By Scott Johnson - When you consider the output of the average artist, you have to admit that Elton's back catalogue is pretty astonishing, for the sheer volume of his work if nothing else.

But then there are few artists quite like Elton. His infinite appeal and ability to adapt to the times have lent him a longevity that is pretty much unparalled in the music industry.

Looking back over his career (the highs and the lows), I was marvelling at how much there actually is for fans to devour. The studio albums, the live recordings, the b-sides and demos (if you happen to care for such things)...

And then a thought struck me.

With so much material having made its way into record stores and iTunes download folders from the creative minds of Elton and Bernie, there must equally be a wealth of material that has never been released, right? Songs that never made it onto those albums? The ones that never quite made the cut?

So I decided to investigate. I contacted friends, hardened Elton collectors, and any number of long-term fans to see what I could turn up. And I turned up quite a lot. Now, I don't pretend to have some sort of exclusive access to Elton's personal archive of studio recordings. That would just be plain silly. But what I have done is, to the best of my ability, compile the details (in so far as I can) of songs and studio recordings which are believed to have been made, but which never saw the eventual light of day on an Elton John album.

In doing my little personal research project (the kind that only ridiculously over-exictable fans ever bother with), I have pieced together information from a variety of sources. None of this has been verified or confirmed by Elton's management, or anyone associated with him. Most of it is pretty well-established fact, but some of it is simply rumour and/or speculation. So please don't take it as gospel. I'm quite prepared for there to be inaccuracies in the details below, and willing to be corrected if anyone would like to contact me with more accurate information.

What I've tried to do is simply, for the enjoyment of fans, put together a resource to allow us to see the songs that were recorded, but which we never heard. Who knows, maybe one day we will. I'm sure Eltonites worldwide will be salivating over the titles, wondering just what Elton, Bernie (and others) came up with when they went into the studios with these lyrics in their hands. Was this a rocker? Was that a ballad? Was there a reason they never made the cut? (Probably, yes.)

So I hope you enjoy this little bit of research I've conducted as we take a little trip inside Elton's archives from 1967 to the present day. As ever before, if you know something I don't (and plenty of people do!) or want to add to/take away from my list, I'm always happy to hear from friends.

You can mail me at: scott.johnson@songwriter.net.

Unreleased studio recordings and demos by year:

1967/1968/1969 - The "Dick James" Demos:
Swan Queen Of The Laughing Lake
Mirrors Of My Mind
Lemonade Lake
You're My Woman
Watching the Planes Go By
Chinese Lady
I've Been Loving You (Alternate Version)
Don't Forget to Remember (recorded October 1969)
All Across the Havens (Alternate Version)
Lady What's Tomorow (Early / Alternate Version)
Scarecrow (recorded September 1967)
Velvet Fountain
Ma Belle Amie
Baby I Miss You (recorded September 1968)
Child (recorded February 1969)
Girl on Angel Pavement (the lyrics to which include: For the girl on angel pavement / I would give my very world / And though she'll never know how much I / Love her so! / For the girl on angel pavement...)

1970 - recorded prior to the release of the "Elton John" album:
Big Circle of Stone
Diggin’ My Grave
She Sings Rock and Roll
Smokestack Children
August, October (recorded March 1970)
Remember
Bridge over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel cover, at least two different versions recorded in April 1970)
My Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) (recorded February 1970)

1971 - the "Madman Across the Water" outtakes:
America (Simon and Garfunkel cover - played live in concert on one occassion, it is believed that a studio demo also exists)
Tiny Dancer (Alternate Version)

1972 - the "Honky Chataeu" outtakes:
Hi-Heel Sneakers
I’ll Be There Tomorrow

1973 - the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" outtakes:
Gotta Get Back to England
Good Morning

1973 - the Kiki Dee demos:
Last Good Man in My Life
Lonnie and Josie
Supercool
(The above three songs were ultimately released by Kiki Dee as part of the "Loving and Free" studio album sessions. Kiki's release of "The Last Good Man in My Life" included the Elton John Band, and each of the three tracks were credited to John/Taupin on the album and single liners. A demo was recorded by Elton and the band prior to the official releases by Kiki.)

1974 - the "Caribou" outtakes:
Cadillac (Bo Diddley cover with Beach Boys harmony)
Desperation
Give Me Your Smile
Ducktail Jiver
Snookeroo (more than one demo exists, albeit the exact number is unconfirmed)
I’ll Make You Smile
Here Comes Miss Hurt Again

1975 - the pre-"Captain Fantastic" sessions:
Chameleon (Alternate/Early Version)

1975 – the "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" sessions:
Four different "takes" or "mixes" (depending on your source!) of this seminal album are believed to exist in the archives.

1976 - the "Blue Moves" outtakes:
City Of Blue
The Man Who Loved to Dance

1977 - the "China" sessions:
Serious (written for the short-lived group China, but recorded first by Elton and the "Blue Moves" band)

1978 - the "Single Man" outtakes:
Entity
Shine on Through (Although this track ultimately appeared on the finished album, four distinct versions were recorded prior to the final release)
Madness (Alternate Version)
I’ll Try
Smile That Smile

1979:
Rollin’ On

1980 - the "21 at 33" outtakes:
Dreamboat (As is the case with 1978's "Shine on Through", although this track ultimately appeared as a b-side, four distinct versions were recorded prior to the final release)
Basque (Instrumental)
Bobby Goes Electric (The rumours surrounding this track have been so vast and, on occassions, elaborate, it's hard to determine exactly what is accurate and what is not. Elton once denied havng recorded the track at all, believing that he could not find a melody that was appropriate for Taupin's lyrics, yet this is provably untrue. At least one demo was recorded, but another popular theory is that up to five different takes of the song exist - each with different melodies!)
No Man is an Island (Elton sings/reads the John Donne poem, which is set to music!)
Reach Out to Me

1981 - the "Fox" outtakes:
Free the People

1982 - the "Jump Up!" outtakes:
Ace of Hearts and the Jack of Spades
Desperation Train (ultimately released as a Bernie Taupin track on his 1987 album "Tribe", the song was first recorded by Elton and the band during the "Jump Up!" sessions for provisional inclusion on that album)
At This Time in My Life
I’m Not Very Well
Jerry’s Law
Moral Majority
Waking Up in Europe

1985 - the "Ice on Fire" sessions:
The Man Who Never Died (Alternate Version/s)
Highlander (Alternate Version/s)
(Ultimately released as b-sides, several different or "early" versions of these two instrumental tracks are believed to exist.)

1986 - the "Leather Jackets" outtakes:
Crimes of Passion (Although eventually released by the band Public Domain, the track was first recorded by Elton and the band during the 1986 studio sessions and earmarked for inclusion on the "Leather Jackets" album)
Lonely Heart
Love Rusts
I Want to See You Smile

1988 - the "Reg Strikes Back" outtakes:
Love is Worth Waiting For (Possibly one of Elton's more famous outtakes, this Aids-related ballad was performed live in concert in 1988 at a charity evet. Although a studio recording was made, it was never officially released.)
I Loved A Man (Elton's melody to Dylan Thomas' lyrics!)
Welcome To My Haunted Heart
The Rumour (Although eventually released by Olivia Newton-John, the song was first recorded by Elton and the band during the 1988 studio sessions.)
The Ballad of William Howard (Elton and Bernie's tribute to a Western hero, originally scheduled for the "Reg Strikes Back" album.)

1988 – The "Unreleased Album":
Heavily rumoured and categorically never confirmed, speculation abounds that prior to the "Reg Strikes Back" sessions, Elton, Nigel, Davey and Dee recorded 10, 12 or 14 tracks (dependent on the version of the rumour) for an album which was, ultimately, never released. If the rumour is true, very few copies of the tracks are said to exist and their titles remain unknown. The studio sessions for the "unreleased album" are alledged to have been Dee Murray's last.

1992 - the "One" outtakes:
Emery Green
Taxi Dancing
On Dark Street (Early / Alternate Version)
Runaway Train (Prior to the Elton/Eric Clapton duet released on the 1992 album "The One", this track was recorded with vocals performed soley by Elton.)

1993 - the "Duets" outtakes:
This Kind of Love (Planned as a duet between Elton and George Michael, both artists recorded their vocals seperately for this project which was ultimately removed from the album in favour of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me")
The Power (Prior to the Elton/Little Richard duet released on the 1993 album "Duets", this track was recorded with vocals performed soley by Elton.)

1994 - the "Made in England" outtakes:
Building A Bird (Although eventually released by drummer Nigel Olsson for his 2001 album "Move the Universe", the track was first recorded by Elton and the band during the 1994 studio sessions and earmarked for inclusion on the "Made in England" album. The Elton John appeared on the eventual 2001 release.)
Red Rock Roll (rumoured to have been planned as an Elton John/Billy Joel duet)
I Believe (Alternate version of “Believe”)
Live Like Horses (Version recorded during the 1994 sessions, prior to the song's eventual inclusion on "The Big Picture" album)
Belfast (Alternate Version containing an instrumental outro not found on the album version, originally planned for release as a "single edit")
Leaves
Hell
Skin
Tick-Tock

1994 - the "Lion King" demos:
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
I Just Can't Wait to be King
Be Prepared
The Madness of King Scar
The Morning Report
Chow Down
Warthog Rhapsody

1995:
Really Worth Fighting For (planned as a duet with Lulu, the lyrics to this track include: 'Cause you, you're really worth fighting for / And my heart's telling me, for sure / That love's no lie / And you're really worth fighting for / You got me...)

1997 - the "Big Picture" outtakes:
Recover Your Soul (Alternate Version, with a distinctly different melody than was used on the finished product)
Past Imperfect
Past Imperfect (Instrumental)
H.R.H.
Back from Yesterday
I Couldn't Have Loved You More
No Valentines (Early / Alternate Version)
You Could Make History (Young Again) (Early / Alternate Version)
Big Man in a Little Suit (Early / Alternate Version)
Long Way from Happiness (Alternate Version, with lyrics distinctly different than those which appeared on the album)
Live Like Horses (Instrumental Version)

1997 - "The Big Picture" sessions:
As many as five different "takes" or "mixes" (depending on your source!) of this 1997 album are believed to exist in the archives.

1998:
For Wanting You
(Ultimately released by Marianne Faithful, this haunting ballad was first recorded in the studios by Elton.)

1999 - the "Aida" demos:
Another Pyramid
How I Know You
My Strongest Suit
Enchantment Passing Through
A Step Too Far
Elaborate Lives
Amneris' Letter
Like Father, Like Son
Easy as Life
Written in the Stars
I Know the Truth
Not Me
The Messenger
The Gods Love Nubia
The Past is Another Land
Dance of the Robe
Endless Night
Every Story is A Love Story
Our Nation Holds Sway
Fortune Favors the Brave

2000 - the "Road to El Dorado" sessions:
The Manner of Men
Friends Never Say Goodbye (a studio edit described as the "Shorter Intro Version")
Friends Never Say Goodbye (a studio edit descrbed as the "Remix Edit")

2001 - the "Songs from the West Coast" outtakes:
God Kicked the Fuck Out of the Sun
Surviving Crash and Burn
Finger Tips / Finger Prints (various sources attribute different titles to this track)
American Triangle (Alternate Version including an additional verse, the lyrics to which include: Long straight road to this old town / Friendly ghosts nowhere in sight / A John Wayne moon up there tonight...)

2001 - the "Songs from the West Coast" sessions:
An alternative mix of all 12 tracks on the album is believed to exist in the archives.

2003 - the "Mona Lisa Smile" sessions:
The Heart of Every Girl (a studio edit described as the "Radio Edit Version")

2004 - the "Peachtree Road" outtakes:
Black Cat Crossing the Road

2005 - the "Billy Elliot" demos:
Born to Boogie
Electricity (Original Version)
Expressing Yourself
Goodbye Grandma
Grandma's Song
I Don't Have A Day
Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher
Not a Tea Dance
Not Only Puffs
Shine
That's Fine
The Letter
The Stars Look Down
Solidarity
Once We Were Kings
Deep into the Ground
Dance

2006 - the "Lestat" demos:
Main Theme
Wolf Killer
Nothing Here
In Paris
The Thirst
Make Me As You Are
Among the Dead
To Live Like This
The Origin of the Species
Crimson Kiss
Entr'actre
Welcome to the New World
Embrace It
I Want More
I'll Never Have That Chance
Sail Me Away
To Kill Your Kind
After All This Time
Right Before My Eyes
Kingdom of the Moon
Finale (From the Dead)

2010 - the "Union" outtakes:
Write Your Own Song (planned as a duet featuring Elton John/Leon Russell for the 2010 album "The Union")

Alternate Studio Takes
Elton and the band often record several takes of tracks before they settle on a version which is suitable for release. Whilst no means a comprehensive list, alternate studio takes of the following songs are either strongly believed or definitively known to exist:
Dixie Lily
Rocket Man
The Cage
Sixty Years On
I Need You To Turn To
Amoreena
Where to Now, St. Peter?
Holiday Inn
Grey Seal
Rock Me When He's Gone
Belfast
Grow Some Funk of Your Own
Street Kids
Paris
Too Young
Hoop of Fire
Slow Rivers
Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)
Friends
Michelle's Song

SACD 5.1 Surround Sound Mixes
In the mid 00's, Elton John fans were delighted when 5.1 surround sound SACD versions of some of his earliest albums were released. Sadly, the planned continuation of this line was halted, but sound engineer Greg Penny is known to have mixed 5.1 versions of the following albums which remain unreleased at the time of writing:
Caribou
Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player
Rock of the Westies
Blue Moves

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