The final hit closed the album and was one of the most heartfelt performances of his career. “The Last Song” chronicled an eighteen year old dying of AIDS while seeking redemption. It was a poignant and eloquent tribute.
“Runaway Train” found Elton in rock mode with Eric Clapton bringing his unique guitar sound to the track. He also shared the vocal duties as they sang about despair and peace. “Sweat It Out” is just one of those fun songs that he would create every so often and his piano work on it is excellent. “When A Woman Doesn’t Want You” goes in a very different direction as it deals with the topic of date rape. The music almost lulls you and runs counterpoint to the seriousness of the subject.
The One represented a lot of what had been missing in many of his eighties releases. It contained superior lyrics plus well constructed and catchy music, setting the mood for much of what would follow in the nineties. It also proved my wife had good taste.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
"It was also his first album since his hair weave."
Since you brought it up, what impact did his new look have on the music?