Caribou (album)
Caribou | ||||
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Studio album by Elton John | ||||
Released | 28 June 1974 | |||
Recorded | January 1974 | |||
Studio | Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado; Brother Studios, Santa Monica, California; Trident Studios, London[1] | |||
Genre | Rock, pop | |||
Length | 45:15 | |||
Label |
MCA Records Island Records The Rocket Record Company Mercury Records DJM Records | |||
Producer | Gus Dudgeon | |||
Elton John chronology | ||||
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Singles from Caribou | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Robert Christgau | (B+)[3] |
Rolling Stone | (not rated) |
Caribou is the eighth studio album by Elton John released in 1974. It was his fourth chart-topping album in the United States and his third in the United Kingdom. The album contains the singles, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart and number 2 in the US, and "The Bitch Is Back", which reached number 15 in the UK and number 4 in the US. Both these singles reached number 1 in Canada on the RPM 100 national Top Singles Chart (as did the album itself).[4][5] In the US the album was certified gold in July 1974 and was certified platinum and 2x platinum in March 1993 by the RIAA. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards.
Background
In the liner notes to the 1995 CD re-release, John described the album as being quickly recorded in January 1974, with only about 9 days to get everything recorded, as he and the band "were under enormous pressure" to finish the album and then immediately embark on a Japanese tour. Producer Gus Dudgeon would later add additional backing vocals, horns and other overdubs after John and the band had finished their work. Dudgeon later called the album "a piece of crap ... the sound is the worst, the songs are nowhere, the sleeve came out wrong, the lyrics weren't that good, the singing wasn't all there, the playing wasn't great and the production is just plain lousy".[6]
The album was named for the Caribou Ranch recording studio, where part of the album was recorded.[7]
In addition to the singles, John has over the years played several other songs from this album in concert, including "Grimsby", "You're So Static", "Ticking" and "Dixie Lily". The 1995 CD reissue contains four songs from the general period in and around the "Caribou" release, though only two of them, the b-sides "Sick City" and "Cold Highway", were recorded during the album's sessions. "Step Into Christmas" was recorded during a previous one-off single session, and "Pinball Wizard" was recorded at The Who's Ramport Studios in England during the sessions for the "Tommy" movie score and soundtrack album.
Track listing
All tracks by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted.
Side one
- "The Bitch Is Back" – 3:44
- "Pinky" – 3:54
- "Grimsby" – 3:47
- "Dixie Lily" – 2:54
- "Solar Prestige a Gammon" – 2:52
- "You're So Static" – 4:52
Side two
- "I've Seen the Saucers" – 4:48
- "Stinker" – 5:20
- "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" – 5:36
- "Ticking" – 7:33
Bonus tracks
1995 Mercury and 1996 Rocket reissue
- "Pinball Wizard" (Pete Townshend) – 5:09
- "Sick City" – 5:23
- "Cold Highway" – 3:25
- "Step into Christmas" – 4:32
Note
- On the 1995 CD, "You're So Static" is spelled incorrectly as "Your're So Static".
B-sides
Song | Format |
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"Sick City" | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" 7" (US/UK) |
"Cold Highway" | "The Bitch Is Back" 7" (US/UK) |
Personnel
- Elton John – vocals, piano, Hammond organ on track 9
- Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
- Dee Murray – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals
- Ray Cooper – tambourine, congas, whistle, vibraphone, snare, castanets, tubular bells, maracas
- Bruce Johnston – backing vocals on track 9
- Carl Wilson – backing vocals on track 9
- Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Jessie Mae Smith, Dusty Springfield, Toni Tennille, Billy Hinsche – additional backing vocals
- Tower of Power – horn section on tracks 1, 6, 8, 9
- David Hentschel – ARP, synthesizer on tracks 2, 5, 10; mellotron on track 9
- Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone on track 1, soprano saxophone on tracks 4, 5; clarinet on track 5
- Chester D. Thompson – Hammond organ on track 8
Production
- Producer: Gus Dudgeon
- Engineers: Clive Franks, David Hentschel
- Assistant engineer: Peter Kelsey
- Arrangers: Daryl Dragon, Davey Johnstone, Del Newman
- Liner notes: John Tobler
- Recorded at Caribou Ranch
Accolades
Grammy Awards
Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
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1975 | Caribou | Album of the Year[8] | Nominated |
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
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Region | Certification |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Gold |
United States (RIAA)[28] | 2× Platinum |
References
- ↑ "We Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Elton's Album "Caribou"". eltonjohn.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ↑ "Caribou". Allmusic. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ↑ "CG: elton john". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ↑ Rosenthal, Elizabeth J. (2001). His song : the musical journey of Elton John (1. publ. ed.). New York: Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0-8230-8893-5.
- ↑ Bernardin, Claude (1996). Rocket Man: Elton John from A-Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 124. ISBN 978-0275956981. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ↑ "GRAMMYs' Best Albums 1970–1979". grammy.org. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 29 October 2011
- ↑ Billboard – 3 August 1974. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- 1 2 "Hit Parade Italia – Gli album più venduti del 1974" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
- ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ↑ "charts.org.nz Elton John – Caribou". Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original (ASP) on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "norwegiancharts.com Elton John – Caribou". Hung Medien. VG-lista. Archived from the original (ASP) on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ↑ Billboard – 10 August 1974. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ↑ "Chart Stats – Elton John – Caribou". UK Albums Chart. Archived from the original (PHP) on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "allmusic ((( Caribou > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "Album Search: Elton John – Caribou" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ Billboard – 28 September 1974. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1974". RPM. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
- ↑ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ↑ "Top Pop Albums of 1974". billboard.biz. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ↑ "Top Pop Albums of 1975". billboard.biz. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Elton John – Caribou". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Enter Caribou in the search field and then press Enter.
- ↑ "American album certifications – Elton John – Caribou". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.