Elton: Jewel Box contains 148 songs spanning 1965 to 2019 and a new hardback book. The anthology comprises unreleased rarities from the earliest stages of the Elton John/BernieTaupin songwriting career, including songs that were discussed in the star's 2019 memoir, Me.
"To delve back through every period of my career in such detail for Jewel Box has been an absolute pleasure," declares the iconic musician whose remaining dates of the farewell tour have been put on hold. "Hearing these long lost tracks again, I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific Bernie and I were during the early days.
"The songs just poured out of us and the band were just unbelievable in the studio. I always want to push forward with everything I do and look to the future, but having time during lockdown to take stock and pull these moments from my memory from each era has been a joy.
"As a devout record collector myself, this project has really excited me and I couldn’t be happier with the level of craft involved in such a carefully curated, lovingly constructed box-set."
The eight-CD box-set is accompanied by extensive notes including a track-by-track commentary by Elton himself for Deep Cuts.
Most of the early demos featuring were recorded during sessions before the aspiring balladeer was signed to a recording contract or released his first album. Also included are the first song ever written by Elton and his debut appearance on a record, namely Come Back Baby from 1965 - the song incorporates both firsts.
Elton and Bernie’s first composition Scarecrow, written in 1967, along with the studio B-sides and non-LP tracks, amounting to thirty-six songs, also feature.
The 2019 biopic of Elton’s life, Rocketman drew over $200m (€167m) at the box office. The film won an Oscar, two Golden Globe awards and a Critics’ Choice award.
2019 also saw Elton awarded the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest award, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Jewel Box will be released on November 13, via UMC / EMI and on 8CD, 4LP, 3LP, 2LP, digital download and streaming formats.
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