The Big Picture (Elton John album)
1997 studio album by Elton John
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The Big Picture is the twenty-fifth studio album by British musician Elton John. It was released on 22 September 1997 through The Rocket Record Company and Mercury Records. The album was recorded at Townhouse Studios in London and is John's last release to date to be produced by Chris Thomas.
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- The Townhouse and Air Lyndhurst (London, UK)
| The Big Picture | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 22 September 1997 | |||
| Recorded | November 1996 – May 1997 | |||
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| Genre | Pop rock[1] | |||
| Length | 52:07 | |||
| Labels | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Elton John chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Big Picture | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C[3] |
| Los Angeles Times | [4] |
| NME | 5/10[5] |
| Rolling Stone | Positive[6] |
| Uncut | [7] |
Upon its release, The Big Picture was a commercial success, reaching the top five of the UK Albums Chart and the top 10 of the United States Billboard 200 and numerous other countries. Three songs—"Something About the Way You Look Tonight", "Recover Your Soul", and "If the River Can Bend"—were released as singles to promote the album, with the former being the most successful, particularly upon its re-release as a double A-side with "Candle in the Wind 1997", which became the best-selling single in Billboard history. The album would go on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA on August 19, 1998, for US sales in excess of 1,000,000 copies.
Background
The album has a strong orchestral emphasis with string arrangements written by Anne Dudley and Elton 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.[8] Taupin dislikes this album because of the overall quality of his lyrical contribution and because "the production is abysmally cold and technical".[8]
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 John's 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 the Elton John Band'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 original drummer Nigel Olsson, who remains in the lineup to this day.
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Bernie Taupin; all music is composed by Elton John.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Long Way from Happiness" | 4:47 |
| 2. | "Live Like Horses" | 5:03 |
| 3. | "The End Will Come" | 4:52 |
| 4. | "If the River Can Bend" | 5:21 |
| 5. | "Love's Got a Lot to Answer For" | 5:02 |
| 6. | "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" | 5:11 |
| 7. | "The Big Picture" | 3:44 |
| 8. | "Recover Your Soul" | 5:18 |
| 9. | "January" | 4:00 |
| 10. | "I Can't Steer My Heart Clear of You" | 4:09 |
| 11. | "Wicked Dreams" | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 52:07 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "I Know Why I'm in Love" | 4:32 |
| Total length: | 56:39 | |
Outtakes
"Live Like Horses" was originally recorded in 1994 and intended for John's previous studio album, Made in England, but lack of time for the inclusion ruled this out. The single version of the song, released in 1996, was a duet with Luciano Pavarotti, but the song is performed solo for this album. The version with Pavarotti was later included on the bonus disc edition of John's compilation Greatest Hits 1970–2002.
"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.[9]
Personnel
Musicians
- Elton John – vocals, acoustic piano, organ (1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11)
- Guy Babylon – keyboards (1–9, 11), string arrangements
- Paul Carrack – organ (6)
- Matthew Vaughan – keyboards (10), percussion (10)
- Davey Johnstone – guitars
- John Jorgenson – guitars
- Bob Birch – bass
- Charlie Morgan – drums, percussion
- Paul Clarvis – tabla (8)
- Anne Dudley – string arrangements and conductor
- Carol Kenyon – backing vocals (1, 6, 8)
- Angel Voices Choir – choir (2)
- East London Gospel Choir – choir (4)
- Jackie Rawe – backing vocals (6, 8)
Production
- Chris Thomas – producer
- Pete Lewis – engineer
- Andy Green – assistant engineer
- Jay Reynolds – assistant engineer
- Ben Georgiades – assistant string engineer
- Adrian Collee – studio coordinator
- Pete Mills – studio coordinator
- Maureen Hillier – session coordinator
- Ranni Lewis – session coordinator
- Derek Mackillop – session coordinator
- Rick Lecoat – design
- Julian Schnabel – design, paintings, still life photography
- Mario Testino – portrait photography
- John Reid – management
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[39] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[40] | Gold | 25,000* |
| Canada (Music Canada)[41] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[42] | Gold | 21,006[42] |
| France (SNEP)[43] | Gold | 100,000* |
| Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[44] | Gold | 10,000* |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[45] | Gold | 7,500^ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[46] | Platinum | 50,000* |
| Spain (Promusicae)[47] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| Sweden (GLF)[48] | Gold | 40,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[49] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[50] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[51] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
| Summaries | ||
| Europe (IFPI)[52] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
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* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||