The Fox (Elton John album)
Elton John's fifteenth studio album, released in 1981.
The Fox is the fifteenth studio album by British musician Elton John, released on 20 May 1981. It was John's first release for Geffen Records in the United States and his first album produced by Chris Thomas, who would go on to produce many of John's subsequent albums. The album features contributions from multiple lyricists, including longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, Gary Osborne, and Tom Robinson, and incorporates material from the sessions for John's previous album, 21 at 33.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Elton John
- Released
- 20 May 1981
- Studio
- Super Bear (Nice, France)
- Sunset Sound (Los Angeles)
- The Village (Los Angeles)
- Davlen (North Hollywood)
- Genre
- Rock
- Length
- 45:36
- Label
- Rocket, Geffen (US)
- Producer
- Chris Thomas
- Elton John
- Clive Franks
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
After releasing Blue Moves in 1976, Elton John and Bernie Taupin put their writing partnership on hold. John wrote the entirety of A Single Man (1978) with Gary Osborne, while Taupin worked with Alice Cooper. In 1979, John invited Taupin to resume their collaboration, resulting in three John-Taupin compositions on 21 at 33 (1980). Following that album, John left MCA Records and signed with Geffen Records, hoping to collaborate with John Lennon, who was also signed to Geffen; Lennon was killed on 8 December 1980.
Clive Franks was initially selected to produce The Fox, but Geffen rejected six songs from the completed album. John agreed to record new material on the condition that he could work with producer Chris Thomas, dismissing Franks. Among the cut songs was 'The Man Who Never Died', an instrumental tribute to Lennon. The album retained several tracks from the first version, including 'Heart in the Right Place', 'Carla/Etude', 'Fanfare', 'Chloe', and 'Elton's Song'. Recording sessions were marred by a period of depression for John, and Osborne recalled a month in Paris where scheduled sessions were instead spent playing poker and taking drugs.
Reader's Guide
The Fox is often viewed as a transitional album in Elton John's career, marking his move to Geffen Records and the beginning of his long collaboration with producer Chris Thomas. Despite being seen as a commercial slump—reaching only number 12 in the UK and number 21 in the US—the album received tentatively positive reviews, with many critics considering it an improvement over previous releases, though not on the level of John's best work. The album's lead single, 'Nobody Wins', failed to make the UK top 40 but reached the US top 30. The Fox showcases a wide range of genres, from the synthpop of 'Nobody Wins' to the classical piece 'Carla/Etude' and the stripped-back ballad 'Elton's Song'. Music videos were created for each track and released on a video collection entitled Visions. The album foreshadowed the eventual reunion of the 'classic' Elton John Band lineup, as drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray appear on the album.
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breaking Down Barriers | Elton John, Gary Osborne | 4:40 |
| 2 | Heart in the Right Place | John, Osborne | 5:13 |
| 3 | Just Like Belgium | John, Bernie Taupin | 4:08 |
| 4 | Nobody Wins | Jean-Paul Dréau, Osborne | 3:42 |
| 5 | Fascist Faces | John, Taupin | 5:10 |
| Total length | 22:53 | ||
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carla/Etude | John | 4:45 |
| 2 | Fanfare | John, James Newton Howard | 1:26 |
| 3 | Chloe | John, Osborne | 4:39 |
| 4 | Heels of the Wind | John, Taupin | 3:37 |
| 5 | Elton's Song | John, Tom Robinson | 3:03 |
| 6 | The Fox | John, Taupin | 5:13 |
| Total length | 22:43 | ||
Track listing from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The album includes a track called 'Nobody Wins' that uses the melody of 'J'Veux d'la Tendresse' by Janic Prévost.
- An instrumental tribute to John Lennon titled 'The Man Who Never Died' was cut from the album and later released as the B-side to 'Nikita' in 1985.
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