Elton: Jewel Box is an eight-disc compilation album by Elton John, released in 2020. It features rare songs from his catalogue including deep cuts, non-album B-sides and 60 previously unreleased songs and demos.[2][3] John selected the songs for the compilation,[4] which contains a total of 148 songs, organised in four parts: Deep Cuts, Rarities, B-sides, and And This Is Me..,[5] ending with the song "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" featuring Taron Egerton from John's 2019 biopic film Rocketman.[6]
Reception
David Browne, in a review for Rolling Stone, notes that the box set is "the most exhaustive and personal retrospective release Elton has ever put together."[7] Chris Roberts, writing for Classic Rock, feels it is "every bit the treasure trove for fans that it aims to be."[8]
Track listing
Discs 1 and 2: Deep Cuts
Discs 1 and 2 consist of lesser known songs, handpicked by Elton John from previously released albums.[2]
Discs 3–5 contain early demos of previously unreleased material as well as original piano demos of songs from his earlier albums. On 17 September 2020, two months prior to the album's release date, a 1969 demo recording of "Sing Me No Sad Songs" was released for the very first time. This song, described as "a fascinating early taste of what was to come from Elton and Bernie", was used to promote the album.[2]
John describes the early demos as nostalgic and said that "it was so beautiful to listen to the naiveties of some of the songs."[9] He also talked about these songs in the context of representing his humble beginnings and how they helped shape and define him as an artist as well as show the unique relationship John and Taupin had, not only as songwriters but also as friends.
"I Could Never Fall in Love with Anybody Else" (Piano Demo)
2:03
11.
"I Get a Little Bit Lonely" (Piano Demo)
2:20
12.
"The Witch's House" (Piano Demo)
2:05
13.
"Get Out of This Town" (Piano/tambourine Demo)
2:34
14.
"Year of the Teddy Bear" (Piano Demo)
3:39
15.
"Where It's At" (Piano/percussion Demo)
2:02
16.
"Who's Gonna Love You" (Piano/percussion Demo)
2:39
17.
"Nina" (Band Version)
3:42
18.
"Angel Tree" (Piano/guitar/tambourine Demo)
2:11
19.
"Here's to the Next Time" (Piano/tambourine Demo)
3:22
20.
"Thank You for All Your Loving" (Band Version)
3:27
21.
"Watching the Planes Go By" (Band Version)
4:10
22.
"When the First Tear Shows" (Arranged Band Version)
3:03
23.
"Tartan Coloured Lady" (Arranged Band Version)
4:12
Total length:
67:58
CD 4: Rarities Part Two: 1968
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Hourglass" (Arranged Band Version)
2:47
2.
"71-75 New Oxford Street" (Band Demo)
3:09
3.
"Turn to Me" (Arranged Band Version)
3:20
4.
"Reminds Me of You" (Piano Demo)
2:50
5.
"I Can't Go On Living Without You" (Arranged Band Demo)
2:57
6.
"And the Clock Goes Round" (Piano Demo)
2:37
7.
"When I Was Tealby Abbey" (Piano Demo)
2:23
8.
"I'll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me" (Piano Demo)
2:23
9.
"Trying to Hold On to a Love That's Dying" (Piano Demo)
2:31
10.
"Sitting Doing Nothing" (Band Version)
2:42
11.
"Regimental Sgt. Zippo" (Band Version)
4:01
12.
"Cry Willow Cry" (Band Demo)
3:41
13.
"There Is Still a Little Love" (Band Demo)
3:57
14.
"If I Asked You" (Band Demo)
2:51
15.
"Skyline Pigeon" (Piano Demo)
3:26
16.
"Two of a Kind" (Arranged Band Demo)
2:24
17.
"The Girl on Angel Pavement" (Arranged Band Demo)
2:26
18.
"Smokestack Children" (Arranged Band Demo)
2:31
19.
"Baby I Miss You" (Band Demo)
2:39
20.
"All Across the Havens" (Piano/Guitar Demo)
3:15
21.
"Bonnie's Gone Away" (Piano/Guitar Demo)
3:37
22.
"Just an Ordinary Man" (Piano Demo)
4:01
23.
"There's Still Time for Me" (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)
2:45
Total length:
69:13
CD 5: Rarities Part Three: 1968–1971
No.
Title
Length
1.
"The Tide Will Turn for Rebecca" (Piano Demo)
3:01
2.
"Dick Barton Theme (Devil's Gallop)" (Bread and Beer Band)
2:16
3.
"Breakdown Blues" (Bread and Beer Band)
5:05
4.
"Taking the Sun from My Eyes" (Arranged Band Version)
2:47
5.
"It's Me That You Need" (Band Demo)
4:03
6.
"Sing Me No Sad Songs" (Band Demo)
2:39
7.
"The Flowers Will Never Die" (Piano Demo)
2:50
8.
"In the Morning" (Band Demo)
2:47
9.
"Open Your Eyes to the Sun" (Band Demo)
2:37
10.
"One Time, Sometime or Never" (Band Demo)
3:51
11.
"Slow Fade to Blue" (Piano/Guitar Demo)
4:58
12.
"Rolling Western Union" (Piano Demo)
3:54
13.
"My Father's Gun" (Piano Demo)
4:17
14.
"Amoreena" (Piano Demo)
3:48
15.
"Burn Down the Mission" (Piano Demo)
7:06
16.
"Razor Face" (Piano Demo)
3:44
17.
"Madman Across the Water" (Piano Demo)
5:07
18.
"Holiday Inn" (Piano Demo)
4:34
19.
"All the Nasties" (Piano Demo)
4:51
Total length:
74:15
Discs 6 and 7: B-sides (1976–2005)
Discs 6 and 7 contain rare B-sides, many of which have been digitalized for the first time. These discs contain 17 songs that were previously only available on vinyl.[2][10] These tracks, together with the non-album singles released between 1968 and 1975 included on Rare Masters, make all of John's non-album singles available digitally.
In 1980, Elton John sang two duets with French singer France Gall on her single "Les Aveux" / "Donner Pour Donner". Another French song featured on the album is "J'veux D'la Tendresse", a song which was the basis for "Nobody Wins" from The Fox.
All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin (except where noted)
"J'veux D'la Tendresse" (Jean-Paul Dreau, Gary Osborne)
3:39
11.
"Fools in Fashion"
4:18
12.
"Can't Get Over Getting Over Losing You"
4:16
13.
"Tortured"
4:44
14.
"Hey Papa Legba"
5:17
15.
"Take Me Down to the Ocean"
4:08
16.
"Where Have All The Good Times Gone?" (Alternate Mix)
4:07
17.
"The Retreat"
4:47
18.
"Choc Ice Goes Mental" (Instrumental)
2:04
19.
"A Simple Man"
3:52
Total length:
77:31
CD 7: B-sides Part Two: 1984–2005
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Lonely Boy"
4:50
2.
"Highlander" (Instrumental)
3:40
3.
"Billy and the Kids"
4:25
4.
"Lord of the Flies"
4:40
5.
"Rope Around a Fool"
3:50
6.
"Medicine Man"
4:36
7.
"I Know Why I'm in Love"
4:32
8.
"Big Man in a Little Suit"
4:26
9.
"God Never Came Here"
3:53
10.
"The North Star"
5:34
11.
"Did Anybody Sleep with Joan of Arc"
4:19
12.
"So Sad the Renegade"
5:06
13.
"A Little Peace"
3:59
14.
"Keep It a Mystery"
4:17
15.
"How's Tomorrow"
5:22
16.
"Peter's Song"
3:41
17.
"Things Only Get Better with Love"
5:18
Total length:
76:28
Disc 8: And This Is Me...
The eighth and final disc features songs mentioned in John's autobiography Me which John says played an important part in his life.[9] The song "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again", a duet with Taron Egerton who portrayed John in his film Rocketman, is also included.[2]
All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin (except where noted)
