March 6, 2024 | David Sigler
ELTON JOHN | WONDERFUL CRAZY NIGHT | 2016
On Wonderful Crazy Night, Elton John willingly puts his long time lyricist Bernie Taupin in a position he’s not accustomed. Typically, John accepts whatever lyrics Taupin gives him (their songwriting partnership is unique one where John writes the melodies and Taupin writes the words). On Wonderful Crazy Night, John wanted positive themed lyrics only. Well, you have to give the boss what he wants, and the results pay off for everyone.
Wonderful Crazy Night is not particularly a deep album but it wasn’t meant to be. John continues his winning ways of coming up with terrific melodic quick hooks that make this his most upbeat album in decades. It sounds like he’s having ball and it’s no wonder. John is backed with stellar musicians: Davey Johnstone (guitars), Nigel Olsson (drums), Kim Bullard (keyboards), Matt Bissonnette (bass) and two percussionists – John Mahon and Ray Cooper (Cooper lends a hand on a couple of tracks, which incidentally makes his first appears on an Elton John album in years).
The bouncy title track kicks off the album and Taupin wastes no time delivering his part: “Calypso moon just cast its spell / We’d grabbed that magic just because / We’d remember and never forget / What a wonderful crazy night that was.” Those feel good lyrics are matched up against a energetic melody and some spritely piano playing. Yet, the song feels a little unfinished. It could have benefited from some of those 70’s classic background vocals and a snappy brass arrangement a la Honky Cat. Still, a good start to the album and sets the stage for better things to come.
In The Name Of You has a steady groove courtesy of Bissonnette’s melodic bass playing (just listen to the lines he runs on the chorus alone – great stuff). The song is further enhanced by an infectious chorus and a funky guitar solo around the halfway mark.
The fun Looking Up, a countryish-rocker begins with what sounds like the opening of Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit In The Sky before Olsson’s drums kick off the song proper. Lyrically, Looking Up harkens back to the spirit of I’m Still Standing but not as defiant (and again missing some background vocals): “Now I’m looking up more than I look down / The view’s a whole lot better second time around.”
Guilty Pleasure rocks (and rolls) with cool hand claps and some rockabilly strumming guitars. Johnstone’s blistering guitar solo gets buried in the mix along with John’s piano (until the ending coda at least where the piano briefly takes center stage).
While Claw Hammer is a unique tale about someone who needs to break loose, has a slow southern swampy groove with some clever percussion flourishes that bookend the song. The ending however takes a surprising and ironic twist. A jazzy brass arrangement appears out of nowhere with some nice piano playing. This should have been incorporated into the song a lot more and sooner. Perhaps the claw hammer worked.
Elsewhere, infatuation is the theme on Tambourine as John sings: “It feels like flying when I see your face / I’m charged with the power of amazing grace / Flip switch signal on permanent green / Like the palm of my hand on a tambourine.” Fittingly, long time percussionist Ray Cooper plays, what else, a tambourine.
Taupin’s tribute to Reverend Utah Smith (a guitar playing preacher who wore paper wings) on I’ve Got 2 Wings, is the albums most thought out arrangement. Wings is further complimented by a syn-accordion and nice 50’s guitar riffs over a measured vocal by John.
A trio of wonderful (sorry!) love ballads ground the album minus any resentment, bitterness or anger. On the dreamy Blue Wonderful, John sings tenderly “Like swimming in your eyes / I dive in, I dive deep, I just swim / And lose myself in you, Blue Wonderful, Blue Wonderful again.” Thankfulness is the theme on the Stax-influenced A Good Heart: “The kind of love you never knew / Oh it’s a good heart from me to you.” Regrettably, it lacks that big ballad finish and backing vocals that could have made it a classic. The Open Chord, the best of the three with shades of the classic hit The One, celebrates finding that special someone: “I stand beside you / Hand over my heart and say a prayer / Love’s not for quitters / It’s the satisfaction knowing that you’re there.” The Open Chord ranks up there with Taupin’s best love songs and is one of John’s finest vocals.
Producer T. Bone Burnett, appears to be a little uncomfortable producing a pop album when he’s more at home with Americana folk/roots oriented music. There is a sense of reservedness throughout the proceedings, as if Burnett is afraid to let John and the boys really cut loose. He does a serviceable job overall of course, how can he not? But for all the positive lyrics, upbeat vibes and ear to ear grin by John on the colorful album cover, one does wonder what a visionary pop producer would have brought to the table (think Mark Ronson or Andrew Watt).
Either way, in the end Wonderful Crazy Night isn’t exactly as crazy as the title suggests, but it’s certainly wonderful.
Song by Song Rating:
- Wonderful Crazy Night [4.25]
- In The Name Of You [5.00]
- Blue Wonderful [5.00]
- Claw Hammer [4.75]
- I’ve Got 2 Wings [4.00]
- A Good Heart [4.15]
- Looking Up [4.50]
- Guilty Pleasure [5.00]
- Tambourine [3.85]
- The Open Chord [5.00]
Ratings are based on 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest from the original track listing upon initial release. The overall average for Wonderful Crazy Night is 4.55 or 4 1/2 stars out of 5.
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