Heeeres Johnny! Top Ten: Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) (#6)

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It's that time of year at work...where I have to WORK. I have a really long day tomorrow, but the good news is this paycheck should pay off my Lowes credit card. So, a little late, and way behind in reading here, and calling for JJ to come out come out, wherever he is, I give you the next song on my list of songs with "John" or "Johnny" in the title. #6: Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) - Elton John If anyone is surprised by this inclusion, I really need to talk to you. There's not a lot to say about this song. It's one of the most beautiful tributes ever written. Filled with anger ("one insect can damage so much grain"), love ("we're crippled and we're dazed, a gardener like that one no one can replace"), and honesty ("some said he found his best in younger years"), "Empty Garden" is one of the gems in Elton John's career. Here's a little trivia, though: according to Picky Wedia, Elton's songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin, said that the album this song comes from (Jump Up!), was awful. (Of course, Bernie only co-wrote half the songs, but still....) "It's a terrible, awful, disposable album," Taupin was quoted as saying, then adding, "but it had 'Empty Garden' on it, so it's worth it for that one song." Yeah. If it only had "Empty Garden" it'd be worth it. Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin Recorded by Elton John From Jump Up!, 1982 And now we pray for rain: