The online illustrated Elton John Discography
by David Bodoh
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Ever since Elton John started on the road to superstardom, there have been authors writing books about his public and personal life. This page catalogs the various biographies and other related books written about Elton John. Some of the entries here are second printings or from different countries written in different languages, but all of them have unique cover designs. They are presented here in chronological order of year published. Some books still in print have links to purchase the book from Amazon.com.
Title: Elton John (Story Of Pop Special)
Author: Dick Tatham and Tony Jasper
Year: 1976
publisher: Phoebus Publishing Co
Country: UK
pages: 65
binding: magazine softcover
[description text from foreword:]
Elton John is a superstar. There can be no dispute about the fact. He is one of those rare performers who transcends mere stardom and soar into another stratum. The proof of his achievements are easily seen - the vast sales for each disc that hits the market, the queues for evert personal appearance, the scenes of hysteria that greet him and the attention he commands in the media. This book is about Elton Hercules John; it cronicles his extraordinary career from obscurity to global acclaim, it analyzes his potent charisma, it discusses his enormous musical talents. And it goes further, revealing in detail the men behind Elton. In these pages there are biographical portraits of his closest colleagues - Bernie Taupin, the perfect lyrical file to Elton's Music, Dee, Nigel, Davey and Ray, the men who bring his work so vividly to life.

This lavishly illustrated book shows you Elton John in all his moods, shows you the man and the superstar in every phase if his life and career, providing a unique insight to a rare and exceptional talent.

Title: Elton John (Story Of Rock Special)
Author: Dick Tatham and Tony Jasper
Year: 1976
publisher: Phoebus Publishing Co
Country: UK
pages: 65
binding: magazine softcover
[description text from foreword:]
Elton John is a superstar. There can be no dispute about the fact. He is one of those rare performers who transcends mere stardom and soar into another stratum. The proof of his achievements are easily seen - the vast sales for each disc that hits the market, the queues for evert personal appearance, the scenes of hysteria that greet him and the attention he commands in the media. This book is about Elton Hercules John; it cronicles his extraordinary career from obscurity to global acclaim, it analyzes his potent charisma, it discusses his enormous musical talents. And it goes further, revealing in detail the men behind Elton. In these pages there are biographical portraits of his closest colleagues - Bernie Taupin, the perfect lyrical file to Elton's Music, Dee, Nigel, Davey and Ray, the men who bring his work so vividly to life.

This lavishly illustrated book shows you Elton John in all his moods, shows you the man and the superstar in every phase if his life and career, providing a unique insight to a rare and exceptional talent.

Title: Elton John
Author: Dick Tatham and Tony Jasper
Year: 1976
publisher: Plusprodukties
Country: Holland
pages: 65
binding: softcover
[description text from foreword:]
Elton John is een superster. Daarover kan geen verschil van mening bestaan. Hij is een van de zeldzame artiesten die uitstijgen boven wat we normaal onder een ster verstaan, en die doorschieten naar een hoger niveau. Het bewijs van zijn kunnen is komt, de lange rijen voor ieder persoonlijk optreden, de hysterische tonelen die hem tegemoet komen en de aandacht die hij in de media voor zich opeist. Dit boek gaat over Elton Hercules John; het legt zijn buitengewone carrière vast van onbekendheid tot wereldvermaardheid, het analyseert zijn krachtig talent, het bespreekt zijn enorme muzikale gaven. Maar het gaat nog verder, het onthult tot in detail de mannen achter Elton. In dit boek staan biografische schetsen van zijn naaste collega's - Bernie Taupin de perfekte tekstschrijver bij Elton's muziek, Dee, Nigel, Davey en Ray, de mannen die zijn werk zo spontaan tot leven brengen.

Dit overvloedig geïllustreerde boek laat U Elton John in al zijn stemmingen zien, toont I de man en de superster in iedere periode van zijn leven carrière, en geeft een uniek inzicht in een zeldzaam en buitengewoon talent.

Title: A Biography In Words And Pictures
Author: Greg Shaw
Year: 1976
publisher: Chappell and Co., Ltd.
ISBN: 0128223-315
pages: 56
binding: softcover
[description text from foreword:]
Not every phenomenon occurs overnight. Every now and then something comes along that grows steadily, invisibly, in front of everyone's eyes, until one day it's simply the biggest, most powerful thing there is. History abounds with examples, mostly negative (Hitler, Nixon), but in the world of pop music, where we're accustomed to the almost weekly turnover of new 'sensations', each accompanied by the most lavish fanfare and hype, the emergence of Elton John has been a most notable exception to all the rules. He has so persistently defied the accepted patterns of things, challenged the formulas we expect rock & roll to follow, presented us with such a bewildering, unclassifiable set of images, that one could say the fact and circumstances of his career have been as unusual and noteworthy as his music itself.
Title: Elton John
Author: Gerald Newman and Joe Bivona
Year: 1976
publisher: Signet Books
ISBN: 451-W7161-150
Country: USA
pages: 188
binding: paperback
Commission link to Amazon product
[description text from back cover:]
Who was this funny-looking kid with the weird glasses? Who was this.. What's his name? - This Elton John?

That was the kind of question that the powers in the music industry asked when Elton John flew out of obscurity in 1970, and landed in Los Angeles' showplace club, The Troubadour, to show America his stuff for the first time.

But if they laughed when Elton John sat down at the piano, they were cheering by the time he finished his first song. The rest is history - the sensational hits, the explosive albums that sold over 42 mission copies, the smash movie Tommy, the piano-stomping concerts, the annual seven-million-dollar mountain of money, the huge mansions, the 200 pairs of bejeweled eyeglasses, the bizarre costumes, a whole crazy tecnicolor dream of triumph come wildly, wonderfully true.

This is the behind-the-spotlight-and-sequins story of the kid who dreamed that dream - and made it all happen - rock's Captain Fantastic... Elton John.

Title: Elton John
Author: Gerald Newman and Joe Bivona
Year: 1976
publisher: New English Library
ISBN: 45003235 3
Country: UK
pages: 159
binding: paperback
[description text from foreword:]
Who was this funny-looking kid with the weird glasses? Who's this -what's his name - this Elton John?

These was the kind of question that the powers that be in the music world were asking when one Reg Dwight, back-up pianist and session man, disappeared and Elton John, raver, super-rocker and new star, emerged in 1970.

They might have laughed when hte little guy came on in clothes that made Screaming Jay Hawkins look like an insurance salesman and pounded the grand piano in a way which would have forced even Jerry Lee Lewis to wince, but by the time those first Elton John gigs finished they were on their feet and cheering.

The rest is history - the first true superstar since the Beatles, the Stones and Dylan, fifty million album sales, the spangled piano, the huge mansion, two hundred pairs of bejewelled glasses, the clothes. Elton John was the ultimate rock 'n' roll fantasy come wildly and winderfully true.

Title: Elton John A Biography
Author: unknown
Year: 1976
publisher: Dramrite Printers, London
pages: 16
binding: paperback
A small printed pamphlet covering Elton's career through Blue Moves.
Title: It's A Little Bit Funny
Author: David Nutter
Year: 1977
publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 0-14-004680-1
pages: 144
binding: softcover
Commission link to Amazon product
[description text from back cover:]
In 1976, Elton John's year-long world concert tour smashed attendance records from Earl's Court, London, to Madison Square Garden. Onstage, he was seen by millions; offstage, he lived in a private world known only to a few close friends. Now, with the help of gifted lyricist/poet Bernie Taupin and rock photographer David Nutter, Elton shares that very private world with the public, revealing for the first time an entire year of personal adventures and memories aboard his private plane, on the beaches of Barbados, at intimate backstage gatherings, and in quiet moments with friends (including some very famous faces).

Never before has a rock performer authorized such a candid exploration of his private life; never before has the glitter - and lunacy - of the concert touring scene been recorded with such sensitive clarity. Through photographs and text, this magical memoir captures the essence of one legendary superstar and one very special human being: Elton John (and it's a little but funny, too).

Title: Burning Cold
Author: Bernie Taupin
Year: 1978
publisher: Harmony Books
ISBN: 0-517-53357X
pages: 62
binding: hardcover
Commission link to Amazon product
[description text from overleaf:]
Burning Cold is a classic story - both sensual and moving - of a woman's awakening to the totality of being a woman. Her pain and her joy, her body and her soul, are slowly revealed through the haunting words and subtly erotic photographs of Bernie Taupin and Gary Bernstein.

This woman (who could be any woman) rises out of the sea, rivulets of water cascading off her bare skin, a goddess, yet still cold inside. On windswept beaches and exotic island retreats, we feel her needs, her desires, and her vulnerability. We see her sensuality, and her special grace. And the universality of her story touches everyone, male and female.

In this mixing of metaphor with magic, the unique talents of high-fashion photographer Gary Bernstein and world-famous songwriter Bernie Taupin fuse to produce a visually and lyrically stunning book. Burning Cold is a partnership of two superb artists; but most importantly, it is a superb celebration of a woman who is Burning Cold.

Title: Le Gentleman Musicien
Author: Jean-François Bouquet
Year: 1980
publisher: Editions Glenat
ISBN: 2-7234-0150-2
Country: France
pages: 189
binding: softcover
[description text from back cover:]
Jean-François Bouquet connaît Elton John par sa musique depuis le début. Après leur recontre et leurs relations amicales, l'idée d'en faire un livre s'est concrétisée.

Il sait tout sur son "idole" et raconte comment ce gamin des faubourgs de Londres est devenu l'une des plus grandes pop-stars, son ascension, ses tournées, ses amis, Bernie Taupin, les stars qui se côtoient et... sa propre recontre avec lui.

Un album qui chante, en paroles et en photos.

Title: The Elton John Tapes
Author: Andy Peebles
Year: 1981
publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 0-312-24380-4
pages: 55
binding: softcover
Commission link to Amazon product
[description text from back cover:]
By the time he had reached age thirty-three, Elton John had sold a phenominal twenty-one million albums, and to celebrate that fact, he gave an in-depth interview to Andy Peebles of BBC radio at his home in the English countryside.

This fascinating and fully illustrated book, and edited version of their conversation, traces the amazing career of one of rock and roll's most popular and creative superstars from his very early days up to the 80s. Elton John reflects on his long association with lyricist Bernie Taupin and other prominent rock musicians and reveals much about his personality - how he copes with his private life, the price of fame and money, and how he combines being chairman of a soccer club with his prolific musical career.

The Elton John Tapes is an intimate and candid look at the man and the musician that his millions of fans won't want to miss.

Title: The Illustrated Discography
Author: Alan Finch
Year: 1981
publisher: Omnibus Press
ISBN: 0-7119-0443-X
pages: 96
binding: hardcover and paperback
[description text from foreword:]
This is a discography of all officially released records by Elton John in the UK and the USA, excluding promotional, juke box, guest appearances as producer and cover versions. The author is aware of such releases but they are too numerous to mention in this edition.

Included in this discography are all known unofficially released bootleg records featuring Elton John. Also included are the three records issued by 'Bluesology', Elton's first professional group.

Entries give detail of original catalog numbers, musicians, recording dates, studios, release dates, etc. etc.

An index of the songs featured in this discography can be found at the end of this book.

Thanks to Rocket Records and Dick James Music for permitting the reproduction of their record sleeves and use of photographs.

Thanks to Ginny O'Sullivan and Laura Beggs, to Jill for putting up with endless records lying around. And, of course, thanks to Elton John for his music.

Title: Elton John
Author: Massimo Scarafoni
Year: 1981
publisher: Lato Side Editori
Country: Italy
pages: 92
binding: sofcover
[description text from back cover:]
Uno delgi «uomini d'oro» della musica pop, con oltre cento milion di dischi venduti, il cantante-pianista inglese è sulla breccia da più di dieci anni.

Questo libro, riccamente illustrato, è la prima monografia itialiana su Elton John: la sua sfolgorante carriera, il suo mondo poetico, i suoi dischi canzone per canzone.

Title: Music Number One
Author: Sylvie Menager
Year: 1982
publisher: New Press, Paris
pages: 32
binding: paperback
A small, magazine-style stapled booklet printed in France, possibly part of a series of many music artists. All the text is in French with several photos.
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