Elton John (1974) - Bennie and the Jets (Live)

Bennie and the Jets - Elton John - Live in London 1974 December 24, 1974: Elton John played Hammersmith Odeon in London. A Christmas show from the Hammersmith Odeon was broadcast live on the Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC and also simulcast on radio. Decidedly more pop than either of the aforementioned artists’ rock, “Bennie and the Jets“ is arranged around Elton John’s percussive piano downbeats, syncopated with bass and drums on the chorus. On the verses and pre-chorus, the pianist approximates a honky tonk soul style reminiscent of Leon Russell’s. John even offers a relatively rare solo, an inspired bit of ivory tickling. The only other instrumentation is acoustic guitar accents and some lighthearted synthesizer riffing -- novel and modern-sounding for the era -- during the vamp fade-out, while John sings the part in a falsetto.