It sure is fun hearing a live version of the title track from 1975 of one of my favorite Elton John albums, Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, as part of the 50th Anniversary Edition reissue. Bits and pieces of Live At Midsummer Music, Wembley Stadium 1975 is something Elton John fans have heard over the years. The crowd that day, who also enjoyed acts handpicked by John like The Eagles and The Beach Boys, were pretty much waiting to enjoy the headliner play his big hits. Those present were treated to the new album, played in its entirety full, start to finish. It’s a stellar offering from a landmark show, offered here vinyl for the first time.
Other goodies in the 50th anniversary collection include a 2016 remaster of the original Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, the first album in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200, and also the first to be certified Gold upon its release due to the number of pre-orders. There are previously unreleased session demos, plus live performances of tracks recorded in 2005 for the album’s 30th anniversary edition.
Those session demos, with the live stuff from 1975, make this collection especially appealing. Highlights include John singing to his piano, trying to pick out the chords and melody to his soon-to-be new album’s title track. It’s a much more mournful version with a guitar-heavy stab than what was released. There are also the non-album singles “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” (with John Lennon on backing vocals) and “Philadelphia Freedom” that John recorded at the same time he was cutting Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy. John Lennon’s “One Day (At A Time),” the non-album B-side for “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” is here as well.
There was a time when even what arguably might have been the most popular pop artist of his time (or any actually) could still make commercial as well as critical masterpieces like Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy. I was thrilled as a naïve, 14-year-old hearing the singer bite down on “dammit” on “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.” Listening to the album in all its forms years later, and I’m still blown away by the songwriting, musicianship, production and even those soaring backing vocals of guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson. Complete with a 28-page booklet containing sleeve notes and never-before-seen 1974 diary entries from the singer. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (50th Anniversary Edition) is surely something to be celebrated.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
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Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
