Album Review: Captain and The Kid

June 27, 2024 | David Sigler

ELTON JOHN | THE CAPTAIN AND THE KID | 2006

On Elton John’s 1975 classic concept album, Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, lyricist Bernie Taupin summarize the early days of he and John’s songwriting journey. That time frame (between roughly 1967-1969), explored the years right up to the tipping point of making it big (without actually going over it). While fame was knocking on the door of the other side of the new decade, it would take some time to achieve bona fide success.

Fast forward to 2006. On The Captain And The Kid, John (The Captain) and lyricist Taupin (The Kid) revisit this concept again but cast a much wider net. Here, the journey covers the years 1970 through well, 2006. This time around the emphasis is on coping with success now that they have achieved it. Nothing comes without a price. On The Captain And The Kid, John’s deft melodies once again match Taupin’s rich and descriptive lyrics that take us on another great ride while telling their story.

History typically isn’t kind to sequels (with those few and far between exceptions). For example, in movies, for every Godfather Part II, there is a Grease 2 (in music, as far concept albums there are less examples but you get the idea). One review I read at the time of this albums release asked this question: Does this sequel to Captain Fantastic then deliver a punch equal to the first? My answer? Yes. But, that might not be the right question. Maybe the question should be: Can The Captain And The Kid hold a candle to the classic album its attempting to thematically follow? Thankfully, the answer is still the same.

The Captain And The Kid stands alone as a singular piece of work yet conceptually, it is a superb follow-up to Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (even if it took 30 years to do it!). This is a deeply personal album yet not so personal that the average listener can’t instantly relate. Kudos to Taupin, as it’s quite the hat trick to pull this off not once but now twice!

Starting off with an instantly recognizable piano riff on the rocking Postcards from Richard Nixon, John sings about arriving in Los Angeles in the summer of 1970: “We heard Richard Nixon say, welcome to the USA.” With sensory overload, the two Brits marvel at the sights: “In a bright red Porsche on Sunset I saw Steve McQueen / I guess he’s just about the coolest guy I’ve ever seen.” Yea, and this is a cool tune too.

On the bluesy, Just Like Noah’s Ark, just like sharks in the water circling to get find their next meal, everyone (for good and bad) now wants a piece of them now that they have arrived (and with much fanfare): ” Italian promotion men / Chomping a big cigar / Slapping backs and making cracks / About the fags in the bar / Radio boss dipping his nose in a little white packet / You can put it out son and we’ll all back it.” The song even has John having a little fun at his own expense when he sings about his weaker compositions before hitting stride and the critics at large: “But for every tiny dancer / There’s a dog that’s had its day / The truth is never quite the same / As what the papers say.”

The surprising shifting arrangement on Tinderbox, examines the perils of having too much of a good thing before burning out: “Pressure’s gonna cook us if we don’t unlock it / Guns going off if we don’t uncock it / We’ve gotta climb out of the other one’s pocket / Or we’re gonna burn out on this beautiful rocket.”

Meanwhile Old ’67, refers to the year that John and Taupin met. John tenderly reflects on the past while being thankful for the present. With a musical nod to The Band and a clever lyrical reference to the signature line of his first hit, Your Song, Old ’67 is like eavesdropping on two old friends catching up: “Talking through the evening / Sitting here side by side / Just you and me on a balcony / It’s a little bit funny this feeling inside.”

And rounding out the more up-tempo songs is The House Fell Down. Beginning with eerie sound effects (including heavy breathing and giggles) that address addictions head on: “With a rolled up note I’m hovering on that line / Three days on a diet of cocaine and wine / And a little weed just to level me sometimes / I put the clock in the drawer ’cause I’ve cancelled out the time.” Despite its subject matter, it’s the album most fun song.

Elsewhere, I Must Have Lost It On The Wind has a Dylan-eques feel thanks to the sweet gentle harmonica (by long time band member Davey Johnstone). This breezy country tune explores not heeding good advice (or having a blind spot and missing it all together): “You couldn’t tell me I was wrong, you couldn’t tell me anything / And if you did then I guess I must have lost it on the wind.”

The ballads fare well too. The emotive The Bridge, explores decisions one is faced to make in life and how those decisions may alter your destiny: “And the bridge it shines / Oh cold hard iron / Saying come and risk it all / Or die trying.” Powerful stuff. Wouldn’t Have You Any Other Way (NYC), captures The Big Apple in all its ‘70s glory: “Oh the subway rumbled underneath / Italian lights where Joey Gallo died / And the man on the door down at Fifty Four’s / Is letting only the pretty inside.” The lyrics seem to foreshadow that tragic event which was to come decades later on the morning of September 11, 2001: “And I can feel the magic / And read a million lips / And no matter what might happen / They’ll never sink this ship.” Ironically, by not mentioning what happened, it makes this song even more powerful. A fine tribute to the spirit and resilience of the people of New York.

However, the album’s emotional high point goes to Blues Never Fade Away. A stunning ballad that questions why some die young and others survive: “Who makes call, and who gets to choose, and who gets to win and who gets to lose,” As the title suggests, time may heal but the hurt never really fades completely: “And for reasons I never understood / About the choices made between the bad and good / I’ve tried to figure out why / The pain never goes away.” Blues Never Fade Away is the emotional equivalent of Someone Saved My Life Tonight from Captain Fantastic. Yet it doesn’t quite hit the same scale due to its more rote arrangement. Still, a gem.

Backed with his top notch band, John is joined by guitarist Davey Johnstone, drummer Nigel Olsson, bassist Bob Birch, keyboardist Guy Babylon and percussionist John Mahon. Thankfully, the album features those classic trademark background vocals that made the older records so grand. Yet, produced by John and Matt Still, The Captain And The Kid sounds oddly somewhat flat and even a little muddy at times. It misses the open wide sonics that made Captain Fantastic really shine (thanks to producer Gus Dudgeon who helmed the ’75 release and died tragically in 2002).

Missed opportunities at least on the production side are several. Ramping up Johnstone’s excellent guitar playing in the mode of Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting, would have given the rock tracks a little more dynamic edge. And for fun, how about opening and closing with some cool jet airliner sound effects a la The Beatles Back In The U.S.S.R on Postcards From Richard Nixon? These touches would have been something that would have done Dudgeon proud. Regardless, these are minor quibbles in the overall scheme of things.

However, there is one deft production touch I must applaud. On the brilliant closing title track, the song starts with the opening guitar riff from the song Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy. This direct connection to the ’75 album brings a sense of closure and nostalgia to this journey – but not necessarily the final word. “And you can’t go back, and if you try it fails,” John sings (with a wink and nod I’m sure). He went back alright. And in no way does he fail on The Captain And The Kid.

He knows this and more importantly, so do we.

Song by Song Rating:

• Postcards From Richard Nixon [4.75]
• Just Like Noah’s Ark [4.25]
• Wouldn’t Have You Any Other Way (NYC) [5.00]
• Tinderbox [4.75]
• And The House Fell Down [4.25]
• Blues Never Fade Away [5.00]
• The Bridge [4.00]
• Must Have Lost It On The Wind [4.25]
• Old 67 [4.50]
• The Captain And The Kid [5.00]

Ratings are based on 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest from the original track listing upon initial release. The overall average for The Captain And The Kid is 4.58 or 4 1/2 stars out of 5.