Billy Joel vs. Elton John

Cafe Society
41

I have the Greatest Hits albums of both.

Billy Joel is covered in a thick layer of dust. Elton John at one point was amongst my most-played CDs. The number of songs I dislike on EJ’s album is about equal to the number of songs I like on BJ’s album.

Of course, I am aware in posting this that if my friend J ever finds out, she’ll never speak to me again. She is possibly the world’s greatest Billy Joel fan. She swears that if I saw them live, I’d never listen to Elton again. Perhaps she’s right; I’ve never seen either perform live.

42

[QUOTE=Stratocaster]
Elton John is by far the greater artist. Not even close. If we exclude the dreck both have produced, Elton’s best is so much more complex and clever than Joel’s. Billy Joel at his best is a precocious, serviceable tune smith. Elton at his best is Beatlesque.
[/QUOTE]

+1

I have been circling this thread since its inception, watching to see how other folks would weigh in. I am, frankly, more than a little surprised - so much so that I debated whether to just not post - I don’t feel much need to stir a pot here.

Stratocaster (and by the way, I am circling a '66 Strat even as we speak) pretty much sums it up - I hear fine craft in Billy Joel’s work, but not much more. Elton John’s (and clearly Bernie Taupin’s) work taps into magic that Joel’s doesn’t come close to. I don’t here anything close to Rocket Man, Daniel, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Grey Seal or the countless other songs John did in his first 5 - 6 albums in any of Joel’s work…

43

I’ve seen them both perform live — together on stage, during the same tour, in fact. It was a couple of years ago.

Billy Joel was certainly the more interesting showman to watch. This is partially because he knew guitar and could wander freely around the stage, and because he would occasionally move to a keyboard elsewhere. He would sometimes not play any instrument at all, or only play piano during the chorus. He was much more mobile and played to the audience. Also, while standing at the front of the stage with his guitar, he started into a song that clearly looked as if it weren’t on the play sheet — I think it was Elvis, “Don’t Be Cruel.” His band picked up on what he was doing and jumped in after a few bars.

Elton was good, but because nearly every song he did was about him and the piano, he didn’t do much.

I can’t say if the performance was typical of Elton, but I’ve seen Billy before, and he’s always like that. In the middle of one of his sets, he announced over the microphone that he was going to play the next song to the people in the dome behind the stage — there were some people back there overlooking the stage but who couldn’t see well. Billy called it “the ass end of the stage.” Much more audience-interactive, as I remember him.

44

It’s definitely Elton for me. His songs are prettier and trippier. Sure he’s come up with some shlock, but I find that his voice contains a lot more emotion than Joel’s. Really I’m not going to get into an argument over who’s “better,” I just like EJ more.

Oh and ddgryphon:Somehow I think Elton’s fine with Billy getting Christie Brinkley :slight_smile:

45

[QUOTE=WordMan]
… (and by the way, I am circling a '66 Strat even as we speak)…
[/QUOTE]
Sweet. Details?

46

[QUOTE=Stratocaster]
Sweet. Details?
[/QUOTE]

Long story and I don’t want to jinx it yet, superstitious twit that I am. If I get it I will post something…I should know in two weeks or so…if you have any experience with Strats of this vintage (and other Fenders as well), please feel free to drop me a personal email - I’d appreciate it. I am not getting emails right now - I am on vacation and checking the SDMB via a superfast 26mb dial-up connection :rolleyes: which is not allowing me to access my email account…

Sorry for the hijack - do please carry on with Joel vs. John…

47

Elton John, no contest.

48

Elton did a shitty-ass cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds which makes me lose a lot of respect for him. Do a cover, especially a Beatles cover, and you’d better add something unique and original to it - like Grandaddy did with Revolution, just as an example. Elton’s rendition of the piece is absolutely simpering, whimpering, sappy, and wretched.

49

[QUOTE=pulykamell]
Elton John, no contest.
[/QUOTE]

puly - obviously I have no complaints with your post since I am in complete agreement. But since you really know music as both a well-schooled player and a listener, I would be interested in hearing your explanation as to why…

50

[QUOTE=WordMan]
puly - obviously I have no complaints with your post since I am in complete agreement. But since you really know music as both a well-schooled player and a listener, I would be interested in hearing your explanation as to why…
[/QUOTE]

To be honest, it’s very much a visceral reaction, and your explanation very much would mirror mine. Elton John at his peak was simply inspired. Billy Joel never sounded like that to me–he always sounded like he was trying too hard. He wrote memorable tunes, but there’s nothing he’s ever written that I really need to hear again…certainly nothing like “Benny and the Jets” or “The Long and Winding Road,” “Rocketman.” I mean, really, how can you compare that with any of Joel’s greatest? “Pressure”? “My Life”? Joel sounds like he’s trying so hard to be angry and rockin’ in these tunes, but it simply doesn’t sound sincere to me, and the music is, well, for me, pretty boring.

I’m really surprised that people would equate the two and, as the majority here seems to be saying, find Billy Joel to be better. That’s a real puzzler for me. Not only is Elton John the better player, in my opinion, but I find him far, far more soulful than Joel. His melodic phrasing and rhythms have always sounded much more natural and musical to me than Joel’s.

I’ve seen Elton relatively recently (three years ago in Budapest at a free concert where it seemed the entire city showed up) and it’s true that he’s lost a lot of his fire and most of his upper register. But I’d still rather see him than Billy Joel any day.

51

[QUOTE=pulykamell]
“The Long and Winding Road”/QUOTE]

:smack: Got Beatles on my mind. “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road” I meant, of course.

52

Let’s see. I like a whole bunch of Billy Joel songs, and I like maybe… two Elton John songs. Not a hard choice, there.

53

[QUOTE=Hal Briston]

Hard to say, exactly. I found a list on a couple of different sites listing Elton John at 94 million sold, above Billy Joel’s 81 million. However, both myself and some of the posters at those sites question the accuracy of some of those numbers. It’s certainly possible that they’re at least in the ballpark, though.
[/QUOTE]
Not that this is the sole determining factor in assessing the relative talents and/or ability of these two musicians, but I thought that the 94 million figure sounded low compared to what I thought I’d read in the past, so I did a little searching on the web and according to this Wickipedia article, which seems fairly authoritative, Elton has sold over 250 million records and scored over 50 top 40 hits. Also, FWIW, Caroline Cass, in her book Elton John’s Flower Fantasies, says that apart from “the leviathan Elvis Presley, Elton is the biggest solo artist in rock music’s history”.

Again, I’m not saying this is the determining factor in assessing Elton’s ability vs. Billy Joel’s, but I think it’s good to give credit where credit is due, and Elton’s success in selling records and concert tickets over the last 36 years or so is unmatched by any other solo performer that I can think of.

54

[QUOTE=jsc1953]
Close; Oakland, Calif.

My take on the “Candle in the Wind” comment, is to Di’s funeral. If you can’t do better than to change a line in a Marilyn Monroe tribute…then don’t bother.

As to the OP: I like 'em both.
[/QUOTE]

Actually, according to Wiki, at least, they didn’t have time to come out with an entirely new song. Either way, considering that Diana was a very good friend of Elton’s, and he had also lost another friend, Gianni Versace recently, hey, he did the best he could.

However, “Candle in the Wind”, the ORIGINAL version, I think, is vastly superior to the remake, and a great song.

Topic? Definitely Elton. I like Billy Joel and all, but I really, REALLY love Elton John, especially his earlier work. I often find myself humming along to Elton’s tunes, or singing along (when I’m alone, because I wouldn’t want to subject anyone to my singing voice!). Not as much with Billy’s.

Okay, let me count my favorite songs of each:

Elton: 11
“Candle in the Wind (Original)”
“Your Song”
“I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues”
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
“Someone Saved My Life Tonight”
“Honky Cat”
“Bennie and the Jets”
“Sad Songs (Say So Much)”
“Tiny Dancer”
“The Bitch is Back”
“Crocodile Rock”
Billy: 5
“Only the Good Die Young”
“She’s Always a Woman”
“She’s Got a Way”
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” (because it’s so much fun trying to remember the lyrics)
“Piano Man”

And let’s face it-who’s more entertaining? Elton! I love his over the top, cheesy, theatrical style. Plus he’s got a reputation as being rather bitchy, which is hilarious!

Plus “Your Song” was covered by Ewan McGregor, and I think it’s safe to say that everyone around here knows how I feel about Ewan. :wink:

55

Is this one of those “Death is Not an Option” games?

56

[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas]
I thought this was a Celebrity Deathmatch. So in a fight between a Brooklyn thug and an English fancyboy, who do you think would win?
[/QUOTE]

I was also thinking Celebrity Deathmatch, but I have Elton in heels, scratching Billy’s eyes out…

57

[QUOTE=Starving Artist]
Not that this is the sole determining factor in assessing the relative talents and/or ability of these two musicians, but I thought that the 94 million figure sounded low compared to what I thought I’d read in the past, so I did a little searching on the web and according to this Wickipedia article, which seems fairly authoritative, Elton has sold over 250 million records and scored over 50 top 40 hits. Also, FWIW, Caroline Cass, in her book Elton John’s Flower Fantasies, says that apart from “the leviathan Elvis Presley, Elton is the biggest solo artist in rock music’s history”.

Again, I’m not saying this is the determining factor in assessing Elton’s ability vs. Billy Joel’s, but I think it’s good to give credit where credit is due, and Elton’s success in selling records and concert tickets over the last 36 years or so is unmatched by any other solo performer that I can think of.
[/QUOTE]

In the liner notes to one of EJ’s greatest hits collections it’s claimed that in 1974-1975 EJ accounted for 2% of all pressed records and tapes sold on the planet.

58

As far as Candle in the Wind is concerned, it is the answer to the following question:

“What song hit the US and UK charts three times, in three separate decades, in three separate versions, but all by the same artist?”

Take it to the college bars and win some drinks. :wink:

59

Shiite, I screwed the question:

“… in three separate versions, each re-release more popular than before, all of them by the same artist?”

60

Its pretty hard to compare the two artists. Id say its pretty much like comparing apples to oranges; some people like apples better some like oranges better. its totally opinion because their songs are written in different styles. Sure, they are both very influential piano players, but beyond that they are very different. I prefer elton john only because I prefer his style of music better. Others like Joel better because they prefer his style. I think that the argument that Elton John doesn’t write his own lyrics is pretty irrelevant. Look at piano artists from frederic chopin to duke ellington. They don’t even have words in their songs, but chopin is one of the most influential classical artists, and duke ellington one of the most influential jazz artists. Basically, Joel’s ability to write lyrics does not show that he is the dominant artist, because the music itself is what makes the impact, and elton john is still singing the words to his songs, and his voice isn’t worse than Joel’s just because he doesn’t write the words he sings. It just seems like elton john gets a lot more crap for not writing his own words than he deserves. Again, I don’t think it has a lot to do with fact, but more in opinion because their styles are remarkably different, so it mostly depends on what style of music you prefer.