Elton John live at Nippon Budokan, February 1st, 1974, Tokyo, Japan. Photograph: Shinko Music/Getty Images 41. Blue Eyes (1982) A touching song from Made in England, which finds Elton in the role of elder statesman with nothing to prove except his capacity for love, and pleading “let me grow old with you”. 44. When Love Is Dying (with Leon Russell) (2010) There is a haunting maturity to Elton’s mid-to-late career material, although his first British solo No 1 (in 1990) flopped, bizarrely, on initial release. An Elton and Bernie personal favourite, this sublime ballad bookends Elton first hit, Your Song: by now, the couple in the lyrics have married, drifted apart, and are breaking up. 13. Philadelphia Freedom (1975)

Greatest Hits no. 135". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011 . Retrieved 15 July 2021. American album certifications – Elton John". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 12 September 2020. Recorded when Sir Elton Hercules John was still Pinner, Middlesex teenager Reg Dwight, a classically trained pub pianist and occasional session musician. A fine early career effort from his youthful rhythm and blues outfit. 46. The Ballad of Blind Tom (2013)A chocolate effigy of Sir Elton John at Madame Tussauds in 2015. Photograph: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images 11. Candle in the Wind (1974) Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II is the sixteenth official album release for English musician Elton John, and the second compilation. The original 1977 US version features one song from 1971 and two songs from 1974 that were not on the first greatest hits album. It also features several hit songs from 1975 and two hit singles from Elton's last year of performing in 1976. The cover photograph was taken by Gered Mankowitz. American album certifications – Elton John – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 12 September 2020. Elton and Bernie barely put a foot or note wrong between 1970’s Elton John and 1975’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, producing so many great songs that some almost got trampled in the rush. This lesser-known story of a prisoner, missing home, is an underrated gem from Madman Across the Water. 15. Someone Saved My Life Tonight (1975)

ORICON STYLE-ミュージック"[Highest position and charting weeks of Your Song: Greatest Hits (1996 reissue) by Elton John]. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese) . Retrieved 1 May 2013. This trademark big ballad about unrequited love was initially a hit in 1974 before the combined star power of G&E gave them a trans-Atlantic 90s No.1. 32. Skyline Pigeon (1969)Ubiquity shouldn’t sully the innocent purity of this haunting ballad about a vulnerable Marilyn Monroe, as worshipped by a “kid” from afar. Twenty-three years later, a visibly upset Elton sang a rewritten version at close friend Princess Diana’s funeral, which was subsequently released to become the biggest-selling UK single ever. 10. Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) (1982) Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1sted.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5. Japanese album certifications – エルトン・ジョン – Greatest Hits" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved 29 August 2022. Select 1996年7月 on the drop-down menu Elton’s fortunes initially upped after meeting his lyricist of many decades, Bernie Taupin, through an advert. Elton (on harpsichord here) later re-recorded this stirring, hymn-like song, which he has described as “the first one of ours we got excited about”. 31. Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (1994) Photography By [Front Cover Sleeve Illustration Based Upon Original Photograph By] – Terry O'Neill (2)

This one of Elton’s most-loved songs ever began as a humble B-side (to Take Me to the Pilot) before radio stations flipped it, triggering the golden run of hits which turned Elton into the world’s biggest pop star. In subsequent decades, countless couples have taken his advice to “tell everybody, this is your song”. 3. Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting (1973) Japanese album certifications – エルトン・ジョン – エルトン・ジョン・グレイテスト・ヒッツ" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved 29 August 2022. Select 2000年12月 on the drop-down menu From late period, minimalist gem The Diving Board, EJ evokes the poetry and spiralling piano runs of his early years with this lovely insight into the mind of a blind Deep South bluesman. 45. Please (1995)a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrateded.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p.158. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9. What do I have to do to make you love me?” sings Elton, perhaps the most disconsolate opening line of his career. By the mid-70s, touring and drug use were taking a toll, but Elton and Bernie both contribute lyrics to a song about dying love that’s as beautiful as it is sad. 7. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (1972)

Elton’s strangest hit, penned as he imagined looking down at his dead body. The next day, he was told that his 17-year old messenger boy, Guy Burchett, had been killed on his bike 24 hours earlier. The (mostly) instrumental’s sole words – “Life isn’t everything” – glide over one of his most heartbreaking, haunting melodies. 8. Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word (1976) DJM to Lift Sales From Pye In May". Billboard. 11 January 1975. p.29 . Retrieved 25 December 2021– via Google Books. The original album contained a booklet containing lyrics to the songs (even to the covers of " Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and " Pinball Wizard"), with illustrations or performance photos for each song. With the crazy outfits, barmy glasses and wheelbarrows of cocaine of the 70s far behind him, the post-throat op Elton uses his deeper range and older man’s gravitas to maximum effect. 42. Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future) (1975)

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In the US, it was certified gold in September 1977, platinum in November 1977, 3× platinum in March 1993, 4× platinum in September 1995, and 5× platinum in August 1998 by the RIAA. Elton starts a six-year break from otherwise career-long songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. New lyricist Gary Osbourne doesn’t yet conjure the same magic. 48. Honky Cat (1972) Elton’s first ever US performance was supporting the late Leon Russell, who shared vocal tips and decades later, joined Elton for the album The Union. This is a beautiful song about a fading love. 43. Believe (1995)