'That's Why Buckmaster Was So Good'

In my top 10 Elton tracks of all time...the Buckmaster arrangement mirrors the rhythm track. And bang on the money it is too. Elton's vocals are timed spectacularly...listen to Nigel's footwork too. A real standout part, it's an intricate part of the backbeat as much as it contributes to the bassline. The guitar solo is stunning, possibly my favourite. The second part when the strings come are a clever ploy, it's the first part repeated but with the added layer it goes to another dimension. Every single live version of this has had a standout moment. 1980, this time with Tim Renwick and Richie Zito sharing the solo part...but dare I say it with Dee Murray's bassline on the (especially on the second part) solo as ear catching as the lead. Moreso I would say...he replicates the riff and creates an symphonic backdrop. The Tour De Force again is another of my favourites...the solo yet again showing why Davey is the best...slick, loud and sweet. The strings delicately reflecting his run...tremendous. James Newton Howard's adding of the timpani on the verses after the first chorus is a triumph. It gives it that cinematic feel, as does the brass refrain as Elton's vocal kicks back in after the solo. The 2002 edition which I was privileged to see was a statement by Elton. Segueing straight from American Triangle was a masterstroke. Surely a message was being conveyed to us. The deeper vocal made the lyric sound tenser, his clever use of gaps and his pausing in mid-line left the tension hanging.