Is "Ego" by Elton John the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end?

I was recently thinking about the Elton John single "Ego" which came out in the middle of a transition period. Many people believe that Elton John's classic period ended with "Blue Moves" which was the last album to feature contributions by Bernie Taupin and Gus Dudgeon until the 80's. In 1978 John released "Ego," a song that was recorded in between sessions during the eventual flop "A Simple Man" and was included as a bonus track on that album. However, unlike all of the songs on "A Simple Man" Bernie contributed to "Ego" and was the last official release by the duo, two years after Blue Moves, until the 80's. So, how does this song classify? Is this the song/single that official caps off Elton John's classic period with Bernie Taupin, or is it considered the song/single that starts the period of Elton John's decline before his comeback in the 80's. Opinions?

 

I consider it to be of the first era. I like Ego a lot--I even bought the 45 when it came out because I liked it a lot...To me, it sounds of the first era, even if it sounds different than, say, the golden era of the first half of the decade.

I am also a big fan of "I Cry at Night", another stray from the same era, that was a b-side originally and now (like Ego) appears as a bonus track on A Single Man. And, like Ego, it's an Elton/Bernie cowrite.

I like both Ego and I Cry at Night better than anything that originally appeared on Single Man.

 

Great single. Always loved "Ego."

 

"Ego" has always been a favorite. The song structure was definitely of his first era...good stuff. Actually I put it on a tape with a bunch of Blue Move songs back in the day and it fit perfectly.

 

I'm probably in the minority, but I think the "classic" Elton John period ended with Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Not only was that album a summing up of the career trajectory of the Elton and Bernie Taupin partnership to that point, it was also the last to contain contributions from Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson--stalwarts of his hit-making era. Elton then formed a larger band and rush-released Rock of the Westies -- a mere few months later-- which though it has it's moments,is where the rot set in. I never cared too much for the ambitious Blue Moves, and it's telling that the only major hit from that album was "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", which sounds like it could have been on any Elton John album from 1970-76.
"Ego" was a bit of a departure for Elton and I liked it a lot when it came out, but the industry was changing and music was evolving and Elton (like much of the music business) was all coked up, and around that time many of us Elton fans began turning to Elvis...as in, Costello.

 

I thought it ended with Blue Moves which is by the way my favorite record. I bought the Ego 45 and while it's not bad, it's not as good as 5 or 6 songs on Blue Moves that could've been singles.

 

I could be wrong, but I think Ego may have been picked as "Single Of The Week" in the NME, which if I'm right, was pretty incredible given the zeitgeist and that paper's editorial stance around 1977/78.

 

Ego was written a couple of years before A Single Man was recorded I believe. Good song though.

I still think there is a clear end of era feeling after Blue Moves came out.

 

"Ego" really sounds to me like a Blue Moves leftover. It doesn't really have much of a spark to it, but it's kind of interesting in its high-strung way, much like that album. One of Taupin's better lyrics post-Captain Fan, but not one of Elton's better tunes. I would put it with the Blue Moves end-of-the-beginning period, and not with A Single Man beginning-of-the-middle.

 

"End of the beginning" works for me. His career was sort of in free fall at this point. It was the last record of his I bought when it was current, I know that. The subdued, specs-free picture sleeve seemed to add a layer of melancholy.

 

It could have been on Blue Moves. It would have fitted in.
Good little song and it had a great video if I recall right.
It is certainly the end of part one of Elton's career.
He and Bernie needed a breather to recharge their batteries. When they picked up again they were all the better for the rest.

 

Ego and it B-side Flintstone Boy were some of a lot of song that where polished (I Cry at Night) given away (the Rumour -Olivia Newton John) and worked on (Lovesick) prior to ending the early period. There was a lot of music that he work on but didn't release between 75' and 77. What was released should be put in it's right contex.

 

I don't know what "Ego" signifies, if anything. I think "A Single Man" is a better album than "Blue Moves", as are several 80's albums that were to come. I think Elton has one big long Classic Period that ended with "Songs From The West Coast".

 

Steve, was it the picture sleeve with turquoise suit on one side the B&W striped suit on the other?

 

Rock of the Westies was released 39 years ago today; October 24 1975. The Week of his 2 night stand at Dodgers Stadium that weekend. I went Sunday after daylight saving time. He did Don't Let The Sun... At Sunset dedicated to his Mom in the audience

 

Didn't even realize! Happy birthday to that album.

 

"Ego" wasn't recorded during the time of "Blue Moves," although Bernie had written it around that time, along with the BRILLIANT "I Cry at Night" (as noted previously).

But, from a recording, production and overall sound point of view, neither "Ego" nor "I Cry at Night" belong with "Blue Moves"....Completely different sound, group of musicians and studio team (Clive Franks and Elton producing), and the exact same musicians he used on all the other songs from "A Single Man" (ie, Tim Renwick, Steve Holley, Clive Franks) and even a bit of Ray Cooper and Elton's original orchestrator Paul Buckmaster. Not to mention recording in the same studio as the album during the same sessions.

In fact, Elton began recording "A Single Man" in January of 1978....."Ego" being recorded in March and released a few weeks later (like what Lennon did with "Instant Karma").....For some reason, Elton thought "Ego" was worth this special treatment, including a big-budget video (prior to even having MTV as an outlet). All in all, the effort and his personal belief in the song showed Elton was no longer perfectly in tune with the masses.

Definitely "Blue Moves" was the end of the "Classic Years" era......once you move on from your producer and co-writer after six consecutive years and seven consecutive #1 albums.....It is the end of a certain period of time.

As GREAT as the 72-74 band was (Nigel, Dee, Davey and later Ray).....the partnership with Taupin and Dudgeon was even more important, as those two were involved in some of Elton's greatest albums ("Elton John," "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Madman Across the Water") prior to the Elton John Band albums of "Honky Chateau," "Don't Shoot Me...," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Caribou" and "Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy".....While some here may not like "Rock of the Westies" and "Blue Moves," they were still created with the nucleus of Elton, Taupin and Dudgeon (as well as including classic band holdovers Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper, and not to forget the return of his original studio mates Caleb Quaye and Roger Pope)....

Nope, "A Single Man" was a definitive move away from everything that Elton had done before. No Taupin, No Dudgeon, No Familiar Musicians (aside from single appearances from Johnstone and Cooper). This was the beginning of a new period of exploration for Elton with much brilliance to be found over the next six years.........

The real return for Elton was when Elton regrouped full-time with Taupin, Olsson, Murray and Johnstone for "Too Low for Zero" and "Breaking Hearts".....two very underrated albums......

Crap.....what were we talking about again?
Sorry, watching the tube and didn't realize my fingers were still flailing away on the keys......

 

Wouldnt call 'em underrated, both are well regarded by fans, sold zillions and included megahit singles.

Now, "The Fox" is underrated; side two of which is up there with any album side of the vintage years.

 

"Too Low" has a reputation, but "Breaking Hearts" has been largely forgotten, which is sad because it's a VERY strong album of great songs. But with the completely overhyped new millennium comeback of "Songs From the West Coast," some of Elton's strongest career albums like "Breaking Hearts," "Sleeping With the Past" and "Made in England" get shamefully overlooked in this day-and-age, because with such a lengthy career, to most people they see the early classic period and then the more recent stuff, which leaves out a LOT of great material.

 

I love "Ego". To me, it feels like an outtake from Rock Of The Westies. Definitely belongs to his first era, so end of the beginning.

 

Count me in that group as well, and probably plenty of others. Even so, as an album I don't really even like Captain very much.

 

I agree that, for my money, The Fox, along with Made in England, are the two most underrated albums in the discography.

 

To answer the question in the thread title, I don't think it's either. Just a very good Elton single that got overlooked. It's a bit fussy for a single, though it deserved to do much better than it did. Of course, Elton punished it for it's failure by not including it on his A Single Man LP. A shame, as it would have been a worthy addition.