Levon (song)

Last updated

"Levon"
Levon by elton john US original 1971 single.png
Side A of original 1971 US single
Single by Elton John
from the album Madman Across the Water
B-side "Goodbye"
Released29 November 1971 [1]
Recorded27 February 1971; Trident Studios
(London, England)
Genre Symphonic rock
Length5:22 (album version)
4:59 (single version)
Label Uni (US)
DJM (UK)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Friends"
(1971)		"Levon"
(1971)		"Tiny Dancer"
(1972)
Audio
"Levon" by Elton John on YouTube

"Levon" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was recorded on 27 February 1971, and was released on John's 1971 album, Madman Across the Water . [2] Backing vocals are provided by Tony Burrows. [3] Paul Buckmaster wrote the orchestral arrangements and conducted the orchestra.

Contents

The song reached number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at number six on the Canadian RPM singles chart. [4]

History

According to Gus Dudgeon, Taupin named the character in the song after The Band's co-founder, drummer and singer Levon Helm. The Band were apparently John and Taupin's favourite group at the time. In 2013, however, Taupin said that the song was unrelated to Helm. [5] According to fellow Band member Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm did not like the song, quoting him as saying "Englishmen shouldn't fuck with Americanisms". [6]

The "Alvin Tostig" mentioned in the song (Levon's father) is, according to Taupin, fictional. [7]

The song was omitted from John's 1974 compilation album Greatest Hits [8] but was included in the U.S. edition of Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II (1977). [9]

John performed the song for his spring 1972 concert. A portion of the live performance appeared in the bootleg recording releases Scope 72 and Apple Pie. [10]

The song's lyrics refer to the character Levon as being born on Christmas, and John's first son Zachary, who was born on December 25, 2010, has Levon as one of his middle names. [11]

Reception

Author Elizabeth J. Rosenthal in 2001 labelled "Levon" one of Elton John's signature songs. She criticised the orchestra for almost "jeopardizing the simple grandeur of the melody and Elton's chord progressions." [12]

The song peaked at number 24 on Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending 5 February 1972, more than two months after its single release on 29 November 1971. [1]

Record World called it John's and Taupin's "'Eleanor Rigby,' sort of" with high hit potential. [13]

Charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [14] 94
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [15] 6
US Billboard Hot 100 [16] 24

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [17] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Notable covers and performances

"Levon" has been covered by several artists, including Myles Kennedy, Jon Bon Jovi (who covered the song on the tribute album Two Rooms , and says that "Levon" is his favourite song of all time, saying that he looks up to Elton John as his idol) [18] and Canadian rock singer-songwriter Billy Klippert. Mary McCreary recorded a version of "Levon" on her LP Jezebel, Shelter Records SR-2110 (1974). Phil Lesh and Friends started playing the song in April 2012, shortly after Levon Helm's death.

Since 1971, John regularly performed this song alongside "Tiny Dancer" on his concert tours in various decades. [19]

Related Research Articles

<i>Elton John</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Elton John

Elton John is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was released on 10 April 1970 through DJM Records. Including John's breakthrough single "Your Song", the album helped establish his career during the rise of the singer-songwriter era of popular music.

<i>Tumbleweed Connection</i> 1970 studio album by Elton John

Tumbleweed Connection is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London, in March 1970, and released in October 1970 in the UK and January 1971 in the US. It is a concept album based on country and western and Americana themes. All songs are written by John and Bernie Taupin, with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan.

<i>Madman Across the Water</i> 1971 album by Elton John

Madman Across the Water is the fourth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 5 November 1971 by DJM and Uni Records. The album was his third album to be released in 1971, at which point John had been rising to prominence as a popular music artist. John's first progressive rock album, Madman Across the Water contains nine tracks, each composed and performed by John and with lyrics written by songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman plays Hammond organ on two songs.

<i>Dont Shoot Me Im Only the Piano Player</i> 1973 album by Elton John

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player is the sixth studio album by English musician Elton John. Released in January 1973 by DJM Records, it was the first of two studio albums he released in 1973, and was his second straight No. 1 album in the US and first No. 1 album in the UK.

Tiny Dancer 1972 single by Elton John

"Tiny Dancer" is a song written by English musician and composer Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally released on John's 1971 album Madman Across the Water, and was later produced and released as a single in 1972.

"Candle in the Wind" is a threnody style ballad written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally written in 1973, in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier.

<i>Elton Johns Greatest Hits Volume II</i> 1977 greatest hits album by Elton John

Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II is the sixteenth official album release for English musician Elton John, and the second compilation. The original 1977 US version features one song from 1971 and two songs from 1974 that were not on the first greatest hits album. It also features several hit songs from 1975 and two hit singles from Elton's last year of performing in 1976. The cover photograph was taken by Gered Mankowitz.

<i>Made in England</i> (Elton John album) 1995 studio album by Elton John

Made in England is the twenty-fourth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1995. It was produced by John and Greg Penny, his first album since Leather Jackets without producer Chris Thomas. The album was dedicated to John's boyfriend and future husband David Furnish. It was also dedicated to the memory of Denis Gauthier and Peter Williams. It was the last album to feature regular percussionist Ray Cooper until 2016's Wonderful Crazy Night. Bob Birch became John's full-time recording and touring bass player until his death in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Song</span> 1970 single by Elton John

"Your Song" is a song written by musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's first international Top 10 chart single.

<i>Breaking Hearts</i> 1984 studio album by Elton John

Breaking Hearts is the eighteenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1984. It features the quartet of John, Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson. There were four top-40 singles from the album: "Sad Songs ", "Who Wears These Shoes", "In Neon", and the UK No. 5 hit "Passengers".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crocodile Rock</span> 1972 single by Elton John

"Crocodile Rock" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in summer 1972 at the Château d'Hérouville studio in France, where John and his team had previously recorded the Honky Château album. It was released on 27 October 1972 in the UK and 20 November 1972 in the U.S., as a pre-release single from his forthcoming 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, and became his first U.S. number-one single, reaching the top spot on 3 February 1973, and staying there for three consecutive weeks. In the U.S., it was certified Gold on 5 February 1973 and Platinum on 13 September 1995 by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border Song</span> 1970 single by Elton John

"Border Song" is a song by Elton John with music by John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin. The song initially appeared on the 1970 album Elton John, and was released in the spring of 1970 as the LP's first single. After failing to chart in the UK, it was released in North America a few months later. It met with more success there, especially in Canada, where it peaked at No. 34. The appearance of "Border Song" on the Canadian charts was John's first chart appearance in any country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia Freedom (song)</span> 1975 single by Elton John

"Philadelphia Freedom" is a song by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was released as a single on 28 February 1975, credited to the Elton John Band. The song was the fourth of John's six number-one singles in the US during the early and mid-1970s, which saw his recordings dominating the charts. In Canada it was his eighth single to hit the top of the RPM national singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bitch Is Back</span> 1974 single by Elton John

"The Bitch Is Back" is a rock song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was the second single released from John's 1974 album Caribou, and reached number 1 in Canada, number 4 in the United States and number 15 in the United Kingdom.

"Come Down in Time" is the second track on Elton John's third album, Tumbleweed Connection, released in 1970. The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton's long time writing partner. The song was originally recorded for John's second album, Elton John.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ego (Elton John song)</span> 1978 single by Elton John

"Ego" is a 1978 song performed by English musician Elton John, written by John and Bernie Taupin. It was released in early 1978 as a standalone single, and did not appear on the album released in the same year, A Single Man. John played this song live from 1978 up until 1980. The single reached #34 in both the UK and the US.

"Have Mercy on the Criminal" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It is the most frequent live-track on the album besides the two dominating singles, "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Gotta Love Someone</span> 1990 single by Elton John

"You Gotta Love Someone" is a song by English musician Elton John, written by John along with Bernie Taupin and released as a single from the Days of Thunder soundtrack in October 1990. The single was also used to promote the Rocket Records 2-CD retrospective The Very Best of Elton John, issued largely in overseas markets excluding the United States, where the more expansive box set To Be Continued... was issued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friends (Elton John song)</span> 1971 single by Elton John

"Friends" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's third U.S. hit, and his second to reach Top 40 after the breakthrough success of "Your Song".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartache All Over the World</span> 1986 song by Elton John

"Heartache All Over the World" is an upbeat song by English musician Elton John from his 20th studio album, Leather Jackets (1986). Written by John and Bernie Taupin, it was released as the album's lead single in September 1986, charting at number 45 in the UK Singles Chart and at number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reaching the top 10 in Australia, where it peaked at number 7. The song talks about not being able to date for a night.

References

General

Notes

  1. 1 2 Rosenthal 2001, p. 45.
  2. ↑ Madman liner notes.
  3. ↑ Longobardo, Vinnie (14 April 2023). "Tony Burrows: A Six-Time One-Hit Wonder".
  4. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Green, Andy (26 September 2013). "Bernie Taupin on Elton John's New LP: 'It's Kudos All Around'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Robertson, Robbie (2016). Testimony. Windmill Books. p. 383.
  7. ↑ "In the Elton John song 'Levon', who is Alvin Tostig?". The Straight Dope. 24 March 2000. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Rosenthal 2001, p. 108.
  9. ↑ Rosenthal 2001, pp. 154–155.
  10. ↑ Rosenthal 2001, p. 58.
  11. ↑ "Elton John and David Furnish are dads". CNN.com. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  12. ↑ Rosenthal 2001, p. 42.
  13. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 11 December 1971. p. 1. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  14. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. pp. 158–159. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5315." RPM . Library and Archives Canada.
  16. ↑ "Elton John Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. ↑ "American single certifications – Elton John – Levon". Recording Industry Association of America.
  18. ↑ "Bon Jovi A to Z – John, Elton". Island Records. 30 June 2007. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007.
  19. ↑ "Levon by Elton John Song Statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.