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Summary: "His Song" is our song!
Review: Hats off, "standing O", and much appreciative thanks to Elizabeth J. Rosenthal for writing the best, most definitive document of Elton John to have ever been sent our way! I should know - I have them all. This labor of love is a homage that never surrenders the truth in place of hype. Instead it explains the sometimes complicated - always joyous process by which Sir Elton John has made all of his music - warts and all. I have had the book only two weeks, and yet I have already been compulsed to read it twice. I thought that I knew it all, but I was wrong. After reading "His Song," I think I probably know as much as mere mortals will ever be privy to in regards to this superstar. The research that went into making this book is nothing short of astonishing! I was absolutely transfixed by the details that were revealed on every page - not only about individual albums, but for each individual song themselves. Never has more information been revealed about this ledgend's music, nor his life. For me personally, I think the greatest thing about this book was that it beckoned me (actually forced might be a better word!) to re-examine some of Elton's older stuff, as well as some of his lesser known contributions. What I often found were things that I had missed in the earlier listenings were illuminated and "pointed out" to me by this amazing book. For that alone, I owe it's author a debt of gratitude. In all honesty, the tapestry that plays out on these pages is almost as audible as the songs themselves - Elton will be honored by this one. Elton is my musical idol, hero or whatever you want to call it. His music has been a lifesaver to me at various times in my life for thirty years. Strand me out on a desert island, and this is the one book that I want with me. Jimmy Hester
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Summary: The Long Overdue Musical Biography
Review: I am as impressed by this book as by THE ONE himself. If you missed any tour in the past 30 years...if you missed any album in the past 30 years...you can have it all now via His Song. Liz Rosenthal expertly weaves the events of the day with the birth of each song/album giving the reader real insight into the creative process which has become..as David Furnish so aptly described.."the soundtrack of our lives". Elton John, the musician, deserved to have this book written about him...and Ms Rosenthal met the challenge. The only criticism I have of the book is that the pictures are not as sharply reproduced as befitting a book of this caliber and the typeface is too small....however the content has such depth that it more than makes up for what I consider poor judgement on the part of the editor. Its all about the music...as it should be.
Rating:
Summary: The Long Overdue Musical Biography
Review: I am as impressed by this book as by THE ONE himself. If you missed any tour in the past 30 years...if you missed any album in the past 30 years...you can have it all now via His Song. Liz Rosenthal expertly weaves the events of the day with the birth of each song/album giving the reader real insight into the creative process which has become..as David Furnish so aptly described.."the soundtrack of our lives". Elton John, the musician, deserved to have this book written about him...and Ms Rosenthal met the challenge. The only criticism I have of the book is that the pictures are not as sharply reproduced as befitting a book of this caliber and the typeface is too small....however the content has such depth that it more than makes up for what I consider poor judgement on the part of the editor. Its all about the music...as it should be.
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Summary: A great book on a great entertainer
Review: I just finished reading this book today & all I can say is "WOW"-Elizabeth Rosenthal did an enormous amount of research & it shows-Rosenthal is undoubtedly a major fan who fortunately paints a rather convincing portrait of Elton John-Here you read about his various triumphs (gold & platinum records,a sell-out cross country tour with Billy Joel in 1994)& tragedies (the deaths of fashion designer Gianni Versace & Princess Diana,which both occurred in 1997)-The appendix lists a complete discography of every single & album that Elton has released during his monumental career-This is a great Christmas present to give someone who likes Elton John just as much as I do.
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Summary: Good not Great but very Entertaining
Review: i recently read this Book on Elton John whose 70's work I really still dig more than any other Era of His Stuff.His Music when done with feeling is really on Point.this Book also Explores His Trip Out Sense of Humor&how other Artists are in Contact with Him.Elizabeth Rosenthal does a Good Job at Balance His Carrer&Him as a Person really well.I Would Have Dug More of His Takes on How He hears Other Artists&things.there were a Few Cool Ones with him&Steive Wonder.a good book though.
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Summary: It's a true Winner!!!
Review: I would like to start by saying,this book is a true winner!!!
Ms. Rosenthal really hit the nail on the head, describing Elton's music chapter by chapter. The book kept my interest and attention from start to finish. I really appreciated the author's wit in using some of Elton's song titles and lyrics as chapter titles. I think that adds a very special quality and warmth to the book. I found the photographs at the midway point and the end refreshing. I recommend anyone who is an Elton John fan to pick up this book before any other. I tip my hat to Ms. Rosenthal on a job well done.
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Summary: Not a biography, it's a rehash of EJ's clipping service
Review: Over the course of 700 pages (actually 475, but the font is a third smaller than normal), Rosenthal describes every song on every album of Elton John, but offers no insight into his life or artistic growth. While she meticulously footnotes every source, the sources are from newspaper clippings and magazine articles. This supposed definitive biography of Elton John doesn't have one direct interview with the subject, his band mates, collaborators, friends or enemies. In reality, this is just a fan's attempt at a biography, quoting the sources, but offering no interpretation. I stopped reading it halfway through; I doubt if I'll finish any time soon.
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Summary: Stick to Philip Norman
Review: Replaces Crimp and Burstein as the worst book on Sir Elton in recent memory. More a prose version of the Billboard charts than anything else (and valuable in that sense), His Song is filled with inconsistencies (see the author's interpretation of "Chloe," in which she contradicts herself within three sentences), lightweight interpretations and self-styled musical categorizations. It does, though, contain some nice photos of Elton, including, of course, one posed with the author. All in all, this well-marketed and hndsomely covered volume does not compare to Philip Norman's Elton John (also published with revisions as "Sir Elton").
Rating:
Summary: Stick to Philip Norman
Review: Rivals The Many Lives of Elton John (Crimp and Burstein) as the worst book on Sir Elton in recent memory. More a prose version of the Billboard charts than anything else (and valuable in that sense), His Song is filled with inconsistencies (see the author's interpretation of "Chloe," in which she contradicts herself within three sentences), lightweight interpretations and self-styled musical categorizations. It does, though, contain some nice photos of Elton, including, of course, one posed with the author. While there is some interesting anecdotal information abut the writing of many songs, all in all, this well-marketed and hndsomely covered volume does not compare to Philip Norman's Elton John (also published with revisions as "Sir Elton").
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Summary: E.J. biography centers around the music
Review: Seeing as Elton John's career in popular music has been going strong for well over thirty years, it is easy to see why there are so many biographies about him. And why not? After all, John has always been an artist of unusual candor, not to mention unusual stage uniforms running from the trashy to the just-plain garish. But the music has always been the main thing, the reason his fans throughout the years still pay good money to see him, even at the ripe old age of 54.
Elizabeth Rosenthal's take on Elton revolves predominantly on the music in this lastest John biography. Those looking for fresh perspectives behind the man, rather than the performer, will be disappointed; certainly those more interested in the recording and performing parts of Elton's life will be most thrilled.
In fact, some of the more interesting items about E.J.'s off-stage life are given short shrift, indeed. Rosenthal hardly mentions the musician's public and private tiffs with his father, his early struggle with his dubious sexuality, or even his renowned drinking/drugging binges...and subsequent recovery in the early 1990's. Only scant mention is made of these life stories, which for better or worse have molded the man into what he is today. Many of the quotes you see (and they are few and far between) are ones given many years ago to other publications. Apparently, Rosenthal had the pleasure of meeting the singer in Atlanta, GA, where he makes his American home, but was apparently not able to interview him. Perhaps it's because John was still managed by the imposing John Reid, who has since been canned by Elton after some financial treachery done by the one person the megastar trusted for almost twenty-five years; Reid had been known to stand in the way of independent biographers who wanted fresher quotes from the star.
It's obvious to anyone who reads the book that Rosenthal is a big fan; she even runs a website devoted to her subject. She does an admirable job, however, of noting many of Elton's career missteps, if not all of them. She is less critical, however, of some of his missteps in his personal life, choosing instead to merely recount these unfortunate events.
Where Rosenthal eventually fails is in neglecting certain events in John's career that proved noteworthy. For instance, she doesn't elucidate in even one sentence why Elton split with lyricist Bernie Taupin after the recording of 1976's "Blue Moves." The motives behind the separation of the two in work collaboration is explained only briefly later on in the book. Other biographies had done a better job with this issue. After all, Taupin was as instrumental to the Elton John hits machine of the early-mid 1970's as the pianist himself. Without Taupin's entrancing lyrics, Elton's music had little outreach beyond some nice melodies constructed here and there.
Still, I enjoyed the copious background on the music. Rosenthal examines each album track, one by one, dissecting them and explaining why each one succeeded or failed. Her prose is definitely unique, and it provides an upbeat style that makes it an absolute joy to read. Those looking for more personal stories about the singer's extremely interesting life will only thirst for more, and are urged to seek out the various other E.J. biographies available.
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