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Sleeping with the Past

Elton John - Sleeping with the Past Audio CD

A fair review of the Elton John "Sleeping with the Past" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Elton John reviews here, or go back to the Elton John tabs.

Band: Elton John
Title: Sleeping with the Past
Rating:

Release Date: 2001-05-15
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Durban Deep 2: Healing Hands 3: Whispers 4: Club at the End of the Street 5: Sleeping With the Past 6: Stone's Throw From Hurtin' 7: Sacrifice 8: I Never Knew Her Name 9: Amazes Me 10: Blue Avenue 11: Dancing in the End Zone [*] 12: Love Is a Cannibal [*]

Great end to the '80s
The track Sacrifice is worth the price of the CD alone. This album stands as one of Elton John's best. But there is other great music here, and lyrically this album stands up incredibly well. If you are a fan of Elton, get this for your catalog. You will not regret it.
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Sacrifice of royalties yielded British number one hit
Although the album sold quite well upon its original release, making the top ten in the British album charts, this was despite the lack of singles chart action. Elton's last album of the eighties contains strong R+B influences. The first single from the album, Healing hands, barely dented the British top fifty while the follow-up, Sacrifice, didn't even get that high. All that changed a few months later when Elton announced a plan to pair Healing hands and Sacrifice as a double-A side with proceeds going to AIDS charities. This produced the desired results, not only for the charities but also for the music. The British public bought the single in their droves, making Sacrifice their preferred track and taking it to number one in the singles chart. So by giving his royalties to charity, Elton made the very top of the British singles chart for the first time as a solo singer, having previously made it via a duet with Kiki Dee. He had also made number one with several singles back in the seventies.

With its somewhat belated success, Sacrifice became the focal point of this album, which has much to commend it. The opening track (Durban deep) is performed from the perspective of a South African coalminer reflecting on his unhappy lot. Well, I guess somebody has to dig the coal out of the ground but I'm glad it's not me, though in my present circumstances, I'd consider it if the option were available. Actually, coalmining is largely consigned to history anyway (the last remaining Leicestershire mines closed in the early nineties) so it's not an option.

Another double-sided single (Whispers, Club at the end of the street) was released as a single but made little impact. Both are excellent album tracks but I'm not surprised that they failed as a single. Of the remainder, two tracks (Amazes me, I never knew her name) are particularly noteworthy. Two excellent bonus tracks (Dancing in the end zone, Love is a cannibal) don't get a mention in the liner notes to this re-issue, but they are up to the standard of the main album, something that can't always be said of such bonus tracks.

This is a wonderful album although I'm not sure where it stands compared to Elton's many (mostly excellent) albums. If you're a committed Elton fan, you'll certainly regard this one as essential. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that some people think that is is Elton's best album ever. There are certainly a few that I rate more highly, but this would probably make my top ten among Elton's albums.

CD Review

That was my first and last purchase through Amazon. The shipping was very slow and the CD cover was broken.

Special
It is simply a set of beautiful songs. This cd is a very personal favorite of mine. Of his 70's albums, "Don't Shoot Me", is my favorite. Of his 80's {and this one made it in there barely by a few months, having been released in August 1989}, this one here is my favorite. I bought this cd in Oct. '89, at a time of very personal upheaval, and this cd mirrored thoughts and emotions that I could not myself, at the time, even express. Every song on here is strong and has soul. I love this cd. Among my favorites here are: "Whispers". "Sleeping With The Past", Healing Hands", and "Amazes Me". . . . Brilliant. Thanks, E. J. and B. T.

Elton's Somber Stories
Elton John was one of those acts who had that difficult transition. When it came to music in the 1980's acts from the 70's had a very difficult time of making the marks when it comes to showcasing the feeling of what really was good music. Although he still cranked out a top 40 hit every year that decade, he still had a lot of weights that carried him over from a troubled marriage, and bouts with alcoholism and drug abuse. Nevertheless, he still made dynamic presences as the showman he always showcased. His final 80's record though, was the most soulful with compromise and understanding.

Elton John's 1989 album Sleeping With the Past which was re-released in 2001, displays a bluesy and heartfelt approach from a decade of excess that he had shown. The songs were influenced by the soul and sounds of the Motown era from the 60's and 70's as Elton John had mentioned at one point through the album. The album has been remastered pretty well, and still remains as one his better 80's albums, that really was more about the substance, rather than just making albums that were just misses. The album includes a lot of great songs including the upbeat and sadly overlooked dance song Club At The End Of The Street, as well as his first #1 hit in the U. K. Sacrifice which became the albums only standout. Still, there are a lot of great songs here that sound great and show meaning to the album including the somber Blue Avenue, the elequent piano ballad Whispers, and other great songs. The album also adds a few other songs from before including Love Is A cannibal, which was featured in the movie Ghostbusters II.

All in all, Sleeping With The Past remains as the best Elton album from the 1980's that really showed actual meaning, more than a feeling you bought something that didn't add up. I loved listening to this album both then, and now. It really is a album I really recommend for any die hard Elton John fan, as well as newcomers who haven't yet bought an Elton John album. The past is sometimes painful, but it is worth something from the heart.

Songs: B+

Price: B

Remastering: B-

Overall: B 1/2+.

You can see a complete list of all Elton John discography, or go back to the Elton John tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.