Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

Another album that I've never gotten around to adding to my CD collection, but one that has some outstanding songs in it. The CD version has 13 tracks, but dang it, the original only had ten. So there.

To understand this mid-70s album, you have to understand that Bernie Taupin, the lyricist, is reflecting on the old days, way back...oh, about 6 years before this album was released. Not a lot, but just think of the mental distance that John and Taupin had traveled since they first met. And Elton was on the edge.

But back to the album:

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Sitting atop the charts in 1975, Elton John and Bernie Taupin recalled their rise to power in Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy....What's best about the record is that it works best of a piece -- although it entered the charts at number one, this only had one huge hit in "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," which sounds even better here, since it tidily fits into the musical and lyrical themes. And although the musical skill on display here is dazzling, as it bounces between country and hard rock within the same song, this is certainly a grower....

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• 1. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy


• 2. Tower Of Babel


• 3. Bitter Fingers


• 4. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows


• 5. Someone Saved My Life Tonight


• 6. (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket


• 7. Better Off Dead


• 8. Writing


• 9. We All Fall In Love Sometimes


• 10. Curtains

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