Summary
Meet The very best of Elton John, a 1990 double‑LP victory lap from one of pop’s most enduring hitmakers. Pressed by The Rocket Record Company (cat. no. 846 947-1), this set gathers two decades of chart-climbers, ballads, and barn-burners into one generous, easy-to-spin package. It’s Elton in widescreen: the early 70s symphonic pop, the glam swagger, and the sleek 80s radio gold—all sequenced to showcase just how effortless his reinventions have always felt.

About the Artist
Elton John arrived in 1970 with Your Song and a rare, ready-made identity: piano at the front, heart on the sleeve, and a showman’s grin. With lyricist Bernie Taupin, he built a songbook that blended Broadway-sized drama with rock muscle and soul finesse. The “classic” band—Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson—helped power a run that included Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Captain Fantastic. Orchestral arranger Paul Buckmaster added that cinematic lift on the early albums, while producer Gus Dudgeon shaped the warm, analog glow that still defines Elton’s 70s sound. By the 80s, Elton pivoted again with producer Chris Thomas, delivering sleek singles like I’m Still Standing and I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, proving the “Piano Man” could also be a pop-chameleon.

About the Record
Released in 1990, The Very Best of Elton John doubles as a celebration and a reset. That same year, Sacrifice finally handed Elton his first solo UK No. 1, reintroducing him to a new generation and setting the stage for this retrospective to storm the charts. It did—hitting No. 1 in the UK and earning multi‑platinum love across Europe.

This isn’t just a playlist. It’s a story arc. You hear the 70s rocket fuel (Bennie and the Jets, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting), the satin ballads (Your Song, Candle in the Wind, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me), and the 80s rebirth (Blue Eyes, Nikita, Sad Songs, I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, Sacrifice). Many European issues also fold in the new material like You Gotta Love Someone and Easier to Walk Away—both very “1990 Elton”: melodic, grown-up, and radio-ready.

About the Cover
Understated and classy. A monochrome Elton portrait and clean typography frame the music like a gallery piece. It’s a neat mirror to the compilation’s job: strip the spectacle to its essence and let the songs do the talking. On the original 2LP, the gatefold and inner packaging offer a crisp, collector-friendly overview—dates, credits, and a visual glide through the eras. It feels timeless, not trendy, which makes sense for a “greatest” set meant to age gracefully.

About the Lyrics & Music
This 2LP set is a tour of Elton and Bernie’s favorite themes—fame’s funhouse mirrors, love at its most fragile, and the tug of escape.

Your Song: Still the perfect introduction. Simple melody. Disarming sincerity. Buckmaster’s strings lift without ever crowding.
Candle in the Wind (1973): Fame as a fragile thing. It’s an elegy as a pop single, an early sign of Elton’s ability to hold emotion and melody in perfect balance.
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me: Grand and gospel-tinged, with harmonies that feel like a rescue rope. It’s no wonder a live duet would later top charts.
Bennie and the Jets: Studio trickery fakes a live crowd, and it worked—U.S. R&B radio helped break it. The claps, the swagger, the stuttering groove: irresistible.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The dream of leaving the dream. Taupin’s rural imagery meets Elton’s most luminous chord changes.
Philadelphia Freedom: A joyous standalone single dedicated to Billie Jean King; a love letter to American soul dressed in glittering strings and rhythmic strut.
Song for Guy: A near-instrumental memorial to a young Rocket staffer, Guy Burchett. Minimal words, maximum ache. Proof Elton’s piano can say plenty on its own.
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues: The harmonica you hear? Stevie Wonder. A perfect duet-without-duetting, brightening a bittersweet ballad.
I’m Still Standing: Post-disco energy, sharp guitars, pure resilience. Elton dancing on the rubble of trends—again.
Nikita: Cold War longing as synth-pop postcard. The video became an MTV staple and helped introduce Elton to a younger audience.
Sacrifice: Quiet, bruised, adult. No fireworks, just craft. Its late-breaking chart triumph reignited Elton’s 90s.
Across the sequencing, you can hear tech and taste evolve. Early 70s tracks glow with tape warmth, roomy drums, and Buckmaster’s orchestration. By the 80s, the palette tightens: LinnDrum snap, glossy guitars, and synth pads. Yet Elton’s piano and Bernie’s storytelling make it all feel of a piece.

Production trivia to savor:

Those early 70s classics were often tracked at Château d’Hérouville in France, a creative playground that supercharged Elton’s prolific streak.
Buckmaster’s arrangements didn’t just decorate. They carried countermelodies that made tracks like Your Song and Tiny Dancer-era material feel symphonic.

Conclusion
The very best of Elton John (1990) is exactly what its title promises—and a little more. It captures the piano-pounding showman, the tear-jerker balladeer, and the synth-era hitmaker in one cohesive listen. If you’re building a classic pop/rock shelf, this Rocket Record Company 846 947-1 pressing deserves a front-row spot. It plays like a greatest hits and reads like a biography.

Other Recommendations

Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (for the full 70s technicolor experience)
Elton John – Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (a fan favorite, autobiographical, and rich)
Elton John – Too Low for Zero (prime 80s Elton with I’m Still Standing and I Guess That’s Why…)
Elton John – Sleeping with the Past (home to Sacrifice; late-80s elegance)
Billy Joel – The Stranger (another piano-pop masterclass)
Queen – Greatest Hits (if you crave big hooks and bigger drama)
David Bowie – Changesonebowie (a companion tour through 70s reinvention)
Spin this set and you’ll hear why Elton moved from hitmaker to heritage artist without ever losing the plot. This is the sound of a career that knows how to take a bow—and then take another.