11/26/2025
Elton John celebrating 50 years of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy!
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
(50th Anniversary Edition)
Out Now on 2LP, 2CD & Digital via UMe
Available to Order now https://eltonjohn.lnk.to/CF50
Also Available, For The First Time On 1LP
Live At Midsummer Music, Wembley Stadium 1975
Watch Elton Performing ‘Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy’ During His 2005 Tour https://eltonjohn.lnk.to/CFlive2005
"a songwriting triumph" 9/10 - Classic Rock
"one of Elton's most eloquent and affecting melodies" 8/10 - UNCUT
"one for the ages" ★★★★ - Classic Pop
"the overall quality rarely dips" ★★★★ - MOJO
LISTEN TO ELTON JOHN - CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY HERE https://landing.studiocdn.com/studiocdn-web/201210/parcels/714a7b85-4748-4b9c-b55e-96d3a9d4dd6f/lander
Half a century after it dominated charts around the world, Elton John’s seminal album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy has received a 50th Anniversary Edition reissue, out now via UMe. The special reissue is available on multiple formats, including 2LP, 2CD, and 1LP, Live At Midsummer Music, Wembley Stadium 1975, which was the album’s live debut, as well as a booklet containing never-before-seen entries from Elton’s personal diary.
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. On the heels of this release is a golden milestone in music history: the 50th anniversary of Elton John’s legendary back-to-back performances at Dodger Stadium, held on October 25 and 26, 1975. These shows stand among the most iconic live moments in rock and pop history, capturing Elton John on his meteoric rise to superstardom and cementing his place as one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
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.
Amongst the various formats available to fans is a recording of Midsummer Music Live At Wembley, 1975. This performance, featuring the 10 Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy tracks, marked the first time Elton had played the album live, and is available for the first time on vinyl. With a stacked bill hand-picked by Elton that included Rufus with Chaka Khan, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, and The Beach Boys, the 72,000 fans officially at Wembley Stadium (estimates put it closer to 100,000) were warmed up and ready to hear the hits. The decision, however, was made to play the newly released album in full from start to finish, and, despite a restless crowd, many of whom left, the result is a quite remarkable recording of what would become a firm fan favourite album.
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.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (50th Anniversary Edition) tracklists:
2LP
LP1:
Side A
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
Tower of Babel
Bitter Fingers
Tell Me When the Whistle Blows
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Side B
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket
Better Off Dead
Writing
We All Fall In Love Sometimes
Curtains
LP2:
Side A
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows (Session Demo)
Captain Fantastic Take 1 (Session Demo)
Writing (Session Demo)
We All Fall In Love Sometimes (Session Demo)
Captain Fantastic Take 2 (Session Demo)
Bitter Fingers (Session Demo)
Side B
Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
Better Off Dead (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
We All Fall In Love Sometimes / Curtains (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
2CD
CD1:
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
Tower Of Babel
Bitter Fingers
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket
Better Off Dead
Writing
We All Fall In Love Sometimes
Curtains
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
One Day At A Time
Philadelphia Freedom
House Of Cards
CD2:
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows (Session Demo)
Captain Fantastic Take 1 (Session Demo)
Writing (Session Demo)
We All Fall In Love Sometimes (Session Demo)
Captain Fantastic Take 2 (Session Demo)
Bitter Fingers (Session Demo)
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
Bitter Fingers (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
Better Off Dead (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
We All Fall In Love Sometimes / Curtains (Captain Fantastic Live / 2005)
1LP: Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - Live At Midsummer Music, Wembley Stadium 1975
Side A
Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Tower Of Babel (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Bitter Fingers (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Side B
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Better Off Dead (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Writing (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
We All Fall In Love Sometimes (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)
Curtains (Live At Midsummer Music / 1975)