Elton John announces extensive 50th anniversary boxset 'Jewel Box'

Elton John has announced a special 50th-anniversary boxset containing over 60 previously unreleased tracks. Check out the artwork and tracklist below.

Set for release on November 13 via UMC/EMI, ‘Jewel Box’ will be split into four parts – ‘Deep Cuts’, ‘Rarities’, ‘B-sides’, ‘And This Is Me’ – and will be available across a range of formats, with 81 songs coming to digital platforms for the first time.

John has provided a track-by-track commentary for the ‘Deep Cuts’ discs, which he personally curated. Elsewhere in the collection is a hardback book featuring new interviews and archival graphics.

Today (September 17), John has shared a previously unreleased 1969 rarity, ‘Sing Me No Sad Songs’ – you can listen to it below.

“To delve back through every period of my career in such detail for ‘Jewel Box’ has been an absolute pleasure,” John explained. “Hearing these long lost tracks again, I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific Bernie [Taupin] and I were during the early days.

“The songs just poured out of us and the band were just unbelievable in the studio. I always want to push forward with everything I do and look to the future, but having time during lockdown to take stock and pull these moments from my memory from each era has been a joy.”

He continued: “As a devout record collector myself, this project has really excited me and I couldn’t be happier with the level of craft involved in such a carefully curated, lovingly constructed boxset. I’m sure my fans will enjoy it as much as I have.”

You can pre-order/pre-save Elton John’s ‘Jewel Box’ here.

The tracklist is as follows:

CD1 DEEP CUTS

1 Monkey Suit Elton John and Leon Russell

2 Where To Now St Peter?

3 Mellow

4 The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34)

5 Chameleon

6 Gone To Shiloh Elton John and Leon Russell

7 We All Fall In Love Sometimes

8 Too Low For Zero

9 The Power with Little Richard

10 All That I’m Allowed

11 The Bridge

12 The New Fever Waltz

13 Stone’s Throw From Hurtin’

14 The North

15 Hoop Of Fire

16 Boogie Pilgrim

CD2 DEEP CUTS

1 Ticking

2 Crystal

3 All Quiet On The Western Front

4 Tell Me When The Whistle Blows

5 Freaks In Love

6 Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody) Elton John and Leon Russell

7 The Emperor’s New Clothes

8 House

9 (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket

10 Understanding Women

11 Shoot Down The Moon

12 Have Mercy On The Criminal

13 Blues For Baby And Me

14 My Quicksand

15 Street Kids

CD3: RARITIES – PART ONE 1965 – 1968

1 Come Back Baby Bluesology

2 Mr. Frantic Bluesology

3 Scarecrow Piano/Tambourine Demo

4 A Dandelion Dies In The Wind Piano Demo

5 Velvet Fountain Piano Demo

6 A Little Love Goes A Long Way Piano Demo

7 If You Could See Me Now Piano Demo

8 Mr. Lightning Strikerman Piano Demo

9 Countryside Love Affair Piano Demo

10 I Could Never Fall In Love With Anybody Else Piano Demo

11 I Get A Little Bit Lonely Piano Demo

12 The Witch’s House Piano Demo

13 Get Out Of This Town Piano/Tambourine Demo

14 Year Of The Teddy Bear Piano Demo

15 Where It’s At Piano/Percussion Demo

16 Who’s Gonna Love You Piano/Percussion Demo

17 Nina Band Version

18 Angel Tree Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo

19 Here’s To The Next Time Piano/Tambourine Demo

20 Thank You For All Your Loving Band Version

21 Watching The Planes Go By Band Version

22 When The First Tear Shows Arranged Band Version

23 Tartan Coloured Lady Arranged Band Version

CD4. RARITIES PART TWO 1968

1 Hourglass Band Version

2 71-75 New Oxford Street Band Demo

3 Turn To Me Arranged Band Version

4 Reminds Me Of You Piano Demo

5 I Can’t Go On Living Without You Arranged Band Version

6 And The Clock Goes Round Piano Demo

7 When I Was Tealby Abbey Piano Demo

8 I’ll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me Piano Demo

9 Trying To Hold On To A Love That’s Dying Piano Demo

10 Sitting Doing Nothing Band Version

11 Regimental Sgt. Zippo Band Version

12 Cry Willow Cry Band Demo

13 There Is Still A Little Love Band Demo

14 If I Asked You Band Demo

15 Skyline Pigeon Piano Demo

16 Two Of A Kind Arranged Band Version

17 The Girl On Angel Pavement Arranged Band Version

18 Smokestack Children Arranged Band Version

19 Baby I Miss You Band Demo

20 All Across The Havens Piano/Guitar Demo

21 Bonnie’s Gone Away Piano/Guitar Demo

22 Just An Ordinary Man Piano Demo

23 There’s Still Time For Me Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo

CD5: RARITIES PART THREE 1968 – 1971

1 The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca Piano Demo

2 Dick Barton Theme (Devil’s Gallop) Bread And Beer Band

3 Breakdown Blues Bread And Beer Band

4 Taking The Sun From My Eyes Arranged Band Version)

5 It’s Me That You Need Band Demo

6 Sing Me No Sad Songs Band Demo

7 The Flowers Will Never Die Piano Demo

8 In The Morning Band Demo

9 Open Your Eyes To The Sun Piano/Tambourine Demo

10 One Time, Sometime or Never Band Demo

11 Slow Fade To Blue Piano/Guitar Demo

12 Rolling Western Union Piano Demo

13 My Father’s Gun Piano Demo

14 Amoreena Piano Demo

15 Burn Down The Mission Piano Demo

16 Razor Face Piano Demo

17 Madman Across The Water Piano Demo

18 Holiday Inn Piano Demo

19 All The Nasties Piano Demo

CD6: B SIDES PART ONE 1976-1984

1 Snow Queen Elton John and Kiki Dee

2 Conquer The Sun

3 Cartier

4 White Man Danger

5 Tactics

6 Steal Away Child

7 Love So Cold

8 Les Aveux Elton John and France Gall

9 Donner Pour Donner Elton John and France Gall

10 J’veux D’la Tendresse

11 Fools In Fashion

12 Can’t Get Over Getting Over Losing You

13 Tortured

14 Hey Papa Legba

15 Take Me Down To The Ocean

16 Where Have All The Good Times Gone? Alternate Mix

17 The Retreat

18 Choc Ice Goes Mental

19 A Simple Man

CD7: B-SIDES PART TWO 1984-2005

1 Lonely Boy

2 Highlander

3 Billy And The Kids

4 Lord Of The Flies

5 Rope Around A Fool

6 Medicine Man

7 I Know Why I’m In Love

8 Big Man In A Little Suit

9 God Never Came Here

10 The North Star

11 Did Anybody Sleep With Joan Of Arc

12 So Sad The Renegade

13 A Little Peace

14 Keep It A Mystery

15 How’s Tomorrow

16 Peter’s Song

17 Things Only Get Better With Love

CD8: AND THIS IS ME . . .

1 Empty Sky

2 Lady Samantha

3 Border Song

4 My Father’s Gun

5 All The Nasties

6 I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself

7 Philadelphia Freedom

8 Song For Guy

9 Sartorial Eloquence

10 Elton’s Song

11 Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year)

12 I Fall Apart

13 Amazes Me

14 The Last Song

15 American Triangle

16 (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again Elton John and Taron Egerton