Commemorating the 50th anniversary of his fifth album, Honky Château, Elton John has shared early listens of the live and demo versions of his hits “Rocket Man” and “Honky Cat,” which are both featured on the special edition reissue of the album, out March 24.
Videos by American Songwriter
Released on May 19, 1972, Honky Château hit the top of the Billboard 200 chart and gave John his very first No. 1 album in the U.S., along with hits “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time),” which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and lead single “Honky Cat,” which went to No. 6. Another favorite on Honky Château. “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” was later featured in the 2000 Cameron Crowe film Almost Famous.
Honky Château was also the first of six consecutive Hot 100 No 1 albums for John.
Named after the legendary Château d’Hérouville, the legendary studio located 25 miles outside of Paris where Polish composer Frédéric Chopin once lived and everyone from the Bee Gees, The Grateful Dead, and David Bowie, among many others, recorded, Honky Château was just one album John would write and record at the space with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin over the years.
Relocating to the château for a week in in January of 1972 for pre-production, Taupin brought out a typewriter, and the band set up in a dining room. Taupin wrote lyrics in the evening and would leave them on John’s piano to play the next morning.
“The first morning we were there, I had three [songs] done by the time the band drifted downstairs looking for something to eat: ‘Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters,’ ‘Amy’ and ‘Rocket Man,’” shared John in a statement. “The remainder of the album would follow suit: ‘Susie (Dramas),’ ‘Hercules,’ ‘Salvation,’ ‘Honky Cat,’ ‘Slave,’ ‘I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself’ and ‘Mellow.’”
The 2 CD format includes eight live recordings from John’s Royal Festival Hall show in 1972, and also features a 40-page booklet with rare photographs, memorabilia, and an essay of interviews from those who were there during the making of the album. The 2 LP version also features the original album, along with outtakes from the original session tapes and an eight-page booklet.
Honky Château 50th Anniversary 2-LP and 2-CD Track Lists:
CD 1
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
HONKY AT THE CHÂTEAU (SESSION DEMOS) PART ONE
11. Salvation (Session Demo)
12. Susie (Dramas) (Session Demo)
13. Rocket Man (It’s Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time) (Session Demo)
14. Mellow (Session Demo)
15. Slave – Alternate “Fast” Version (Session Demo)
CD 2
HONKY AT THE CHÂTEAU (SESSION DEMOS) PART TWO
1. Honky Cat (Session Demo)
2. I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself (Session Demo)
3. Hercules (Session Demo)
4. Slave (Session Demo)
LIVE AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON, FEBRUARY 5TH 1972
5. Susie (Dramas)
6. Salvation
7. Mellow
8. Amy
9. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters
10. Honky Cat
11. Rocket Man (It’s Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time
12. Hercules
And the 2-LP:
Side A
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)
Side B
1. Salvation
2. Slave
3. Amy
4. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
5. Hercules
LP 2
Side A
1. Salvation (Session Demo)
2. Susie (Dramas) (Session Demo)
3. Rocket Man (It’s Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time) (Session Demo)
4. Mellow (Session Demo)
5. Slave – Alternate “Fast” Version (Session Demo)
Side B
1. Honky Cat (Session Demo)
2. I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself (Session Demo)
3. Hercules (Session Demo)
4. Slave (Session Demo)
Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images
