| "Skyline Pigeon" | |
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| Song by Elton John | |
| from the album Empty Sky | |
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| "Skyline Pigeon" (1972) on YouTube | |
"Skyline Pigeon" is a ballad composed and performed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the eighth track on his first album, Empty Sky . It was originally released by Guy Darrell and Roger James Cooke simultaneously as a single in August 1968. [1] [2] [3]
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The original recording from the Empty Sky album has Elton John on harpsichord and organ. [4] It is the only track on the album featuring only John and no other musicians. He wrote the song in the style of a hymn.
The lyrics of the song are metaphorical – describing a pigeon that is flying high and free having been released from a human hand.
In 1972, John re-recorded the song with his band (Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone) during the sessions for Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player . The new recording used piano instead of harpsichord, and strings and oboe arranged by Paul Buckmaster. Originally issued as the B-side of the hit single "Daniel", it first appeared on CD in 1988 as part of the DJM issue of the Lady Samantha compilation album, then a few years later in the US and abroad on the 1992 Mercury release Rare Masters , and as a bonus track on the 1995 reissue of Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. The 1972 version of "Skyline Pigeon" appears again on the third CD of John's 2017 compilation box set Diamonds .
According to John' official website, the 1972 recording of "Skyline Pigeon" was particularly popular in Brazil, where it was used on the soundtrack of the television soap opera Carinhoso . [5]
Overall, the 1972 version has become the more familiar of the two to audiences owing to its appearance on various compilation albums as well as its first appearance as the B-side of Daniel.
"Skyline Pigeon" was played on the radio as early as 1968. It was the most popular song during the very early period of John's musical career, yet it was not released as a single. It is, however, the most performed live and best known track from the Empty Sky album. The song was performed live in various eras and venues throughout John's career, mainly in Britain, and frequently during his solo shows and pairings with the percussionist Ray Cooper. John has always said he regards "Skyline Pigeon" as one of the first "great" songs that he and Taupin wrote. John performed the song at the funeral of the AIDS victim and friend Ryan White in 1990 on a grand piano, although he played Roland Piano on tour and in the studio at the time. [6]
Apart from its earlier appearances on record, a live, solo piano version recorded at the Royal Festival Hall in London during summer 1974 was also included as the opening number on the "Here" side of the Here and There album in 1976, a place it retained in the 1995 2-CD expanded version remixed by the album's original producer, Gus Dudgeon. It was also released on Volume 1 of two EltonJohn.com limited-edition CDs recorded live in Madison Square Garden, as part of a series of solo performances John gave in October 1999. The song received a brief revival during a UK tour in 2009.
The 1972 version was a hit in Brazil. A live performance from 17 January 2009 was broadcast on TV along with the rest of an entire concert John performed in São Paulo, Brazil. Again in Brazil in 2011, he played the song during a concert at Rock in Rio in front of 150,000 people in Rio de Janeiro, on 23 September. During the 2013 tour he played the song again in São Paulo, on 27 February, and in Porto Alegre, on 5 March. [7]
A 1968 piano demo version of the song was included on CD 4: Rarities, Part Two of John's 2021 boxed set, Jewel Box .
Original version:
1972 version:
The original version, with its notable harpsichord, was used as the closing-credit music in the 2018 film The Favourite . [8]
It was covered by Deep Feeling in 1970 (a band of which Guy Darrell was a member), Dana, Judith Durham on her 1971 solo album Climb Ev'ry Mountain , and Gene Pitney on his Pitney '75 album. [9]
A popular song in the Philippines, it was covered by several artists, notably Lani Misalucha on her Reminisce album. [10]
Empty Sky is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John, released on 6 June 1969. It was not issued in the United States until January 1975, with different cover art, well after John's fame had been established internationally.
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.
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.
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.
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player is the sixth studio album by English musician Elton John. Released on 26 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 on the US Billboard 200 and first No. 1 album on the UK Albums Chart.
Rock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 24 October 1975. The title is a pun on the phrase "West of the Rockies", the album having been recorded at Caribou Ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
A Single Man is the twelfth studio album by English musician Elton John. Released in 1978, it is the first album for which Gary Osborne replaced Bernie Taupin as lyricist. It is also the first of two John albums that, on the original cut, have no tracks co-written by Taupin.
"Daniel" is a song written by English musician Elton John and his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was first released on John's 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player as its opening track. The original single release was also notable for a re-recorded version of 'Skyline Pigeon" on its B-side, which went on to be a popular track in its own right.
"Honky Cat" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was used as the opening track for John's fifth studio album, Honky Château, released in 1972.
Too Low for Zero is the seventeenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1983. The album marked a comeback for John, whose previous four albums had failed to yield many enduring international hit singles, and had disappointing sales compared to his string of hit records released during the first half of the 1970s.
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 Elton John Band 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.
"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.
"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 Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"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. Backing vocals are provided by Tony Burrows. Paul Buckmaster wrote the orchestral arrangements and conducted the orchestra.
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is a song with music by British musician Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, from John's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. It was released as a single on 20 June 1975, the only single released from the album. Like the rest of the album, the song is autobiographical, and addresses an attempted suicide by John.
"Take Me to the Pilot" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally released on John's eponymous second album in 1970.
"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.
"Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" is a song by English musician Elton John, written by John and Bernie Taupin, which first appeared on his sixteenth album Jump Up! released in 1982. It was the second single of the said album in the UK, and the lead single in the United States. The song is a tribute to John Lennon, who had been murdered 15 months earlier.
"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".
Regimental Sgt. Zippo is the thirty-first studio album by English musician Elton John. Recorded during late 1967 and early 1968, it was originally intended to be John's debut album, but his publisher Dick James did not approve of the record's musical style, and the album was scrapped. John then recorded and released Empty Sky (1969) as his debut album instead. Regimental Sgt. Zippo remained unreleased until Record Store Day of June 2021, when it was issued in mono on vinyl. It was followed by a wider release of the album in July 2022 in stereo vinyl and stereo/mono CD.
