Lady Samantha – Video 6 – Single 1969 – Album “Empty Sky”

Lady Samantha is technically appearing out-of-order if this blog is moving chronologically through Elton’s career.  The song was first released as Elton’s second single about six months prior to the UK release of the Empty Sky album in 1969.  I am inserting this song, along with three others, at this point as they were all bonus tracks from the 1995 re-release of the album and were recorded around the time or as a part of the Empty Sky sessions.  The song was released to decent critical acclaim but failed to chart for Elton. 

This song to me has an enchanted feel.  The intro always reminds me of the intro to Janis Joplin’s Piece of My Heart, and the lyrics always reminded me of something Stevie Nicks might write.  regardless, I think this song is a brilliant pice of work from the young duo.  The lyrics and the melody of the song give the feeling that Lady Samantha is enduring a great deal of pain and sorrow.  The chorus suggests, though, that she is a very strong and resilient woman.  Three Dog Night did a cover of this song for their album Suitable For Framing in 1969 (probably one of, if not the first, Elton John and Bernie Taupin composition to be covered).  Their cover however lacks the emotion that the lyrics suggest.  The song is another testament to how great Elton is at wrapping a very suiting melody around Bernie’s lyric. 

I tried to cover the song pretty much as straight forward as I could.  Because I only used one voice on my keyboard again, I did soften up the verses a little to try and give the haunting aura that the organs and guitars give the original recording.  I’ve always really loved this song, so I hope my cover has done it justice.  As always, enjoy and thanks for all the feedback I’ve been getting; it’s really helping to keep me going.

When the shrill winds are screaming
And the evening is still
Lady Samantha glides over the hills
In a long satin dress that she wears every day
Her home is the hillside, her bed is the grave

Lady Samantha glides like a tiger
Over the hills with no one beside her
No one comes near
They all live in fear
But Lady Samantha, she sheds only tears

The tales that I told round the fire every night
Are out of proportion and none of them right
She is harmless and empty of anything bad
For she once had something that most of you have

© 1968 Dick James Music Limited