See Elton John Play ‘The Bitch Is Back’ — as a Hornet — for the First Time in 1974
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In rare footage of Elton John from half a century ago, the Hornet is back — and he looks like quite a festive hornet at that. The artist recently rediscovered the film of the piano-buzzing debut performance of “The Bitch Is Back” from the Watford FC Benefit Concert on May 5, 1974. John was the director of the club, whose mascot is Harry the Hornet, at the time and decided to raise money for the footballers by playing a special gig for more than 40,000 people who each paid £1 (or about U.S. $2.34 at the time) to watch it.
The concert took place a couple of months before the release of his Caribou album, whose lead track is “The Bitch Is Back,” and the performance is fittingly venomous as John keeps a stiff upper lip beneath his ocelli-shaped sunnies as he pounded a feather-adorned grand with fervor. He’s releasing the footage now ahead of a Record Store Day edition of Caribou, which he’s now bumped up to a double LP on heavyweight sky blue vinyl. It will be available at indie retailers on Saturday. For participating stores, visit Record Store Day’s website.
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In addition to the original track list, the reissue contains rarities like a previously unreleased tune, “Ducktail Jiver,” which he’d recorded in January 1974 but left off Caribou. It also contains his version of the Who’s “Pinball Wizard,” an extended “Stinker,” and a new radio mix of “The Bitch Is Back.”
In a 1974 Rolling Stone profile of John, the artist said that despite the massive success of 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and “The Bitch Is Back,” he was still just a regular guy (who occasionally dresses like a hornet). “I still basically get my kicks from the same things, from listening to records and making records,” he said. “I’m still a fan. Twice in the last week I’ve been at Tower Records at 8 in the morning; they opened it for me so I could have a look in peace and look thoroughly through the racks. … I’ve got a great library, and I just like looking around to add things to it.”
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