Elton John
Diamonds
UMe
by David Chiu
(photo by John Russo)
Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s songs have been a universal part of our lives and pop culture for the last 50 years. So it’s only fitting that their songwriting partnership milestone should be celebrated in a new compilation fittingly titled Diamonds. Referring to the 3-CD limited deluxe version, Diamonds is the most comprehensive of the many John compilations available (there’s also a 1-CD and 2-CD editions as well, but you’re better served with the triple-disc set). And the amount of the iconic John and Taupin hits are overwhelming: “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” “Daniel,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Rocket Man,” “I’m Still Standing,” “I Guess Why They Call It the Blues,” “Sad Songs,” “Sacrifice,” etc., etc., etc.,–you basically know what I’m getting at. Diamonds also contains material from John’s most recent albums like The Diving Board and Wonderful Crazy Night, including “Home Again” and “Looking Up,” respectively, making this the most complete John greatest hits chronicle to date. A true die-hard probably has all of records so this set may not be necessary. But for the casual fan, Diamonds – the 3-CD version especially– has all the songs in one convenient package; a definitely cause for celebration.
NewBeats 