Elton John - Love Songs [Club Edition] (1995/1996)

Whether he's collaborating with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin or other songwriters (such as his Lion King partner, Tim Rice) Elton John has written and performed some of the most cherished love songs in the pop-music canon. This career-spanning retrospective spotlights that particular aspect of his artistry, focusing on classics such as "Your Song," "Believe," "The One," "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." The album takes a rather expansive view of the concept--there are also tracks here such as "Daniel," which is less a love song than a tribute to a wounded war veteran, and a live take of "Candle in the Wind," which, kiddies, was once a song about Marilyn Monroe, not Princess Diana. John's Lion King triumphs--"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life"--are included, as are a pair of new tracks, "You Can Make History (Young Again") and "No Valentines." The album may stray from the topic a bit, but there's little doubt that these songs are among his most essential. --Daniel Durchholz