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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Island
Salesrank: 17399
Released: November 9, 2004 |
| Our Price: $13.99 |
| Used Price: $14.44 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Honky Chateau Track Listing:
1. Honky Cat
2. Mellow
3. I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself
4. Susie (Dramas)
5. Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
6. Salvation
7. Slave
8. Amy
9. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
10. Hercules
11. Slave [Demo]
Honky Chateau Reviews:
Elton John's Honky Chateau SACD 
2007-12-18 - This review pertains to the SACD version of this very fine album. Having all available Elton John music on SACD, this particular work captures the essence of SACD from the first few notes of Honky Cat! What happens next is more "ear candy!" The saxophones literally step into your room from the rear speakers, placing you in the midst of this music seemingly as it was being recorded. I have never heard a piano sound so crisp and clear....how'd they do that? Wow! As if that weren't enough, get ready to take your own personal space journey with Rocket Man, mixed perfectly to sweep you into the far-away laments of one lonely, stellar traveler and presenting that incredible depth to the recording that SACD happily provides. Another of my Top Five SACD recordings. If you appreciate excellence in recorded sound, I would highly recommend you give this a listen and suggest you will not be disappointed.
Sounds great but too aggressive 5.1 mix 
2007-08-24 - This SACD sounds great, it's hard to believe it's such an old album it sounds so good. I don't love the 5.1 mix though. I've bought 4 different EJ SACDs and they are all mixed similarly. The center channel has only vocals, no music, and the surrounds channels get discrete, but distractingly loud, audio. On 'Honky Cat' it's especially noticeable, with a very loud banjo only on the right surround channel, overwhelming the front channels unless the volumes are adjusted. Instead of creating great 'surroung ambience,' I think it becomes distracting and feels 'gimicky' and kind of detracts from the experience. You can't not imagine the banjo player right behind you to your right. A little more bleeding into the other channels would have been better. Wish it were more like the Dark Side of the Moon, Avalon, and Strange Beautiful Music 5.1 surround mixes. Those are nearly perfect surround mixes in my opinion. But overall, the album sounds great, with just a bit too aggressive a 5.1 mix.
SACD 5.1 is awesome
2007-06-02 - If you know Elton John's music (and who doesn't), then you know this albumn, or at least the hits. And, you know that the songs contained on this album are great. What you might not know is the 5.1 surround arrangement done on this SACD. It is fantastic. Everyone needs to run out and get an SACD compatible player (preferably one which also plays DVD-A's as well) and then get this or any of the other Elton John's SACD's. They are all wonderfully produced, and really open up these songs to another level entirely. You will be amazed.
Elton Finds His Sound in Hybrid SACD
2006-11-14 - Honky Chateau was the first album to contain an identifiable "sound" for Elton John. Elton's previous albums meandered from country rock to gospel to symphonic to hard rock to pop; it was hard to tell just what type of music Elton was trying to sing. However, with Honky Chateau Elton defined the style that was to be his and which I think is still his style today, evolved with time and skill. Another of Elton's albums that went to number 1 on the album charts, this one was filled with gems that set a new personal standard for Elton, and gave rock music that would one day be classics.
"Honky Cat" was infused with a bit of jazz and had a fast beat, and has some thematic similarity to "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." Similar to the latter song, "Honky Cat" charted as a single, and began to establish Elton as a pop star.
"Rocket Man" is a pop ballad that is one of Elton's most requested songs, both in concert and on the radio. This song is certainly one of the most memorable space songs, along with "Space Oddity" by David Bowie. The nearly humorous lyrics ("...Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids...") belie the very serious nature of the song.
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" is another mellow pop song, with beautiful harmonies. This song is often underappreciated by critics though Elton performed it very well.
There is a lot of quality in the other songs. "I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself" is ironic in that the song is about death, but the music maintains a fast tempo and sounds upbeat. When I listen to this song I tend to ignore that the song is about suicide because the music just sounds so positive.
"Mellow" has moments of musical interest as the music breaks from the expected path and explores side paths. Elton John tries to inject progressive elements into his music?
"Hercules" has been a sort of theme song for Elton himself. During a 1975 concert in Denver, Elton's band played Hercules for a very lengthy period of time as Elton walked around the stage and shook hands with as many fans as he could reach. He has called himself Elton Hercules John from time to time. This is a rocking song that he seems to want to use as a personal identifier.
"Salvation" has the potential to be a gospel song, but it really doesn't sound very gospel. "All the Nasties" from "Madman Across the Water" has a much stronger gospel sound, which was less strong than the previous "Border Song." Elton has used gospel elements in a few songs, but as he progressed in his career the gospel elements became weaker and weaker. On his next album, "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" gospel sound was essentially non-existent.
Every song on this CD is at least good, and range up to great. The only song I had trouble with on this version was the hyper version of "Slave" added as a bonus track. I guess after getting accustomed to the released version the hyper version sounds like the original speeded up, a lot.
"Honky Chateau" is classic Elton. This album was slightly commercial, but much less commercial than his following albums. He had just found a sound that was all his. He was maturing as a singer and song writer. With this album it was evident to even the most cynical critic that Elton was a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Even given Elton's growing track record, no one could have predicted the power house that he was yet to be.
The SACD hybrid versions of older music usually offer advantages over the original release. The sound of such releases is typically cleaned up and better balanced. However, there are inevitably differences from the original release, and such is the case with this CD. Fans, particularly those with audiophile level equipment, may disagree with the changes made in the SACD version. I typically prefer the SACD releases, but in this case I am not sure the SACD version is really worth the cost. If you do not have a copy of the original version, the SACD version will be a wonderful addition to your collection. If you do have the original version, then the SACD version may be an unnecessary expense for you.
Enjoy!
Elton John's Classic 1972 album sounds better in SACD format
2006-10-27 - "Honky Chateau" is yet another essential Elton John album whose sound quality has been enhanced via the 5.1 mix SACD format used by long-time Elton John associate Greg Penny - who co-produced the album "Made in England" with Elton - working directly from the digital masters compiled by the late Gus Dudgeon, this album's original producer. In the new SACD format, Penny has truly produced a genuine "wall of sound" with each of the instruments heard distinctly, though - and I think correctly - the balance is emphasized for Elton and his piano. From a historical perspective, "Honky Chateau" is memorable for four reasons. First, it gave Elton his first major hit with the song "Rocket Man". Second, this is the album in which the original lineup of the Elton John Band was established finally, with drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray joined by guitarist Davey Johnstone, and, on "Amy", percussionist Ray Cooper. It's also the first Elton John album that doesn't have orchestral arrangements composed by Paul Buckmaster. Finally it would be the first of several Elton John albums to be recorded at Strawberry Studios, located in a medieval chateau outside Paris, of which the most memorable was of course "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".
I regard "Honky Chateau" as a brilliant classic Elton John album merely because it was his - and Bernie Taupin's - most refined exploration of country and folk-influenced rock and roll music in the early 1970s; a trend that had started with their earlier album "Tumbleweed Connection". Both the melodies and lyrics sound as vividly fresh as when I had heard them originally back in the early to mid 1970s; the songs are some of Elton's most carefully crafted melodies wedded to some of Bernie's best lyrics during this early stage in Elton John's career, covering gospel and blues influences in addition to the aforementioned ties to country and folk music.
"Honky Cat" is a rollicking bluesy bluegrass/country rock and roll song which still remains among the more popular hits in Elton John's oeuvre, at least amongst his devout fans such as yours truly. "Mellow" is a splendid country ballad about a young woman wooed and loved by Elton, accompanied by spirited violin playing by legendary French jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty (I suppose that if Elton had recorded "Honky Chateau" today, he might have opted for a more acoustic sound, relying on such magnificient musicians as the great Irish-American Celtic violinist Eileen Ivers, the notable bluegrass/country folk violinist Jay Ungar, or the relatively unknown, but still quite brilliant, bluegrass/country violinist Dotty Moore, an old friend of mine and a fellow Brunonian too; however, I think that Jean-Luc Ponty's spirited, fiery playing on "Mellow" and "Amy" is most appropriate with the slightly hard-edged folk rock melodies of both songs.). "I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself" is another classic Elton John folk rock ballad devoted to teenage angst, with a memorable lyric about a suicidal teenager's wish to have Bridget Bardot visiting him every night, featuring a tap dance solo by Larry "Legs" Smith. "Susie (Dramas)" is another funky folk rock song with some memorable guitar solos from Davey Johnstone. "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)" is the John/Taupin songwriting team's memorable ballad devoted to space travel and middle age loneliness; it was truly the first of the many great hits which Elton John had in the early to mid 1970s, featuring some splendid synthesizer solos from David Hentschel and superb melodic drumming from Nigel Olsson.
"Salvation" is one of my personal favorites on this album; it is a bluegrass-flavored religious ode featuring memorable background vocals from Nigel, Davey and Dee, featuring Elton at the piano and Dee and Davey playing their string instruments. "Slave" is a bluegrass-tinged folk rock ballad about a black slave in the pre-Civil War South seeking deliverance from his harsh treatment by his white masters, which is replete with elegant banjo playing by Davey Johnstone. "Amy" is the album's tune that is closest to hard rock and roll, sounding reminiscent of some early Rolling Stones, with yet again a memorable electric violin solo from Jean-Luc Ponty, and with Ray Cooper making his first appearance with the Elton John Band playing congas. "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters" is a bluegrass/country ballad in praise of dirty, grimy New York City, featuring great mandolin playing from Davey Johnstone (Many may recognize it from the soundtrack of Cameron Crowe's film "Almost Famous", which also includes "Tiny Dancer" from the "Madman Across the Water" album.). "Hercules" is a rollicking folk rock and roll tune from Elton John and Bernie Taupin that includes a memorable rhino whistle solo from producer Gus Dudgeon. "Slave (Alternate Version)", which is the bonus track not on the original album, is a hard rocking honky tonk version of the song at a faster beat with Nigel Olsson drumming vigorously; clearly both Elton John and Gus Dudgeon were quite wise to use instead the much slower, almost laconic, bluegrass/country folk version of "Slave" in the original album.
