Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (50th Anniversary Edition) - [180g Tri-Color Sp. Effect 2 LP]

Half a century after it dominated charts around the world, Elton John’s seminal album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy will receive a 50th Anniversary Edition reissue, out on October 24TH via UMe. The special reissue will be available on 2LP, 2CD.

In 1975, Elton John was in the midst of a prolific run of unimaginable success, having broken into the mainstream in 1970 to become the biggest star on the planet. His 9th album in six years, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, would break new ground in a plethora of ways. A concept album devised with Elton’s longtime collaborator and lyricist Bernie Taupin, it told the chronological story of the early years of Elton (Captain Fantastic) and Bernie’s (the Brown Dirt Cowboy) musical careers in London as they struggled to break through.

Featuring the single “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” the album went on to become the first in history to debut at #1 on the US Billboard 200 and the first to be certified Gold upon its release due to the number of pre-orders. It sold 1.4 million copies in its first four days and remained at the top of the chart for 7 weeks.

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was written aboard The SS France – at the time, the world’s longest passenger liner - as Elton was taking the leisurely route back to the US for a breather in a very hectic year. With a sheaf of words already provided by lyricist Bernie Taupin, Elton wrote the music using downtime in the liner’s music room, the Salon Debussy, committing everything to memory as he didn’t have a tape recorder, before recording at Caribou Ranch with longtime producer Gus Dudgeon.

Despite lacking the mega hits of its predecessors, Bernie’s wonderfully evocative lyrics combined with Elton’s achingly beautiful melodies to create a discrete masterpiece that sits alone amongst Elton’s work of the 70s, becoming one of the biggest-selling cult albums of all time. At its heart, it’s an album about the unbreakable kinship its writers shared, full of intense platonic love songs between the best of friends. Alan Aldridge’s iconic album artwork is one of the most instantly recognisable designs of the decade, placing Elton in the centre of a fanciful imaginary landscape, escaping from his rainy suburban bubble and riding his piano through the many distractions of pop stardom.

Speaking on the album, Elton John says: “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was the first album I’d ever made that was autobiographical, and it was the first time we’d gone into the studio with all the songs already written. We rehearsed it as a band, then went in and cut it more or less live. The band were at their absolute peak and you can hear it on the record. I think it’s the best thing we ever did. 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 vindication, like the culmination of everything Bernie and I had fought for back in those bedsits in London.”

Speaking on the album, Bernie Taupin says: “Of all our recorded output Captain Fantastic has a very special place in my heart. Obviously it was emotionally rewarding as it chronicled a very special time in our lives. I’m not by nature one to wallow in nostalgia but hearing this album once again 50 years on reminds me of how very deep our bond of friendship and creativity ran.”

This 50th anniversary edition suite contains the 2016 remaster of the original album, previously unreleased session demos, plus Elton’s live performance of tracks from the album, recorded during 2005 for the album’s 30th anniversary. It also includes a 28-page booklet, containing sleeve notes and Elton’s never-before-seen 1974 diary entries.

News of the reissue comes during a groundbreaking year for Elton that’s included his 10th UK #1 album, Who Believes In Angels?, created with close friend and eleven-time GRAMMY-winning US superstar Brandi Carlile, as well as the release of the iconic live album Elton John - Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper in July.