Boogie Pilgrim

[BiteUrLip]

Music: Elton John, Davey Johnstone, Caleb Quaye

Lyrics: Bernie Taupin

Piano and vocals: Elton John

Bass: Kenny Passarelli

Drums: Roger Pope

Slide guitar: Davey Johnstone

Organ: James Newton-Howard

Tambourine: Ray Cooper

Horns: Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Barry Rogers, David Sanborn

Backing vocals: The Cornerstone Institutional Baptist and Southern California Community Choir

Crime in the streets

I read about it everyday in the papers

Justice needs and justice wants

But just in times, yes, too late here

Feels like I wasn't born there

I feel just like a Boogie Pilgrim


Boogie Pilgrim

Hustled to get it

To get it together

Down on the jive talk

Down on the weather

Boogie Pilgrim

Brother I never felt better

No, I never felt better


Low life's complete

When you've lived that way out on the sidewalk

(Walking on the sidewalk everyday)

I got the speed if you got the need

But the need in me needs nothing

(But you know that I need nothing)

But I know that you all want something

Just like Boogie Pilgrim

[BiteUrLip]

It's funny in it's own way. I like it quite a bit.

4½ stars.

[Commodore Orpington]

Goofy yet great somehow. Sometimes it makes me cringe. Or I really like it.

[dougs]

"Boogie Pilgrim" from BLUE MOVES:

After a raw and rocking ROCK OF THE WESTIES in 1975 Elton recorded his next studio album at Eastern Sound in snowy Toronto in early 1976.  This new album, BLUE MOVES, was to push, on many occasions, the envelope in terms of musicals styles and "Boogie Pilgrim" fit right into this attitude.  No song in the Elton & Bernie repertoire sounds like "Boogie Pilgrim."  Typical of many songs on BLUE MOVES, Elton collaborated musically with other band musicians; in this case both Davey and Caleb joined in on songwriting duties. "Boogie Pilgrim" incorporated funk and jazz and gospel elements and was supported by a tremendous performance by the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist and Southern California Community Choir.  Apparently "Boogie Pilgrim" emerged from a late-night jam session.  Elton, according to Davey stated "Let's all perform as much as possible as a band.  Let's take ideas into the studio and see what we come up with."  The song is vocally very playful, not only the choir but also Elton who sounds like he is having a blast.  Kenny Passarelli added one of his best bass parts in any of his work with Elton.  Davey's slide guitar, James' organ and the horns further carried and punctuated "Boogie Pilgrim" in what is a loose yet fresh and vibrant song.

Elton and the band deserve credit for writing outside the box a bit with "Boogie Pilgrim" blending various musical styles.  The idea to add the choir and horns further added to the song.  Elton's approach to creating these jam sessions to see what could happen paid off.  It was proof that Elton was continuing to grow as a musician. That is part of the beauty of BLUE MOVES - it had Elton musically moving forward in fresh and unexpected ways.

Rating: 4 1/2 to 5 stars

Doug

[rocketman]

5 stars...always a favorite, and just makes the 5-star mark, and I'd perhaps slide it down to 4.75, but either way, a fun slice of mixed styles. One review I read back then called it "Beach Boys meets Earth Wind & Fire", and I probably would agree. The Beach Boys influence is more than just imagined on much of this album, since it did feature former Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston on some songs as backing vocalist (though not on this song) and backing vocalist arranger. The arranger on this song is the Rev. James Cleveland, who may (or may not) provide backing vocals on the song as well (I'm not sure whether it's he or Elton singing "don't you that I never felt better, but to me it sounds like the Reverend).

[nix]

2
annoying and repetitive filler with great production and playing.

[newloneranger]

Kind of a funny song, but not one of the better songs on Blue Moves. Not bad though.

4 stars

[Commodore Orpington]

Good post, Doug S!

"Don't you that I never felt better" always seemed clearly EJ to me.