Jewel Box is the title of a mammoth 8 CD or 9 LP box set of rarities and unreleased stuff from Elton John's long career. A career that has been on a slight but still upward trajectory since the release of the movie Rocketman in 2019.
And just as with most artists that have their peak a few decades back the new recordings released are usually passed upon by old fans while finding few new. At the same time yet one more Greatest Hits compilation is a sure seller. That's why you'll find artists of that time but still active today having a Best Of compilation coming every three, four years. Usually around Christmas time.
There's no surprise there's rarities and even some unreleased music in the vaults when it comes to Elton John. Back in the day he refused to have singles released with albums tracks as B-sides. A buyer of his latest hit always got one more new song on the flip side.
There's been one box set before this from Elton:
To Be Continued... released back in 1990 with a mix of hits, album tracks, unreleased old and new songs on a total of 4 CDs.
But the 1992 double-CD Rare Masters should also be mentioned. A collection of songs from his singles between 1968-1975 that had not been included on any albums. Also five unreleased songs plus the complete soundtrack to the 1971 movie Friends for the first time on CD.
Two songs from the forthcoming Jewel Box has already been released on streaming services. The above Sing Me No Sad Songs as well as Snow Queen, a duet with Kiki Dee that was the B-side to their 1976 hit Don't Go Breaking My Heart.
So what about the contents of the new box set then?
Apart from a book with texts and photos there's 148 songs in total. 80 for the first time in digital, non-physical format. 60 never before released in any format.
The first two CDs are titled Deep Cuts which means album tracks and such that weren't hits:
1. Monkey Suit -- Elton John and Leon Russell 2. Where To Now St Peter? 3. Mellow 4. The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34) 5. Chameleon 6. Gone To Shiloh -- Elton John and Leon Russell 7. We All Fall In Love Sometimes 8. Too Low For Zero 9. The Power -- Elton John With Little Richard 10. All That I'm Allowed 11. The Bridge 12. The New Fever Waltz 13. Stone's Throw From Hurtin' 14. The North 15. Hoop Of Fire 16. Boogie Pilgrim 17. Crystal 3. All Quiet On The Western Front 4. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows 5. Freaks In Love 6. Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody) -- Elton John and Leon Russell 7. The Emperor's New Clothes 8. House 9. (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket 10. Understanding Women 11. Shoot Down The Moon 12. Have Mercy On The Criminal 13. Blues For Baby And Me 14. My Quicksand 15. Street Kids
CD 3 is rarities 1965-1968
1. Come Back Baby -- Bluesology 2. Mr. Frantic -- Bluesology 3. Scarecrow (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 4. A Dandelion Dies In The Wind (Piano Demo) 5. Velvet Fountain (Piano Demo) 6. A Little Love Goes A Long Way (Piano Demo) 7. If You Could See Me Now (Piano Demo) 8. Mr. Lightning Strikerman (Piano Demo) 9. Countryside Love Affair (Piano Demo) 10. I Could Never Fall In Love With Anybody Else (Piano Demo) 11. I Get A Little Bit Lonely (Piano Demo) 12. The Witch's House (Piano Demo) 13. Get Out Of This Town (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 14. Year Of The Teddy Bear (Piano Demo) 15. Where It's At (Piano/Percussion Demo) 16. Who's Gonna Love You (Piano/Percussion Demo) 17. Nina (Band Version) 18. Angel Tree Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo) 19. Here's To The Next Time (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 20. Thank You For All Your Loving (Band Version) 21. Watching The Planes Go By (Band Version) 22. When The First Tear Shows (Arranged Band Version) 23. Tartan Coloured Lady (Arranged Band Version)
CD 4: Rarities Part Two 1968
1. Hourglass (Band Version) 2. 71-75 New Oxford Street (Band Demo) 3. Turn To Me ( Arranged Band Version) 4. Reminds Me Of You (Piano Demo) 5. I Can't Go On Living Without You (Arranged Band Version) 6. And The Clock Goes Round (Piano Demo) 7. When I Was Tealby Abbey (Piano Demo) 8. I'll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me (Piano Demo) 9. Trying To Hold On To A Love That's Dying (Piano Demo) 10. Sitting Doing Nothing (Band Version) 11. Regimental Sgt. Zippo (Band Version) 12. Cry Willow Cry (Band Demo) 13. There Is Still A Little Love (Band Demo) 14. If I Asked You (Band Demo) 15. Skyline Pigeon (Piano Demo) 16. Two Of A Kind (Arranged Band Version) 17. The Girl On Angel Pavement (Arranged Band Version) 18. Smokestack Children (Arranged Band Version) 19. Baby I Miss You (Band Demo) 20. All Across The Havens (Piano/Guitar Demo) 21. Bonnie's Gone Away (Piano/Guitar Demo) 22. Just An Ordinary Man (Piano Demo) 23. There's Still Time For Me (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)
CD 5: Rarities Part Three 1968-1971
1. The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca (Piano Demo) 2. Dick Barton Theme (Devil's Gallop) (Bread And Beer Band) 3. Breakdown Blues (Bread And Beer Band) 4. Taking The Sun From My Eyes (Arranged Band Version) 5. It's Me That You Need (Band Demo) 6. Sing Me No Sad Songs (Band Demo) 7. The Flowers Will Never Die (Piano Demo) 8. In The Morning (Band Demo) 9. Open Your Eyes To The Sun (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 10. One Time, Sometime or Never (Band Demo) 11. Slow Fade To Blue (Piano/Guitar Demo) 12. Rolling Western Union (Piano Demo) 13. My Father's Gun (Piano Demo) 14. Amoreena (Piano Demo) 15. Burn Down The Mission (Piano Demo) 16. Razor Face (Piano Demo) 17. Madman Across The Water (Piano Demo) 18. Holiday Inn (Piano Demo) 19. All The Nasties (Piano Demo)
CD 6: B-Sides Part One 1976-1984
1. Snow Queen (Elton John and Kiki Dee) 2. Conquer The Sun 3. Cartier 4. White Man Danger 5. Tactics 6. Steal Away Child 7. Love So Cold 8. Les Aveux (Elton John and France Gall) 9. Donner Pour Donner (Elton John and France Gall) 10. J'veux D'la Tendresse 11. Fools In Fashion 12. Can't Get Over Getting Over Losing You 13. Tortured 14. Hey Papa Legba 15. Take Me Down To The Ocean 16. Where Have All The Good Times Gone? (Alternate Mix) 17. The Retreat 18. Choc Ice Goes Mental 19. A Simple Man
CD 7: B-Sides Part Two 1984-2005
1. Lonely Boy 2. Highlander 3. Billy And The Kids 4. Lord Of The Flies 5. Rope Around A Fool 6. Medicine Man 7. I Know Why I'm In Love 8. Big Man In A Little Suit 9. God Never Came Here 10. The North Star 11. Did Anybody Sleep With Joan Of Arc 12. So Sad The Renegade 13. A Little Peace 14. Keep It A Mystery 15. How's Tomorrow 16. Peter's Song 17. Things Only Get Better With Love
CD 8: And This Is Me...
1. Empty Sky 2. Lady Samantha 3. Border Song 4. My Father's Gun 5. All The Nasties 6. I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself 7. Philadelphia Freedom 8. Song For Guy 9. Sartorial Eloquence 10. Elton's Song 11. Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year) 12. I Fall Apart 13. Amazes Me 14. The Last Song 15. American Triangle 16. (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again (Elton John and Taron Egerton)
Radio Dupree's long time Elton John fan Neb Stephenson says that this is interesting enough for him to get his wallet out November 13 when the box set is released. Although this also means that his vinyl and CD bootleg collection of Elton stuff will further deprecate in whatever value it currently has.
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