He Who Rides the Tiger is the 1980 second solo album by longtime Elton John lyricist, Bernie Taupin. It is his follow-up effort following his 1971 spoken word album Taupin. Taupin co-wrote all the songs in the album with the Buckinghams former guitarist Dennis Tufano and sang lead vocals in all of them. Although the album was recorded during a time when John and Taupin had interrupted their collaboration, John lent backing vocals on "Love (The Barren Desert)". The album was re-released on CD by American Beat Records on March 10, 2009.
| He Who Rides the Tiger | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1979-1980 | |||
| Genre | Rock, pop | |||
| Length | 43:58 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Humberto Gatica | |||
| Bernie Taupin chronology | ||||
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Critical reception edit
In a review of May 3, 1980, Billboard said that the album's "biggest strength lies in his lyrics" and that "Taupin isn't a bad vocalist," but his vocals "become a bit too stagnant."[1]
Track listing edit
All songs written by Bernie Taupin (words) and Dennis Tufano (music).[2]
- "Monkey on My Back (The Last Run)" (4:04)
- "Born on the Fourth of July" (4:47)
- "Venezuela" (4:11)
- "Approaching Armageddon" (5:36)
- "Lover's Cross" (4:40)
- "Blitz Babies" (4:31)
- "Valley Nights" (4:23)
- "Love (The Barren Desert)" (5:32)
- "The Whores of Paris" (6:22)
Personnel edit
- Bernie Taupin - lead vocals[2]
- Joey Carbone - keyboards[2]
- Kenny Passarelli - bass guitar, vocals
- Dennis Tufano - rhythm guitar, vocals[2]
- Carlos Vega - drums[2]
- Paulinho da Costa - percussion
- Dee Murray - bass guitar[2]
- Richie Zito - electric guitar, acoustic guitar[2]
- Jeff Porcaro - drums[2]
- David Foster - keyboards, synthesizer
- Tom Scott - saxophone, flute, lyricon[2]
- David Hungate - bass guitar
- Steve Lukather - electric guitar[2]
- Ralph Dyke - synthesizer, programming
- Jay Graydon - electric guitar[2]
- Paul Lani - percussion
- Michael Boddicker - keyboards, programming, synthesizer[2]
- Erich Bulling - charango, flute, acoustic guitar, ocarina
- Elton John - backing vocals
- Alan Gorrie - backing vocals
- Hamish Stuart - backing vocals
- Bill Champlin - backing vocals
- Venette Gloud - backing vocals
- Paulette Brown - backing vocals
- Tommy Funderburk - backing vocals
- Tom Kelly - backing vocals
References edit
- ^ "Review: Bernie Taupin — He Who Rides the Tiger" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 18. 3 May 1980. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 25 May 2021 – via American Radio History.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Records, Pop/Rock". Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana). February 8, 1994. Retrieved 2021-03-25 – via Newspapers.com.
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