Studio Album · No. 1
Empty Sky Songwriting Credits by Elton John
Produced by Steve Brown · Engineered by Frank Owen
Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Elton John carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Empty Sky is Elton John's debut album, and it already shows the John and Taupin formula, with John writing the music and Bernie Taupin all the lyrics. It is a rawer, more exploratory record than his later work, produced on a small budget by Steve Brown.
Empty Sky is the debut studio album by Elton John, released in June 1969 on DJM Records and produced by Steve Brown. Recorded with minimal budget and released to little commercial fanfare, the album introduced the partnership between Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, who wrote all the words while Elton composed the music in an arrangement that would continue for more than five decades. The album's baroque folk sound, influenced by The Beatles and late-1960s psychedelia, was more experimental than the polished rock that would make Elton famous. Empty Sky was not released in the United States until 1975, by which time Elton John had already become one of the world's biggest stars. It is primarily of historical interest as the unpolished beginning of one of pop music's most enduring and successful creative partnerships.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Empty Sky
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 2 |
Val-Hala
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 3 |
Western Ford Gateway
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 4 |
Hymn 2000
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 5 |
Lady What's Tomorrow
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 6 |
Sails
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 7 |
The Scaffold
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 8 |
Skyline Pigeon
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 9 |
Gulliver / Hay Chewed / Reprise
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Steve Brown | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |