production is heavily influenced by 1970s soft rock. It was widely praised by critics, and some critics have named it John's best song.[1]
The song was released in 1973 (see 1973 in music) as the album's second single, and entered the Top Ten in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It was one of John's biggest hits, and surpassed the previous single in sales and popularity quickly following its release.
The band Keane (with Faultline) covered the song for the Help: A Day in the Life compilation.
The song is featured in Stephen King's novel Road Work, and was a personal favourite of late musician Elliott Smith. He once listened to the song for eighteen hours straight while doing mushrooms, and wrote the song "Waltz #1".[2]
Critical response
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" received a generally positive response from music critics. All Music Guide wrote that the song is "a vocal triumph" and a "pinnacle of its style".[3] Janis Schacht of Circus describes it as "delicate and beautiful".[4] Rolling Stone ranked the song #380 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and later commented that the song "harnesse(s) the fantastical imagery of glam to a Gershwin-sweet melody".[5]
Chart performance
The single entered the U.S. charts at #62, the highest debut of that week. In seven weeks it rose to the #2 spot (December 8, 1973), where it stayed for three weeks. In the UK it peaked at #6.
B-Side
The song's flip side was a song called "Screw You", though the U.S. release re-titled the song "Young Man's Blues" so as not to offend conservative record-buyers.
Charts
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 7 |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
Notes
- ^ Mason, Stewart. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". All Music Guide. Retrieved June 11 2006.
- ^ Wilde, Autumn de (2007). Elliott Smith. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help). - ^ Mason, Stewart. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". All Music Guide. Retrieved June 11 2006.
- ^ Schacht, Janis. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". Circus Magazine. Retrieved June 11 2006.
- ^ Rolling Stone. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved June 11 2006.
References
- "BBC: The Official UK Charts Company". United Kingdom sales chart. Retrieved June 11 2006.
- "Billboard". Billboard Hot 100 airplay and sales charts. Retrieved June 11 2006.