Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

One Horse Town

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Released
  
22 October 1976

Length
  
5:56

Recorded
  
March 1976

Genre
  
Progressive rock, symphonic rock, hard rock, disco

Label
  
MCA (US/Canada) The Rocket Record Company

Writer(s)
  
Elton John, James Newton-Howard, Bernie Taupin

"One Horse Town" is a song by Elton John with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. It is the third track of his 1976 album, Blue Moves. The song tells a story about a man who lives in a small village in Alabama, and how there's nothing to do; simply a "one horse town". It might reference the American civil war; "They ain't too well acquainted with the stars and stripes". Musically, it uses a lot of instruments; a string section, xylophones, vibraphones, organs and more. The first one and a half minutes is a slow-tempo intro with heavy orchestration, before settling into the main upbeat tempo which could remind a little bit of disco. It was also performed at his last concert before his throat surgery in Sydney, on December 14, 1986.

Personnel

  • Elton John – piano, vocals
  • Paul Buckmaster – conductor
  • Ray Cooper – percussion
  • Martyn Ford – strings
  • Michael Hurwitz – cello
  • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
  • James Newton-Howard – synthesizers, electric piano
  • Kenny Passarelli – bass guitar
  • Roger Pope – drums
  • Caleb Quaye – electric guitar
  • References

    One Horse Town Wikipedia


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