Elton John - The Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989) {Rec. 1977}

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Elton John - The Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989) {Rec. 1977}

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Elton John - The Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989) {Rec. 1977}

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"The Complete Thom Bell Sessions" brings together the complete recording session by Elton John and producer Thom Bell onto one album. Released in 1989 by MCA Records, the album is composed of the material previously released in 1979 as well as the songs that were recorded at the original session but had then gone unreleased. Two of the "new" songs were co-written by John - "Nice and Slow" was co-written with Thom Bell and longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin, and "Shine on Through" with lyricist Gary Osborne. Because the recordings were shelved at the time, the latter was re-recorded and included on John's 1978 LP, "A Single Man". Though not noted on the CD, the mixes of "Are You Ready for Love," "Mama Can't Buy You Love" and "Three Way Love Affair" are not the Elton and Clive Frank remixes from 1979, but the original 1977 Thom Bell mixes. "Are You Ready for Love," for example, now includes Bobby Smith and John Edwards of The Spinners singing the second verse instead of Elton, among other more subtle differences. The original EP remixes of the songs would later re-surface on the 'CD2' edition of Elton's 1992 single for "The Last Song"; an edited version of the remix of "Are You Ready for Love" would be re-released as a single in 2003, and went on to hit #1 on the UK and US Dance charts.

After dismissing his recently re-formed backing band and breaking off professional ties with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, Elton John sought Philly soul maestro Thom Bell in search of a fresh direction. However, John's brief foray into soul isn't as surprising or unusual as it might initially sound. In fact, two of John's biggest hits "Bennie and the Jets" as well the breezy four-on-the floor backbeat on "Philadelphia Freedom" also became crossover R&B smashes. Initially, John was not entirely pleased with the results and sat on the tapes for over a year before remixing the six completed songs in early 1979 for a summertime release. Ultimately, John chose half of the material that he and Bell had cut to be included on a three-song EP, which was led by the midtempo and ultimately danceable "Mama Can't Buy You Love." The two other sides "Are You Ready for Love" and "Three Way Love Affair" (which were issued on that June 1979 extended-play single) were likewise Bell creations and were augmented significantly by some of Philly's finest. Among them were Casey James (guitar), Leroy M. Bell (guitar), and Charles Collins (drums), strings and horns courtesy of none other than MFSB, and backing vocals from the one and only Spinners. When the CD version of that EP was issued, the other three previously unissued tunes documented during those sessions were released. Notable among them are a Taupin/John leftover titled "Nice and Slow" which Thom Bell also rearranged as well as a John ballad co-written with Gary Osborne titled "Shine On Through." This track would resurface as the leadoff track on John's A Single Man in a much more stark and moody musical setting.

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Elton John - The Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989) {Rec. 1977}

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Elton John - The Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989) {Rec. 1977}

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