Reg Strikes Back
Elton John's 1988 comeback album, named after his birth name.
In 1988, Elton John released his 21st studio album, Reg Strikes Back. He called it his comeback record, a response to negative media coverage. The title uses his birth name, Reginald Kenneth Dwight. It reached number 16 on the US Billboard 200 and earned a gold certification from the RIAA that August.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Elton John
- Released
- 20 June 1988
- Recorded
- 1987–88
- Genre
- Pop, rock
- Length
- 42:04
- Label
- MCA (US); Rocket (UK)
- Producer
- Chris Thomas
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Town of Plenty | 3:40 |
| 2 | A Word in Spanish | 4:39 |
| 3 | Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) | 4:12 |
| 4 | I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That | 4:33 |
| 5 | Japanese Hands | 4:40 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goodbye Marlon Brando | 3:30 |
| 2 | The Camera Never Lies | 4:36 |
| 3 | Heavy Traffic (John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone) | 3:30 |
| 4 | Poor Cow | 3:50 |
| 5 | Since God Invented Girls | 4:54 |
| Total length | 42:06 | |
Track listing from the source article.
Background
Reg Strikes Back marked the final album appearance of bassist Dee Murray before his 1992 death, though he only sang backing vocals here. Longtime Elton John drummer Nigel Olsson also contributed backing vocals, without playing drums. Producer Chris Thomas returned for the sessions. The song "Heavy Traffic" originated during the Leather Jackets recording period. This was John's first studio album following his throat surgery the year before. The cover art displayed costumes from John's personal collection that he later auctioned. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" climbed to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "A Word in Spanish" reached number 19. In the UK, only "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" cracked the Top 40, peaking at number 30; "Town of Plenty" and "A Word in Spanish" stalled at numbers 74 and 91. The title track ranked as the 92nd biggest song of 1988 on the Tokio Hot 100. Cash Box praised "A Word in Spanish" as "brilliant," noting its Spanish-guitar ballad style brought back originality the John-Taupin partnership had lacked since the seventies.
Tour
After over a year off to recover from throat surgery, address personal issues, and record Reg Strikes Back in London, John returned to the stage with a new rhythm section. Seeking a more R&B sound, he added drummer Jonathan Moffett, bassist Romeo Williams, and backing singers Marlena Jeter, Natalie Jackson, and Alex Brown. Guitarist Davey Johnstone, now music director, assembled the band. The first show was an AIDS benefit at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, featuring the unreleased John/Taupin composition "Love Is Worth Waiting For." The US tour began on 9 September at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida, and ended on 22 October at New York's Madison Square Garden. After recording Sleeping with the Past in Denmark, the band—now with backing vocalist Mortonette Jenkins instead of Alex Brown—resumed touring on 20 March 1989 at La Halle Tony Garnier in Lyon, France, and played across Eastern Europe and the UK, concluding on 10 June 1989 at the RDS Arena in Dublin.
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