He Who Rides the Tiger

He Who Rides the Tiger is the 1980 second solo album by longtime Elton John lyricist, Bernie Taupin. It is his follow-up effort following his 1971 spoken word album Taupin. Taupin co-wrote all the songs in the album with the Buckinghams former guitarist Dennis Tufano and sang lead vocals in all of them. Although the album was recorded during a time when John and Taupin had interrupted their collaboration, John lent backing vocals on "Love (The Barren Desert)". The album was re-released on CD by American Beat Records on March 10, 2009.

He Who Rides the Tiger
Studio album by
Released1980
Recorded1979–1980
GenreRock, pop
Length43:58
LabelElektra
ProducerHumberto Gatica
Bernie Taupin chronology
Taupin
(1971)
He Who Rides the Tiger
(1980)
Tribe
(1987)

Critical reception

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In a review of May 3, 1980, Billboard said that the album's "biggest strength lies in his lyrics" and that "Taupin isn't a bad vocalist," but his vocals "become a bit too stagnant."[1]

Track listing

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All songs written by Bernie Taupin (words) and Dennis Tufano (music).[2]

  1. "Monkey on My Back (The Last Run)" (4:04)
  2. "Born on the Fourth of July" (4:47)
  3. "Venezuela" (4:11)
  4. "Approaching Armageddon" (5:36)
  5. "Lover's Cross" (4:40)
  6. "Blitz Babies" (4:31)
  7. "Valley Nights" (4:23)
  8. "Love (The Barren Desert)" (5:32)
  9. "The Whores of Paris" (6:22)

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ "Review: Bernie Taupin — He Who Rides the Tiger" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 18. 3 May 1980. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 25 May 2021 – via American Radio History.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Records, Pop/Rock". Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana). February 8, 1994. Retrieved 2021-03-25 – via Newspapers.com.