Caribou (album)

Caribou is the eighth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 24 June 1974 by MCA Records in the US^[2] and on 28 June by DJM Records in the UK.^[3] 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 two in the US, and "The Bitch Is Back", which reached number 15 in the UK and number four in the US. Both singles reached number one in Canada on the RPM 100 national Top Singles Chart, as did the album itself.^[4][5]

Caribou
Studio album by Elton John
Released	June 24, 1974 (1974-06-24)
Recorded	January 1974
Studio	Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado Brother, Santa Monica, California Trident, London^[1]
Genre	Rock glam rock pop
Length	45:15
Label	MCA (US), DJM (UK)
Producer	Gus Dudgeon
Elton John chronology
Lady Samantha (1974) Caribou (1974) Greatest Hits (1974)
Singles from Caribou
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Released: 24 May 1974 "The Bitch Is Back" Released: 30 August 1974

The album met with lukewarm reviews on its release and legacy reviews do not consider the record to be among John's best work from his early 1970s peak period. However, the album was a commercial success and has been certified double-platinum in the US as well as receiving a gold certification in the UK. 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 recorded quickly in January 1974, with only about nine days to get everything recorded, because he and the band "were under enormous pressure" to finish the album and immediately embark on a Japanese tour. Producer Gus Dudgeon added 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 after the Caribou Ranch recording studio in Colorado, where part of the album was recorded.^[7]

"Ticking" tells the story of a man suffering from a repressed childhood who kills 14 people in a mass shooting in a bar in New York City. Despite being described by Rolling Stone critic Tom Nolan as "the centrepiece fiasco" of the album in his 1974 review of Caribou,^[8] in 2015 Rolling Stone readers voted the song their second-favourite "deep cut" of lesser-known Elton John songs.^[9]

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 release of Caribou, though only two of them, the B-sides "Sick City" and "Cold Highway", were recorded during the album 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 movie score and soundtrack album of Tommy.^[10]

In February 2024, it was announced Mercury Records would reissue the album as 2-LP set on April 20 as part of Record Store Day to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the album's original release in summer 1974. Pressed on blue sky colored vinyl, LP 1 contains the original album. The second LP includes the b-sides "Sick City" and "Cold Highway," John's version of "Pinball Wizard," "The Bitch Is Back" (New Radio Mix 2024) and a new extended version of the album track "Stinker," the outtake "Ducktail Jiver," which was recorded during the Caribou sessions, and John's demo version of "Snookeroo," later recorded by Ringo Starr for his album Goodnight Vienna.^[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[12]
Christgau's Record Guide	B+^[13]
Tom Hull – on the Web	B^[14]

Tom Nolan of Rolling Stone described the album as "dispiriting" and said, "Nearly every song on Caribou suffers from a blithe lack of focus, an almost arrogant disregard of the need to establish context or purpose ... Shifting from sentimental to heavy to mocking, [John and Taupin] not only fail to touch all bases but undercut what credence they might possibly have achieved." Criticising the album's production and the superficiality of the songs, he concluded that Caribou is "a startlingly empty experience".^[8]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine's retrospective review for AllMusic called Caribou "a disappointment" and that aside from the two singles, "the album tracks tend to be ridiculous filler on the order of 'Solar Prestige a Gammon' or competent genre exercises like 'You're So Static'".^[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Bitch Is Back"	3:44
2.	"Pinky"	3:54
3.	"Grimsby"	3:46
4.	"Dixie Lily"	2:55
5.	"Solar Prestige a Gammon"	2:52
6.	"You're So Static"	4:53

Side two

No.	Title	Length
7.	"I've Seen the Saucers"	4:48
8.	"Stinker"	5:20
9.	"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"	5:36
10.	"Ticking"	7:34
Total length:		45:15

Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and 2001 Rocket reissue)

No.	Title	Length
11.	"Pinball Wizard" (Pete Townshend)	5:09
12.	"Sick City"	5:23
13.	"Cold Highway"	3:25
14.	"Step into Christmas"	4:32
Total length:		63:44

Note

• On the 1995 CD reissue, "You're So Static" is spelled incorrectly as "Your're So Static".

Personnel

Track numbers refer to CD and digital releases of the album.

• Elton John – lead vocals, acoustic piano, Hammond organ (9)
• David Hentschel – ARP synthesizer (2, 5, 10), mellotron (9)
• Chester D. Thompson – Hammond organ (8)
• 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, water gong
• Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone solo (1), soprano saxophone solo (4, 5), clarinet (5)
• Tower of Power – horn section (1, 6, 8, 9)
  • Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone
  • Steve Kupka – baritone saxophone
  • Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet
  • Mic Gillette – trombone, trumpet
  • Greg Adams – trumpet, horn arrangements (1, 6, 8)
• Del Newman – horn arrangements (9)
• Clydie King – backing vocals (1, 6)
• Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals (1)
• Jessie Mae Smith – backing vocals (1)
• Dusty Springfield – backing vocals (1)
• Billy Hinsche – backing vocals (9)
• Bruce Johnston – backing vocals (9)
• Toni Tennille – backing vocals (9)
• Carl Wilson – backing vocals (9), vocal arrangements (9)
• Daryl Dragon – vocal arrangements (9)

Production

• Producer – Gus Dudgeon
• Engineer – Clive Franks
• Remixing – David Hentschel
• Assistant Engineer – Peter Kelsey
• Album Coordinator – Steve Brown
• Liner Notes – John Tobler
• Art Direction and Sleeve Design – David Larkham and Michael Ross
• Photography – Ed Caraeff and Chris Denny
• Recorded at Caribou Ranch
• Remixed at Trident Studios (London, UK).

Accolades

Grammy Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1975	Caribou	Album of the Year^[15]	Nominated

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1974-1975) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[16] 1 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[17] 1 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[18] 1 Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[19] 21 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[20] 30 Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)^[21] 8 Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[22] 2 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[23] 20 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[24] 6 Spanish Albums-(AFYVE )^[25] 4 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[26] 3 UK Albums (OCC)^[27] 1 US Billboard 200^[28] 1 Yugoslav Albums Chart^[29] 5

Year-end charts Chart (1974) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[30] 4 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[31] 7 UK Albums (OCC)^[32] 15 US Billboard Year-End^[33] 65 Chart (1975) Peak position US Billboard Year-End^[34] 71

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[35]	2× Platinum	100,000^^
Canada (Music Canada)^[36]	Platinum	100,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)^[37]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)^[38]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. . eltonjohn.com. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
2. "American album certifications – Elton John – Caribou". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
3. "British album certifications – Elton John – Caribou". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
4. . Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
5. . Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
6. 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.
7. Bernardin, Claude (1996). Rocket Man: Elton John from A-Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 124. ISBN 978-0275956981. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
8. Nolan, Tom (15 August 1974). "Elton John – Caribou". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
9. Greene, Andy (2 September 2015). "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Elton John Deep Cuts". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
10. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/elton-john-pinball-wizard-song/
11. https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/17857?fbclid=IwAR0W4MiNpePCQhch0PIh2rf2r86H50hJpiUySrbvGB4XoaaA1m4lsLfbX24
12. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Elton John – Caribou". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
13. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 27 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
14. Hull, Tom (22 June 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
15. "GRAMMYs' Best Albums 1970–1979". grammy.org. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
16. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
17. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5071a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
18. Billboard – 3 August 1974. 3 August 1974. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
19. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Caribou" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
21. "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 25 March 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Elton John".
22. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
23. "Charts.nz – Elton John – Caribou". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
24. "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – Caribou". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
25. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
26. Billboard – 10 August 1974. 10 August 1974. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
27. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
28. "Elton Johnrefname=Billboard 200 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
29. Billboard – 28 September 1974. 28 September 1974. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
30. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
31. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3891". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
32. . Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
33. "Top Pop Albums of 1974". billboard.biz. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
34. "Top Pop Albums of 1975". billboard.biz. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
35. "Elton John Australian Award". 20 February 2023.
36. "A record award presented to songwriter Bernie Taupin to commemorate outstanding sales in Canada of the 1974 Elton John album Caribou". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
37. "British album certifications – Elton John – Caribou". British Phonographic Industry.
38. "American album certifications – Elton John – Caribou". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Caribou at Discogs (list of releases)