Personnel: Elton John (vocals, strings, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, Clavinet, Mellotron, keyboards, synthesizer, ARP synthesizer); Elton John; John Lennon (guitar); Dee Murray (bass guitar, background vocals); Ray Cooper (congas, bongos, cymbals, Jew's harp, shaker, tambourine, triangle, percussion, bells, hand bells, gong); Davey Johnstone (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, piano, synthesizer, background vocals); David Hentschel (keyboards, synthesizer, ARP synthesizer); Nigel Olsson (drums, background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Greg Penny.
Audio Remasterer: Tony Cousins.
Audio Remixers: Gus Dudgeon; Phil Dunne.
Liner Note Author: John Tobler.
Recording information: Caribou Ranch, CO.
Ensemble: Elton John.
Illustrators: Harry Willock; Alan Aldridge.
Arranger: Gene Page.
Sitting atop the charts in 1975, Elton John and Bernie Taupin recalled their rise to power in Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, their first explicitly conceptual effort since Tumbleweed Connection. It showcases each at the peak of his power, as John crafts supple, elastic, versatile pop and Taupin's inscrutable wordplay is evocative, even moving. Although the musical skill on display here is dazzling, as it bounces between country and hard rock within the same song, this album needs time to reveal its treasures, but once it does, it captures John and Taupin at a career pinnacle. They collapsed in hubris and excess not long afterward, but this remains a testament to the strengths of their creative partnership. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.134) - Ranked #158 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time"
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Reviews
5.0
out of 5 based on
3
reviews.
– Customer review on 15/04/2011
I can still remember putting this disc on for the first time when I was about 17. The frisson of excitement has remained with me for decades, even if I only occasionally play the CD. Captain Fantastic is an autobiographical album that charts the fortunes of the songwriting team - Elton John and Bernie Taupin - the difficulties of making it on Tin Pan Alley, the life, loves, ups and downs. It's a great album of uptempo rock tunes and slower ballads. It's a shame that the bonus tracks were added as this is a concept album which should come to an end with Curtains. Enjoy.
4.0
out of 5 based on
3
reviews.
– Customer review on 25/04/2008
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the ninth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1975. It debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Pop Albums chart, the first ever to do so, and stayed there for seven weeks. It has gone on to be certified as triple platinum. On the UK Albums Chart, it peaked at number 2. In 2003, the album was ranked number 158 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
5.0
out of 5 based on
3
reviews.
– Customer review on 20/02/2008
Another classic album of Elton John I often toss up which I prefer the most this or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, this album is also a good example of Eltons vocal dexterity and talant that has led him to world wide fame it includes a couple of his well known songs and all the others are also very listenable I enjoy all the songs which is rear in any album so I have to give it top marks it is often Etons voice that makes the songs so good.
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