Empty Sky

Untitled

Empty Sky is the debut album of English singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1969. It was finally released in the United States in 1975, with a different cover photograph, well after Elton's fame had been established internationally. Elton plays every keyboard instrument in the studio, which he did not do again until Too Low For Zero. This is the only album in the early part of Elton's career not produced by Gus Dudgeon.

While the instrumental accompaniment in Empty Sky could be classified as mildly psychedelic rock, Elton's flair for pop melody is obvious even at this early stage. [1] Elton adds to the unique sound of the album by playing harpsichord on several tracks, including "Skyline Pigeon", which Elton has described as being "the first song Bernie and I ever got excited about."

Track listing

All songs by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Play List

1. Empty Sky - 8:28
   
2. Valhalla - 4:02
   
3. Western Ford Gateway - 3:15
   
4. Hymn 2000 - 8:09
   
5. Lady What's Tomorrow - 3:08
   
6. Sails - 3:45
   
7. The Scaffold - 3:18
   
8. Skyline Pigeon - 1:51
   
9. Gulliver/Hay Chewed(Reprise) - 6:59
   

Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and Rocket/Island [US] reissue)

1. "Lady Samantha" – 3:02
2. "All Across the Havens" – 2:52
3. "It's Me That You Need" – 4:04
4. "Just Like Strange Rain" – 3:44

A remaster of the album, released in 1995, erroneously lists "Hay-Chewed" as "It's Hay Chewed".

Personnel

• Elton John - piano, organ, electric piano, harpsichord
• Caleb Quaye - electric and acoustic guitars, conga drums
• Tony Murray - bass guitar
• Roger Pope - drums, percussion
• Don Fay - tenor saxophone, flute
• Graham Vickery - harmonica
• Nigel Olsen - drums (on "Lady What's Tomorrow")

Production

• Producer: Steve Brown
• Engineer: Frank Owen
• Tape operator and whistling: Clive Franks
• Liner notes: Gus Dudgeon

Elton closely collaborated on the songwriting, an innovative approach at the time when Beatlemania was just winding down. He later recalled that he was "unsure what style he was going to be... [maybe what] Leonard Cohen sounds like."

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1975	Pop Albums	6