This year marks the 50th anniversary of Elton John‘s ninth studio album, “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy,” which was an instant success. It sold 1.4 million copies in four days and was certified gold before it was even released.
The record is a concept album, an autobiographical account of the legendary writing duo of John (Captain Fantastic) and his long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin (the Brown Dirt Cowboy). Ending Side A of the LP was the ballad “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” which combines several aspects of John’s personal life.
In the late 1960s, John was at a turning point. The singer, who is now openly gay and an activist for LGBTQ rights, was engaged to be married to Linda Woodrow. Knowing that it wasn’t right, it left him feeling trapped and desperate, and in that desperation, he even considered suicide, but was talked out of it.
“I was going to get married once when I was younger,” John said of the situation. “I went out and got drunk with Long John Baldry and Bernie, and John said I shouldn’t get married. I knew he was right, but I didn’t know how to get out of it, so I just got drunk and went home and said I’m not getting married.”
“Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” marked the last recording with the original lineup of the Elton John Band, featuring guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson. John fired them following its recording, but they’d reunite seven years later.
Today, we’re checking out the first time they ever got to perform “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” together. John brought the band back on for his 1982 world tour, including this stop at London’s Hammersmith Odeon.
The epic song, which stretches to nearly seven minutes, begins with a grand showing on the piano. John plays an Ab chord in his right hand with octaves of an Eb in his left hand. This creates a second inversion chord, giving a sense of steadfastness, although not complete stability. He then moves to a Db chord with Db in the bass, but an inversion in the right hand.
Musically, it has twists and turns, like an extra 2/4 bar at the end of phrases to give listeners time to reflect on the lyrics. It’s often cited as one of John’s best songs, even by the artist himself.
“I’ve always thought that Captain Fantastic was probably my finest album because it wasn’t commercial in any way,” John told Cameron Crowe in an interview. “We did have songs like ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight,’ which is one of the best songs that Bernie and I have ever written together. But whether a song like that could be a single these days, since it’s practically six minutes long, is questionable. Captain Fantastic was written from start to finish in running order, as a kind of story about coming to terms with failure–or trying desperately not to be one.”
Follow along with the sheet music:
