Empty Sky

Empty Sky
Studio album by Elton John
Released	6 June 1969 (UK) 13 January 1975 (US)
Recorded	December 1968 – April 1969 at Dick James Music Studios, London
Genre	Progressive rock, psychedelic folk, psychedelic rock
Length	41:00 (original release) 54:56 (1995 reissue)
Label	DJM MCA (US/Canada, 1975)
Producer	Steve Brown
Elton John chronology
Empty Sky (1969) Elton John (1970)
Singles from Empty Sky (1995 reissue)
"Lady Samantha" Released: 17 January 1969 "It's Me That You Need" Released: 16 May 1969

Empty Sky is the debut album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released on 6 June 1969. It was finally released in the US in January 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after John's fame had been established internationally. Recorded during the winter of 1968 and spring of 1969 in a DJM 8-track studio, Empty Sky is the only album in the early part of his career not produced by Gus Dudgeon, instead helmed by friend and DJM staffer Steve Brown.

John plays harpsichord on several tracks, including "Skyline Pigeon", which John has described as being "the first song Bernie and I ever got excited about that we ever wrote."^[1]

John used musicians that were either his or Brown's friends. Guitarist Caleb Quaye and drummer Roger Pope, both members of the band Hookfoot at the time, played on many of the tracks. (Quaye and Pope would rejoin John a few years later as part of his studio and touring band behind Rock of the Westies in 1975 and Blue Moves in 1976.) Tony Murray from The Troggs played bass. Empty Sky is the first appearance with John of then Plastic Penny and Spencer Davis Group member Nigel Olsson, who played drums on "Lady What's Tomorrow?" (Olsson and fellow Spencer Davis bandmate, bassist Dee Murray, would soon join John as his early '70s touring band.) Also listed in the production credits is Clive Franks, who would later produce John's live sound in concert for a tremendous amount of his touring career, as well as occasionally co-produce with John on albums such as A Single Man and 21 at 33. The original sleeve design was done by David Larkham (billed as "Dave"), who would go on to create designs for John and other artists.

Almost none of the album's content has surfaced in John's live shows, though he has incorporated "Skyline Pigeon" into several live sets. One of the earlier appearances of the song was in 1974, and a version recorded in London was later featured as the opening track on the Here and There live LP and CD reissue. A version of the title track, "Empty Sky," was also included at various stops on John's 1975 tour.

Although John has since called the album naive, he does have fond memories of making the record. These include walking home from recording at 4 a.m. and lodging at the Salvation Army HQ in Oxford Street, which was run by Steve Brown's father. "I remember when we finished work on the title track - it just floored me. I thought it was the best thing I'd ever heard in my life," John recalled.^[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]

Allmusic's retrospective review showed a subdued reaction to the material, concluding "There aren't any forgotten gems on Empty Sky, but it does suggest John's potential."^[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

1. "Empty Sky" – 8:28
2. "Val-Hala" – 4:12*
3. "Western Ford Gateway" – 3:16
4. "Hymn 2000" – 4:29
5. "Lady What's Tomorrow" – 3:10
6. "Sails" – 3:45
7. "The Scaffold" – 3:18
8. "Skyline Pigeon" – 3:37
9. "Gulliver/Hay Chewed/Reprise" – 6:59*

• "Val-Hala" was properly titled "Valhalla" on the 1975 US reissue.
• "Hay Chewed" was mistakenly titled "It's Hay-Chewed" on the 1995 CD reissue.

Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and 1996 Rocket reissue)

1. "Lady Samantha" – 3:02
2. "All Across the Havens" – 2:52
3. "It's Me That You Need" – 4:04
4. "Just Like Strange Rain" – 3:44

Personnel

• Elton John – piano, organ, electric piano, harpsichord
• Caleb Quaye – electric and acoustic guitars, conga drums
• Tony Murray – bass guitar
• Roger Pope – drums, percussion
• Don Fay – tenor saxophone, flute
• Graham Vickery – harmonica
• Nigel Olsson – drums on "Lady What's Tomorrow"

Production

• Producer: Steve Brown
• Engineer: Frank Owen
• Tape operator and whistling: Clive Franks
• Liner notes: Gus Dudgeon, John Tobler

Trivia

Elton later recalled that he was "unsure what style I was going to be ... [maybe what] Leonard Cohen sounds like."^[4]

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

References