Released 2001|© ROCKET RECORDS | © MERCURY RECORDS

Elton John
Songs from the West Coast

ASSISTING RECORDING ENGINEER BY LEOPOLDO LOPES

“Songs from the West Coast” is the twenty-sixth studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John.
For this album, John once again collaborated with long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin, marking the first time the pair had written together in person.
Patrick Leonard produced the album and played keyboards on several songs, as was the case for The Road to El Dorado soundtrack, released the year before.
Drummer Nigel Olsson returned to the Elton John Band full-time and Tata Vega made an early appearance as a backup vocalist, joining the band later.
Stevie Wonder, who previously worked with John on the songs "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" and "That's What Friends Are For", played harmonica and clavinet on "Dark Diamond".
Guy Babylon, Bob Birch, and John Mahon, three of John's band members at the time, do not appear on this album.

"I Want Love" was the first single to be released from the album, later going on to be nominated for a Grammy Award. It reached No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart, No. 110 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under chart, and No. 6 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached No. 9 in Canada.
"This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" and "Original Sin" also became hit singles. None of the songs from this album hit the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, which froze John's record of 31 years with at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100 (30 with at least one in the top 40).