Elton John

Love Songs (1996)

1.Can You Feel the Love Tonight
2.The One
3.Sacrifice
4.Daniel
5.Someone Saved My Life Tonight
6.Your Song
7.Don't Let the Sun go Down on Me
8.Believe
9.Blue Eyes
10.Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
11.Blessed
12.Candle in the Wind
13.You Can Make History (Young Again)
14.No Valentines
15.Circle of Life

At first glance, Love Songs seems like a sensible enough compilation. Elton John, after all, has built much of his career on melody and sentiment—ideal ingredients for a collection themed around romance and reflection. But a closer listen (and a more cynical squint) suggests a more calculated intention. This isn’t so much a curated love letter to Elton’s softer side as it is a product of commercial opportunism—packaged and promoted with just enough polish to appeal to casual listeners, but lacking the care or consistency that true fans might expect.

The timing is curious. By the mid-1990s, Elton had more than enough post-Greatest Hits Volume III material to justify a Volume IV. And had this collection been framed as such, it might have carried more weight. Instead, we’re offered a set list loosely organized under the banner of “love”—a label that proves, upon inspection, more a marketing term than an actual theme.

To be fair, the music is never the problem. These are all good songs. Some are excellent. But the track selection borders on haphazard. Classic singles such as Daniel and Someone Saved My Life Tonight are beautiful pieces of songwriting, but calling them “love songs” in the traditional sense stretches the definition beyond recognition. They’re emotionally resonant, yes—but romantic? Not exactly.

Worse still is what’s been left out. I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, arguably one of Elton’s most heartfelt ballads, is nowhere to be found. Neither is Elton’s Song from The Fox, A Woman’s Needs from Duets, or even the aptly titled Love Song from Tumbleweed Connection—each of which would have added depth and variety to the collection while honoring the theme with more authenticity.

Adding to the frustration are the live versions of Candle in the Wind and Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, which replace their superior studio originals. Whether this was done to promote recent live successes or simply to pad the set with “fresh” content is unclear. The effect, however, is the same: a slightly diminished listening experience.

To its credit, Love Songs does include two new tracks—You Can Make History (Young Again) and No Valentines—both of which are finely crafted and worthy additions. It’s a familiar tactic: slip in something new to coax fans into buying what they already own. Fortunately, in this case, the new songs are good enough to justify a second look.

In the end, Love Songs is a decent listen, but a missed opportunity. With more thoughtful curation, it could have been a defining entry in Elton’s vast compilation catalog. Instead, it settles for the safe and the familiar—marketable, pleasant, but ultimately disposable. A good idea, lazily executed.

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