Remembering When the Results of Elton John’s Bumpy Collaboration With Legendary Producer Thom Bell Belatedly Dropped in 1979

When we think of Elton John collaborators, we naturally think first of Bernie Taupin, his longtime lyricist. John occasionally tried working with others who helped determine the direction of his music, although none stuck around too long.

In 1977, John connected with legendary Philly soul producer Thom Bell. A hit single emerged from that pairing two years later, along with, for a variety of reasons, very little else.

Elton Rings Bell

Following the making of the 1976 double album Blue Moves, Elton John decided that he needed to take a break from his songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin. Taupin felt the same way. That left John open to trying new things.

John’s first major undertaking following this split came when he jumped at the opportunity to record with Thom Bell. Nobody was more responsible for the sound of “Philly Soul” than Bell, whose smooth songwriting and distinctive production work, full of slinky strings and elegant rhythms, highlighted hits by The Stylistics, The Spinners, and many others.

The style was one which John, like so many other music fans, dearly loved. His 1975 single “Philadelphia Freedom” was a clear homage to it. Although Bell was known for working out of Philly, he connected with John in Seattle, where the producer had recently moved his base of operations. The sessions took place in October 1977.

It sounded like a can’t-miss match. And the music that emanated from their sessions certainly showed a ton of potential. But there wasn’t a lot of it, and it took a few years before anyone outside those involved was able to hear it.

Unheard Sessions

Why did The Thom Bell Sessions, as they were eventually dubbed, arrive in June 1979, more than a year and a half after they were recorded? Perhaps record company dealings had something to do with that. In the interim between when the Bell songs were recorded and released, John’s Rocket Records switched distributors.

More likely, however, it came down to the fact that the two men didn’t get along very well in the studio. John essentially ceded much of the control of the recordings to Bell. He didn’t play any instruments, simply acting as the singer. And he didn’t write any of the three songs that were released on the Thom Bell Sessions EP in 1979.

John later explained that Bell suggested he use a lower register in his singing voice at times in these songs. That contrasted John’s usual style, which featured him starting high and going even higher. Friction ensued, possibly dimming both men’s interest in the finished product and leading to the delay.

“Mama” and More

Despite all that, what came out of those sessions was quite fine. “Mama Can’t Buy You Love”, written by LeRoy Bell (Thom Bell’s nephew) and Casey James, effortlessly trod the line between soul and disco. The song, which featured The Spinners on backing vocals, hit the Top 10 in 1979.

Another Thom Bell Sessions track, “Are You Ready For Love” turned into a belated UK No. 1 for John in 2003 when a remixed version was buoyed by its appearance in a soccer commercial. In 1989, three more songs, including two written by John (one with Taupin and one with Gary Osborne), were released on The Complete Thom Bell Sessions.

There’s not a clunker out of the six songs appearing on that re-release. It’s too bad that John and Bell couldn’t stick it out for any longer. One wonders what they might have done over the course of a full album.

(Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)

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