Peachtree Road (album)
Encyclopedia
Peachtree Road is the twenty-eighth studio album
by British singer/songwriter Elton John
, released in 2004. It was named after Peachtree Road, the northern part of Peachtree Street
in Atlanta, where one of the singer's four homes is located. This is the only album during his long career on which John alone has sole credit as producer. On previous projects, he was listed as a co-producer, joined by Clive Franks or Greg Penny
; Franks on A Single Man, 21 at 33
and parts of The Fox
; Penny on Duets
and Made In England.
of Douglasville, taken by London photographer Sam Taylor-Wood
. Taken in by the American South and given complete artistic freedom, she shot thousands of photos during her week-long trip. The trip included other towns like Unadilla
and Forsyth
in Georgia
. While she also visited Peachtree Road in the Buckhead
area of Atlanta, she thought it was too busy for the album's more mellow nature. She picked several photos to present to him, and John made the final selection. Other photos from the shoot appear on the back of the album cover and in the included CD and SACD
booklet.
in Atlanta in early November. John also performed at the November 2004 Country Music Association Awards
, televised live from Madison Square Garden
, duetting with Dolly Parton
on "Turn the Light Out When You Leave".
12/17/2004 by the R.I.A.A.
and Rhodes Piano
instead of Keyboards, which was the case on earlier projects.
, as well as a DVD featuring nine tracks from the album performed live in Atlanta.
The song "Electricity" from the musical was also released as a single in June 2005. It rose to #4 in the U.K.
It was dedicated to the memory of Gus and Sheila Dudgeon.
/Bernie Taupin
Track 8 was titled "All That I'm Allowed" on the original 2004 release of the album, but was titled "All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)" on the 2005 Expanded Edition.
.
This song was originally supposed to be the only real 'rocker' on the album, but when John and the band recorded it, they found they still had to induct the country influence that the rest of the album had. Notably, the horn section used on the track consists of all three horn players for the band, Chicago. This is not the only cross-pollination with members of Chicago, as Bill Champlin played keyboards and provided background vocals on the 21 at 33 album and Jason Scheff and Lou Pardini both backed up John on the Union album.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British singer/songwriter Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, released in 2004. It was named after Peachtree Road, the northern part of Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street is the main street of Atlanta. The city grew up around the street, and many of its historical and municipal buildings are or were located along it...
in Atlanta, where one of the singer's four homes is located. This is the only album during his long career on which John alone has sole credit as producer. On previous projects, he was listed as a co-producer, joined by Clive Franks or Greg Penny
Greg Penny
Greg Penny is an American record producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, musician, songwriter and artist best known for his work as a producer for Elton John and kd lang, as well as his 5.1 surround sound production and mixing...
; Franks on A Single Man, 21 at 33
21 at 33
-Side two:...
and parts of The Fox
The Fox (album)
The Fox is the 15th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1981. The track "Elton's Song" was banned from radio play in some countries due to its content, which included references to homosexuality...
; Penny on Duets
Duets (Elton John album)
Duets is the twenty-fourth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1993. Duets was released on a single CD and also as a double vinyl LP in the UK, with a slightly different running order. It was initially a Christmas project of Elton John's, but that soon grew into an...
and Made In England.
Album Cover
The album art on the front cover is a photograph from a railroad crossing near the Atlanta suburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Douglasville, taken by London photographer Sam Taylor-Wood
Sam Taylor-Wood
Samantha "Sam" Taylor-Wood OBE , born Samantha Taylor, is an English filmmaker, photographer, and visual artist. Her directorial feature film debut came in 2009 with Nowhere Boy, a film based on the childhood experiences of The Beatles songwriter and singer John Lennon...
. Taken in by the American South and given complete artistic freedom, she shot thousands of photos during her week-long trip. The trip included other towns like Unadilla
Unadilla, Georgia
Unadilla is a city in Dooly County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,772 at the 2000 census. The name is a native term for "gathering place."-History:The community was incorporated in 1891....
and Forsyth
Forsyth, Georgia
Forsyth is a city in Monroe County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,776 at the 2000 census. This number was corrected to read 4,300. The city is the county seat of Monroe County.Forsyth is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. While she also visited Peachtree Road in the Buckhead
Buckhead (Atlanta)
Buckhead is the uptown district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, comprising approximately the northern one-fifth of the city. Buckhead is a major commercial and financial center of the Southeast, and it is the third-largest business district in Atlanta, behind Downtown and Midtown...
area of Atlanta, she thought it was too busy for the album's more mellow nature. She picked several photos to present to him, and John made the final selection. Other photos from the shoot appear on the back of the album cover and in the included CD and SACD
Super Audio CD
Super Audio CD is a high-resolution, read-only optical disc for audio storage. Sony and Philips Electronics jointly developed the technology, and publicized it in 1999. It is designated as the Scarlet Book standard. Sony and Philips previously collaborated to define the Compact Disc standard...
booklet.
Debut Performance
Songs from the album debuted at The TabernacleThe Tabernacle
The Tabernacle, informally known as The Tabby, is a mid-size concert hall, in the U.S. city of Atlanta, currently managed by concert promoter Live Nation...
in Atlanta in early November. John also performed at the November 2004 Country Music Association Awards
Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
, televised live from Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, duetting with Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
on "Turn the Light Out When You Leave".
Chart Performance
Despite its generally positive reviews, Peachtree Road was one of John's leanest-selling contemporary efforts, reaching #17 US upon its release, yet only managing #21 in the UK, making it one of his rare albums to miss the Top 10 in his homeland. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on12/17/2004 by the R.I.A.A.
Additional Performers
In addition to Nigel Olsson playing drums on all tracks, once again a permanent member of John's touring and recording band, the album features renown gospel vocalist Adam McKnight, as well as members of Chicago contributing horns and brass arrangements. Guy Babylon was credited with playing Hammond OrganHammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
and Rhodes Piano
Rhodes piano
The Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....
instead of Keyboards, which was the case on earlier projects.
Trivia
The album was re-released in 2005 with three bonus tracks from Billy Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the Musical
Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...
, as well as a DVD featuring nine tracks from the album performed live in Atlanta.
The song "Electricity" from the musical was also released as a single in June 2005. It rose to #4 in the U.K.
It was dedicated to the memory of Gus and Sheila Dudgeon.
Track listing
All songs written by Elton JohnElton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
/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...
- "Weight of the World" – 3:58
- "Porch Swing in Tupelo" – 4:38
- "Answer in the Sky" – 5:58
- "Turn the Lights Out When You Leave" – 5:02
- "My Elusive Drug" – 4:57
- "They Call Her the CatThey Call Her the Cat"They Call Her the Cat" is an upbeat ballad from the Peachtree Road album. It is about a transsexual woman who was once a man and became female after getting a sex-change operation....
" – 4:27 - "Freaks in Love" – 4:21
- "All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)" – 5:20
- "I Stop and I Breathe" – 3:39
- "Too Many Tears" – 3:19
- "It's Getting Dark in Here" – 3:56
- "I Can't Keep This from You" – 3:54
Track 8 was titled "All That I'm Allowed" on the original 2004 release of the album, but was titled "All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)" on the 2005 Expanded Edition.
B-sides
| Song | Format |
|---|---|
| "Keep it a Mystery" (4:51) | All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful) CD (UK) |
| "So Sad the Renegade" (4:49) | All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful) Maxi-CD (UK) |
| "A Little Peace" (3:56) | All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful) Maxi-CD (UK) |
| "How's Tomorrow" (4:18) | Turn the Lights Out When You Leave (UK) |
| "Peter's Song" (4:21) | Turn the Lights Out When You Leave (UK) |
| "Things Only Get Better with Love" (3:17) | Turn the Lights Out When You Leave [Radio Edit] (UK) |
Bonus tracks (2005 CD re-issue)
- "The Letter" – 2:33 (Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Lee HallLee Hall (playwright)Lee Hall is an English playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for the 2000 film Billy Elliot.-Early life:...
) - "Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher" – 3:38 (Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Lee HallLee Hall (playwright)Lee Hall is an English playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for the 2000 film Billy Elliot.-Early life:...
) - "Electricity" – 3:29 (Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Lee HallLee Hall (playwright)Lee Hall is an English playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for the 2000 film Billy Elliot.-Early life:...
)
Bonus DVD (2005 re-issue)
All tracks recorded live at the Tabernacle, Atlanta, Nov. 2004- "Weight of the World"
- "Porch Swing in Tupelo"
- "Answer in the Sky"
- "Turn the Lights Out When You Leave"
- "My Elusive Drug"
- "They Call Her the CatThey Call Her the Cat"They Call Her the Cat" is an upbeat ballad from the Peachtree Road album. It is about a transsexual woman who was once a man and became female after getting a sex-change operation....
" - "Freaks in Love"
- "All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)"
- "I Can't Keep This from You"
They Call Her the Cat
The upbeat ballad "They Call Her the Cat" is about a transsexual woman who was once a man and became female after getting a sex-change operationSex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
.
This song was originally supposed to be the only real 'rocker' on the album, but when John and the band recorded it, they found they still had to induct the country influence that the rest of the album had. Notably, the horn section used on the track consists of all three horn players for the band, Chicago. This is not the only cross-pollination with members of Chicago, as Bill Champlin played keyboards and provided background vocals on the 21 at 33 album and Jason Scheff and Lou Pardini both backed up John on the Union album.
Personnel
- Elton John - piano, Rhodes, lead and backing vocals
- Davey Johnstone - acoustic, electric, slide, baritone, Leslie and sitar guitars, DOBRO, mandolin, backing vocals
- Nigel Olsson - drums, backing vocals
- Guy Babylon - Hammond organ, Rhodes, programming, orchestration
- Bob Birch - bass, backing vocals
- John Mahon - percussion, backing vocals
- John Jorgenson - pedal steel guitar
- L'Tanya Shields - choir
- Alecia Terry - choir
- M. Dennis Sims - choir
- Rosalind McKnight Choir
- Mark Ford - choir
- Terrence Davis - choir
- Todd Honeycutt - choir
- Adam McKnight - choir
- Jimmy Pankow - trombone, horn arrangement
- Lee Loughnane - trumpet
- Walter Parazaider - tenor saxophone
- Larry Klimas - baritone saxophone
- Martin Tillman - electric cello
- Matt Still - engineer
- John Holmes - 2nd engineer