# 50 favorite album of all-time -

I've started this blog as a way to share with you my favorite 50 albums of all-time(yes I know cd's are what 99% of the music listeners buy today, along with digital downloads, but I shall use the term album exclusively), and a way to get my feet wet again in the blogging world. I used to blog quite often on MySpace, but hey, MySpace sucks now so this is my choice of avenue to connect with all of you (or maybe one of you).

So we will begin with.... #50!

Released in January 1973, this was the first Elton John album I bought with my hard earned summer job money working at the Gamburg's furniture warehouse in Hatboro, Pa., lugging around boxes of dining room table and chairs, love seats, sofas and ungodly heavy bedroom chest of drawers. "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player" did not disappoint. 

Containing the huge hit songs, "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock", you might think you could just buy one of the numerous variations of "Elton John's Greatest Hits" collections and not miss anything. You would be dead wrong.  There are at least 5 other outstanding songs that demand you listen to them. They connected with the  the 16 year-old boy I was then and the 16 year-boy that resides inside me today.                

"Teacher I Need You" - This song was very close to my heart since I will admit for the first time anywhere that I did have a crush on a certain blonde female (obviously) English teacher in High School.  I loved the cold snowy days when she wore long leather boots, and she always wore skirts that were a tad short, or seemed to be short to a hormonal 16 year-old boy. Anyway...way to much information about me, back to the album. By the way, this is a great rock and roll song.

"Blues for my baby and me" - A great escape from the parents song. 

"So tell him goodbye, we gotta go west on that bus

And it's all over now

Don't you worry no more

Gonna go west to the sea

The greyhound is swaying

and the radio is playing

Some blues for baby and me."

"Have Mercy on the Criminal" - great song with outstanding orchestral arrangement by Paul Buckmaster. If you haven't heard this, please go to iTunes now and download it.

"High Flying Bird" - the lyrics are a bit corny, but a fantastic vocal performance by Elton.

"I thought myself her keeper,

She thought I meant her harm,

She thought I was the archer

A weather man of words,

But, I could never shoot down

My high-flying bird."

"Elderberry Wine" - a great sing along drinking song, driven by Elton's pounding piano and Nigel Olsson's drumming. An ode to drinking copious amounts of wine with a 70's stereotyped view of southern women.

"Round a tree in the summer, a fire in the fall,

flat out when we couldn't stand,

The bottle went round, like a woman down south,

Passed on from hand to hand."

Music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin, Produced by Gus Dudgeon, The Band: Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson.

A classic 70's album that had great colorful graphics and lyrics with large pictures of Elton in his 70's finest outfits. The CD version of the lyrics a magnifying glass should have been included to be able to read them with out eyestrain. This is an album that I have rarely if ever had to skip over songs after I pushed play, the songs fit together perfectly. A perfect way to begin this list of my 50 favorite albums of all-time. We will see Elton later on in the list.

Thank you for reading this and I hope you come along on this journey with me.

Ray