Gulliver/Hay-Chewed/Reprise

Infobox Song
Name = Gulliver/Hay-Chewed/Reprise
Type = Song
Artist = Elton John
Album = Empty Sky


track_no = 9
Released = June 3, 1969 (UK)
January 13, 1975 (USA)
Recorded = DJM Studios, 1969
Genre = Rock, Alternative
Length = 6:59
Label = DJM Records MCA Records (US/Canada-1975)
Writer = Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Producer = Steve Brown
prev = "Skyline Pigeon"
prev_no = 8
next = "Lady Samantha"
next_no = 10

Gulliver, Hay-Chewed and Reprise are three songs medleyed into one by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. "Gulliver" is a real song with lyrics, Hay-Chewed is a jazz instrumental while Reprise is fade-in's and fade-out's of all songs on the album.

Musical structure of "Gulliver"

This song opens with an echoed guitar before going into a bluesy piano riff. The song is very sad in tune, fitting with the lyric, getting heavier for each line. The song fades out in a heavily distorted scream at 3:08.

Lyrical meaning of "Gulliver"

The song describes a sad death of a dog. A dog that was once loved at a farm suddenly went crazy in his later years and had to be shot. Critics penned this as one of the better songs on the album, though dissatisfied with the bizarre ending seguing into "Hay-Chewed".

Hay Chewed
"(3:08-4:40)On the 1995 reissue, this song was erroneously credited as "It's Hay Chewed". The song is instrumental, opening with a saxophone riff giving the sense of jazz. The title could be a pun on "Hey Jude". It segues into a bluesy guitar solo before fading into a reprise of all songs on the album.

Reprise
"(4:40-6:59)"Reprise" is not a song per say, it is merely a medley of all the songs on the album, represented by 15-20 second each, faded in and faded out. It is a very unusual feature. The song the ends the same way as "Gulliver", distorting the end scream even more with more noise before cutting off at seven minutes.

Performances

It was never performed in any form.

Personnel

*Elton John - piano, vocals
*Caleb Quaye - guitars
*Tony Murray - bass
*Roger Pope - drums
*Don Fay - Saxophone ("Hay-Chewed" only)