Unreleased albums, singles, & acetates/work tapes
Hard Time 7" acetate (196?)
A) Hard Time
"I'm Your Shadow" (196?)
Doina Limbășanu released "Sînt Umbra Ta" ("I'm Your Shadow") in 1976, which is either a misprint or a lost DJM-era demo; if it is an Elton composition, an acetate/tape was probably made (as is common for Elton compositions intended for other artists during this period)
Hour Glass 8" acetate (196?)
A) Hour Glass
I've Been Loving You 7" acetate (1967)A) I've Been Loving You (2:51)
Angel Tree 7" acetate (1968)
A) Angel Tree
Can't You See It acetate (1968) Includes: Can't You See It
Friend Of Mine / Here's To You 7" acetate (1968)
A) Friend Of Mine (~3:00)
B) Here's To You (~3:00)
Today's The Day 7" acetate (1968)
A) Today's The Day (2:18)
I Love You And That's All That Matters 7" acetate (1968) A) I Love You And That's All That Matters (3:22)
Chinese Lady, 7" acetate (1968)
A) Chinese Lady – snippet: 2:00
Desdemona / Easy Lovin' 7" acetate (1968)
A) Desdemona – snippet: 1:12
B) Easy Lovin' – snippet: 1:12
Taking The Sun From My Eyes 7" acetate (1968)
A) Taking The Sun From Eyes
Taking The Sun From My Eyes 7" acetate (1969)A) Taking The Sun From My Eyes
Annabella / Don't Move Away 7" acetateA) Annabella (2:45)
B) Don't Move Away – snippet: 0:40
All Across The Havens acetate (1969?)
Includes: All Across The Havens (3:00)
Lady What's Tomorrow acetate (1969?)
Includes: Lady What's Tomorrow – snippet: 1:39
Your Song 7" acetate (1969)
A) Your Song (3:33?) – "Demo Version"
Gulliver 7" acetate (1969)
A) Gulliver (4:42) – likely includes "It's Hay-Chewed" uncredited
Thank You Mama 7" acetate (1969) A) Thank You Mama
Empty Hands reel-to-reel tape (196?)
Empty Hands (3:40)
Elton John Demos reel-to-reel ?worktape (1970)
Amoreena (Piano Demo)
Burn Down The Mission (Piano Demo)
Madman Across The Water (Piano Demo) – probably the 1970 demo
Rolling Western Union (Piano Demo)
My Father's Gun (Piano Demo)
From Denver To L.A. 7" recalled promo (1970)
A) From Denver To L.A. (2:22)
From Denver To L.A. (Stereo) (2:22)
A) From Denver To L.A. (2:22)
From Denver To L.A. (Stereo) (2:22) – misprint, sleeve says this is "Warm Summer Rain" by The Barbara Moore Singers but it is actually the same as side A
Warlock Sampler (late 1970)A) You Get Brighter (3:37)
This Moment (2:43)
I Don't Mind (2:31)
Pied Pauper (2:33)
Stormbringer (4:05)
Way To Blue (3:04)
Go Out And Get It (3:36)
B) Day Is Done (2:36)
Time Has Told Me (3:31)
Saturday Sun (3:57)
Sweet Honesty (3:17)
Untitled 12" acetate (~1970)
A) Take Me To The Pilot – extended
Border Song
B) Rock And Roll Madonna – without audience noise
Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun
Son Of Your Father
Tumbleweed Connection (late 1970)
A) Ballad Of A Well-Known gun
Come Down In Time
Country Comfort
Amoreena
My Father's Gun
B) Where To Now St. Peter?
Love Song
Son Of Your Father
Talking Old Soldiers
Burn Down The Mission
Rocket Man Italian 7" acetate (1972)
A) Rocket Man (4:35)
Your Song Advance Promotion Copy 7" acetate
A) Your Song
B) Bad Side Of The Moon
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me Trident Studios acetate (197?)
A) Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Pinball Wizard US 7" acetate (~1975)
A) Pinball Wizard (5:14)
Black Moves (1976)
Early, single-disc configuration of Blue Moves before MCA asked for it to be released as a double album; does not include: Boogie Pilgrim, Where's The Shoorah?, and Shoulder Holster
Johnny Paycheck: I'm The Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised) (1977)
Seemingly unreleased album featuring Gus Dudgeon as producer and Elton John on organ, piano, and electric piano. Davey Johnstone, Ray Cooper, Dee Murray, and Nigel Olsson also make appearances. The title track appears to have been released on his album Slide Off Of Your Satin Sheets, which is supposedly a different album. Includes: I'm The Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)
Thunder In The Night / Victim Of Love reel-to-reel tape (1979?)
Thunder In The Night (4:41)
Victim Of Love (5:04) – might be different than the album version
The Fox early configuration (1981)
Includes: Heart In The Right Place, Carla / Etude, Fanfare, Choe, The Man Who Never Died, and 5 other tracks not released on the album (among those, Sweetheart On Parade and The Retreat are sometimes rumoured but this is not corroborated)
Reg Strikes Back early configuration (~1987)
Includes: The Ballad Of William Howard
Elton In St. Tropez (summer 1990/fall 1991)
Includes re-recordings of: Rocket Man and I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Plays Siran (1992)
Happy Birthday Bob
Sixty Years On (3:46)
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Sacrifice (4:59)
Philadelphia Freedom (7:16)
The One (5:36)
The Last Song (3:48)
Blue Eyes (3:37)
Song For Guy (4:19)
Your Song (2:53)
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Candle In The Wind
Dark Street Chris's Copy Of New Mixes DAT tape (1993)
Dark Street – different mix than the album version
Don't Go Breaking My Heart CD single (1994?)
Possibly includes: Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Club Remix) (5:47), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Club Remix - Instrumental) (4:15), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Club Remix - Radio Edit) (4:17), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Playback Remix) (4:17), and assumedly Don't Go Breaking My Heart (5:00)
April '97 Demo Mixes DAT tape (1997)
Big Man In A Little Suit
Back From Yesterday
Long Way From Happiness
Elton John At Radio City Music Hall (2004)
An unknown format release announced on Phil Ramone's website, includes Tonight and does not include Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word or Madman Across The Water
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player SACD 5.1 mix (?2004)
Includes the entire album in surround sound and possibly a few non-album tracks
Caribou SACD 5.1 mix (?2004)
Includes the entire album in surround sound and possibly a few non-album tracks
Rock Of The Westies SACD 5.1 mix (?2004)
Includes the entire album in surround sound and possibly a few non-album tracks
Blue Moves SACD 5.1 mix (?2004)
Includes the entire album in surround sound and possibly a few non-album tracks
Billy Elliot Demo Recordings production CD (2007)
Of the sixteen tracks have leaked from these sessions, the first thirteen that leaked are most likely to have been included in the tracklist, but this cannot be confirmed
2007 album (early 2007)
Reports emerged on the early internet that Elton was slated to record a new album in January 2007, which has not materialized
Voyeur (2013)
Early configuration of The Diving Board, assumed to include: Voyeur, The Diving Board, and material from early sessions (such as Oscar Wilde Gets Out)
2025 album
Mentioned in the 2025 Rocket Club Christmas Message, not Who Believes In Angels?
2026 album
Mentioned in the 2025 Rocket Club Christmas Message as recorded in April 2026, produced by Andrew Watt and featuring seven tracks written by Bernie Taupin
Unused lyrics
Silas J. Hughes (1967) – composition found on lyric sheet
Calamity Jane (1972)
Tell Me What The Doctor Said (1972)
Sour Grapes (1972)
I Didn't Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star (Anyway) (1972)
Ballad Of The Rosha Kid (1972)
Dogs In The Kitchen (1975)
You Know Me—Jealousy (1975) – Elton lyric and music
Golden Boy (1975) – instrumental
Passing Phase (1975) – instrumental
Singapore (2002) – technically put to music on TV
Unused album artwork
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (1974)
Jacques Benoit, one of Elton's promotional artists, received word of the concept and title of Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy in October 1974. In response, he painted this scene and proposed it as album artwork.
Considered projects
The Thom Bell Sessions (~1977)
Elton planned to release a proper album with Thom Bell producing, but tensions in the studio led to this idea being shelved. All songs from these sessions have been released, save for their original edits.
Instrumental album (1980)
Elton supposedly considered working on an instrumental album in 1980, but decided not to after considering label backlash. The instrumental Basque from this period could be a remnant of this idea, but this is speculation.
The World Tour pay-per-view concert (1989)
A pay-per-view concert and accompanying radio interviews were planned during the North American leg of The World Tour in 1989, but the concert date slated to be recorded was cancelled because of Elton's poor physical and mental health at the time.
Women On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown (2006)
Elton got in contact with Pedro Almodovar, the director of the original 1988 film Women On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown, and expressed willingness to adapt the film into a musical. He was one of several musicians who offered to score this adaptation. No music was ever written, as the rights were given to David Yazbek the following year and the musical was eventually released with his soundtrack in 2010.
Hip-hop/electronica album (2014)
In a 2014 Rolling Stone interview, Elton expressed a desire to record a hip-hop/electronica record with either Kanye West or Pharrell as producer.
Rumours
This is the section for rumoured unreleased projects. Most of this is hard/impossible to substantiate, so take it with more than a grain of salt. This section was largely sourced from speculation on fan forums and those who claim to have insider access. In doing the write-ups, I've tried to remove myself as much as possible. In other words, I've tried to reproduce these rumours as accurately as possible without skewing words or muddying details. These are likely not true, but they may (or may not) contain inklings of truth. I think these rumours are fascinating bits of fan history, so I've reproduced them here to keep them from fading away, but believe/disbelieve at your own risk.
1976 album
Here And There allegedly took the place of another album, featuring "12 unreleased songs." Dick James Music could not get the license to release the album, and it was shelved, despite praise from Billboard and Cashbox.
1988 album
A session involving Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone, and Dee Murray is rumoured to have produced 10, 12, or 14 songs, most of which written by Bernie Taupin. Dee Murray was very sick at the time, so these were meant as a final tribute before his death. Some claim that Nigel Olsson has alluded that there were sessions prior to Reg Strikes Back in private interviews. Only one copy (or a few, depending on the rumour) is said to exist, and none of the material made Reg Strikes Back. Someone with insider access claimed that Nigel, Davey, and Elton did jam during this period (some of which was recorded), but "I would hardly call it a lost album."
1990 album
Supposedly recorded with Don Was starting in 1989. This rumour reflects the amount of non-album tracks left unaccounted for at this time and scattered across various compilations. Some sources claim that the new material on To Be Continued... and 8 others comprised the sessions. Another claims that 12 songs were written before rehab, and Elton decided to start fresh after rehab, keeping "Suit Of Wolves" and "Understanding Women." Songs frequently mentioned in discussions include: You Gotta Love Someone, Easier To Walk Away, I Swear I Heard The Night Talkin', Made For Me, Medicine Man, Suit Of Wolves (possibly), Understanding Women (possibly), and five others (never recorded).
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