Maps of Music

Songs from the West Coast (2001)

Where the lyrics of Songs from the West Coast take you, and where it was really made.

None of this album's songs reached the US Billboard Hot 100, which froze Elton John's 31-year record of having at least one song on the chart.

Key places

Recorded at The Townhouse, London (2001)

Recording site Townhouse Studios — The Townhouse in London is named as a place where this album was recorded. The point marks the listed studio location, not a verified exact room. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Sony Music Studios (2001)

Recording site Sony Music Studios — Sony Music Studios is named among the studios that recorded this album. The source lists several studios together, so this point marks only the Sony Music Studios entry. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cover restaurant: Rae's Restaurant (2001)

Album cover Rae's Restaurant — Rae's Restaurant in Los Angeles is the restaurant shown on the album cover. The source notes it is often used as a location for Los Angeles-based film shoots. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Songs from the West Coast is the 26th studio album by British musician Elton John
• Released worldwide on 1 October 2001
• Lyricist Bernie Taupin collaborated with John once again
• Patrick Leonard produced the album and played keyboards on several songs
• The album was dedicated to Matthew Shepard and Oliver Johnstone, the late son of band member Davey Johnstone

Background

• Leonard had also worked on the soundtrack The Road to El Dorado, released the year before
• Drummer Nigel Olsson returned to the Elton John Band full-time
• Tata Vega appears early as a backing vocalist and later joins the band
• Stevie Wonder played harmonica and clavinet on Dark Diamond
• Guy Babylon, Bob Birch and John Mahon, three of John's band members at the time, do not appear on the album
• It was the first non-soundtrack studio album from John released after PolyGram and Universal Music Group merged, consolidating distribution rights to his entire catalogue
• Rufus Wainwright sings backing vocals on American Triangle, which is about Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered in 1998
• John has said that the inspiration for many songs on the album came from listening to Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams
• In a 2001 interview with Jon Wiederhorn, John said the album was recorded using analogue tape
• In 2002 the album was repackaged as a special edition with a bonus disc of remixes, B-sides and non-album singles

Recording

• The album was recorded using analogue tape
• Recording credits include Brian Scheuble, Joe Chiccarelli and David Channing
• Bill Bottrell handled the mixing
• Stephen Marcussen mastered the album at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California

Cover

• Photographed by Sam Taylor-Wood
• The restaurant on the cover is Rae's Restaurant, often used as a location for Los Angeles film shoots
• David Furnish, John's partner, appears as a cowboy at the bar
• Bob Halley, the Director of Operations, appears as the man being handcuffed

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, on 25 March 1947.
• Won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.
• Formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962; took the name Elton John in 1967.
• Joined DJM Records as a staff songwriter with lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1968.

Members

• Partnered with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967; Taupin writes lyrics and John composes the music.
• Backing band over the years included Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray and Ray Cooper.

Career

• Debut album Empty Sky (1969); Honky Château (1972) became his first US number-one album.
• Seven consecutive US number-one albums between 1972 and 1975.
• Composed The Lion King and Aida with Tim Rice; won Academy Awards and a Tony Award.
• Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour (2018–2023) was the highest-grossing tour at the time.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Entertainment Weekly: Ken Tucker stated that the album effectively sounds like John's early recordings
• Tucker felt Taupin's lyrics, such as those on American Triangle, devalue the song but at other times make John liberated
• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine was glad that John made a record that sounds like his early-1970s classics, while noting the record lacks their warmth
• AllMusic: Erlewine said it is still the best album John has made in years
• Jam! CANOE: Jane Stevenson felt glad John returned to his roots, even if he does not quite make it there
• Rolling Stone: Barry Walters wrote that back-to-the-roots albums by artists rarely work, but John made it work, although some songs miss the mark
• Overall, the album was warmly received by music critics

Records

• I Want Love reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 9 in Canada
• I Want Love reached No. 10 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under chart and No. 6 on the Adult Contemporary chart
• I Want Love was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards
• Original Sin received a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards
• This Train Don't Stop There Anymore and Original Sin also became hit singles
• No song from the album reached the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, which froze John's record of 31 years with at least one Hot 100 song

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Robert Downey Jr. lip-synchs to I Want Love in a video shot as one long take that follows him through a large empty house, Greystone Mansion
• Justin Timberlake portrays a young John in the video for This Train Don't Stop There Anymore
• The Original Sin video features Elizabeth Taylor and Mandy Moore, with John playing Moore's character's father and Taylor's character's husband
• In the Original Sin video, Moore plays a 1970s fan who dreams herself into one of John's concerts
• The album was dedicated to Matthew Shepard and Oliver Johnstone

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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