Studio Album · No. 3
Tumbleweed Connection Songwriting Credits by Elton John
Produced by Gus Dudgeon · Engineered by Robin Geoffrey Cable
Holds writing credit on 9 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Elton John carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Tumbleweed Connection is an Americana concept album, with Elton John composing the music and Bernie Taupin writing the lyrics on every track except Love Song, written by Lesley Duncan. Its Old West themes came entirely from Taupin's imagination, as neither he nor John had visited America when it was made.
Tumbleweed Connection is the third studio album by Elton John, released in October 1970 on DJM Records and produced by Gus Dudgeon. The album is a Americana-influenced concept record set in the mythologized American West, written by Bernie Taupin from his childhood fascination with cowboy lore without either man having yet visited the United States. Rich with imagery of railroads, outlaws, and the Civil War, the album showcased a deeper folk and country influence than Elton John's previous work while maintaining the orchestral grandeur Gus Dudgeon and Paul Buckmaster brought to the sessions. Though released without a single, the album reached number five on the Billboard 200 on the strength of Elton's growing reputation and the quality of songs like 'Country Comfort' and 'Amoreena.' Tumbleweed Connection remains one of the most beloved albums in Elton John's catalog, a timeless evocation of an imagined American landscape.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ballad of a Well-Known Gun
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 2 |
Come Down in Time
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 3 |
Country Comfort
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 4 |
Son of Your Father
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 5 |
My Father's Gun
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 6 |
Where to Now St. Peter?
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 7 |
Love Song
|
Lesley Duncan | Lesley Duncan | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 8 |
Amoreena
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 9 |
Talking Old Soldiers
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |
| 10 |
Burn Down the Mission
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Gus Dudgeon | Elton John (Lead Vocals, Piano) |