Elton John could have done whatever he wanted in 1975 after establishing himself as one of the world’s most popular singers. With four number-one singles in the preceding two years, plus an assist on ‘Whatever Gets You Through The Night,’ John was at the pinnacle of his powers. So, what did he decide? Together with songwriter Bernie Taupin, created Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, an autobiographical concept album.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was the most direct and intimate album the couple had recorded together, telling the tale of John and Taupin’s life as rising stars in the music industry. Captain Fantastic was the final 1970s album to include the iconic lineup of the Elton John Band. And to mark the end of an era for John. With a succession of triumphs under his belt, John saw Captain Fantastic as a sort of climax.
“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in this album,” John said to Melody Maker in 1975. “I don’t see why people think Bernie and I are egomaniacs. The record was not intended to be declared. ‘Here we are, we’re fantastic!’ The reviews made me think we’d been a little too self-indulgent. But it’s a truly honest record for me. I’ve put myself out there. It’s the truth, and I don’t see why people are criticizing me for being autobiographical.”
Captain Fantastic was as genuine to life as John and Taupin ever allowed themselves to be, from the real-life challenges that underlined the words on ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ to the mutual affection shared between John and Taupin on ‘We All Fall in Affection Sometimes’. As a result, it quickly became a favorite of John’s in the aftermath of the album’s release.
“Before, I just used to write melodies to Bernie’s experiences and fantasies,” he explained in an interview with Melody Maker. “I identify with this album more than any other I’ve done.” This will always be my favorite album. But that’s just from a selfish standpoint. Who knows if it will endure the test of time? Only in retrospect can you tell.”
Even after more than 30 years, John remained a fan of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. When John met down with Cameron Crowe to discuss the record, he and Taupin had completed a follow-up, The Captain and The Kid. Even after three decades, John still had a soft spot for Captain Fantastic.
“I’ve always thought that Captain Fantastic was probably my finest album because it wasn’t commercial in any way,” he said. “We had songs like ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight,’ which is one of the best songs Bernie and I have ever written together, but whether a song like that could be a single these days, given that it’s [more than] six minutes long, is debatable.” Captain Fantastic was written in running order from beginning to end as a narrative about coming to terms with failure—or frantically trying not to be one. That was our narrative.”
