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‘Sleeping With The Past’: Elton John Ends The 80s In Style

Elton’s 22nd studio album was the one that contained Elton’s long-sought first solo UK No.1, ‘Sacrifice.’

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Elton John 'Sleeping With The Past' artwork - Courtesy: UMG
Elton John 'Sleeping With The Past' artwork - Courtesy: UMG

The album that contained Elton John’s long-sought-after first solo UK No.1, “Sacrifice,” was released on August 29, 1989. That date marked the appearance of his 22nd studio album, Sleeping With The Past.

Elton recorded the album in Denmark towards the end of the previous year. Even if it’s not a period that he tends to look back on with great affection – he entered rehab in 1990 – Sleeping With The Past was a record full of fine collaborations with Bernie Taupin. In honor of a friendship that was already some 22 years old, there was a dedication on the sleeve that read “This album’s for you, Bernie…”

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“Sacrifice” is, of course, the record’s best-known track, followed by its eventual double A-side partner, the gospel-tinged “Healing Hands.” But under the direction of producer Chris Thomas, Elton delivered some of his best work of the decade, both uptempo, such as on “Club At The End Of The Street” and slow (another gospel-flavoured track, “Amazes Me”).

An album of lesser-known pleasures

The album also includes one of those relatively rare Elton tracks on which an unfamiliar listener might not guess the identity of the vocalist. He sang “Stone’s Throw From Hurtin’” in a light falsetto to a light, breezy arrangement, and a great guitar solo by Fred Mandel. Then there’s the elegant “Blue Avenue,” another underrated ballad of the period. Elton and Bernie would together say in the album credits that Sleeping With The Past was inspired by “the soul pioneers of the 60s and 70s, whose music meant so much to us.”

Listen to the best of Elton John on Apple Music and Spotify.

Sleeping… became a platinum album in the US, even if it peaked at a relatively modest No.23 there. The album reached No.2 in Australia and France and topped the charts in Switzerland, New Zealand and in the UK.

The belated success of “Sacrifice” in Elton’s home country eventually helped the album to hit No.1 there almost a year after release, in July 1990. It was his fifth chart-topping LP there and first since his Greatest Hits collection nearly 16 years earlier.

Buy or stream Sleeping With The Past.

 

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. JOSE LUIS SANCHEZ

    August 30, 2015 at 4:23 am

    SIR ELTON JHON MUCHAS FELICIDADES HOY POR TU CUMPLEAÑOS, DESDE HACE MUCHOS AÑOS SOY FIEL SEGUIDOR TUYO, QUE DIOS TE BENDIGA Y QUE SEAS MUY FELIZ, AUNQUE NO NOS CONOSCAMOS TE MANDO UN ABRAZO Y SIGUE INSPIRANDONOS CON TU MUSICA, GRACIAS.

  2. Mitchell Knutzen

    January 9, 2019 at 3:01 am

    Sleeping With The Past is an excellent and underappreciated work for sure. I have long considered this album to be the start of Elton’s return to really great music after a string of, in my opinion, some fairly forgettable fluff during much of the 80’s. But this….this was a wonderful album.

  3. CT5751

    August 30, 2021 at 1:10 am

    and how about mentioning the 1989 tour, which featured a bunch of those great tracks. Elton might not have looked his best but the shows had class and a ton of energy.

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