Elton's eagerly anticipated new album in 2001 opens with this song that immediately told fans everywhere that Elton and Bernie were back in a big way. The Emperor's New Clothes instantly recalls the classic Elton sound, ala Tumbleweed Connection, with a mature and world-wise lyric. It sets a tone for the whole album. It demonstrates that their songwriting genius is still intact even as they entered a 4th decade of producing music. There quite simply is no other songwriting team that has accomplished this.