The Captain & the Kid
The Captain & the Kid | ||||
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Studio albumby | ||||
Released | 18 September 2006 | |||
Recorded | Spring 2006 | |||
Studio | Center Staging, Atlanta | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 45:59 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Elton Johnchronology | ||||
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The Captain & the Kidis the twenty-eighthstudio albumby English musicianElton John,released in 2006. It is his second autobiographical album with lyricistBernie Taupin,picking up whereCaptain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy(1975) left off.The Captain & the Kidchronicles the events in their lives over the intervening three decades.
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 69/100[1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
The Independent | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
PopMatters | 4/10[6] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
This Is London | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Captain & the Kidreached No. 6 in the UK, a considerable improvement over the performance of John's precedingPeachtree Roadin 2004, which peaked at No. 21.Captainreached No. 18 in the US, before quickly falling off the charts. At concerts in early 2007, John made clear his dissatisfaction withInterscope Records' promotion of the album, having threatened to terminate his contract with the label and because of that, John did not release a solo album until 2013'sThe Diving Board.
Background[edit]
According to Bernie Taupin, Elton John's manager at the time, Merck Mercuriadis, suggested in 2005 that John and Taupin write a follow-up toCaptain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy.[9]
Interscope Records announced that there would be no physical single released from this album as the emphasis is on presenting the album as abody of work,making the album his third afterTumbleweed ConnectionandLeather Jacketsto lack any Top 40 singles in the UK (as John, during that time, still hit the Top 40 in the US Adult Contemporary chart).[10][11]
However, aradio singlewould be released in "The Bridge".The album's booklet has photos of John and Taupin all throughout their career, and in the lyrics section, two songs are included," Across the River Thames "and" 12 ", which do not appear on the album." Across the River Thames "was available as a free download to anyone who played the CD on a computer. The song" And the House Fell Down "is based (metaphorically) on the storyThe Three Little Pigs.[12]This is the first album recorded by John and Taupin to show them together on the front cover.
It was also the last studio album to featureGuy Babylonon keyboards; he died in 2009. This was alsoBob Birch's last appearance on any of John's solo studio albums before his own death in August 2012 (Birch last appeared on theGnomeo and Julietsoundtrack).
Track listing[edit]
All tracks are written byElton JohnandBernie Taupin
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Postcards fromRichard Nixon" | 5:15 |
2. | "Just Like Noah's Ark" | 5:33 |
3. | "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" | 4:38 |
4. | "Tinderbox" | 4:25 |
5. | "And the House Fell Down" | 4:48 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
6. | "Blues Never Fade Away" | 4:45 |
7. | "The Bridge" | 3:38 |
8. | "I Must Have Lost It on the Wind" | 3:53 |
9. | "Old '67" | 4:01 |
10. | "The Captain and the Kid" | 5:03 |
Total length: | 45:59 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Across the River Thames" | 4:31 |
Total length: | 50:30 |
Other bonus tracks[edit]
Song | Availability |
---|---|
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight"(live) | Best Buy (CD included download link)/iTunes |
"We All Fall in Love Sometimes/Curtains" (live) | Best Buy (CD included download link) |
"Tell Me When the Whistle Blows" (live) | iTunes |
"(Gotta Get a) Meal Ticket" (live) | iTunes |
"Better Off Dead" (live) | iTunes |
Personnel[edit]
- Elton John– lead vocals, acoustic piano
- Guy Babylon– keyboards
- Davey Johnstone– guitars,banjo,mandolin,harmonica,backing vocals
- Bob Birch– bass, backing vocals
- Nigel Olsson– drums, backing vocals
- John Mahon – percussion, backing vocals
- Matt Still – backing vocals
- Arthur – "woof-bells"[13][14]
Producer Matt Still noted during an interview that in "Just Like Noah's Ark", John's black and white spaniel dog Arthur "barked in the middle of [the recording], because John Mahon was playing a cowbell, and the cowbell freaked him out. So he ran over to John and started barking at him right in the middle of a take. It's funny, just randomly he happened to hit the beats and he barked in time. So I recorded it and we actually kept him in there."
The sampled "woof-bells" can be heard in place of the cowbell on the track.
Production[edit]
- Produced by Elton John and Matt Still
- Recorded and Mixed by Matt Still
- Recording Assistant – Tom Rickert
- Mix Assistant – Dan Porter
- Recorded at Center Stage (Atlanta, GA)
- Mixed atTownhouse Studios(London, England)
- Mastered byBob Ludwigat Gateway Mastering (Portland, ME)
- Studio Coordinator – Adrian Collee
- Drum Technician – Chris Sobchack
- Guitar Technician – Rick Salazar
- Piano Tuner – Andy Williams
- Director of Ops – Bob Halley
- Cover Photography – Ryan McGinley
- Art Direction and Design –David Costa
- Management – Keith Bradley, Mark Mercuriadis and Frank Presland
Charts[edit]
Chart (2006) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] | 37 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[16] | 37 |
Belgian Albums (UltratopWallonia)[17] | 99 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[18] | 26 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[19] | 43 |
French Albums (SNEP)[20] | 56 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] | 25 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[22] | 21 |
Japanese Albums Chart[23] | 100 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[24] | 10 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[25] | 52 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[26] | 27 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] | 10 |
UK Albums(OCC)[28] | 6 |
USBillboard200[29] | 18 |
USTop Tastemaker Albums(Billboard)[30] | 14 |
USTop Alternative Albums(Billboard)[31] | 7 |
Certifications[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] | Silver | 60,000^ |
^Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References[edit]
- ^"The Captain & The Kid Reviews".Metacritic.Retrieved26 February2016.
- ^Thomas, Stephen (12 September 2006)."The Captain & the Kid – Elton John: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards".AllMusic.Retrieved18 June2012.
- ^Willman, Chris (19 September 2006)."EW review: Elton's best album in decades".CNN.Retrieved4 September2023.CNN is quoting several reviews fromEntertainment Weekly.
- ^Going out?."Album: Elton John – Reviews, Music – The Independent".Enjoyment.Independent.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 8 August 2008.Retrieved18 June2012.
- ^Nichols, Natalie (18 September 2006)."Elton John pauses for a glance back".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved18 September2011.
- ^O'Neil, Tim (6 October 2006)."Elton John: The Captain & the Kid < PopMatters".Popmatters.com.Retrieved9 February2012.
- ^"Rolling Stone Music | Album Reviews".Rollingstone.com.Archived fromthe originalon 20 February 2009.Retrieved9 February2012.
- ^"CDs of the week | Music".Thisislondon.co.uk.Retrieved9 February2012.
- ^Sexton, Paul (18 September 2022)."'The Captain And The Kid': Elton John's Surprise Autobiographical Sequel ".uDiscover Music.Retrieved9 August2023.
- ^"Elton John | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".www.officialcharts.com.Retrieved8 February2022.
- ^"Elton John Chart History (Adult Contemporary)".Billboard.Retrieved8 February2022.
- ^"And the House Fell Down".Songfacts.Retrieved25 November2021.
- ^"Wild Things: 11 Pets That Influenced Rock and Pop".OnRolling Stone.2 May 2014.
- ^"Album Liner Notes".On albumlinernotes.com.2006.
- ^"Australiancharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Austriancharts.at – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid"(in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Ultratop.be – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid"(in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Danishcharts.dk – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid"(in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Lescharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid"(in German).GfK Entertainment Charts.Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Italiancharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Oricon News".oricon.co.jp.
- ^"Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Spanishcharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Swisscharts.com – Elton John – The Captain & the Kid".Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Elton John | Artist | Official Charts".UK Albums Chart.Retrieved 12 March 2023[dead link].
- ^"Elton John Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Elton John Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"Elton John Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved 12 March 2023.
- ^"British album certifications – Elton John – The Captain & The Kid".British Phonographic Industry.
External links[edit]
- The Captain & the KidatDiscogs(list of releases)