Members of the Penn State Glee Club perform during Homecoming Concert marked the reopening of Schwab
their concert Saturday night in Schwab Auditorium. The
Elton 'A Single Man' without Taupin
By MARK LEIDEN
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
After a long layoff, Elton John is back
in the record-making business, but with
a lot of changes.
Perhaps the biggest change is that
C• stain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt
Corwboy are no longer riding the ranges
together. * That's right. Elton John and
Bernie Taupin, one of the top
songwriting teams of the '7os, have gone
their separate ways. The absence of
Taupin could possibly have given John
thetitle for his new album, "A Single
m
John is still composing the music, but
thelyrics are now being written by Gary
Osborne: The change to Osborne has
brought out some more snappier tunes
than the depressing ones that appeared
ahn's 1976 album "Blue Moves."
Olly two members from the old
"Elton John Band" are playing on this
albuni. Davey Johnstone, a mainstay
tleetiwase
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with John, is still on lead guitar. Ray
Cooper, conga and tambourine player, is
the only other holdover from previous
albums.
As the first song of the album plays,
the initial reaction may be, "Oh well, the
same old Elton John." But the second
song quickly changes that reaction. The
song, "Return to Paradise," is possibly
the best one on the album. With a soft
Jamaican melody and good harmonizing
background vocals, this is very ear
pleasing.
The most unusual cut on the album is
"Big Dipper." To a ragtime beat, Elton
John wails away with some very in
sinuating lyrics. The most unusual thing
about this song, though, is the
background vocals.
The backing voices are not the run-of
the-mill choruses. The male voices are
those of the Watford football team while
the female voices come from The South
Audley Street Girl's Choir. This is
FREE
definitely a must song to hear.
Side one ends with a down-beat song
called "It Ain't Gonna Be Easy." The
best thing about this one is the orchestral
arrangement done by Paul Buckmaster.
The singing, however, is typical Elton
John melodrama.
The second side opens with "Part-
Time Love." The song has a nice, quick
rhythm and very good vocals which at
times do not sound at all like Elton John.
Another new type for Elton John
appears on the second side. The song
"Georgia" is a spiritual with the
backgrounds once again by the Watford
football team and The South Audley
Street Girls Choir.
Elton John closes his album with an
instrumental tribute to the group's 17-
year-old messenger boy who was killed
on his motorcycle.
Although the album is not as good as
some he has turned out, it is better than
his last effort. ,
Glee Club sings to keep tradition
By KATHY KIIIIBER
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the Penn State Glee Club
re-opened Schwab Saturday evening with a concert with a
traditional, yet broad and exciting program.
Schwab had been closed for the past several months for
renovations in its heating and ventilating systems.
In addition, changes were made to make the building more
accessible to handicapped persons.
In making the dedicating, Walter H. Walters, dean of the
College of Arts and Architecture and director of arts services,
said changes in the auditorium include 676 new seats on the
main floor, all refurbished seats in the gallery, a new stage
curtain, a new projection booth and a new ticket booth.
The concert, under the direction of Bruce Trinkley, featured
several guest artists, some of whim are Glee Club alumni.
Two_ alumni, pianist Philip Dettra and baritone Douglas
Sinitl — alcompaniect the club in Mozart's "Eine Kleine
Freimaurerkantate." Dettra,-assistant professor of music at
the University, did a very commendable job on the piano.
Smith, class of 1974 and former Glee Club president and - -
assistant director of the club, was a soloist along - y? - ith tenor
David Hudson, assistant director. Their duet was very
professionally done, with a smooth, flowing harmony: -
Another Glee Club alumnus, former piano_ accompanist
Dean Hess, class of 1975, joined the Glee, Club on J.S. Bach's
On Elton John's new album, "A Single Man" he is with
out the songwriting help of Bernie Taupin. It is Elton
The Daily Collegian Monday, Oct. 23.1978-
"Good Fellows Be Merry" from "The Pleasant Cantata."
My favorite pieces were those sung by the Hi-Los, 14 singers
from the Glee Club. Their repertoire was chosen from the 1934
era and was dedicated to Frank Gullo, ex-director of the Glee
Club. The Hi-Los have an incredible way of harmonizing,
which could make even the worst piece of music sound
beautiful. My favorite song was "Little Eyes I Loves You," a
folk song in which the club adds a little melodramatic acting.
Hudson had solos in two spiritual numbers, "Lord I Want
More Religion" and "Walk Him Up The Stairs." Hudson's
strong tenor solos seemed to lead the club through both pieces.
In addition, Hudson has a way of taking command on stage
with his obvious self-confidence and lithe movements ac
companying the.music.
The program concluded with a group of popular songs and
traditional University favorites. The alumni present were
invited to join the Glee Club on stage. Their radiance and
emotion came through, in each of the songs, but most
memorable were'Down in the Valley" and the Penn State
Ali& Mater.
The men didn't seem to forget anything in the years they had
been out of the club. Their strong voices projected the beauty
and emotion felt by many of the returning alumni. In fact, with
the ending of the Alma Mater, the woman sitting next to me
wiped a small tear away from her cheek.
John's first release in several years