![]() ![]() ![]() The album is more than a semi-autobiographical look into Elton John's past the range of songs on the album is a display of his vast musical talents. Side two, for instance, starts with a song titled "(Gotta Get a) Meal Ticket", which is a clear story of his beginnings as a struggling musician, demonstrated by lyrics like: Do yourself a favor, the meal ticket does the rest. The feeling of release and the omission of pain felt throughout the ballad makes it John's most transparent piece-a peek not only into his relationship of the time, but a very honest depiction of his state of being. You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear The famous chorus outlines how John was ultimately saved by this 'someone', whilst abandoning his plans for marriage:Īnd someone saved my life tonight sugar bear The 'someone' referenced in the song is John's friend Long John Baldry, who aided him during this rough period. The song details a time in the late sixties when John was engaged to his girlfriend doubting the marriage, he was highly suicidal at the time. Side one of the album ends with John's (arguably) most emotional, personal song, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight". Here, the duo recognizes the lack of space for debauchery in society, though it's seemingly the only group they where they fit in. Following our introduction to the Captain and the Kid, we hear “Tower of Babel” which solemnly states: "See the letches crawl / With the call girls under the table / Watch them dig their graves / 'Cause Jesus don't save the guys / In the tower of Babel”. One theme heard throughout the album is the notion that certain people aren’t fit for the rest of society. The Captain and Kid, the music and rhyme. The song ends with three lines that not only sum up the duo taking their first steps together as partners, but it also sets the tone for the rest of the album: "Hand in hand went music and the rhyme / The Captain and the Kid stepping in the ring / From here on sonny sonny sonny, it's a long and lonely climb.” The song poses the question: “Are there chances in life for little Dirt Cowboys / Should I make my way out of my home in the woods” which is clearly a reflection on the undying doubt they felt starting their careers. The second idea we see formed on this track is the hardship of kicking off their musical career together. Elton John was quoted on his website stating:Įvery lyric on Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy was about Bernie and me I ended up being Captain Fantastic and he ended up the Brown Dirt Cowboy: Here, I’m living my fabulous lifestyle, collecting paintings, and Bernie is interested in horses and bull riding and shit like that. First, the contrast between John as Captain Fantastic and Taupin as the Brown Dirt Cowboy. There are two key details established in the title song. We’re introduced to eponymous characters immediately in the title song-Elton, of course, being Captain Fantastic and Bernie the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Rather than being a collection of mini-memoirs about love, lust, and heartbreak, the album is auto-biographical for both John and Taupin, detailing their pasts and the struggles they endured as young musicians. Despite the fact of it being John’s ninth studio album, it is the first time fans were able to hear a raw, uncensored look at Elton John before he became the mega-pop star we know. Arguably the most personal album in Elton John and Bernie Taupin's repertoire, Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy pulled back the curtain and provided a behind-the-scenes look at the beginnings of the famous song-writing duo. Elton John’s Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy was nearly twenty years old by the time I was born, but that certainly has never made it irrelevant.
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