Reg Strikes Back | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 20 June 1988 [1] | |||
Recorded | 1987–88 | |||
Studio | AIR, London | |||
Genre | Pop, rock | |||
Length | 42:04 | |||
Label | MCA (US) Rocket (UK) | |||
Producer | Chris Thomas | |||
Elton John chronology | ||||
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Singles from Reg Strikes Back | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Chicago Tribune | (mixed) [3] |
Los Angeles Times | [4] |
The New York Times | (unfavourable) [5] |
Record Mirror | [6] |
Rolling Stone | [7] |
Reg Strikes Back is the 21st studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1988. It was his self-proclaimed comeback album, and his own way of fighting back against bad press. [2] The "Reg" in Reg Strikes Back refers to John's birth name, Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
In the US, the album was certified gold in August 1988 by the RIAA. It was also John's third studio album in the 1980s to be placed inside the top 20 of US Billboard 200 (number 16, 1988). [8]
This was the last album that bassist Dee Murray (albeit without bass) appeared on prior to his death in 1992. Additionally, Nigel Olsson, the longtime drummer for John's band, appears (without drums) on backing vocals. John brought back record producer Chris Thomas for the album. This was the first studio album to be recorded and released after John's throat surgery the previous year. The album cover featured costumes from John's collection that he decided to put up for auction.
The tracks "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" and "A Word in Spanish" peaked at No. 2 and No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
In the UK, "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" was the only song from the album to reach the Top 40 there, reaching #30 as the follow-up "Town of Plenty" and "A Word in Spanish" appears outside the Top 40 on the same chart, peaking at #74 and #91.
Cash Box said that "A Word in Spanish" is "brilliant," describing it as "a Spanish-guitar tinged ballad written with the kind of originality that John-Taupin haven't really touched since the seventies." [9]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(October 2020) |
After taking over a year off (to recover from throat surgery, address personal issues and record Reg Strikes Back in London), John returned to the stage with a new rhythm section. He wanted more of an R&B sound to his material, so drummer Jonathan Moffett and bassist Romeo Williams, along with backing singers Marlena Jeter, Natalie Jackson and Alex Brown, were added to the band. Guitarist Davey Johnstone, now also in the role of music director, had assembled the new band, a task that he continues to do. [10]
The band's first show was at an AIDS benefit at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, where they played a 14-song set that featured the never-released John/Taupin composition, "Love Is Worth Waiting For". [11] The US tour then began on 9 September at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida and concluded on 22 October at New York's Madison Square Garden. [10]
After recording the follow-up album Sleeping With The Past in Denmark, the band (now with backing vocalist Mortonette Jenkins instead of Alex Brown) resumed their tour on 20 March 1989 at La Halle Tony Garnier in Lyon, France, and played across Eastern Europe and the UK, concluding on 10 June 1989 at the RDS Arena in Dublin. [10]
All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Town of Plenty" | 3:40 |
2. | "A Word in Spanish" | 4:39 |
3. | "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" | 4:12 |
4. | "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" | 4:33 |
5. | "Japanese Hands" | 4:40 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Goodbye Marlon Brando" | 3:30 |
2. | "The Camera Never Lies" | 4:36 |
3. | "Heavy Traffic" (John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone) | 3:30 |
4. | "Poor Cow" | 3:50 |
5. | "Since God Invented Girls" | 4:54 |
Total length: | 42:06 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Rope Around a Fool" | 3:48 |
12. | "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (Shep Pettibone Mix) | 7:16 |
13. | "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (Just Elton and His Piano Mix) | 4:37 |
14. | "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (The Renaissance Mix) | 6:19 |
Total length: | 64:06 |
Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.
1998 Reissue
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [28] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [29] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
France (SNEP) [30] | Gold | 100,000* |
Italy sales 1988-1989 | — | 500,000 [31] |
Spain | — | 25,000 [32] |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [33] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [34] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [35] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Peachtree Road is the twenty-seventh studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 9 November 2004. The album was named after Peachtree Road, the northern part of Peachtree Street in Atlanta, where one of John's four homes is located. This is the only album during his long career on which John has sole credit as producer, although on some previous projects he was listed as a co-producer, with Clive Franks, or Greg Penny. It was recorded in January 2004.
Madman Across the Water is the fourth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1971 through 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.
Honky Château is the fifth studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released on 19 May 1972, and was titled after the 18th century French chateau where it was recorded, Château d'Hérouville. The album reached number one in the US Billboard 200, the first of John's seven consecutive US number one albums.
Caribou is the eighth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 24 June 1974 by MCA Records in the US and on 28 June by DJM Records in the UK. It was his fourth chart-topping album in the United States and his third in the United Kingdom. The album contains the singles "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart and number two in the US, and "The Bitch Is Back", which reached number 15 in the UK and number four in the US. Both singles reached number one in Canada on the RPM 100 national Top Singles Chart, as did the album itself.
Rock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 4 October 1975. The title is a spoonerism on the phrase "West of the Rockies", the album having been recorded at Caribou Ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Blue Moves is the eleventh studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released on 22 October 1976 through John's own Rocket Record Company, alongside MCA Records in certain countries. John's second double album, it was recorded primarily at EMI Studios, Brother Studios, and Sunset Sound Recorders and was his last to be produced by longtime collaborator Gus Dudgeon until Ice on Fire (1985). Additionally, the album would be the last collaboration between John and lyricist Bernie Taupin for the next few years until a partial resumption of their working partnership with 21 at 33 (1980).
The One is the twenty-third studio album by British recording artist Elton John, released on 22 June 1992. It was recorded at Studio Guillaume Tell in Paris, produced by Chris Thomas and managed by John Reid. The album was dedicated to Vance Buck, and its cover artwork was designed by Gianni Versace.
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.
Ice on Fire is the nineteenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1985. It was recorded at Sol Studios and his first album since Blue Moves produced by his original long-time producer, Gus Dudgeon. David Paton and Charlie Morgan appear for the first time on bass and drums respectively, replacing original band members Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson. Fred Mandel, who had played with John during the Breaking Hearts tour, also contributed guitar and keyboards.
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.
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".
The Big Picture is the twenty-fifth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in September 1997. It includes four worldwide singles: "Live Like Horses", "Something About the Way You Look Tonight", "Recover Your Soul" and "If the River Can Bend".
Songs from the West Coast is the twenty-sixth studio album by English musician Elton John, released worldwide on 1 October 2001.
Duets is the first collaboration studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1993. The album debuted at No. 7 in the UK. In the US, it peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum in January 1994 by the RIAA.
Friends, released in 1971, is the fourth official album release by Elton John. It was a project John and Bernie Taupin took on before their breakout success in the US, and served as the soundtrack album for the Friends film released in the same year. It was certified Gold in April 1971 by the RIAA. It became John's third gold record in as many months in that market. The title track was a minor hit in the US despite the film's mediocre performance. The album also received a 1972 Grammy nomination for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture.
Leather Jackets is the twentieth studio album by English musician Elton John. Recorded at Sol Studios in England and Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands, it was released in 1986 and was his first album not to have any top 40 singles in either the US or the UK since 1970's Tumbleweed Connection, which had no singles released from it. It is also one of his lowest charting studio albums in the United States, peaking at number 91 on the Billboard 200 chart.
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Sleeping with the Past is the 22nd studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 29 August 1989. It is his best-selling album in Denmark and is dedicated to his longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin. The album features "Sacrifice" and "Healing Hands", which were issued as a double A-side and became John's first solo number-one single in his home country of the UK. The single's success helped the album also hit number one there, his first since 1974's Elton John's Greatest Hits. It also became his first platinum album in the UK since 1985's Ice on Fire. In the US it was certified gold in October 1989 and platinum in April 1990 by the RIAA. Sleeping with the Past became John's best selling album of the 1980s.
The Captain & the Kid is the twenty-eighth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 2006. It is his second autobiographical album with lyricist Bernie Taupin, picking up where Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975) left off. The Captain & the Kid chronicles the events in their lives over the intervening three decades.
The Diving Board is the twenty-ninth studio album by English musician Elton John. It is the second of his studio releases since 1979's Victim of Love without any of his regular band members. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 16 September 2013 and debuted at No. 3 on the UK album chart, his highest-charting studio album in his home country since 2001's Songs from the West Coast, and at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. It is also his highest-charting solo album in the United States since Blue Moves in 1976.