This is the 1995 remastered reissue of Elton John’s classic second studio album, originally released in 1970. It was part of the major Elton John: The Classic Years remaster campaign, which revisited his early catalogue with improved mastering and bonus material.

Original release: 1970

1995 reissue: Mercury/Rocket

Catalogue: commonly 528 156-2 in Europe

Genre: Pop rock / piano rock / baroque pop

Producer: Gus Dudgeon

Track listing

The original album contains:

1. Your Song

2. I Need You to Turn To

3. Take Me to the Pilot

4. No Shoe Strings on Louise

5. First Episode at Hienton

6. Sixty Years On

7. Border Song

8. The Greatest Discovery

9. The Cage

10. The King Must Die

The 1995 edition adds three bonus tracks:

11. Bad Side of the Moon

12. Grey Seal

13. Rock and Roll Madonna

The additional tracks are particularly worthwhile because they give you a taste of the material surrounding Elton’s breakthrough period. The official Elton John catalogue confirms the core album and bonus-track sequence.

Why this album is important

Elton John is arguably the album that announced Elton John as a major artist. Although Your Song is the obvious classic, the record is much broader than that one hit.

* “Your Song” – timeless piano ballad and one of Elton’s signature recordings.

* “Take Me to the Pilot” – energetic, gospel-influenced rock.

* “Border Song” – soulful and dramatic, with gospel overtones.

* “Sixty Years On” – atmospheric and orchestral, showing Elton’s more ambitious side.

* “The Greatest Discovery” – beautifully arranged and emotionally powerful.

* “The King Must Die” – dramatic closing number with a strong orchestral arrangement.

Bernie Taupin supplied the lyrics while Elton composed the music, establishing the songwriting partnership that would become one of the most successful in popular music.

The 1995 remaster

For a collector, the 1995 Mercury/Rocket CD is a very good edition to own. It belongs to the first wave of the Classic Years remasters and was designed to improve the sound of the original albums while adding previously unavailable or harder-to-find material.

Collector rating: ★★★★½ / 5

This is as an essential Elton John CD, particularly because you get the complete original album plus three worthwhile bonus tracks. If you’re collecting Elton’s catalogue, the 1995 remasters are generally a much more interesting proposition than the earlier basic CD issues.