Friends, выпущенный в 1971 году, является четвертым официальным альбомом Элтона Джона. Это был проект, за который Джон и Берни Топин взялись до их громкого успеха в США, и который послужил саундтреком к фильму "Друзья", выпущенному в том же году. В апреле 1971 года RIAA присвоила ему золотой сертификат. Это стало третьей золотой пластинкой Джона за столько месяцев на этом рынке (после альбомов Elton John в феврале и Tumbleweed Connection в марте). Заглавный трек стал незначительным хитом в США (34-я строчка в поп-чарте), несмотря на плохое исполнение фильма. Альбом также получил номинацию на премию "Грэмми" 1972 года за лучшую оригинальную музыку, написанную для кинофильма.
Права на саундтрек теперь принадлежат Universal Music Group, которая разделяет с ним право собственности на музыку Джона и которой также принадлежит каталог Paramount Records.
Помимо оригинального винилового релиза 1971 года, он еще не был выпущен в качестве отдельного компакт-диска, но саундтрек Friends доступен на 2-CD Rare Masters (1992), треки 10-19 на первом диске, хотя треки расположены в другом порядке, чем на оригинальном LP. Разница в том, что "Michelle's Song" меняется местами с "Honey Roll" и "Variations on Friends".
В начале 1970-х Джон исполнил заглавный трек и "Can I Put You On" на концерте, причем последний появился на следующем релизе, концертной записи 17-11-70 (в Северной Америке переименован в 11-17-70). Самое последнее выступление "Друзей" состоялось в 1999 году.
Elton John – piano, vocals
Caleb Quaye – guitar ("Can I Put You On", "Honey Roll")
Barry Morgan—drums ("Friends", "Michelle's Song")
Dee Murray – bass guitar ("Can I Put You On", "Honey Roll")
Nigel Olsson – drums ("Can I Put You On", "Honey Roll")
Paul Buckmaster – orchestral arrangement
Rex Morris – saxophone ("Honey Roll")
Madeline Bell – backing vocals
Lesley Duncan – backing vocals
Liza Strike - backing vocals
Paramount Pictures Presents
A FILM BY LEWIS GILBERT "FRIENDS"
Produced and Directed by LEWIS GILBERT
Screenplay by JACK RUSSELL, VERNON HARRIS.
Original Story by LEWIS GILBERT
Music Composed by Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Associate Producer GEOFFRY HELMAN
TECHNICOLOR A PARAMOUNT RICTURE
Vocal and Keyboard performances by Elton John,
Courtesy of the Dick James Organization.
All songs Elton John And Bernie Taupin
(C) Copyright 1970 by Dick James Music Limited, London/ All rights for the U.S.A.,
Canada, Mexico and Philippines controlled by Dick James Music, Inc.,
119 W.57th St., New York, N.Y.10019
Composed by Paul Buckmaster
Introduction And Coda Composed by Paul Buckmaster,
Introduction Composed by Paul Buckmaster
Arrangementa and Additional Music by Paul Buckmaster
Permission to include the poem - "I Mean To Do My Work Today",
By Richard Le Gallienne granted by The Society of Authors on
behalf of the Estate of Richard Le Gallienne.
"Friends" music soundtrack and soundtrack album produced by Gus Dudgeon, Tuesday
Productions Ltd.
Executive Producer: John Gilbert
Engineer: Robin Geoffrey Cable
Copyright (C) 1971 by Paramount Pictures Corporation/ All Rights Reserved
Элтон Джон (Реджинальд Кеннет Дуайт) родился в 1947 году. С детства он играл на фортепиано, еще учась в школе, работал тапером в кафе. В середине 60-х годов он организовал свою группу, сопровождавшую в гастрольных поездках многих известных вокалистов, а иногда дававшую и сольные концерты. Однако Элтон Джон не решался быть певцом в своем ансамбле. В 1968 году на одном из конкурсов он познакомился с поэтом Берни Тоупином, Авторский дуэт начал создавать песни для других исполнителей, и лишь спустя некоторое время Элтон
решился записаться сам. «Твоя песня» неожиданно стала одной из популярнейших мелодий 1970 года; за ней последовали «Даниэль», «Человек в ракете» и другие. Элтон Джон работал очень много и плодотворно, что позволило
ему стать на Западе, пожалуй, самым популярным певцом первой половины 70-х годов. Многие записи Элтона Джона, в первую очередь, его программный альбом «Прощай, дорога из желтого кирпича», выходят за рамки чистой развлекательности и могут быть поставлены в один ряд с лучшими образцами популярной музыки - работами «Битлз», Боба Дилана.
Альбом, представляемый советскому слушателю, вышел в свет в конце 1978 года, после двухлетнего перерыва в артистической деятельности Элтона Джона, вызванного отчасти его разрывом с постоянным творческим партнером -
Б. Тоупином. Вернулся Элтон и к гастролям: кульминацией его всемирного турне 1979 года стали выступления в Москве и Ленинграде, прошедшие с большим успехом.
Сэр Элтон Геркулес Джон (англ. Elton Hercules John, настоящее имя Реджиналд Кеннет Дуайт (Reginald Kenneth Dwight); род. 25 марта 1947) — английский рок-певец, композитор и пианист. Рыцарь-бакалавр (1997) и кавалер ордена Британской империи (CBE, командор, 1995). На протяжении своей почти 40-летней карьеры Элтон Джон продал более 250 миллионов пластинок. 54 его сингла входили в британский Топ-40. Он занимает 49-е место в списке величайших исполнителей по версии журнала Rolling Stone. Элтон Джон — один из самых коммерчески успешных исполнителей 1970-х годов: семь его альбомов занимали первые места в Billboard 200, 23 сингла входили в американский Топ-40, 16 поднимались в первую десятку и 6 — на первое место. Один из них, «Candle in the Wind» (версия, посвященная Принцессе Диане) разошёлся 37-миллионным тиражом. Джон оказал заметное влияние на развитие популярной музыки и внёс большой вклад в распространение фортепиано в рок-н-ролле. Основные черты творчества Элтона Джона — мелодический талант, узнаваемый тембр голоса, фортепиано, звучащее в стиле госпел, энергичные оркестровые аранжировки, яркий сценический имидж и театральное мастерство. В начале 1990-х годов Элтон Джон вынужден был бороться с наркотической зависимостью, депрессией и булимией. Тем не менее, он продолжает общественную деятельность, в частности, на поприще борьбы против СПИДа, которую начал в конце 1980-х. Он был введён в Зал славы рок-н-ролла в 1994 году, был посвящён в рыцари в 1998 году и до сих пор остается одним из самых успешных певцов в Великобритании.
Published by: Lennon Music, ATV Music Ltd., April Music, Tro Essex Music Ltd.
Printed by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.
Recorded at Record Plant, N.Y.C.
Art Direction, Design Roy Kohara
Conductor, Orchestrated by Ken Ascher
Coordinator May Pang
Engineer Shelly "I Can't Take The Pressure" Yakus
Engineer (Over-dubs) Jimmy "What It Is" Iovine
Engineer (Strings), Remix – Roy "I Only Like Singles" Cicala
Lacquer Cut by Greg Calbi
Mastered by Tom Rabstenek
Photography by Bob Gruen
Producer (With) Little Big Horns, The Philharmanic Orchestrange, Plastic Nuclear Ono Band
Producer, Arranged by John Lennon
Die Cut Outer Sleeve. Includes booklet and printed inner sleeve.
Walls and Bridges
Studio album by John Lennon
Released 4 October 1974
Recorded June – July 1974
Genre Rock, pop rock
Length 46:02
Label Apple/EMI
Producer John Lennon
Professional reviews
* Allmusic 3.5/5 stars link
* Rolling Stone 3/5 stars link
Walls and Bridges is the fifth official album by English rock musician John Lennon; it was issued on 4 October 1974. Written, recorded and released during his 18-month separation from Yoko Ono (June 1973-January 1975), the album captures Lennon in the midst his "Lost Weekend". Walls and Bridges was an American Billboard #1 album and featured Lennon's only #1 single as a solo artist during his lifetime, "Whatever Gets You thru the Night".
Background
In June 1973, as Lennon was about to record Mind Games, Ono decided that she and Lennon should separate. Ono suggested that he take their personal assistant, May Pang, as a companion . Lennon soon moved to California with Pang, and embarked upon an eighteen-month relationship with Pang he would later refer to as his "Lost Weekend". While Lennon and Pang were living in Los Angeles, John took the opportunity to get reacquainted with his son, Julian, whom he had not seen in four years. Lennon had planned to record an album of rock 'n' roll oldies with producer Phil Spector, but these sessions became legendary not for the music produced but for the chaotic antics fueled by alcohol. Lennon and Pang returned to New York and Spector disappeared with these session tapes. Still in the mood to make music, Lennon decided to record a new album of original material.
Recording
Recording sessions for Walls and Bridges began in June, 1974 at Record Plant East. Musicians included Jim Keltner on drums, Klaus Voormann on bass, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, and Arthur Jenkins on percussion.
Walls and Bridges has a variety of musical stylings and many of the lyrics make it clear that Lennon both enjoyed his new-found freedom and also missed Ono. "Going Down On Love", "What You Got" and "Bless You" address his feelings toward Ono, while the first track written for the record, "Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)" was written for Pang. "Steel and Glass" included a sinister riff reminiscent of "How Do You Sleep", Lennon's audio argument with Paul McCartney from the Imagine album, though the digs this time were directed at former Beatles manager Allen Klein. "Scared" is a haunting track exploring Lennon's fear of ageing, loneliness and the emptiness of success. It also included the seemingly prophetic lyric: "Hatred and jealousy gonna be the death of me."
The album also includes some of Lennon's most uplifting songs, namely its two singles "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (which features Elton John on piano and harmony vocals) and "#9 Dream" (the instrumentation literally evokes a dream) and "Beef Jerky", a funky Stax-inspired instrumental (the only instrumental to appear on a Lennon solo album).
Another notable track is "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out)", although written in 1973, was remembered by Lennon in an interview for Playboy magazine as expressing his feeling for the whole [lost weekend] period. Lennon "always imagined Sinatra singing that one. I don't know why. It's kind of a Sinatra-esque song, really. He would do a perfect job with it. Are you listening Frank? You need one song that isn't a piece of nothing. Here's one for you, the horn arrangement and everything's made for you. But don't ask me to produce it".
The final track is a casual cover of the Lee Dorsey oldie "Ya Ya", which Lennon tacked onto the end of the album with the credit: "Starring Julian Lennon on drums and Dad on piano and vocals". During one of his frequent visits from England to see his father during this period, eleven-year-old Julian attended the recording sessions. Lennon surprised Julian by including the track on the album. Pang recalled the younger Lennon's response, telling his father "If I'd known, I would have played better". Lennon also sends a message to publisher Morris Levy who was expecting this Lennon release to be the oldies album (see Rock 'n' Roll) at the beginning of the track: "Let's do sitting in the lala and get rid of that!" which infuriated Levy.
Cut from the album at the last minute was a track called "Move Over Ms. L", one of Lennon's harder rockers, which would eventually appear as the B-side to the single "Stand By Me" the following year – the only example of a Lennon B-side not already available on an album.
Reception
Walls and Bridges was well received by critics and the public. Both the album and the single, "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", reached #1 on the US charts the same week (16 November), and #6 in the UK. Ringo Starr called it "the best album in the past five years" in a 1974 Melody Maker interview.
During the recording of "Whatever Gets You," Elton John bet Lennon that it would top the charts. Never believing it would, Lennon agreed to perform live with John if it did. Having lost the wager, Lennon appeared at John's Madison Square Garden show on 28 November, performing Lennon's current #1 hit together as well as The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", (which was Elton John's new single with Lennon on backing vocals). This was Lennon's last major live performance.
In addition to reestablishing a relationship with Julian, Lennon mended fences with the other Beatles during this period, and Walls and Bridges is filled with musical nods to the group. In the opening track, Lennon sings "somebody please, please help me". On "Surprise Surprise", Lennon utilizes the coda of "Drive My Car" substituting the "beep beep yeahs" with "sweet sweet love". In response to McCartney's Lennon-esque track, Let Me Roll It on the Band on the Run album, Lennon took the guitar riff note for note and incorporated it into "Beef Jerky".
The album's elaborate jacket featured childhood drawings done by Lennon and a series of interchangeable faces. Walls and Bridges also had a popular ad campaign (created by Lennon) called "Listen To This..." (button, photo, sticker, ad, poster, t-shirt and, in New York City, a huge poster plastered on the rear of 2,000 city buses).
Television and radio commercials featuring a voiceover from Ringo Starr depicted the album jacket in its many 'photo flap' faces. Lennon would return the favor and do the voiceover for the commercials for Starr's Goodnight Vienna album.
Shortly after its release, Lennon personally mixed a true quadrophonic version of the album ("for the 20 people who buy quad," he joked in his infamous 1974 WNEW radio interview in New York). These mixes highlight many of the percussive and orchestrative textures that were not as prominent on the stereo version.
Remix/Remaster
Walls and Bridges was released in a remixed and remastered form in November 2005 (though four of the original tracks: "Old Dirt Road", "Bless You", "Scared" and "Nobody Loves You" were not remixed). The remastered version featured an alternative cover. This new cover retained Lennon's signature and hand-written title, but used one of the portraits Bob Gruen took for the album instead of Lennon's childhood drawing. The bonus tracks for the reissue include "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" performed live with Elton John, a previously unreleased acoustic version of "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)" and a promotional interview with Lennon.
Arranged and produced by John Lennon.
Performed by:
* John Lennon: lead, harmony and background vocals; lead, rhythm and acoustic guitar; piano, whistling and percussion.
* Ken Ascher: electric piano, clavinet and mellotron.
* Jim Keltner: drums.
* Arthur Jenkins: percussion.
* Nicky Hopkins: piano.
* Klaus Voormann: bass.
* Bobby Keys: tenor saxophone
* Jesse Ed Davis: lead and acoustic guitar
* Eddie Mottau: acoustic guitar.
Plus:
* Strings and brass musicians from the New York Philharmonic Orchestrange: arranged and conducted by Ken Ascher.
* Little Big Horns: brass section, arranged and conducted by Bobby Keys.
Special guest:
* Julian Lennon: drums on "Ya-ya"
* Elton John: piano and harmony vocals on "Whatever Gets you thru the Night" and hammond organ and background vocals on "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)".
* Joey Dambra, Lori Burton and May Pang: background vocals on "9 Dream".
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