Recommendations of the Editorial team
Half a century after its creation, Elton John’s album “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” has been reissued. ROLLING STONE is giving away two CDs and two vinyls from the anniversary edition.
An album at its peak
“Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” was released in May 1975, when Elton John was at the height of his artistic creativity. Five years after his international breakthrough, he released his ninth album in six years. The concept album, developed together with the English lyricist Bernie Taupin, tells the story of their early years as musicians in London chronologically – John’s as “Captain Fantastic”, Taupin’s as “Brown Dirt Cowboy”.
Made on the high seas
The album was written on board the passenger ship SS France, on which John was on his way back to the USA. As he later explained, he composed the music in the ship’s music room, the Salon Debussy, and had to memorize everything because he didn’t have a tape recorder with him.
With the single “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”, the album became, according to label information, the first in history to debut at number 1 on the US Billboard 200 – and the first to achieve gold status upon release due to high pre-orders. It sold 1.4 million copies in its first four days and stayed at the top of the charts for seven weeks.
Elton John’s first autobiographical album
“‘Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy’ was the first autobiographical album I ever recorded, and it was the first time we went into the studio with songs already written,” Elton John said of the record. “We rehearsed as a band and then recorded it more or less live. The band was at the absolute peak of their career, and you can hear that on the record. I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever done. The songs were strong, Bernie’s lyrics were brilliant, and the atmosphere at Caribou was perfect. Seeing it go to number one faster than anything I’d ever released felt like a validation – like the culmination of everything Bernie and I were fighting for back in our studio flats in London had.”
The record also played a special role for Bernie Taupin: “Of all our recordings, ‘Captain Fantastic’ has a very special place in my heart. It was of course very emotionally enriching because it documented a very special time in our lives,” he said. “I’m not a nostalgic person by nature, but listening to this album again after 50 years makes me realize how deep our friendship and creative connection was.”
This is in the anniversary edition
The 50th anniversary edition includes the 2016 remastered version of the original album, previously unreleased session demos as well as Elton John’s live recordings of songs created in 2005 for the 30th anniversary. There is also a 28-page booklet with sleeve notes and John’s previously unpublished diary entries from 1974.
Among the various formats is a recording of “Midsummer Music Live At Wembley, 1975”. There Elton John played the ten tracks from “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” live for the first time – now this concert is also available on vinyl for the first time.
This is how you can win
ROLLING STONE is giving away two CD editions and two vinyl editions to a total of four lucky winners. If you would like to take part, please send an email [email protected] with your name, address and telephone number as well as the keyword “Elton John” in the subject line. The deadline for participation is November 30th, 2025.
Legal recourse is excluded. Good luck!
The live video of “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” on tour in 2005
CD tracklist
CD1:
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
11. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
12. One Day At A Time
13. Philadelphia Freedom
14. House Of Cards
CD2:
1. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows – Session Demo
2. Captain Fantastic Take 1 – Session Demo
3. Writing – Session Demo
4. We All Fall In Love Sometimes – Session Demo
5. Captain Fantastic Take 2 – Session Demo
6. Bitter Fingers – Session Demo
7. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
8. Bitter Fingers (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
9. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
10. Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
11. (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
12. Better Off Dead (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
13. We All Fall In Love Sometimes / Curtains (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
Tracklist of the LPs
LP1:
Side A
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
Side B
1. (Gotta Get a) Meal Ticket
2. Better Off Dead
3. Writing
4. We All Fall in Love Sometimes
5.Curtains
LP2:
Side A
1. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows – Session Demo
2. Captain Fantastic Take 1 – Session Demo
3. Writing – Session Demo
4. We All Fall In Love Sometimes – Session Demo
5. Captain Fantastic Take 2 – Session Demo
6. Bitter Fingers – Session Demo
Side B
1. Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
2. (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
3. Better Off Dead (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)
4. We All Fall In Love Sometimes / Curtains (Captain Fantastic Live, 2005. Featuring Voice Of Atlanta Choir)]