I Need You to Turn To
Encyclopedia
I Need You to Turn To is a song by Elton John
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
. It is the second track off his 1970 album, "Elton John
".
". It is played on harpsichord
instead of a regular piano. After the first verse, a guitar plays with the main riff, and is then joined by an orchestral string section. It similar to an Elizabethan ballad done with classical styling. It is also one of John's shortest songs, only two and a half minutes long.
Though not usual at the time of writing, this song could be either about a man or a woman, similar to many of John's more recent songs. It was written in 1969.
" the song was taken out of his setlist, but may be occasionally performed in Britain or when he wanted to change the set for a short time. After that, it was mainly performed in his solo shows, with or without Ray Cooper
. Today, it is still a staple in his solo shows. A performance from March 6, 2008, is available on his website.
It was also played and recorded for his 1987 live-album
. Though it didn't appear on the official release, it was also played on his 1970 radio performance
.
According to the booklet of the 2008 deluxe edition of the album, the music was recorded live with the orchestra in one take.
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
. It is the second track off his 1970 album, "Elton John
Elton John (album)
Elton John is the eponymous second album by English singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1970. It was his first album, however, released in America, thus commonly assumed by many as his debut, as Empty Sky would not be released in the U.S. until 1975...
".
Musical structure
This song differs from the preceding track "Your SongYour Song
"Your Song" is a ballad composed and performed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by his long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin. It appeared on John's self-titled second album in 1970....
". It is played on harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
instead of a regular piano. After the first verse, a guitar plays with the main riff, and is then joined by an orchestral string section. It similar to an Elizabethan ballad done with classical styling. It is also one of John's shortest songs, only two and a half minutes long.
Lyrical meaning
Long-time fans find this one of Taupin's most touching and direct lyrics, compared to some of the other more cryptic works at the time. It is a simple love song about a man who runs away from his home to pledge his love to a woman whom he has adored for some time. She is the one who keeps him sane.Though not usual at the time of writing, this song could be either about a man or a woman, similar to many of John's more recent songs. It was written in 1969.
Performances
It was a live staple from 1970-1972. During his mainstream success with "Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadGoodbye Yellow Brick Road
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, released in 1973, is the seventh studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John. It has come to be regarded as Elton John's best and most popular album, and is his best selling studio album with worldwide sales of at least 15 million copies.Recorded at the Château...
" the song was taken out of his setlist, but may be occasionally performed in Britain or when he wanted to change the set for a short time. After that, it was mainly performed in his solo shows, with or without Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
. Today, it is still a staple in his solo shows. A performance from March 6, 2008, is available on his website.
It was also played and recorded for his 1987 live-album
Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a live album by Elton John and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra recorded at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on 14 December 1986. The concert was the last of a series of concerts done throughout the last two months of 1986...
. Though it didn't appear on the official release, it was also played on his 1970 radio performance
17-11-70
17-11-70 is a live album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1971. The recording was taken from a live radio broadcast on 17 November 1970, hence the album's title. The US release was renamed 11-17-70 in keeping with the standard US format of listing the month before the day in...
.
According to the booklet of the 2008 deluxe edition of the album, the music was recorded live with the orchestra in one take.
Personnel
- Elton John - harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, vocals - Roland Harker - guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
- Skaila Kanga - harpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
- Paul BuckmasterPaul BuckmasterPaul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
- orchestral arrangement