Caribou (album)

Caribou
Studio album by Elton John
Released	28 June 1974
Recorded	Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado; Brother Studios, Santa Monica, California January 1974
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
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)Goodbye Yellow Brick Road1973 Caribou (1974) Elton John Greatest Hits (1974)Elton John Greatest Hits1974
Singles from Caribou
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Released: 20 May 1974 "The Bitch Is Back" Released: 3 September 1974

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	(B+)
Rolling Stone	(not rated)

Caribou, the 1974 album by Elton John, was his fourth chart-topping album in the United States and his third in the United Kingdom. It was the eighth official album release for John. 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). 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.

The album was named for the Caribou Ranch recording studio, where part of the album was recorded.

In addition to the singles, John has over the years played several others 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 songs by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted.

Side one

1. "The Bitch Is Back" – 3:44
2. "Pinky" – 3:54
3. "Grimsby" – 3:47
4. "Dixie Lily" – 2:54
5. "Solar Prestige a Gammon" – 2:52
6. "You're So Static" – 4:52

Side two

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" – 7:33

Bonus tracks (1995 Mercury and 1996 Rocket reissue)

11. "Pinball Wizard" (Pete Townshend) – 5:09
12. "Sick City" – 5:23
13. "Cold Highway" – 3:25
14. "Step into Christmas" – 4:32

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

B-sides

Song	Format
"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, pianos, organ on track 9
• Davey Johnstone – acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, backing vocals
• Dee Murray – bass guitar, phased Pignose bass, backing vocals
• Nigel Olsson – drums, backing vocals
• Ray Cooper – tambourine, congas, whistle, vibes, snare, castanets, watergong, tubular bells, maracas

Additional musicians

• 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	Recipient/Nominated work	Award	Result
1975	Caribou	Album of the Year	Nominated

Charts

Chart positions

Chart (1974)	Peak position
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart	1
Canadian RPM Albums Chart	1
Danish Albums Chart	1
Finnish Albums Chart	21
Italian Albums Chart	8
Japanese Oricon LP Chart	20
New Zealand Albums Chart	20
Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart	6
Spanish Albums Chart	4
Swedish Albums Chart	3
UK Albums Chart	1
US Billboard 200	1
West German Media Control Albums Chart	33
Yugoslav Albums Chart	5

Year-end charts

Chart (1974)	Position
Australian Albums Chart	4
Canadian Albums Chart	7
Italian Albums Chart	45
UK Albums Chart	15
US Billboard Year-End	65
Chart (1975)	Peak position
US Billboard Year-End	77

Certifications

Region	Certification
United Kingdom (BPI)	Gold
United States (RIAA)	2× Platinum

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by The Singles: 1969-1973 by The Carpenters	UK number-one album 13 – 20 July 1974	Succeeded by Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings
Preceded by Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot	US Billboard 200 number-one album 13 July – 9 August 1974	Succeeded by Back Home Again by John Denver
Preceded by Diamond Dogs by David Bowie	Canadian RPM 100 number-one album 10–17 August 1974	Succeeded by Back Home Again by John Denver
Preceded by The Sting (soundtrack) by Various artists	Australian Kent Music Report number-one album 12 August – 20 October 1974	Succeeded by Quatro by Suzi Quatro