Skyline Pigeon

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"Skyline Pigeon" was one of Elton John's first songs to become popular. Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics. The song is from the album Empty Sky, released in Great Britain in 1969. This album containing the original version was not released in the United States until 1975, by which time Elton was at the peak of his career.

The original recording did not include piano played by Elton John but a harpsichord. This was because the song was written in the same style as a hymn. Elton John always had the philosophy If in doubt, write a hymn! and with this song he could not get a feel for the genre of which to write it, therefore, he wrote it in the style of a hymn.

It was re-recorded with Elton's band in 1972 and released in 1973 as the B-side to Daniel. It is now available as one of the bonus tracks on the remastered version of the album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. A live version from Elton's 1974 performance at the Royal Festival Hall was released in 1976 as part of the Here and There album.

John played the song at AIDS victim Ryan White's funeral.