Blue Moves est le onzième album studio d'Elton John, sorti en 1976.
C'est l'un des albums préférés du chanteur, qui pensa arrêter sa carrière avec celui-ci : après un rythme effréné d'enregistrements (12 albums en 5 ans) et de tournées mondiales, Elton John annonça qu'il s'agissait de son dernier album. Il retourna finalement en studio deux ans plus tard. Sans aucun doute l'un de ses chefs-d'œuvre, c'est aussi l'un des albums préférés des fans, et le second double album après Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Très riche, Blue Moves bénéficie d'orchestrations comme on n'en avait plus entendu depuis Madman Across the Water, mais également de sons électroniques introduits par le claviériste James Newton Howard. On y trouve trois titres instrumentaux, quatre de plus de six minutes, et des styles allant du rock progressif au jazz, en passant par le gospel. C'est également l'un des albums les plus sombres d'Elton John, et qui, malgré son succès jamais démenti, ne contient qu'un seul tube planétaire : Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. Enfin, la chanson Cage The Songbird est un hommage à Édith Piaf.
- Elton John – piano (1-5, 7-10, 13-16, 18), vocals (2-9, 12-16, 18), vocalese (11), harmonium (14), harpsichord (17)
- Curt Becher – backing vocals (4, 10, 11, 13), BGV arrangement (11, 13)
- Harry Bluestone – strings leader (18)
- Michael Brecker – saxophone (5, 8, 16)
- Randy Brecker – trumpet (5, 8, 16)
- Paul Buckmaster – string arrangements and conductor (3, 7, 15), brass arrangements (7)
- Cindy Bullens – backing vocals (4, 7, 11)
- Clark Burroughs – backing vocals (13)
- Joe Chemay – backing vocals (11, 13)
- Rev. James Cleveland – choir director (5, 14, 18)
- Ray Cooper – glockenspiel (1, 17), marimba (1, 17), gong (3), tambourine (3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 15), vibraphone (3, 4, 9, 10), bells (3), shaker (4, 6, 11), triangle (6), finger cymbals (6), congas (7, 10, 11, 15, 18), rototom (12)
- The Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church and the Southern California Community Choir – choirs (5, 14, 18)
- David Crosby – backing vocals (6, 12)
- Daryl Dragon – BGV arrangement (7)
- The Martyn Ford Orchestra – strings (3, 7, 15), brass (7)
- Carl Fortina – accordion (8)
- Ron Hicklin – backing vocals (4, 7)
- Michael Hurwitz – cello (3)
- Bruce Johnston – backing vocals (4, 7, 10, 11, 13), BGV arrangement (4, 11, 13)
- Davey Johnstone – mandolin (2, 11, 17), electric guitar (3, 7, 10, 15), slide guitar (5, 18), acoustic guitar (6), dulcimer (6), sitar (12), slide guitar (18)
- Jon Joyce – backing vocals (4, 7, 11)
- The London Symphony Orchestra – strings (2, 9)
- Gene Morford – backing vocals (4, 7)
- Graham Nash – backing vocals (6, 12)
- James Newton Howard – synthesizer (1, 3, 6, 10, 12, 13, 17, 18), piano, Fender Rhodes (3, 9, 13, 17), Hammond organ (5, 11, 15), mellotron (6), clavinet (7)
- The Gene Page Strings – strings (18)
- Kenny Passarelli – bass guitar (1, 3, 4, 5, 7-11, 14-18)
- Roger Pope – drums (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15-18)
- Caleb Quaye – acoustic guitar (1, 4, 6, 12, 17), electric guitar (3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 15, 18), guitar solo (3, 10, 15), twelve-string guitar (12)
- Barry Rogers – trombone (5, 8, 16)
- David Sanborn – saxophone (5, 8, 16)
- Richard Studt – strings leader (3, 7, 12, 15), brass leader (7)
- Toni Tennille – backing vocals (4, 7, 10, 13)
- Producer, Liner Notes – Gus Dudgeon
- Engineers – Arun Chakraverty, Gus Dudgeon, Mark Howlett, John Kurlander, Earle Mankey and John Stewart.
- Mixing – Phil Dunne
- Remixing – Gus Dudgeon and Phil Dunne
- Cutting Engineer – Arun Chakraverty
- Art Direction and Coordination – David Costa
- Photography – David Nutter
- Painting – Patrick Procktor
- Management – John Reid
Toutes les chansons sont composées par Elton John et écrites par Bernie Taupin, sauf mention contraire.
- Your Starter for... (Caleb Quaye) – 1:23
- Tonight – 7:52
- One Horse Town (John, James Newton Howard, Taupin) – 5:56
- Chameleon – 5:27
- Boogie Pilgrim (John, Davey Johnstone, Quaye, Taupin) – 6:05
- Cage the Songbird (John, Johnstone, Taupin) – 3:25
- Crazy Water – 5:42
- Shoulder Holster – 5:10
- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word – 3:48
- Out of the Blue – 6:14
- Between Seventeen and Twenty – 5:17
- The Wide-Eyed and Laughing (John, Johnstone, Newton-Howard, Quaye, Taupin) – 3:27
- Someone's Final Song – 4:10
- Where's the Shoorah? – 4:09
- If There's a God in Heaven (What's He Waiting For?) (John, Johnstone, Taupin) – 4:25
- Idol – 4:08
- Theme from a Non-Existent TV Series – 1:19
- Bite Your Lip (Get up and Dance!) – 6:43
- Titre : Blue Moves
- Album de Elton John
- Sortie : 22 octobre 1976
- Enregistré : mars 1976
- Durée : 84:47
- Genre : Rock
- Producteur : Gus Dudgeon
- Label : MCA, Rocket Records