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Elton John is a globally popular singer, songwriter and piano player. When it comes to piano featured in his songs, it’s usually acoustic piano. However, there are songs by him featuring electric piano. I decided to compile a list of ten electric piano Elton John songs. Elton plays the electric piano on all songs on this list except for one of them. These songs showcase rock and a variety of other genres which are pop, soul, jazz & country. Elton wrote the music for all the songs with the exception of one song that he co-wrote the melody with Tim Renwick and the lyrics are by Elton’s long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin except for three songs whose lyrics are by Gary Osborne. I’d like to point out that I don’t discuss the electric piano used in every song with my focus being on the songs in general.
Lady Samantha (1969)
This is one of Elton’s early singles before he was famous. The song opens with electric piano and guitar parts which are soon joined by organ. I believe Elton is also playing the organ which has a good presence. This song rocks intensely. Caleb Quaye plays strong blues rock guitar and concludes the song well. This is reflective of late 60s rock.
Philadelphia Freedom (1975)
This is one of Elton’s most well known hits which came out at the peak of his popularity. There is an orchestra and rocking guitars by Davey Johnstone. Davey is Elton’s long-time guitarist who plays on six of the songs on this list. The electric piano is warm and has parts where it's more prominent as there are so many instruments on this song. This song is a mix of rock and soul. It’s a celebration of Philadelphia and also America.
Feed Me (1975)
This song’s electric piano is played by famous film composer James Newton Howard who joined the Elton John band for the “Rock of the Westies” album this song’s from. The guitar parts by Davey Johnstone and Caleb Quaye are throughout the song and there is a good rocking riff brought in at the last minute of the song. This song has a good 70s rock feel.
Shooting Star (1978)
This song and the next two are written with lyricist Gary Osborne who Elton worked with in the late 70s and early 80s. This song’s electric piano is credited to “Fender Rhodes”. As a Fender Rhodes is a type of electric piano, it is most likely Elton who played it. This is a jazz song. I like it when Elton does jazz. The bass is noticeable and there is a good beat. There is a saxophone which comes in about a minute into the song and continues its presence till the end.
Dreamboat (1978)
We’re going from a short song to a long song of seven and a half minutes. This was also recorded during the sessions for “A Single Man” (the album the previous song’s from), but appears as a bonus track on 1983’s “Too Low For Zero” as it was a B-Side to one of its singles. This song is co-written with Tim Renwick who plays the guitars on this song. It’s opened by a guitar riff which is soon joined by Elton’s electric piano and singing. Elton plays both electric piano and organ. Just before the chorus there is a second guitar part which rocks that comes in and out of the song. The lyrics “fires are burning down below” reminds me of the Bob Seger song “The Fire Down Below”. There are strings and some guitar solos in this song. At about the six minute and twenty second mark, there is a good electric piano part by Elton.
Take Me Back (1980)
This is a country song with Elton playing a Wurlitzer electric piano. The electric piano is prominent at the start of the song. Soon the other instruments such as the guitars come in louder. There’s a fiddle solo, a staple of some country songs. Elton sings in a southern accent and plays the electric piano in a country style.
A Word in Spanish (1988)
This is a ballad which interestingly was a Top 20 US hit. Elton is singing powerfully and the electric
piano is prominent in parts of the verses. Two thirds into the song Davey plays a brilliant Spanish guitar solo. The song concludes with a good organ part.
Club at the End of the Street (1989)
This song as well as the next three are from the “Sleeping with the Past” album which is one of my favourite Elton John albums. The album was influenced by soul music and the songs I selected have a soft rock vibe. All songs on this list from that album open with Jonathan Moffett’s drums. At times the melodic organ part is prominent by Fred Mandel who played keyboards and guitar on this album. Jonathan and Fred were both members of the Elton John band while this album was being recorded. This song showcases the power of Elton John’s voice. In the chorus, there is a good backing vocal part going something like “dowap do do do”. There’s an incredible saxophone solo by Vince Denham. This song’s style is interesting as it isn’t a proper rock song, but it’s not quite a ballad either. It has a good upbeat feel.
Stones Throw From Hurtin’ (1989)
The song opens with a guitar riff that is played throughout the song. Elton sings in an unusual way that doesn’t sound like his normal voice. I read that he achieved this by whispering into the microphone. There is a light guitar part at about the two and a half minute mark. In the last minute there’s a sudden intense guitar solo by Fred Mandel. This solo makes it the rockiest of the three songs and this song is kind of blues rock.
Sacrifice (1989)
This is one of Elton’s most well known ballads. It opens with Elton’s electric piano. It's driven by Elton’s singing. There are prominent keyboard parts which come in and out of the song. About two thirds into the song, Davey plays an interesting electric guitar part which comes back at the end of the song.
This was a showcase of electric piano Elton John songs. These songs reflect the melodic skills of Elton John as a songwriter including the diversity of the different types of songs he has written. The twenty year period these songs are from give us an insight into the Elton John sound at different periods of his career. The songs have been recorded in the UK, Denmark, France and the US. If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy my previous one “Ten Powerful Rock Ballads by Elton John”.
