Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits (CD - 2007)

One of the few solo artists of the British pop elite to become an international superstar with true longevity, Elton John is no stranger to having his songs (almost always co-written with Bernie Taupin) collected and repackaged. While ROCKET MAN may initially seem superfluous, particularly in light of the well-selected GREATEST HITS 1970-2002, the compilation actually fills a significant gap in John's catalogue by bridging the difference between '74's slim-but-solid GREATEST HITS and the aforementioned decades-spanning 34-track anthology.

Naturally ROCKET MAN features plenty of the flamboyant singer/pianist's '70s material--including the gorgeous "Your Song," the gentle "Tiny Dancer," and the quietly anthemic title track--but it also features a handful of tunes from his subsequent work (see the synth-laden "Sacrifice" and the uplifting "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" from THE LION KING). Although some may be disappointed at the absence of '80s gems such as "I'm Still Standing" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (sorry, they never hit number one), ROCKET MAN largely succeeds in assembling many of John's finest moments, and serves as an ideal introduction to the pop icon.

Hard to believe, but there's never been a good single-disc overview of Elton John's biggest hits available in America until 2007's 17-track Rocket Man: Number Ones. (The British release added one track and was titled Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits.) He's had plenty of collections, including a good single-disc European set that circulated in the late '90s, but Rocket Man is the first to really offer a solid career-spanning overview as a single-disc set. Of course, even though this pulls number ones from various charts in the U.S. and U.K. there are big hits missing -- whether it's classics like "Honky Cat," which never reached the pole position in the U.S., or latter-day number ones like "I Don't Want to Go on You Like That," which did top the adult contemporary chart -- but it's hard to argue with what's here (with the possible exception of "Sacrifice," which does represent his late-'80s/early-'90s adult contemporary work but isn't one of his best hits). All the big songs -- "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Bennie and the Jets," "Daniel," "Crocodile Rock," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?," "Your Song," "Candle in the Wind" -- are here, which will satisfy the casual fan for whom this is designed. Anybody who laments the absence of "Levon," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," "Mama Can't Buy You Love," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," or "I'm Still Standing" should turn to another compilation: this is not the set for them. But for the fan who wants a good sampling of Elton throughout the years, this is ideal. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Hard to believe, but there's never been a good single-disc overview of Elton John's biggest hits available in America until 2007's 18-track Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits. (The American release subtracted one track and was titled Rocket Man: Number Ones.) He's had plenty of collections, including a good single-disc European set that circulated in the late '90s, but Rocket Man is the first to really offer a solid career-spanning overview as a single-disc set. Of course, even though this pulls number ones from various charts in the U.S. and U.K., there are big hits missing -- whether it's classics like "Honky Cat," which never reached the pole position in the U.S., or latter-day number ones like "I Don't Want to Go on You Like That," which did top the adult contemporary chart -- but it's hard to argue with what's here (with the possible exception of "Sacrifice," which does represent his late-'80s/early-'90s adult contemporary work but isn't one of his best hits). All the big songs -- "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Bennie and the Jets," "Daniel," "Crocodile Rock," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Can't You Feel the Love Tonight," "Your Song," "Candle in the Wind" -- are here, which will satisfy the casual fan for whom this is designed. Those who would lament the absence of "Levon," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," "Mama Can't Buy You Love," "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," or "I'm Still Standing" should turn to another compilation: this is not the set for them. But for the fan who wants a good sampling of Elton throughout the years, this is ideal. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize