21 at 33

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21 at 33
Album 21 at 33.jpg
Studio album by Elton John
Released 13 May 1980 (1980-05-13)
Recorded August 1979, January – March 1980
Genre Soft rock, pop, post-disco
Length 42:51
Label MCA, Rocket
Producer Elton John, Clive Franks
Elton John chronology
Lady Samantha
(1980)Lady Samantha1980		 21 at 33
(1980)		 The Fox
(1981)The Fox1981
Singles from 21 at 33
  1. "Little Jeannie"
    Released: 1 May 1980
  2. "Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)"
    Released: 5 August 1980
  3. "Dear God"
    Released: 14 November 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[1]
Rolling Stone Unrated[2]
Smash Hits 7/10[3]

21 at 33, released May 1980, is the fourteenth Elton John album released by a record company to whom he was under contract. Counting double albums as two, it is the 21st official album release, and was released when Elton John was 33 years old; hence the title.[4][5]

It was recorded at Super Bear Studios, Nice, France, in August 1979, and Rumbo Recorders and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California between January to March 1980.

The album sold over 900,000 copies in the United States, narrowly missing a Platinum certification.[6]

Background

Two of John's "classic" bandmates, drummer Nigel Olsson and bass player Dee Murray, reunited with him for one song. His backup keyboardist James Newton-Howard returned and performed on almost every track as was the case on Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves. Other musicians included members of the Eagles and Toto as well as Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits.

The title comes from the fact that this was John's 21st album in total at the age of 33. According to the liner notes in the remastered edition of the album, the count includes all standard albums, two greatest hits compilations, two live albums, as well as the Friends soundtrack, the three-song, 12-inch EP The Thom Bell Sessions and the UK-only "rarities" collection Lady Samantha.

John has not played any of the material in concert since touring in 1980, with the exception of "Little Jeannie", "White Lady White Powder" and "Sartorial Eloquence". Even "Little Jeannie", which was a huge North American hit (#3 Pop and #1 Adult Contemporary in the United States, and #1 in Canada) has never been performed since 1980, although it was included in the two One Night Only concerts in 2000, and the warm up gig for the 2 Madison Square Garden shows in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.[7]

Track listing

Side one

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Chasing the Crown"   Elton John, Bernie Taupin 5:38
2. "Little Jeannie"   John, Gary Osborne 5:21
3. "Sartorial Eloquence"   John, Tom Robinson 4:42
4. "Two Rooms at the End of the World"   John, Taupin 5:39

Side two

No. Title Writer(s) Length
5. "White Lady White Powder"   John, Taupin 4:35
6. "Dear God"   John, Osborne 3:45
7. "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"   John, Robinson 4:07
8. "Take Me Back"   John, Osborne 3:52
9. "Give Me the Love"   John, Judie Tzuke 5:23

In 2003, Mercury/Universal and The Rocket Record Company reissued the album on CD, remastered by Gary Moore. The lineup contained no bonus tracks.

B-sides

Song Format
"Conquer the Sun" "Little Jeannie" 7" (U.S./UK)
"Cartier" "Sartorial Eloquence" 7" (U.S./UK)
"White Man Danger" "Sartorial Eloquence" 7" (U.S./UK)
"Tactics" "Dear God" 7" (UK)
"Steal Away Child" "Dear God" 7" (double) (UK)
"Love So Cold" "Dear God" 7" (double) (UK)

Personnel

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[8] Gold 50,000
France (SNEP)[9] Gold 175,500[10]
United States (RIAA)[11] Gold 500,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Charts

References

  1. ↑ 21 at 33 Elton John Allmusic.com Lindsay Planer
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Liner notes to remastered 21 at 33 album
  7. ↑ One Night Only: The Greatest Hits DVD, 2000.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select ELTON JOHN and click OK
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-29
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Note: user must select 'Elton JOHN' from drop-down
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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