21 at 33

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21 at 33
Album 21 at 33.jpg
Studio album by
Elton John
Released13 May 1980 (1980-05-13)
RecordedSeptember 1979 – March 1980 [1]
Studio
  • Super Bear, Nice, France
  • Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California
  • Rumbo, Los Angeles, California
Genre Pop rock [1]
Length43:07
Label MCA (US)
Rocket (UK)
Producer Elton John, Clive Franks
Elton John chronology
Victim of Love
(1979)		21 at 33
(1980)		 The Fox
(1981)
Singles from 21 at 33
  1. "Little Jeannie"
    Released: 1 May 1980
  2. "Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)"
    Released: 5 August 1980
  3. "Dear God"
    Released: 14 November 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Rolling Stone Unrated [2]
Smash Hits 7/10 [3]

21 at 33 is the fourteenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1980. It was his 21st album in total, made when John was 33 years old, hence the title. [4] [5] Three singles were released from the album, including "Little Jeannie", his highest-charting U.S. single in 5 years. The album sold over 900,000 copies in the United States, missing a Platinum certification. [6]

Contents

The album was recorded at Super Bear Studios, Nice, France, in September 1979 and at Rumbo Recorders and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California, from January to March 1980.

Background

The two other founding members of the original Elton John Band (active 1969–1975), drummer Nigel Olsson and bass player Dee Murray, reunited with him for two songs. His keyboardist James Newton Howard returned and performed on almost every track, as was the case on Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves . Other musicians included members of the Eagles and Toto, as well as Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits and Bill Champlin and Toni Tennille of Captain & Tennille.

The title is derived from the fact that this was John's 21st album and was recorded at the age of 33. According to the liner notes in the remastered edition of the album, the count includes thirteen previous studio albums, two greatest hits compilations, two live albums, as well as the soundtrack release Friends , the three-song 12-inch EP The Thom Bell Sessions and the UK-only rarities collection Lady Samantha .

John has not played any of the material in concert since touring in 1980, with the exception of "Little Jeannie", which, despite having been a huge North American hit (#3 Pop and #1 Adult Contemporary in the United States, and #1 in Canada), was included only in the two concerts from 2000 titled One Night Only , and the warm up gig for the two Madison Square Garden concerts in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. [7]

Track listing

Side one

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Chasing the Crown" Elton John, Bernie Taupin 5:36
2."Little Jeannie"John, Gary Osborne 5:14
3."Sartorial Eloquence"John, Tom Robinson 4:45
4."Two Rooms at the End of the World"John, Taupin5:40

Side two

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."White Lady White Powder"John, Taupin4:34
2."Dear God"John, Osborne3:47
3."Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"John, Robinson4:09
4."Take Me Back"John, Osborne3:52
5."Give Me the Love"John, Judie Tzuke 5:30

Notes

Personnel

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Production

Charts

Certifications

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RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [22] Platinum50,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [23] Gold50,000^
France (SNEP) [24] Gold100,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ) [25] Gold7,500^
United States (RIAA) [26] Gold500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 21 at 33 Elton John Allmusic.com Lindsay Planer
  2. ↑ "21 at 33". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Cranna, Ian. "Albums". Smash Hits (12–25 June 1980): 31.
  4. ↑ Judy Parkinson (2003). Elton Made in England . Michael O'Mara Books. p.  117.
  5. ↑ Lindsay Planer. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic.
  6. ↑ Liner notes to remastered 21 at 33 album
  7. ↑ One Night Only: The Greatest Hits DVD, 2000.
  8. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 01212a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – 21 at 33" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – 21 at 33" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  12. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 23 February 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Elton John".
  13. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  14. ↑ "Charts.nz – Elton John – 21 at 33". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – 21 at 33". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – 21 at 33". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  17. ↑ "Elton John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  18. ↑ "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0275". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1980. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  21. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1980 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "Kent Music Report No 341 – 5 January 1981 > Platinum and Gold Albums 1980". Kent Music Report . Retrieved 26 December 2022– via Imgur.com.
  23. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Elton John – 21 at 33". Music Canada.
  24. ↑ "French album certifications – Elton John – 21 at 33" (in French). InfoDisc.Select ELTON JOHN and click OK. 
  25. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Elton John – 21 at 33". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  26. ↑ "American album certifications – Elton John – 21 at 33". Recording Industry Association of America.
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