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Elton John — I Need You To Turn To
Album: Elton John
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1313









Released: 1970
Length: 2:25
Plays (last 30 days): 1
You're not a ship to carry my life
You are nailed to my love in many lonely nights.
I've strayed from the cottages and found myself here
For I need your love. Your love protects my fears.

And I wonder sometimes, and I know I'm unkind,
But I need you to turn to when I act so blind.
Oh I need you to turn to when I lose control
You're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold.

Did you paint your smile on when I said I knew
That my reason for living was for loving you
We're related in feeling, but you're high above
You're pure and you're gentle, with the grace of a dove.

And I wonder sometimes, and I know I'm unkind,
But I need you to turn to when I act so blind.
Oh I need you to turn to when I lose control
You're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold.
Comments (64)add comment
 Art_Carnage wrote:
This was a hit? On what planet?
... and then On_The_Beach wrote:
A "hit"? Who cares if it was a "hit"?

Wait a sec.  Who ever said it was hit in the first place? I listened to a ton of FM radio in the 70's and don't recall this song *ever* being played, never mind on AM radio.
Seems like RP has no concern for whether a song was a hit or not. Did Nick Drake have any "hits" in his time?
This track is only OK on it's own, but it sure fit nicely in one of the greatest hit albums of all time.
lord, i haven't heard this in decades. thanks for the tears.
Growing up in the 70 it was all Crocodile Rock and Rocket Man and YellowBrick Road and then the crap that followed.    
Thanks Bill   ALL THIS EARLY ELTON you've been playing the past few years - wow   incredible talent 
How have I never heard this in my 60 years?
Among Bernie's best work. EJ brings it to life.
c.
This is beautiful. 
 siriusrising wrote:

I've always preferred the early works of Elton. The orchestral backing is stunningly beautiful. I was fortunate to see Elton in concert around 1970. 



I saw the Yellow Brick Road tour in 1973 at a college venue that held a couple thousand people. Greg Allman did a walk on.  I was old enough to enjoy it all and too young to appreciate how Elton's music would age so well for me. 
This is the beautiful voice that made me fall in love with Elton John's music.  Thank you for the flashback!
51 years ago. Time flies. Those were the days, 
 69Grace_M wrote:

Look after the king of R n R please 
 

Sorry, I don't think I get yet what you're proposing?
Listen more to Elvis Presley? ;)

EDIT: Okay, a quick look at your favourite comments tells me: You love to remind people of the King of R n R :) 
 trogel wrote:
I loved so many of Eltons songs, even 80s and 90s... but he lost me a bit with his 90s concerts when most of his performances were covered in lots of synth and band stuff.

Then he came to Germany (might have been 2004) - just him and a piano.... oh man, he's still a piano player god!!!
He even played "Ticking", something I never expected to be performed in one of his concerts...  
 
Look after the king of R n R please 
I loved so many of Eltons songs, even 80s and 90s... but he lost me a bit with his 90s concerts when most of his performances were covered in lots of synth and band stuff.

Then he came to Germany (might have been 2004) - just him and a piano.... oh man, he's still a piano player god!!!
He even played "Ticking", something I never expected to be performed in one of his concerts...  
I'm reading his autobiography, 'ME'. Very good - from a huge EJ fan. His descriptions of Long John Baldry, Paul Buckmaster, Gus Dudgeon, et al are pretty dang funny. And from Wiki:

(Bluesology was hired as the) backing band for visiting American performers, including The Isley Brothers, Doris Troy, Billy Stewart and Patti LaBelle.[6]

Nice tierce de Picardie.
I've always preferred the early works of Elton. The orchestral backing is stunningly beautiful. I was fortunate to see Elton in concert around 1970. 
It's amazing to me how I was brought up on Elton's music  but it was not until I watched Rocketman that the vast majority of his songs made sense like a penny dropped!!
Our wedding song, still married 44 years   
 sonicxtc wrote:
Sublime.  Elton's earliest albums demonstrate true originality and rare talent. The Live in Australia version is moving, too. 

Thanks RP for continuing to share some of his early genius. 
 

One of the few 33s I (still) own. +1 to 10 for the simple beauty of this arrangement. LLRP!!
 MiataDJ wrote:
Not to reiterate what's listed below, but the "Live In Australia" version is AMAZING! Give it a spin, Bill! Elton is nothing less than THE MAN. How talented...and how he's stood the test of time.
 
Seconded. This is a 7. The Australia version is easily 8-9.
This man meant so much to me during my adolescence.  I still remember being 14 and listening to this album with my Koss headphones.  
Sublime.  Elton's earliest albums demonstrate true originality and rare talent. The Live in Australia version is moving, too. 

Thanks RP for continuing to share some of his early genius. 
 Art_Carnage wrote:
This was a hit? On what planet?
 

A "hit"? Who cares if it was a "hit"?
The genius of Paul Buckmaster's string arrangement is eternal.  RIP Paul
At the time, Elton John was known by the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight, or more simply "Reggie". He took the name Elton John in homage to Bluesology's saxophonist Elton Dean and vocalist Long John Baldry in 1972, 2 years before this song was released. Lyrics were provided by his collaborator Bernie Taupin, who he met 3 years prior. As a fun fact, the album was not meant to launch Elton but as a collection of demos from other artists who collaborated on the album (on songs written by Elton and Taupin).
 Kaw wrote:
I do not like Elton! I DO NOT LIKE ELTON! AAAAARRGGGGHHH!!!

This song is an 8 {#Frustrated} It's good. My world view is destroyed. 
 
Yellow Brick Road was the turning point—before it, his work was sublime; afterwards, usually dreck. YBR is great, one of the best albums around, but it also marked EJ's shifting style. IMHO.
Oh, listen, an Elton John tune that hasn't been overplayed! Good to hear it.
One of his all time best! Ageless and precious. Elton's music is awesome!
Just saw Elton John last Friday in Las Vegas - and it was incredible. Having been an EJ fan since I was 13, and having seen him several times in the intervening years, I can say it was one of the best shows I've ever seen of him. He has an amazing band - some of whom have been with him most of his career - and he played for almost three hours. He's on his "farewell tour" until the end of next year, so if you get a chance to see him, you will not be disappointed. 
As a huge EJ fan, I had to see 'Rocketman', and fully expected disappointment. I am happy to say the movie blew me away. Young Reg was an emotional train wreck, and his formative moments seem captured with all warts intact. Probably helps having Sir Elton as executive producer.

this tune is lesser-known than the hits, but it's powerful in a quiet way. Bernie and Elton worked magic...
c.
One of the most beautiful EJ/BT songs ever written. Still love it today.
This is awesome, but there is a version out there which never fails to tear my soul apart: it's by a short-lived trio called Maddy Prior and the Girls, which consisted of the aforementioned Steeleye Span frontwoman, her daughter Rose Kemp, and a (local to me) singer/songwriter called Abbie Lathe. It's on their album, 'Bib and Tuck'. Seek it out.
 Art_Carnage wrote:
This was a hit? On what planet?
 

Mars, even though it ain't the kind of place to raise your kids.
 MiataDJ wrote:
Not to reiterate what's listed below, but the "Live In Australia" version is AMAZING! Give it a spin, Bill! Elton is nothing less than THE MAN. How talented...and how he's stood the test of time.
 
Both versions are amazing. This album version is quiet and emotional. The Live In Australia version was powerful with the orchestra. Both fantastic. 
Thanks Elton and Bernie

Amazing arrangement by Paul Buckmaster.

Gus Dudgeon, Elton's long time producer

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5e/34/5d/5e345dfc1cc0dca7d7ffd641134f8066.jpg
 ...me as well  lily33 wrote:
made me cry when i first heard this. its such a beautiful song. this is the time when i liked elton....nowadays...his new stuff seems to lack so much of what he began with. i'm sure i'll be bombarded with those who disagree - and i do understand an artist grows and changes, as all people do. i just prefer this style of his to anything else.
 


I really love his early albums
I had to check this out as i knew it was early Elton from the sound but hadn't heard it which was surprising.
Huge fan of his early stuff - Madman was the first album i ever purchased.
thanks Bill!
I do not like Elton! I DO NOT LIKE ELTON! AAAAARRGGGGHHH!!!

This song is an 8 {#Frustrated} It's good. My world view is destroyed. 
First time I've heard this, so I'm not familiar with the lyrics ... did he say "Grace of a duck" ?
 coyote620 wrote:
Thanks for playing this song.  One of my all time favorites by Elton John.

 
mine too. if not my very favorite. haven't heard it in years.
 Art_Carnage wrote:
This was a hit? On what planet?
 
Since when has RP been governed by 'hit' criteria?
Thanks for playing this song.  One of my all time favorites by Elton John.
Not among my favourite EJ tracks. This sounds like Al Stewart...
see you later bye
Oh, please. Elton John?! This is malicious compliance applied to eclecticism. Oy!
This was a hit? On what planet?
No one reminds me like Elton does that getting old sucks.
an otherwise likable little ditty ruined by the devil's keyboard; the harpsichord
Originally Posted by Kurt_from_La_Qui: bill you need to keep playing more early, unique elton. "mona lisas and mad hatters" off of "honky chateau" would sound great on paradise.
Yes it would, why isn't it on the playlist (Uploading Now...)
to add to my comments waaaayyy back in 2001... bill you need to keep playing more early, unique elton. \"mona lisas and mad hatters\" off of \"honky chateau\" would sound great on paradise.
Not to reiterate what\'s listed below, but the \"Live In Australia\" version is AMAZING! Give it a spin, Bill! Elton is nothing less than THE MAN. How talented...and how he\'s stood the test of time.
What a beautiful little song! And I\'d never heard it before. Thank you!
Wow! One of my favorite EJ songs (I really liked his first couple of albums). Thanks, RP. I haven\'t heard this one in ages!
This is wonderful. It\'s so simple and unadorned...it lets us appreciate his talent so much more than the recent drivel he\'s been turning out.
this song is stunningly beautiful.
This is great! Thank you for playing Elton! He has been, in my opinion, the best voice in music throughout the years.....
Ten, ten, a thousand times ten!
I love this. Reminds me to get more Elton in my CD library.
To me this was Elton\'s finest album ...
Fantastic...
I never knew Elton John could sound this good! Easily one of his best.. far better than most of the stuff he churns out nowdays!