Too Low for Zero

Too Low for Zero (stylised as 2 ▼ 4 0) is the seventeenth studio album by English musician Elton John. Released in 1983, the album marked a comeback for John, whose previous four albums had failed to yield many enduring international hit singles, and had disappointing sales compared to his string of hit records released during the first half of the 1970s.

Too Low for Zero
Studio album by
Elton John
Released30 May 1983
RecordedSeptember 1982 – January 1983
StudioAIR (Montserrat) and Sunset Sound Recorders (Hollywood, CA).
GenreRock, pop rock
Length44:23
LabelGeffen (US)
Rocket (UK)
ProducerChris Thomas
Elton John chronology
Jump Up!
(1982)		 Too Low for Zero
(1983)		 Breaking Hearts
(1984)
Singles from Too Low for Zero
  1. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
    Released: April 1983
  2. "I'm Still Standing"
    Released: 3 July 1983
  3. "Kiss the Bride"
    Released: October 1983
  4. "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)"/"Crystal"
    Released: November 1983
  5. "Too Low for Zero"
    Released: 1984

It is his second best selling album of the 1980s (after Sleeping with the Past), earning Platinum certification by both the RIAA and the BPI. It produced several hit songs, each accompanied by successful MTV music videos, and it spent over a year on the Billboard album chart.

Background

For the first time since Blue Moves in 1976, all lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin. John also reunited with the core of his backing band of the early 1970s: Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone as well as Ray Cooper, Kiki Dee and Skaila Kanga (who played harp on John's self-titled album and Tumbleweed Connection).

Production

The album was produced by Chris Thomas and recorded at AIR Studios in Montserrat (the same studio for Jump Up!) and Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood.

For the first time since A Single Man, John played synthesizers in addition to piano, since James Newton Howard left the band. John felt that synths allowed him to write better fast rock songs, having not been entirely happy with such compositions performed on piano.[1]

The album was written and recorded in approximately two weeks, with overdubs completed in a week.[2]

Releases

The original LP issue of the album featured a die-cut cover with a special inner sleeve. The four shapes shown on the cover were cut out, with the colours (shown as ink smears on the inner sleeve) showing through the holes. The 2010 Japanese SHM CD release of the album is the only CD version to replicate the packaging of the original LP with the die-cut design.

All B-sides released on US singles from this time originate from his 1978 album A Single Man and the 21 at 33 sessions from 1980. They were also previously released on European singles. In the US, Too Low for Zero was certified gold in January 1984 and platinum in October 1995 by the RIAA.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Rolling Stone[4]

Reviewing the album in Rolling Stone, Don Shewey commented, "Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some great hit singles, but since the early Elton John LP, they have never produced an album of consistently first-rate material. And although Too Low for Zero is a big step up from losers like Blue Moves and A Single Man, it doesn't hang together, either." He praised the catchy energy of "I'm Still Standing", "Kiss the Bride", "Crystal", and "Too Low for Zero", and approved of the way those four songs synthesized the styles of popular artists such as The Pointer Sisters and Joe Jackson. However, he felt the rest of the album suffered from poor lyrics, finding the morbidity of "Cold as Christmas" and "One More Arrow" to be especially distasteful.[4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)"4:19
2."I'm Still Standing"3:02
3."Too Low for Zero"5:46
4."Religion"4:05
5."I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (Music: John, Davey Johnstone; lyrics: Taupin)4:41
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Crystal"5:05
2."Kiss the Bride"4:22
3."Whipping Boy"3:43
4."Saint"5:17
5."One More Arrow"3:34
Total length:44:23
  • Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–10 on CD reissues.
Bonus tracks (1998 Mercury reissue)
No.TitleLength
11."Earn While You Learn" (Lord Choc Ice (John))6:46
12."Dreamboat" (Music: John, Tim Renwick; Lyrics: Gary Osborne)7:34
13."The Retreat"4:46
Total length:63:31

Personnel

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

  • Elton John – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic piano (tracks 1–5, 8, 10), Fender Rhodes (Track 1), synthesizers (Tracks 1–7, 9), clavinet (Track 9)
  • Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar (Tracks 1, 4, 5, 6, 9), electric guitar (Tracks 2–10), backing vocals
  • Dee Murray – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Nigel Olsson – drums, tambourine on "Whipping Boy", backing vocals
  • Ray Cooper – percussion on "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)"
  • Skaila Kanga – harp on "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)"
  • Kiki Dee – backing vocals on "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)"
  • Stevie Wonder – harmonica on "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
  • James Newton Howard – string arrangements on "One More Arrow"

On bonus tracks
  • Produced by Elton John and Clive Franks
  • Elton John – acoustic piano on "Earn While You Learn" and "The Retreat", organ on "Earn While You Learn" and "Dreamboat", Fender Rhodes on "Dreamboat", mellotron on "Earn While You Learn", vocals on "Dreamboat and "The Retreat"
  • David Paich – Hammond organ on "The Retreat"
  • James Newton-Howard – synthesizers on "The Retreat"
  • Tim Renwick – guitar on "Earn While You Learn" and "Dreamboat"
  • Steve Lukather – guitar on "The Retreat"
  • Clive Franks – bass guitar on "Earn While You Learn" and "Dreamboat"
  • Reggie McBride – bass guitar on "The Retreat"
  • Steve Holley – drums on "Earn While You Learn" and "Dreamboat"
  • Alvin Taylor – drums on "The Retreat"
  • Ray Cooper – tambourine on "Earn While You Learn" and "Dreamboat", triangle on "Earn While You Learn"
  • Paul Buckmaster – orchestra arrangements on "Dreamboat"

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales
Certifications and sales for Too Low for Zero
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] 5× Platinum 350,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[24] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[25] Gold 250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[26] Gold 50,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] 2× Platinum 30,000^
Spain — 49,000[27]
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[26] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[29] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. The Other Side of the Tracks (documentary)
  2. 1984/01 Interview with Paul Gambaccini, Retrieved 5 July 2017
  3. "Too Low for Zero". Allmusic. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  4. Shewey, Don (9 June 1983). "Too Low for Zero". Rolling Stone. No. 397. p. 57. Archived from the original on 4 November 2007.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6324a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  7. "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Too Low for Zero" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  8. "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Too Low for Zero" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  9. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  10. "Charts.nz – Elton John – Too Low for Zero". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  11. "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – Too Low for Zero". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  12. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  13. "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – Too Low for Zero". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  14. "Elton John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  15. "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  16. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  17. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6625". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  18. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1983. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  19. "Top Selling Albums of 1983 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  20. "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  21. "Top Selling Albums of 1984 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  22. "International – Men At Play" (PDF). Cashbox. worldradiohistory.com. 5 May 1984. p. 27. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  23. "Canadian album certifications – Elton John – Too Low for Zero". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  24. "French album certifications – Elton John – Too Low for Zero" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 20 April 2021. Select ELTON JOHN and click OK. 
  25. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Elton John; 'Too Low For Zero')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  26. "Europe's Biggest TV Rock Gathering – Impressive Line Up – Various" (PDF). Music and Media. worldradiohistory.com. 7 May 1984. p. 3. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  27. White, Chris (22 December 1990). "Elton John – Record Man Across The Waters – Spain" (PDF). Music and Media. worldradiohistory.com. p. 17. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  28. "British album certifications – Elton John – Too Low For Zero". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  29. "American album certifications – Elton John – Too Low for Zero". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 April 2021.

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