This is one of my favorite albums.
Reg Strikes Back is the twenty-first studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1988. It was his self-proclaimed comeback album, and his own way of fighting back against bad press. The “Reg” in Reg Strikes Back refers to Elton John’s birth name, Reginald Kenneth Dwight. This is the last album that bassist Dee Murray would appear on. He died in 1992. The tracks “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” and “A Word In Spanish” peaked at #2 and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
Elton John does not play a grand piano on this album, replacing it with a Roland RD-1000 digital piano, a mainstay of the Elton sound until 1994.
Track listing
All songs by John/Taupin, except where noted.
- “Town of Plenty” – 3:40
- “A Word in Spanish” – 4:39
- “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)” – 4:12
- “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” – 4:35
- “Japanese Hands” – 4:40
- “Goodbye Marlon Brando” – 3:30
- “The Camera Never Lies” – 4:46
- “Heavy Traffic” (Elton John, Taupin and Davey Johnstone) – 3:30
- “Poor Cow” – 3:50
- “Since God Invented Girls” – 4:54
Bonus tracks (1998 CD reissue)
- “Rope Around a Fool” - 3:48
- “I Don’t Wanna Go on with You Like That (Shep Pettibone Mix)” - 7:16
- “I Don’t Wanna Go on with You Like That (Just Elton and the Piano Mix)” - 4:37
- “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) (The Renaissance Mix)” - 6:19
B-sides
| Song | Format |
|---|---|
| “Rope Around a Fool” | I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That 12″/CD (UK) / 7″ (US/UK) |
| “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That (Shep Pettibone Mix)” | I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That 12″/CD (US/UK) |
| “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That (The Pub Dub)” | I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That 12″/CD (US) |
| “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That (Just Elton and the Piano Mix)” | I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That 12″/CD (US) |
| “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That (Just for Radio Mix)” | I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That 12″ (US) |
| “Song for You/Blue Eyes/I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues (Live in Australia)” | A Word in Spanish 12″/CD (UK) |
| “Daniel (Live in Australia)” | A Word in Spanish 12″/CD” (UK) |
| “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) (Renaissance Mix)” | Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) 12″ (US) |
| “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) (Da Vinci Version)” | Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) 12″ (US) |
| “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) (Self Portrait Instrumental)” | Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two) 12″ (US) |
Personnel
- Elton John: Keyboards, Vocals
- Ray Cooper: Tambourine, Maracas, Timbales
- Freddie Hubbard: Trumpet, Flugelhorn
- Davey Johnstone: Guitars, Backing Vocals
- Fred Mandel: Synthesizer
- Charlie Morgan: Drums
- Dee Murray: Backing Vocals
- Nigel Olsson: Backing Vocals
- David Paton: Bass
- Pete Townshend: Guitar
Lyrics
Poor Cow lyrics
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
There’s another one due in three month’s time
She’ll have to paint the spare room blue
She’ll work a little overtime
And hope it all works out for Frank and her
If she can keep him home nights
Away from those factory girlsAnd the gas bills come and the money burns
And Frank just keeps complaining
How little they both earn
And mother drops by Mondays
Just to nag about the world
Then she stays to nag at Dallas
`Cause she hates those Texas girls
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Elton John - Poor Cow Lyrics