Elton John is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his fifth studio album Honky Château with a new deluxe edition reissue, out March 24th. It includes a handful of demos — including one for “Mellow,” which you can hear today — as well live recordings from a 1972 concert that included John’s first-ever public performance of “Rocket Man.”
Honky Château 50th Anniversary Edition boasts nine demos total that John recorded during a weeklong session at Paris’ Château d’Hérouville; that band, of course, includes the musician’s frequent collaborator Bernie Taupin. The reissue will come in a variety of formats, including a double CD and double LP formats as well as limited edition gold vinyl.
All physical formats come complete with a 40-page booklet containing rare photos, memorabilia, and an essay featuring interviews from personnel involved in the album’s recording. While you’re at it, you can also grab merch like t-shirts, a mug, and a lithograph poster to further testify your John fanship. Pre-orders for all of those are ongoing.
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Below, watch a brief promo trailer for the reissue, and listen to the first live performance “Rocket Man” and a demo of “Mellow.” Then, keep scrolling to see the full Honky Château 50th Anniversary Edition tracklist.
John is still on his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which was just named the highest-grossing tour of all time — not a surprise considering it’s been going on since 2018. It continues through July and includes a headlining spot at Glastonbury. Remaining tickets are on sale now.
Honky Château 50th Anniversary Edition Artwork:
Honky Château 50th Anniversary Edition Tracklist:
01. Honky Cat
02. Mellow
03. I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself
04. Susie (Dramas)
05. Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be A Long, Long Time)
06. Salvation
07. Slave
08. Amy
09. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
10. Hercules
11. Salvation (Session Demo)
12. Susie (Dramas) (Session Demo)
13. Rocket Man (It’s Think It’s Going to Be A Long, Long Time) (Session Demo)
14. Mellow (Session Demo)
15. Slave – Alternate ‘Fast’ Version (Session Demo)
16. Honky Cat (Session Demo)
17. I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself (Session Demo)
18. Hercules (Session Demo)
19. Slave (Session Demo)
20. Susie (Dramas) – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
21. Salvation – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
22. Mellow – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
23. Amy – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
24. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
25. Honky Cat – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
26. Rocket Man (It’s Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time) – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972
27. Hercules – Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK / 1972