The Union (Elton John and Leon Russell album)

Last updated

The Union
TU cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released19 October 2010
Recorded20 November 2009 – March 2010
Studio The Village (Los Angeles, California)
Genre
Length
  • 63:12 (standard album)
  • 66:28 (iTunes deluxe LP)
  • 71:22 (deluxe CD and vinyl)
Label
Producer T Bone Burnett
Elton John chronology
Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits
(2007)
The Union
(2010)
Gnomeo & Juliet (Original Soundtrack)
(2011)
Leon Russell chronology
A Mighty Flood
(2008)
The Union
(2010)
Life Journey
(2014)

The Union is a collaboration studio album by singer-songwriters Elton John and Leon Russell, released on 19 October 2010 in the US and on 25 October in the UK. This is John's second collaboration album, after 1993's Duets . This is the first studio release by John since 1979's Victim of Love without any of his regular Elton John Band members. It is also his highest charting studio album on the Billboard 200 since 1976's Blue Moves , debuting at No. 3, as well as Russell's highest charting studio album since 1972's Carney . The Union was No. 3 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010. [1]

Contents

The album features appearances by Booker T. Jones (on Hammond B-3), Neil Young (vocals), Robert Randolph (pedal steel), and Brian Wilson (vocal harmonies). This album was dedicated to Guy Babylon, John's keyboard player who died a year before its release. [2] "If It Wasn't for Bad" was nominated for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and "Hey Ahab" became a staple in John's concert tours.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 76/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Clash Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Consequence of Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Contactmusic.com Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Daily Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Financial Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg

The Union received mostly positive reviews with critics praising it as some of the pair's best work to date. It reached No. 3 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010. [14]

Accolades

Grammy Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
Nominations for The Union
2011 "If It Wasn't for Bad" Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals [15] Nominated

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."If It Wasn't for Bad" Leon Russell 3:43
2."Eight Hundred Dollar Shoes" Elton John, Bernie Taupin 3:23
3."Hey Ahab"John, Taupin5:39
4."Gone to Shiloh" (featuring Neil Young)John, Taupin4:50
5."Hearts Have Turned to Stone" (moved to twelfth track on some CD copies)Russell3:47
6."Jimmie Rodgers' Dream"John, Taupin, T Bone Burnett 3:42
7."There's No Tomorrow"John, Russell, Burnett, James Timothy Shaw 3:45
8."Monkey Suit"John, Taupin4:46
9."The Best Part of the Day"John, Taupin4:45
10."A Dream Come True"John, Russell5:07
11."I Should Have Sent Roses"Russell, Taupin5:21
12."When Love Is Dying"John, Taupin4:51
13."My Kind of Hell" (bonus track on iTunes digital deluxe LP, deluxe CD and vinyl only)John, Taupin3:16
14."Mandalay Again" (bonus track on deluxe CD and vinyl only)John, Taupin4:54
15."Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody)"John, Taupin4:58
16."In the Hands of Angels"Russell4:43

Personnel

Technical personnel

Charts

Chart performance for The Union
Chart (2010)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [16] 28
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [17] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [18] 66
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [19] 91
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [20] 7
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [21] 15
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [22] 60
French Albums (SNEP) [23] 51
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [24] 23
Greek Albums (IFPI) [25] 62
Irish Albums (IRMA) [26] 52
Italian Albums (FIMI) [27] 28
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [28] 24
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [29] 5
Scottish Albums (OCC) [30] 12
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [31] 30
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [32] 24
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [33] 27
UK Albums (OCC) [34] 12
US Billboard 200 [35] 3

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for The Union
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [36] Gold40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [37] Silver60,000^
United States329,000 [38]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. "The 30 Best Albums of 2010". Rolling Stone (25 December 2010). Retrieved 18 January 2011
  2. Nick DeRiso, Elton John and Leon Russell’s The Union was marked by this bittersweet sense of loss, Oct. 20, 2015
  3. "Critic Reviews for The Union". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  4. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (19 October 2010). "The Union - Elton John, Leon Russell | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  5. "Elton John And Leon Russell – The Union | Clash Music Latest Album Review". Clashmusic.com. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  6. "Album Review: Elton John and Leon Russell – The Union « Consequence of Sound". consequence.net. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  7. "Elton John – The Union (feat Leon Russell) Album Review". Contactmusic.com. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  8. "Elton John & Leon Russell – The Union: Album review". Daily Mirror. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  9. "/ Arts / Music – Elton John and Leon Russell: The Union". Ft.com. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  10. Alexis Petridis (21 October 2010). "Elton John and Leon Russell: The Union – review | Music". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  11. "Album: Elton John & Leon Russell, Union (Mercury) – Reviews, Music" . The Independent. London. 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  12. "Album review: Elton John and Leon Russell's 'The Union' | Pop & Hiss | Los Angeles Times". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. 19 October 2010. p. m. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  13. David Fricke (12 October 2010). "The Union | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 15 October 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  14. "30 Best Albums of 2010: Elton John and Leon Russell, The Union". Rolling Stone. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  15. "GRAMMY Rewind: 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards". Los Angeles Times . 5 January 1996. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  16. "Australiancharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  17. "Austriancharts.at – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  18. "Ultratop.be – Elton John/ Leon Russell – The Union" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  20. "Elton John Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  21. "Danishcharts.dk – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  23. "Lescharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  24. "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  25. "Greekcharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  26. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Elton John". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  27. "Italiancharts.com – Elton John/ Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  28. "Charts.nz – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  29. "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  30. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  31. "Spanishcharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  32. "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  33. "Swisscharts.com – Elton John / Leon Russell – The Union". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  34. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  35. "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  36. "Canadian album certifications – Elton John & Leon Russell – The Union". Music Canada . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  37. "British album certifications – Elton John & Leon Russell – The Union". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  38. Yuan, Annie (4 April 2011). "Elton John Performs, Pokes Fun at 'Spider-Man' Musical on SNL". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2021.