Elton John: Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy - 1975
"I've always thought that Captain Fantastic was probably my finest album because it wasn't commercial in any way. We did have songs such as Someone Saved My Life Tonight, which is one of the best songs that Bernie and I have ever written together, but whether a song like that could be a single these days, since it's more than six minutes long, is questionable. Captain Fantastic was written from start to finish in running order, as a kind of story about coming to terms with failure - or trying desperately not to be one. We lived that story" - Elton John
After the stunning global success of 1973's remarkable Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1974's comparatively half-baked Caribou had found some people questioning Elton John's standing as a "Captain Fantastic" of the music world. "His better days were behind him", and "he's all burnt out" were types of the popularly heard refrain at the time. Huge marketing was thrown behind this album, therefore. "From the end of the world to your town" proclaimed the posters. Elton was back.
Let's hope the album lived up to the hype. Thankfully it did. This was a phenomenally mature, sensitive album loosely based around the early experiences of Elton and his prodigiously talented lyricist, Bernie Taupin, in the music business.
Notably, it had no obvious commercial "hit single" in the Crocodile Rock vein. That (comparative) hit single was the extended, evocative, dramatic and atmospheric Someone Saved My Life Tonight, which tells of Elton being given a late night pep-talk by late 60s blues singer and old mate Long John Baldry. Concentration on “serious“ material, as opposed to the commercial, was continued when Elton played the entire album from beginning to end in front of a huge crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium. At the time, this did not go down particularly well with the fans, many of whom were coming out with the “we wanted to hear the hits” complaint. Similarly, it did not go down particularly well in the music media either, who seemed to think that Elton was becoming a bit too big for his boots in that he felt he could do what he wanted without considering his fans. Unfair. He and Bernie were creative artists, and had every right to challenge their own muses and try to push themselves higher. On the deluxe edition of this album, there is the full recording of this concert, and very good it is too. The sound reproduction is also very impressive, considering it is taken from an outdoor stadium gig in 1975.
So, here's the album in full.....
As mentioned earlier, the material on this album is of a reflective mature feel, and this is exemplified in the melodic and powerful opener, Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy. This track, and its catchy piano refrain, was revisited on a later album, in 2006, entitled The Captain and the Kid. It also has an appealing acoustic guitar intro, before Elton’s instantly recognisable voice kicks in with some great lyrics - nostalgic, emotional and referencing Bernie’s Wild West obsession. Some excellent percussion on the track as well. This was possibly as good as anything else Elton had laid down since Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. As a statement of defiant intent it was pretty potent.
Tower Of Babel continues the quality in a mid-paced, touching ballad with Elton adopting a higher pitched vocal than usual. Some outstanding guitar and drums on this and some genuine melodrama in Elton’s delivery. Bitter Fingers is great too. Building up to a huge rock chorus with guitar, piano and Elton’s vocal telling us of their days hawking their material around music publishers in London’s Denmark Street. Great harmony vocals and lead guitar from Davey Johnstone at the end.
The afore-mentioned Someone Saved My Life Tonight is just simply wonderful, it has to be reiterated. That iconic piano intro, the plaintive, soulful vocals, the lyrics. The marvellous harmonies at the end - up there with the best songs they ever came up with.
With (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket, the second side of the album kicks off with this rocking piano-driven number referencing Elton and Bernie's times struggling to make ends meet and even feed themselves. Better Off Dead is a somewhat strange song with a Teutonic operatic-style chorus (influenced slightly by Queen). That said, it is an intriguing song and sticks in the head. Once again, the instrumentation on it is superb.
Writing has a light, rhythmic and guitar groove which is almost reggae-ish and very summery with some lovely guitar parts, bongo percussion and a top notch vocal from Elton yet again. Listening to the album again, I am realising just how damn good it was. If it was not quite the equal of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road it was certainly not far behind. We All Fall In Love Sometimes, an emotional piano ballad was more typical of what one had come to expect from Elton John.
The beautiful Curtains and the previous track sort of segue into each other. From the majesty of Fall In Love's denouement, this one suddenly begins. Beautiful. It reminds me slightly of Roxy Music's Sunset from 1973's Stranded album. The album quietly but dramatically fades out, with a sad, repeated backing vocal refrain, as it probably should. In a joyous, sad but reflective mood. All emotions bundled up together.
All in all, this was a magnificent piece of work. It is truly one of the finest albums of the seventies and somehow was/has never quite been given the credit it deserved. Along with Yellow Brick Road, Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection and Honky Château it is in Elton's top five albums. Bernie Taupin is also up there with the great British songwriters, he also is regularly overlooked.
There was some really high quality non-album material from this period. Firstly, a superb cover version single in The Beatles' Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. It was done with energy and enthusiasm and stands up fine against the iconic original.
Then there was the song Elton wrote for tennis star Bille Jean King's professional tennis team, the appealing soulful but rousing Philadelphia Freedom.
The 'b' sides were the John Lennon collaborations, the entrancing One Day At A Time (that Lennon included on his 1973 Mind Games album) and the live I Saw Her Standing There respectively.
The 'b' side to the Someone Saved My Life Tonight single was the attractive, melodic mid-pace and typically Elton rock/pop of House Of Cards.
