To Be Continued

With the exception of some very early work with Long John Baldry, the music is exclusively focused on the songs Elton wrote in conjunction with lyricist Bernie Taupin. Their songwriting method--whereby Taupin submits lyrics to John, who gives them musical shape--is discussed at length in an insightful interview with the two men. This method has produced a truly astonishing number of hit records, particularly throughout the '70s. Discs 2 and 3 contain all the monster hits--"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Daniel," "Bennie and the Jets," "Crocodile Rock"--as well as many others. The combination of John's pliable and emotive voice, Taupin's well-wrought words, and strong production values led to megastardom.

The '80s were a period of transition and growth for Elton John. Disc 4 has a number of hits from that period--"Sad Songs," "Sacrifice," and "You Gotta Love Someone"--as well as featuring several live performances before a full orchestra, including "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." His voice and stage persona both reflected a maturing Elton John.

This box set, compiled by Taupin and John themselves, was completed in 1990 and summed up Elton John's career to that point. The title of To Be Continued has proven to be more than just wishful thinking, as he continues to maintain his vitality in popular music to this day. --Wally Shoup