Product Description

SLEEPING WITH THE PAST finds Elton John finishing off the eighties with a mature, and above all, serious musical statement. Kicking off with the tropical groove and social messageof "Durban Deep", the album moves straight into the anthemic "Healing Hands", with its larger-than-life chorus, inspiring lyric and stirring piano runs. The seamless teamwork of Elton and Bernie Taupin reaches a career high with the instant classic, "Sacrifice", a tender ballad which instantly tookits rightful place among the pair's best work. This varied,solid work finishes out with the epic production number that is "Amazes Me" and the quiet build and slow burn of "Blue Avenue".

Track Listing

1. Durban Deep
2. Healing Hands
3. Whispers
4. Club At The End Of The Street
5. Sleeping With The Past
6. Stone's Throw From Hurtin'
7. Sacrifice
8. I Never Knew Her Name
9. Amazes Me
10. Blue Avenue
11. Dancing In The End Zone
12. Love Is A Cannibal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76195 in Music
• Released on: 1998-06-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording remastered, Extra tracks
• Running time: 55 minutes

Customer Reviews

The soul of Elton
This late 1989 album from Elton John marked the start of his rejuvenation after years of drugs and alcohol problems. Inside the sleeve notes you will find the following quote:

"These songs were inspired by the Soul pioneers of the Sixties and Seventies, whose music meant so much to us"

That pretty much sums up what this album is about and in some instances the influences are quite clear. For example "I never knew her name" is clearly inspired by Aretha Franklin, and is one of my favourite tracks on the album. Another favourite track of mine is "Club at the end of the street". This is a really catchy track, with some great backing vocal arrangements and a fabulous Sax solo. The track that seems to most represent a normal Elton John track is the last - "Blue Avenue" which is a great way to finish the album.

The album isn't perfect though. Overall the quality of the songs on this is as good as anything he produced in the 80's with the exception of "Too Low For Zero". However it is over-produced (as were nearly all records in the 80's). Still this was the start of Elton rebuilding his career and its a good album, that ultimately has lead back to "Songs from the West Coast" and "The Captain and the Kid"

Sleeping With the Past Review
Not one of Eltons greatest albums though it does contain his first British solo no.1 song Sacrifice. Being an Elton fan though, I have to say there are certainly great songs on here. Whispers is a mellow sound that you can relax too. Amazes Me is another good sounding song well worth listening to.
It also has Club at the End of the Street which Elton played at the Madison Square Consort back in October 2000. A nice fun tune.
Overall, worth adding to the collection but many would proceed it for quality.

Sleeping with the past is not a thing of the past!
WOW! With a good ballad like SACRIFICE in it, you wouldn't expect rock-alls like HEALING HANDS or DANCING IN THE END ZONE(Cheers to that amazing drum roll at the beggining of END ZONE), with EJ's first solo no. 1, SACRIFICE is not the only highlight of the album, CLUB AT THE END OF THE STREET and HEALING HANDS are not to be missed either!