By George Matlock
As Frances Fitzgerald-Hart, aged 82 years, shares her Elton fandom with fellow fans, it proves you’re never too old!
I am here to tell you which of the songs Sir Elton sings I like best, and which (if any) the least.
Difficult because I like anything he sings. It is his voice – no other like it.
Skyline Pigeon was very popular and it always reminds me of a snap (photo) I once saw of him as a child of 3 or 4 years feeding some pigeons with a look of delight on his face.
A pigeon again features in High-Flying Bird.
Then there are some of his youthful numbers: Teacher I Need You…and Elderberry Wine, and Crocodile Rock.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy which is an autobiographical story of Elton and Bernie Taupin as boys did not appeal to me at first until I realised the work it must have taken to link it all together and produce it.
But then came the rockers and now I was completely hooked and remain so!
Just to see the energy Elton put into Rock and Roll Madonna and the way he carried his audience with him made it one of my favourites.
There were so many great songs, about 1975, was Philadelphia Freedom, another was his duet with Kiki Dee Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.
However, he likes sad songs too. Song for Guy and two he sings on the Album Written in the Stars, the songs I Know the Truth, and Death is just a Messenger. [Francis means album Aida; Elaborate Lives, and the second song is called The Messenger. But we’re with you love!]
I always enjoy the opening notes to some of his songs, I Need You To Turn To being one, and the recent one It Is Written In the Stars.
Now it would seem our Rock Megastar is moving on to even higher musical heights. We wish him all the best, but feel whatever his success he will remember his once youthful fans.
We have not altered her text, and we think you will agree, she has an uncanny memory – often better than Elton’s own recollections of songs he’s recorded!
Sadly, UK-based Frances passed away in late 2000. This article was published posthumously with the kind permission of her sons.
