Bruce Roberts

[Babysquid]

Forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere but is the Bruce Roberts who co-wrote Millie and Billie from FTI the same one who co-wrote Only My Heart Talkin' from Trash?

[pitkin88]

I believe so.

[mr.barlow]

Bruce Roberts is a very successful and prolific songwriter. I think he was mainly known for writing songs for R&B, disco and pop artists.

I think he had a few collaborations and a professional relationship and/or friendship with Bernie Taupin.

Trash was a carefully planned out album. I think Desmond Child, Shep and Alice went in search of songs that they felt would fit the album and mesh with the desired demographic they were looking to reach. I would bet that "Only My Heart Talkin" was written by Roberts and Andy Goldmark (another r&b writer)and selected by Desmond Child for inclusion. It was then given the rock arrangement and possibly new lyrics by Alice. My guess would be the song was likely complete and Alice either tweaked the lyrics or was simply given a songwriting credit.

If you look at the songwriting credits on Trash it becomes quite evident that the majority of the songs were selected rather than written expressly for the album.

Poison was a reworked version of a John Waite song.

House Of Fire was a song written by and for Joan Jett

Only My Heart Talkin (see my comments above)

Bed Of Nails-a Diane Warren song--likely brought in by Desmond Child

This Maniac's In Love With You--also another finished song brought to the table by Child

Trash-I think it was a song Alice heard and liked and brought to the album and changed the lyrics.

Hell Is Living Without You--I'm quite sure this was finished song written by Bon Jovi & Sambora for the band Bon Jovi.

There you go---Trash was not an album that was written organically and gave birth to hits, but rather an album of probable hits written by, or for others complied on to an album to create a likely smash album. And...it worked like a charm.

[concolz]

I really like 'Millie And Billie' - it's got a great tune and some smart, witty lyrics - but 'Only My Heart Talkin' is a pile of faux-emotive pants.

Never has there been am album more aptly titled than 'Trash'; nor a more appropriate front cover: Alice hangs head in shame, watching his artistic credibility disappear down the drain.

[pitkin88]

I really like 'Millie And Billie' - it's got a great tune and some smart, witty lyrics - but 'Only My Heart Talkin' is a pile of faux-emotive pants.

Never has there been am album more aptly titled than 'Trash'; nor a more appropriate front cover: Alice hangs head in shame, watching his artistic credibility disappear down the drain.

Millie and Billie is actually as stupid as the title. Dreadful song and I'd take only OMHT over it any day.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

Millie and Billie is actually as stupid as the title. Dreadful song and I'd take only OMHT over it any day.

I think TRASH has some great stuff on it, but I can't listen to OMHT. It's cringe inducing.

[mr.barlow]

I think I'm one of the few on this board who actually likes "Millie And Billie". I think however, that it was likely written for Elton John and Alice and Taupin changed the lyrics.

I believe that "Jackknife Johnny" was also a song originally intended for Elton John.

[pitkin88]

I think I'm one of the few on this board who actually likes "Millie And Billie". I think however, that it was likely written for Elton John and Alice and Taupin changed the lyrics.

I believe that "Jackknife Johnny" was also a song originally intended for Elton John.

I think you can spot the songs where Bernie played a big part in writing. You could definitely see Elton singing that crap.

[Daggers & Contracts]

I like both albums.
From The Inside was definitely a concept album which leaves tying the songs into the story up to the listener whereas, Trash was a calculated attempt to bring Alice back & it worked! Much to the dismay of many here but, it did bring me back to the fold. Much to the dismay of many here .

[pitkin88]

David Foster/Desmond Child/Bruce Roberts have absolutely bugger all to do with rock n roll. Someone should have stopped this.

[mr.barlow]

I like "From The Inside" but will be the first to admit that at times that the production is a bit too much. I think it mainly had to do with trying to give it a slick sounding production which was popular at the time.

I think Alice was trying to have it both ways--to resurrect the classic character and to take things to a more adult contemporary sound. It works at times and at others it's a bit overblown. Overall I think it's a decent album. In the hands of Ezrin it could have been a masterpiece.

The shift to FTF with Roy Thomas Baker has to be the ballsiest thing Alice ever has done--and it could have worked had WB really got behind the album and Alice had a better grip on his growing problems. I think if FTF was a major success, Alice could have transitioned into the early 1980s and have had great success and truly have succeeded in changing the character.

[pitkin88]

I like "From The Inside" but will be the first to admit that at times that the production is a bit too much. I think it mainly had to do with trying to give it a slick sounding production which was popular at the time.

I think Alice was trying to have it both ways--to resurrect the classic character and to take things to a more adult contemporary sound. It works at times and at others it's a bit overblown. Overall I think it's a decent album. In the hands of Ezrin it could have been a masterpiece.

The shift to FTF with Roy Thomas Baker has to be the ballsiest thing Alice ever has done--and it could have worked had WB really got behind the album and Alice had a better grip on his growing problems. I think if FTF was a major success, Alice could have transitioned into the early 1980s and have had great success and truly have succeeded in changing the character.

WB really dropped the ball with Clones which should have been a major International hit.

[Devon]

"Flush The Fashion" was actually a bigger album than "From The Inside," in the U.S. at least.

[mr.barlow]

I like "From The Inside" but will be the first to admit that at times that the production is a bit too much. I think it mainly had to do with trying to give it a slick sounding production which was popular at the time.

I think Alice was trying to have it both ways--to resurrect the classic character and to take things to a more adult contemporary sound. It works at times and at others it's a bit overblown. Overall I think it's a decent album. In the hands of Ezrin it could have been a masterpiece.

The shift to FTF with Roy Thomas Baker has to be the ballsiest thing Alice ever has done--and it could have worked had WB really got behind the album and Alice had a better grip on his growing problems. I think if FTF was a major success, Alice could have transitioned into the early 1980s and have had great success and truly have succeeded in changing the character.

WB really dropped the ball with Clones which should have been a major International hit.

I agree completely. I think the song could be a #1 hit today if it were re-released. It would be a great song to appear on a major tv show soundtrack.

[mr.barlow]

I think I'm one of the few on this board who actually likes "Millie And Billie". I think however, that it was likely written for Elton John and Alice and Taupin changed the lyrics.

I believe that "Jackknife Johnny" was also a song originally intended for Elton John.

I think you can spot the songs where Bernie played a big part in writing. You could definitely see Elton singing that crap.

"wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills" I think was another song originally composed by Taupin with Elton John in mind.

Wagner also has a distinct style and you can tell the songs which he had a major influence in writing.

[pitkin88]

I think I'm one of the few on this board who actually likes "Millie And Billie". I think however, that it was likely written for Elton John and Alice and Taupin changed the lyrics.

I believe that "Jackknife Johnny" was also a song originally intended for Elton John.

I think you can spot the songs where Bernie played a big part in writing. You could definitely see Elton singing that crap.

"wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills" I think was another song originally composed by Taupin with Elton John in mind.

Wagner also has a distinct style and you can tell the songs which he had a major influence in writing.

Probably the best song on the album.

[dadascot]

To get back to the original post. I think Millie and billy is a fantastic song, great lyrics and humour and some of Alice's best singing. It fits perfectly with the albums themes. OMHT I really liked at the time but doesn't seemed to have aged well and now seems very 80s hair music! Burning our bed is a far superior song, in my opinion and still stands as a power ballad.

[A_MichaelUK]

From mr.barlow:
""wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills" I think was another song originally composed by Taupin with Elton John in mind."

There can't be much truth in that if, as Dick Wagner claimed, it was he and Alice that were the originators of most of the material (musically) on the album. Is there anything about this in the book that Wagner wrote?

[Devon]

Plus, Bernie Taupin is primarily a lyricist.

[A_MichaelUK]

From Devon:
"Plus, Bernie Taupin is primarily a lyricist."

Exactly.