Maps of Music

Caribou (1974)

Where the lyrics of Caribou take you, and where it was really made.

The album takes its name from a Colorado studio, yet only part of the record was actually made there.

Key places

Where part of Caribou was recorded (1974)

Recording site Caribou Ranch — Part of the album was recorded at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado. The album takes its name from this recording studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Caribou: eighth studio album by British musician Elton John
• Released 24 June 1974 by MCA Records in the US and 28 June by DJM Records in the UK
• Fourth chart-topping album in the United States and third in the United Kingdom
• Singles 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me' and 'The Bitch Is Back' are included
• Both singles and the album itself reached number one in Canada on the RPM 100 chart
• Album is named after the Caribou Ranch recording studio in Nederland, Colorado

Background

• John described the album, in the liner notes to the 1995 CD re-release, as recorded quickly in January 1974
• Only about nine days were available to record everything
• John and the band were under enormous pressure to finish and immediately start a Japanese tour
• Producer Gus Dudgeon added backing vocals, horns and other overdubs after John and the band had finished their work

Recording

• Part of the album was recorded at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado
• Remixing took place at Trident Studios in London, UK

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, on 25 March 1947.
• Won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.
• Formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962; took the name Elton John in 1967.
• Joined DJM Records as a staff songwriter with lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1968.

Members

• Partnered with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967; Taupin writes lyrics and John composes the music.
• Backing band over the years included Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray and Ray Cooper.

Career

• Debut album Empty Sky (1969); Honky Château (1972) became his first US number-one album.
• Seven consecutive US number-one albums between 1972 and 1975.
• Composed The Lion King and Aida with Tim Rice; won Academy Awards and a Tony Award.
• Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour (2018–2023) was the highest-grossing tour at the time.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone: Tom Nolan described the album as dispiriting
• Nolan wrote that nearly every song suffers from a lack of focus
• Nolan concluded that Caribou is a startlingly empty experience
• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album a disappointment in his retrospective review

Reappraisal

• Legacy reviews do not consider the record among John's best work from his early 1970s peak period
• Album and its singles were met with indifferent reviews on release

Records

• Double-platinum certification in the US
• Gold certification in the UK
• Nominated for Album of the Year at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards
• Number one on the RPM 100 national Top Singles Chart in Canada, for both singles and the album
• 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me' reached number 16 in the UK and number two in the US
• 'The Bitch Is Back' reached number 15 in the UK and number four in the US

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• 'Ticking' tells of a man with a repressed childhood who kills 14 people in a mass shooting at a bar in New York City
• Rolling Stone critic Tom Nolan called 'Ticking' the centerpiece fiasco of the album in his 1974 review
• In 2015 Rolling Stone readers voted 'Ticking' their second-favourite deep cut among lesser-known John songs
• 'Pinball Wizard' was recorded at The Who's Ramport Studios in England during the Tommy sessions
• The demo of 'Snookeroo' was later recorded by Ringo Starr for his album Goodnight Vienna
• In February 2024 a 2-LP reissue for the 50th anniversary was announced for Record Store Day, pressed on blue vinyl

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact