Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy national Top Albums chart and only broke a run of what would have been fifteen consecutive weeks at the top by falling one position to number 2 in the ninth week (31 May–6 September). On the UK Albums Chart, it peaked at number 2. In 2003, the album was ranked number 158 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. This was the last album until "Too Low for Zero" that Elton John and his classic band would play on together. Written, according to lyricist Bernie Taupin, in chronological order, "Captain Fantastic" is a concept
Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet) aspiring poet who turns to a rugged cowboy for advice and inspiration. The cowboy spits tobacco on the ground and affirms his philosophy on life: ""It's faster horses/younger women/older whiskey/and more money"." The poet tries to dispute the man's values and said he was looking for simple inspiration, to which the cowboy strongly reaffirms his stance on life. Disillusioned, the poet tries to start a fight, but eventually realizes (at gunpoint) the cowboy may have a point and leaves poetry behind. The chorus was given in evidence to a U.S. Senate subcommittee by the banking consultant Alex Sheshunoff: Faster Horses