Like so many artists, it seems that most of Elton John’s catalog gets ignored these days. What are some of your favorites that haven’t been played to death?
I’ll go with Empty Garden, the John Lennon tribute song. It hasn’t even made the playlist in Beatles shows on the radio in decades and is completely absent from rock radio playlists. Yes, Elton himself only played it in New York, but with such a huge catalog he can’t play everything in his concerts.
I don’t know about “Lesser known” but there are his very best songs that you don’t hear that often, at least not as much as Rocket Man 
Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters
My favorite non-hit of Elton’s, which is rarely heard save for an occasional play on the classic rock stations, is “All the Girls Love Alice,” from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Great guitar riffs, the funky effect from the Leslie rotary speaker, and the story of a disaffected upper-class teen girl who becomes a lesbian prostitute.
Probably not “lesser known”, but in Canada if you hear “Bad Side of the Moon” on the radio, 99.99% of the time it’s the April Wine cover.
His live version of “Burn Down the Mission” is wonderful.
Most people don’t think of Tumbleweed Connection, but it’s filled with great songs.
I enjoyed Ticking quite a bit
Fans will know “Grey Seal”, but it was never released as a single – folks that chiefly know Elton John’s works through his radio hits will have missed this one.
There’s an entertainingly cheesy duet version of “Born to Lose” featuring Elton John and Leonard Cohen, although I’d have to admit Cohen’s sub-basement rumbling is entirely what makes it all work. Cohen is like what Tom Waits sounds like when he wakes up happy.
Here’s one for your Halloween playlist. Lady Samantha
I always liked “Where to now, St Peter?”:
I’ll add Mama Can’t Buy You Love. It was released as a single in the late 70s but to me it’s an Elton John song that does not sound like an Elton John song. I say even the main vocals sound like they’re from someone else.
Personally I really like Madman Across the Water, from the first EJ album I ever heard as a young lad. Not exactly Black Sabbath but y’know…
In fact the entire album still works, just not sure if it is known in the US etc.
“Levon” and “Tiny Dancer” were both hits here (though not as big as his other hits from that era), and both are still played frequently on “classic rock” radio stations. The rest of the tracks on the album aren’t particularly well-known here at all.
I always liked Grimsby, from the album Caribou.
“First Episode at Hienton”: A touching and poignant tale of first love, lost virginity, and wondering where she is now. The production is superb; Elton and his piano are front and centre, of course, but the synthesizer and the strings are neatly in the back, providing a foundation:
Elton John did the soundtrack for a now obscure teen romance picture called:
My sister liked the soundtrack album enough to purchase it and that was my introduction to Elton John.
Arguments about how well known this is aside, this may be my favorite Elton tune. It is a gorgeous song, and very enjoyable to play on the piano.
I am also very fond of “Writing”:
mmm
That is a haunting song and probably my favorite of his.