The Big Picture (Elton John album)

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The Big Picture
File:The Big Picture (Elton John album).jpg
Studio album by Elton John
Released 22 September 1997
Recorded Spring–Summer 1997
Genre Pop[1]
Length 52:13
Label
Producer Chris Thomas
Elton John chronology
Love Songs
(1996)Love Songs1996		 The Big Picture
(1997)		 Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida
(1999)Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida1999
Singles from The Big Picture
  1. "Live Like Horses (featuring Pavarotti)"
    Released: 2 December 1996
  2. "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"
    Released: 13 September 1997
  3. "Recover Your Soul"
    Released: 2 February 1998
  4. "If the River Can Bend"
    Released: 1 June 1998
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[1]
Entertainment Weekly 5/12 stars (C)[2]
Los Angeles Times 2/4 stars[3]

The Big Picture is the twenty-sixth studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John, released in 1997. It includes four worldwide singles: "Live Like Horses" (a duet with Luciano Pavarotti only for the single version), "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (released later also as a double A-side with "Candle in the Wind 1997"), "Recover Your Soul" and "If the River Can Bend".

Background

The album has a strong orchestral emphasis with string arrangements written by Anne Dudley and John's then backup keyboardist Guy Babylon. In 2006, John revealed in an interview that Bernie Taupin, his longtime friend and lyricist, considers this his least favourite album they have created, while John believes that to be Leather Jackets from 1986.[4] Taupin dislikes this album because "the production is abysmally cold and technical".[4]

The album was dedicated to John's friend, popular fashion designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered a few months before the album's release. This was the last album to date to be produced by Chris Thomas, who had worked with John almost nonstop since 1981's The Fox. This is the only album in which neither Davey Johnstone nor bassist Bob Birch (during his tenure as Elton's bassist from 1992-2012) provide backing vocals. Drummer Charlie Morgan was let go from the band shortly after the album's release and soon replaced by Curt Bisquera and John's old drummer Nigel Olsson, who remains in the lineup to this day.

Production

Track listing

All songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

No. Title Length
1. "Long Way from Happiness"   4:47
2. "Live Like Horses"   5:02
3. "The End Will Come"   4:53
4. "If the River Can Bend"   5:23
5. "Love's Got a Lot to Answer For"   5:02
6. "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"   5:13
7. "The Big Picture"   3:45
8. "Recover Your Soul"   5:18
9. "January"   4:02
10. "I Can't Steer My Heart Clear of You"   4:10
11. "Wicked Dreams"   4:39

B-sides

Song Format
"Big Man In A Little Suit" Live Like Horses
"I Know Why I'm In Love" only a part of the country
"You Can Make History (Young Again) Something About The Way You Look Tonight
"No Valentines" Recover Your Soul

Outtakes

"Live Like Horses" was originally intended for Elton's previous studio album, "Made In England" but lack of time for the inclusion ruled this out. The original single version of the song was a duet with Luciano Pavarotti in 1996, but was performed solo for this album. "Past Imperfect" and an alternate version of "Recover Your Soul" were completed by John for inclusion on The Big Picture. Both songs have yet to see official release.[5]

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[33] Platinum 70,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[34] Gold 25,000
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Platinum 100,000
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[36] Gold 21,006*[36]
France (SNEP)[37] Gold 142,800[38]
Italy (FIMI)[39] 3× Platinum 300,000
Norway (IFPI Norway)[40] Platinum 50,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41] Platinum 100,000
Sweden (GLF)[42] Gold 40,000
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[43] Platinum 50,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Platinum 300,000
United States (RIAA)[45] Platinum 1,000,000
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[46] Platinum 1,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

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Preceded by
Über alli Bärge by Polo Hofer und die Schmetterband
 Swiss Music Chart number-one album
5 October 1997		 Succeeded by
D frosted by Gotthard
Preceded by
Im Himmel ist die Hölle los! by Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
 Austrian Chart number-one album
5 October 1997		 Succeeded by
Bridges to Babylon by The Rolling Stones
Preceded by European Top 100 number-one album
11 October 1997		 Succeeded by
Bridges to Babylon by The Rolling Stones
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.allmusic.com/album/r312988
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mojo Magazine "Fantastic Voyage" by Tom Doyle, October 2006 - issue 155, page 90.
  5. ↑ Rocket Man: Elton John From A-Z, 1996 (ISBN 0275956989)
  6. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Elton John – The Big Picture" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Elton John – The Big Picture" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Elton John – The Big Picture" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  10. ↑ "Elton John – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Elton John. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  11. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – The Big Picture" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Elton John: The Big Picture" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  15. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  16. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  22. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  23. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  25. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Elton John – The Big Picture". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ "Elton John – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Elton John. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ TOP20.dk © 1997
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Elton John in the field Interpret. Enter Big Picture in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select Album e Compilation in the field Sezione. Enter Elton John in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter The Big Picture in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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