Putting this list together was super insightful- Elton has written and recorded many songs that could be loosely classified as country.  If not the music itself, then the subject matter and instrumentation- but you’d be surprised how often he reaches into his bag of tricks to write, arrange and sing as if he was born in Kentucky.  

This goes double for Bernie, the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Bernie was born on a farm, and spent his youth in the countryside of Lincolnshire.  He must have seen a few western movies as a kid, and they seem to have made a lasting impression.  In the film Rocketman, their first meeting ended with them singing “The Streets of Laredo” in a café with the other customers looking on.  Country roots indeed.

Elton Country 1970-1976

1.   Ballad of A Well Known Gun The Band’s influence is huge on this track, especially the guitar playing.  Listen at 2:54 for some the best Robbie Robertson licks this side of… Robbie Robertson.  (The guitar in question was played by Caleb Quaye, and the drums are by Roger Pope, both of whom would later return for a stint in the Elton John Band mach II.) The subject matter brings us back to the wild west- a gunslinger on the run.  Tumbleweed Connection, 1970.

2.   Jackrabbit  B side of Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, from the GYBR sessions, 1973.  Elton could write music in seemingly ANY style- here’s some bluegrass boogie with Davey Johnstone on mandolin.

3.   Dixie Lily Taken out of context, this innocuous song about a steamboat heading down the Mississippi suddenly stands out.  A hidden country gem from Caribou, 1974.

4.   Country Comfort  How does he do this?  He had only been in America briefly at this point, and usually on tour, playing show after show and flying back to England.  How does he write a genuine country song to die for?  Rod Stewart did an excellent cover of this song.  Tumbleweed Connection, 1970.

5.   Holiday Inn The pitfalls of an English touring musician in the States.  Davey Johnstone had initially been hired because of his acoustic abilities, he’s featured here on mandolin.  Madman Across the Water, 1971.

6.   Between Seventeen and Twenty  At first listen, in the context of the album it was originally on, this doesn’t sound like country, but in this setting it fits perfectly.  More mandolin by Davey Johnstone, and a twangy electric solo from Caleb Quaye- an underappreciated song from Blue Moves, 1976.  

7.   Texan Love Song Prescient subject matter in 2021- good ole boys from Texas, mourning the long haired hippy liberals stealing their girlfriends, and disrespecting their president.  

      “The minds of our daughters are poisoned by you, With your communistic politics and those Negro blues…”  

       Yes, more mandolin from Davey.  From Don’t Shoot Me, 1973.

8.   Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy  Bernie and Elton letting their roots show- an autobiographical tour de force.  Again, amazingly authentic, and again, Davey on mandolin.  From the album of the same name, 1975.

9.   Slave This was one of the easiest and most satisfying Elton mixes to work on.  He certainly isn’t renowned for the facility with which he and Bernie wrote and Elton performed with such hillbilly songs, but they are EVERYWHERE on his albums.  Davey on banjo this time. From Honky Chateau, 1972.

10. Cage The Songbird  Another sneaky country song from Blue Moves, this time as a tribute to Edith Piaf. David Crosby and Graham Nash on vocals.

11. Roy Rogers  I rest my case.  Elton on a rare double tracked harmony vocal.  Dolly Parton could easily do a convincing cover!  GYBR, 1973.

12. Social Disease  More banjo from Davey Johnstone, not to mention precise tambourine by Ray Cooper. 

13. No Shoestrings on Louise This seems to be about a madam at a whorehouse.  Someone has suggested on Wikipedia that this was intended as an homage to the Rolling Stones, and if so it succeeds.  From the Elton John album, 1970.

14. Rotten Peaches  Written from the point of view of an inmate at a “U.S. state prison.” Country gospel from Madman Across the Water, 1971.  Exquisite bass by Dee Murray.

15. Son of Your Father Misunderstanding and murder on an East Virginia farm.  Chromatic harp gives this a honkytonk feel.  Tumbleweed Connection, 1970.

16. Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future) Along with Rocket Man and I’ve Seen the Saucers, here’s yet another Taupin-John song about a space traveler.  Country funk from Rock of the Westies, 1975.

17. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934) This one isn’t country music, but it’s definitely country in theme.  

      “We’re running short of heroes, back up here in the hills, without Danny Bailey we’re gonna have to break up our stills.  So mark his grave well, cos Kentucky loved him, born and raised proper, I guess life just bugged him.”  

       Enthusiastic strings arranged by Del Newman.  GYBR, 1973.

18. Planes  Even Elton’s extra songs are better than many artist’s A sides.  Unreleased bonus track, mandolin by guess who, from Rock of The Westies, 1975.

19. House of Cards  The B side of Someone Saved My Life Tonight, 1975.