Honky Chateau is the fifth studio album by Elton John, which was released in 1972 . The album was called number 357 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time In 2003. It was certified gold on 24 July 1972 and platinum on 11 October 1995 by the RIAA. This was the final Elton John album on the Uni label in the US and Canada before the MCA consolidated all of its various labels under the MCA brand.
The first song of the album Honky Chateau "Honky Cat" is a New Orleans funk track reminiscent of Dr. John and Allen Toussaint and features a four-piece horn section arranged by producer Gus Dudgeon. Also of note is the debut on record of the backing vocal combination of Johnstone, Murray and Olsson, who first added what would soon become their "trademark" sound to "Rocket Man". The trio's unique approach to arranging their backing vocal tracks would be a fixture on John's singles and albums for the next years.
