What are the 5 Biggest U.S. Hits by Elton John During His Late ’70s “Slump” Era?

Everything is relative, right? Compared to what he did in the first half of the decade, the years 1976 to 1979 were something of a struggle for Elton John. But most other artists would have been more than pleased with the success John managed in that stretch of time.

John might not look back at that era of his career with particular fondness. But it looks pretty good from our end when you consider these five hits.

5. “Part-Time Love” (No. 22 in 1978)

When you read lists ranking Elton John albums, chances are A Single Man, released in 1978, is somewhere near the bottom. John was undergoing major alterations to his approach, with a different producer, mostly different band, and most tellingly, a different co-writer. This was during the time he fell out with Bernie Taupin, which is why Gary Osborne took over as lyricist. The music and the lyrics of “Part-Time Love” don’t do anything particularly special. It’s telling that two longtime collaborators, Davey Johnstone and Paul Buckmaster, make the most impactful contributions, as lead guitarist and string arranger, respectively.

4. “Grow Some Funk of Your Own” (No. 14 in 1976)

A couple asterisks go with this song being on this list. The album that included it (Rock of the Westies) actually was released in 1975, but “Grow Some Funk of Your Own” wasn’t released as a single till ’76. And it actually shared its A-side status on the single with “I Feel Like a Bullet (in the Gun of Robert Ford),” but “Grow Some Funk of Your Own” received the airplay to get it to that spot on the charts. It’s a pretty good rocker, if a bit reminiscent of “The Bitch is Back” in terms of the musical approach. Guitarist Davey Johnstone shared writing credits with John and Taupin.

3. “Mama Can’t Buy You Love” (No. 9 in 1979)

This song is a product of one of the most intriguing escapades of John’s career. Elton fell hard (as did most of the country) for the Philly soul sound so prevalent in the ’70s. Why not work then with the legendary Thom Bell, the man who was, as much as anybody, the architect of that sound? Years after the fact, both men spoke positively about the experience. But, at the time, John and Bell allegedly clashed, which is why The Complete Thom Bell Sessions was just an EP and not a full-length album. But at least it produced this silky smooth hit before it fell apart.

2. “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” (No. 6 in 1976)

Some people hear in John’s 1976 double-album Blue Moves a dark masterpiece, while others hear an avalanche of downcast music that could use some cheering up. (Hey, at least the album title clued everybody in to the intent.) “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” set the melancholy tone for it as the lead single. It’s one of John’s few big hits where he had a somewhat active hand in writing the lyrics, as he got the ball rolling and then let Bernie Taupin fill in the gaps. The beautiful melody does most of the heavy lifting, and the pretty instrumental break added to the effect.

1. “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (No. 1 in 1977)

It’s funny to look back to the early reviews for this song and see how disappointed some critics were with this song. Yet here we are, all these years later, and it stands as one of the most beloved duets of the era. A big part of that is the chemistry between John and Kiki Dee, who were (and still remain) close friends in real life. The arrangement borrows bits from Motown, Philly soul, and disco, and there’s a subtle inventiveness to the way the pair trade off vocals. It would be another eight years before John would again top the charts (also as part of a collaborative effort on “That’s What Friends Are For”).

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