Philadelphia Freedom (song) Page, including flutes, horns, and strings. The song made its album debut on 1977's "Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II". The unedited version (without an early fade out) appears on the box set "To Be Continued..." and the 40th anniversary edition of the "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" album. Recorded in the summer of 1974, during breaks between sessions for "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy", the song was at the time the only song Elton John and Bernie Taupin had ever consciously written as a single, as John told journalist Paul Gambaccini. John was looking to
Bernie Taupin lyrics for 10 songs (and an 11th completed non-album track "Across the River Thames") for John's 2006 album "The Captain & The Kid" (sequel to "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy") and appeared on the cover with him for the first time marking their 40th anniversary of working together. ("Across the River Thames" was issued as an Internet-only download as a bonus with certain editions of "The Captain & the Kid".) On 25 March 2007, Taupin made a surprise appearance at John's 60th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden, briefly discussing their 40-year songwriting partnership. Of Taupin's importance to