The Fox

by Elton John

Overview

The early '80s were not a particularly focused time in Elton John's career. The Fox (1981) is a reflection of the tentative regrouping that began on his previous effort, 21 at 33 (1979). In fact, a third of the material was left over from the same August 1979 sessions. This results in dithering musical styles and ultimately yields an uneven and at times somewhat dated sound. The reunion with Bernie Taupin (lyrics) that commenced on 21 at 33 is once again sparsely tapped. He contributes the tepid "Heels of the Wind" as well as "Just Like Belgium," which foreshadows the pair's future lightweight efforts such as "Nikita." Slightly more promising, however, is the midtempo rocker "Fascist Faces" -- which may well be a nod to David Bowie's infamous "Britain could benefit from a fascist leader" statement. The album's introspective title track instantly recalls the slightly bittersweet "Curtains" coda from Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys (1975). Gary Osborne and Elton John's collaborations were beginning to yield some impressive results, including "Heart in the Right Place" -- which could easily have been a follow-up to the slinky Caribou (1974) track "Stinker." The tender "Chloe" conclusion to the "Carla/Etude/Fanfare" medley became one of two tracks extracted as singles. The other, "Nobody Wins," sports a Euro-beat flavor and was adapted from a French techno-pop hit by Osborne and Jean-Paul Dreau. According to John, the dark and noir "Elton's Song" remains a favorite, and he very occasionally revives it for live performances. Although The Fox isn't a grand slam, it isn't exactly a bunt either. However, the incremental momentum would continue on the subsequent long-player, Jump Up! (1982), before culminating on his '80s breakthrough, Too Low for Zero (1983). ~ Lindsay Planer

Product Details

Release Date:	06/16/2023
Label:	Emi Records / Island / Umr
UPC:	0602448034793
Rank:	7185

Tracks

1. Breaking Down Barriers
2. Heart In The Right Place
3. Just Like Belgium
4. Nobody Wins
5. Fascist Faces
6. Carla/Etude/Fanfare/Chloe
7. Heels Of The Wind
8. Elton's Song
9. The Fox

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elton John   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Bill Champlin   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
James Cleveland   Guest Artist,Director,Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part
Jim Horn   Guest Artist,Saxophone,Sax (Alto)
Mickey Raphael   Guest Artist,Harmonica
Stephanie Spruill   Tambourine,Vocals (Background)
Steve Lukather   Guitar
Dee Murray   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Tim Renwick   Guitar
Gary Osborne   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
David Paich   Synthesizer
Jeff Porcaro   Drums
Roger Linn   Synthesizer
Ronald Baker   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Nigel Olsson   Drums
Roy Galloway   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Richie Zito   Guitar
Reggie McBride   Bass
Carl Carwell   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
James Newton Howard   Organ,Vocoder,Conductor,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes
John Lehman   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jim Gilstrap   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Oren Waters   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Alvin Taylor   Drums
Victor Feldman   Percussion
Clarence Ford   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Mickey Rafael   Harmonica
Venette Gloud   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Alvin "Red" Taylor   Drums
Tamara Matoesian   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Max Gronenthal   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Chuck Cissel   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Cornerstone Choir   Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Steve Porcaro   Drum Programming,Synthesizer Programming
Bill Price   Engineer
Clive Franks   Producer
Gary Osborne   Composer
Roger Linn   Drum Programming
Bernie Taupin   Composer
Tom Robinson   Composer
James Newton Howard   Arranger,Composer,String Arrangements,Synthesizer Programming
Elton John   Composer,Producer
Jean-Paul Dreau   Composer
Marty Paich   String Arrangements
Karen Siegel   Assistant Engineer
Chris Thomas   Producer
Richard Seireeni   Art Direction
Terry O'Neil   Photography
Thomas Robinson   Composer
Eric Blum   Photography