FAMOUS BEFORE ALMOST FAMOUS

Having read Bud Scoppa’s articles and knowing of his work for decades, I am very disappointed in something he wrote in the June 2017 Uncut, in his overview of Cameron Crowe film soundtracks. In his review of the Almost Famous soundtrack, Scoppa wrote, “It’s now impossible to separate Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’ from the memorable scene in which it’s featured.” “Tiny Dancer” was released in 1971, first on the album Madman Across The Water and as a single in 1972. The film of Almost Famous was released in 2000. Many people, like myself, had 28 or 27 years of hearing the song before the film came out. Long before that film we either had our ideas in our minds about ‘visuals’ that accompanied it, or had none. Either way, its appearance in a film in 2000 in no way could make it “impossible” to separate the song from that film.

I never saw it, but even if I had, I know it would not affect one iota my imaginings (or not) of the song.

And it’s not just those of us who were old enough to have the records when they first came out. I’m sure that most people who first heard “Tiny Dancer” in 1981 or 1991 do not only think about the Crowe film when they hear the song. It’s especially ridiculous as you wrote this for a British magazine. I’ll bet that only a very small percentage of Brits ever saw Almost Famous at all, and certainly nowhere near as many as saw it in the States.

I’m sorry, but you cannot legitimately say that the majority of people always think of that film when hearing “Tiny Dancer”, and remember that includes a large part of the non-English-speaking world where the film was possibly never released, but still knew and know “Tiny Dancer” as a great song that needs no film to be “integral”.