per Bernie Taurpin The story was about a guy that went back to a small town in Texas, returning from the Vietnam War. They'd lauded him when he came home and treated him like a hero. But he just wanted to go home, go back to the farm, and try to get back to the life that he'd led before. I wanted to write something that was sympathetic to the people that came home."

Elton John simply dominated the mid 1970's. And "Daniel" is a perfect example of why.

This always hits hard. My dad was in Vietnam went in at 18. Married my mum , and came home for good at 22. Addicted and full of demons that tormented him most of his life. He was a brave man , and then we lost my brother when he was 16 it took it out of my dad , this is an 😭 song

My brother is called Daniel. He moved to New York (from the UK) 25 years ago. We are still in touch - we see him so infrequently now. I love this song. I miss my Daniel.

I think Daniel was a war veteran suffering from PTSD trying to find himself again.

ELTON JOHN "LEVON" AN ABSOLUTE MUST HEAR.

"God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes." and "Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky" always took those lyrics to mean that Daniel was actually dead.

Elton is an amazing artist & performer, even today. I was lucky to be able to see him up close 1st row in 2019 in his farewell tour. He & his concert were SO Amazing that we went back a second night.

You're totally right- this song can be interpreted sincerely in so many different ways. Personally I always saw it as a song about growing up and losing touch with family and close friends. Perhaps you meet those people down the road and life has changed them (and you) so much that things are just not the same and the times you knew are just a memory. For a bit more info on the "true" meaning - This song is famous for having a third verse which Elton omitted from the final recording. He's talked before about how that third verse explains the context for the entire song. Daniel is a Vietnam war veteran who has returned home and is praised as a hero, but he just wants to be left alone to the life he once knew. He can never recapture his former life because in strangers' eyes he is "The Hero", "The War Veteran" etc. So he travels abroad to find some peace. That's a rough idea of what lyricist Bernie Taupin was trying to capture in his original draft of the lyrics. There's a video which Elton uses as the background to most of his live performances of Daniel nowadays which does make the story a little clearer. You can see it here if you like- kzfaq.info/get/bejne/paqjgpVosJmVaJs.html&ab_channel=MAMusic

Haven't heard this in so long Thanks for doing this one. You don't know what you been missing with Elton. Huge catalog of great legendary songs.

Two of his best lesser known songs are Harmony and Where To Now Saint Peter.

A favorite song and always has been... it's a wonderful piece of imagined fiction, too, with Taupin writing about a character he'd read a brief bit about in the news, a Vietnam vet who struggled with the attention he received back home.

What a great Elton John song to begin with. I hope there’s more to come. And happy birthday to your friend.

Daniel was an older brother that died. Elton imagines he sees his brother on a plane. He says "his eyes have died " but he sees more than Elton from the other side.

One of the most beautiful and Unusual arrangement of any Elton song. Its the acoustic guitar, mellotron keyboard, maracas, and electric piano. Wish he had done more like this. Its mellow and beautiful.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road please! So many great Elton songs, I could spend the next 8 hours listing them all.

Bernie Taupin was inspired to write this song after he had read an article in a newspaper about a Vietnam War veteran from Texas who just wanted to return to normal life after war without too much attention he was receiving when he went back home and everyone treated him as a hero.

I love this song.. And I love "Friends" nobody does that one. Elton was an only child until his father remarried. He had no relationship with his siblings sadly.

This song reminds me of my late brother . Beautifully written and song.😪

It's a sad song, indeed. Elton John was the music of my youth. A rabbit hole. You can't go wrong with him. Please, discover more treasures of him! Your song, Candle in the wind, Tiny dancer are some examples.

Love Elton John, he had so many hits, brings back so many great memories of my teenage years.

You should listen to Empty Garden, its an Elton John song about John Lennon. Some background on their friendship: John developed a fear of playing in front of an audience, but when he lost a bet to Elton John, he came out onto a stage with him for the first time in years. When John died, Elton and Bernie wrote Empty Garden for him

One of my favorite Elton John songs. Lovely.

Harri, I HAD to subscribe to your channel. Why? Because you always have interesting and intelligent comments about the music. Thanks!

Late to the party here, but I hope you take a listen to one of the most moving tune 'Indian Sunset', every time I take a listen my eyes fill with a tear, Bernie, Eltons lyricist wrote this song as if he was there, it just blows me away. Thanks Harry, you certainly are finding the gems.

I’ve heard varying explanations of these lyrics over the years. Still not sure of what Bernie Taupin intended but it seems to be about a soldier. In any case, that beautiful voice and piano just melt into my soul when he sings. Would love to see you react to “Empty Garden”, which was Elton John’s beautiful tribute to John Lennon. Rock on Harri!! ✌️

Wow!! You’ve got some catching up to do! You’re missing this extraordinary catalogue! Levon, I’m still standing, your song, candle in the wind, soooo much more

Harri Daniel is a war Vet according to Bernie Taupin who writes and meant to symbolise the then current situation . It's an oblique reference to Viet Nam. Daniel is going off to Spain to recover from his war injuries including maybe sight loss ( Your eyes have died ) He is off to heal in the sun but he has gained wisdom from his life experience which is a positive. Great Harri. This is sad but very very beautiful More Elton please

This is one of my favorite song in the world

As he says Daniel is a star in the sky I assumed Daniel had died and Elton was imagining him going to Spain, because he explains his sighting of Daniel as being caused by clouds in his eyes, as if he knows it couldn't really be him.

Harry, Spain is a simbolism of Heaven, Daniel passed away that's why he says Your eyes have died but you see more than I, Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky

Bernie Taupin's excellent lyric writing

This song always gets me emotional. My cousin lost his eyesight in tragic circumstances and the line in this song „your eyes have died, but you see more than I“ always gets me

I always thought Daniel's body was returning by plane. He can see "the red tail lights", followed by his memory of Daniel waving good-bye when he left."Daniel, your eyes have died, must be the clouds in my eyes..." because he knows he can't see Daniel anymore.

here is the the unused last verse (which pulls the song together). elton chose to not use it because he felt the song was too long....at least that's what i read. Daniel had earlier come home from the war. Hoping just to get back to the way that things had been before. But we've all heard you can't come home again. That's why Daniel, took right back off again right-then.

"Your eyes have died but you see more than I" This is a Vietnam era song.. "Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal" etc.

Great pick on your first reaction to Elton John

My #1 song of all time is Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me!

Elton was asked about the meaning of this song and he said even he didn't know what it was about. It was just a song.

I don’t see anything in the comments about blindness . “ the scars that won’t heal, your eyes have died , but you see more than I “ my mom was blind , so I’ve always loved that part

Now we're talking, and hopefully back to some Beatle's solo songs like, um, John Lennon singing Jealous Guy. Oh,the vulnerability!

Elton recently retired; what an amazing artist. Please check out his album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; start with “Funeral for a Friend” and his first hit (and my favorite) “Your Song.” Thanks, Harri!

Better late than never ! 😊 Hope to see more Elton John reactions in the near future 😄

Bellísima canción 😊

Thanks for finally doing Elton , great one to start with . I was obsessed with him from 71 to 77 when The Jam and punk changed everything . But I still love his early stuff , great voice , songs , and band . 🇦🇸

Song's about a Vietnam veteran who came back home but never adjusted. His mind is still in Vietnam, and he's traveling the world, especially Spain, to try and find what he's lost.

I had my headphones on & at the moment Elton sings "I can see Daniel waving good-bye", My son Daniel, on his way to work, popped his head in to say "goodbye". I quick unplugged the headset & had him listen to what line was being sung & he laughed!! When he waved goodbye, I told him I had a cloud in my eye. I could hear him laughing on his way out the door. :-)

Early Elton the best!

You have a great Elton John song in “Daniel” to be your first Elton John reaction.

Daniel is a Vietnam veteran trying to get away from the US and all the memories of Vietnam ... The idea for the song was from an article written about a man who experienced this, presume that, like me (I'm a vet too) his name was Daniel. - Daniel Fardella

A goldmine of pop hits harri, went to see Elton in 1970 just before he broke in the UK at the Glasgow Kelvin Hall, didn't know anything about him but the one song I remembered was YOUR SONG which was to become his first big hit. Now he is not my cup of tea but I do admire his musicianship and songwriting, my recommendation from him is TINY DANCER a beautiful song, and there is fantastic footage of this from THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST on utube . Take care kid.

Sir Elton John.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is another great Elton John song. You should give it a listen.

Love Elton John!! Seen him in concert a few years ago and he was still absolutely amazing. If you get a chance check out his song Blessed. It's so beautiful. Great song pick and reaction!! 🙂

*mentions that he has never been to Spain*-- *sings* Well I never been to Spain But I kinda like the music Say the ladies are insane there And they sure know how to use it They don't abuse it Never gonna lose it I can't refuse it

Taupin read a newspaper article about a soldier coming home from Vietnam to his home in a small town in Texas. The citizens wanted to give him a parade; he just wanted to forget about his experience in the war and be left alone. Don't know what on earth that has to do with the lyrics, but its a sad song about a brother coming home from war.

You may or may not know, Elton and John Lennon had a man crush on each other. If you haven't already, check out Eltons' tribute to John, "Empty Garden", from 1981. But only listen when you're in a good place.

Amazing.

"Goodbye NormaJean" is one of my favorites. I saw him in Mobile in the early '70's. It was beautiful 💞

You should check out Elton John's song, "Tiny Dancer". It's upbeat and one of my favorites of Sir Elton John (knighted by the Queen).

I spent a lot of hours listening to Elton growing up I want to suggest a couple songs I don't think anyone else has done a reaction for and I believe some of his best work also some of his early stuff never got much play 1. 60 years on, 2 The King Must Die, 3 the greatest discovery. I hope you check them out thanks Gary

Nice, you need to do Empty Garden a tribute to John Lennon his friend. He has so many songs to check out, and no one does the more modern songs like Runaway Train, The One, Believe are so powerful.

This is Stevie Wonder's favourite Elton song. My own Elton favourites: Curtains Candle in the Wind (1973) Someone Saved my Life Tonight Rocket Man Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding High Flying Bird Tiny Dancer Your Song Original Sin Indian Sunset Daniel The Last Song Captain Fantastic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Come Down in Time I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That We all Fall in Love Sometimes Bennie and the Jets Skyline Pigeon (1972) The One Believe Sacrifice Levon Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Tonight Gone to Shiloh Where to now St Peter Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word I've Seen That Movie Too Empty Garden Madman across the Water (Tumbleweed Connection bonus track version) Mandalay Again

He knew a family member that died in the Nam. Can't respect this more

I guarantee you will LOVE “Song For Guy”. It’s my personal Elton John favourite.

Running to Spain to escape the past is pretty much right. The missing third verse by Bernie explains what hurt Daniel so that he had to leave, but I think Elton was right to leave it out. The song relates to more people this way.

If you don't already know the songs, some great Elton tunes to react to would be Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Levon, Tiny Dancer, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters and Your Song!! Cheers!!

Wonderful melancholy easy flowing yet lovely work......Elton has a catalog of hit gems longer than a comets tail......I would like to suggest 2 much overlooked epic compositions......"Madman Across the Water" and "Indian Sunset"....for your ears heart and soul to enjoy and ponder on.

Three Dog Night - Never Been To Spain

He speaks of Daniel in the present tense, 'Daniel says...', so I assume that physically, he's still there, but his personality has changed after terrible things.

Elton John Captain Fantastic and the Brown Cowboy Sacrifice Nikita

Always appreciate your insights. Though Bernie was writing something different from what you heard in the lyrics, it’s along the lines of what I hear as well. One of the things I love about this song is how loud the electric piano is. It reminds me of baubles of light winking either seen through tear filled eyes or through fog or the way light dances on the surface of water.

I had always associated this song with Viet Nam,having lived through that time.

Elton is great live but his studio works are even better! Elton John/Honky Cat ALBUM VERSION

HE WAS IN A SITUATION CLEARLY HARRI 😊 , YOU'RE RIGHT, HE HAD GONE OFF TO WAR 😟 AND THEN RETURNED! OF THE SCARS THAT WON'T HEAL

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW HARRI, HE HAD THAT HIGH HIGH VOCAL PITCH AND RANGE FOR A GOOD SOLID 20 YEARS BEFORE HIS OPERATION! ( 70-90 ) JUST AWESOME AND EVEN 25 YEARS AFTER HE STILL HAD THAT DISTINCT VOCAL SOUND! :)

LEVON

Patrick Nicolucci's comment has the correct story.

Please react to his masterpiece from the 70s. Funeral for a Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

According to Taupin, there was another verse, but it got left out of the song.

HARD TO BELIEVE MY FRIEND BUT HEYYYYY BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! :) OVER 500 VIDEOS AND NOTHINGGGG FROM THE ABSOLUTE BEST? :( BUT YOU GOT THROUGH NOW AND HE HAS SO SO MANY CLASSICS AND TIMELESS TUNES HARRI SO :) GOOD DEAL

I agree with happy methehappyone

take it literally and Daniel is his older brother whom he looks up to; put it in the context of Elton John's life after he came out -- even tho Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics -- and it takes on an entirely different meaning. :)

♥️♥️♥️🎼🎶🎵

Oh Harri! If you love this, please listen to "Levon"....I think you will absolutely love it!

New subscriber here

AND ALWAYS REMEMBERRRRR HARRI, THE LYRICS WRITER IS HIS BEST FREIEND ( BERNIE TAUPIN ) :) SO BERNIE WRITES THE WORDS AND ELTON WRITES THE MUSIC TO THOSE WORDS! :) QUITE UNIQUE AND NO OTHER ROCK BANDS DID THAT SO IT'S QUITE ORIGINAL FOR SURE! :)

Elton ain't sayin jack shit in this song. It was written by lyricist Bernie Taupin. He wrote all Elton songs from the beginning through "Yellow Brick Road." Elton John was a gifted pianist and maybe the best voice ever in pop music but he couldn't write a lick of lyrics. That's why he took out an ad in a London paper for a lyricist and Bernie Taupin replied.

Lost my younger brother Dan last year at this time. I almost can't get through this song anymore. Songs take on different meaning when you lose a loved one. He was my only sibling. I am the last one left of the original family. Worse, I am a musician, former music teacher and love to sing this song. How do you explain to someone who requests this song that you can't do it even though you know it?

The last verse explained it all but the record label made him drop it because PSD was a taboo subject because alot of people thought it was a made up sickness

Hi Harri could you please check out Guy Sebastian Battle Scars re Anzac Day. Definitely worth a watch. Very inspirational 🙂👍❤

Please react to elton john tiny dancer live (1971)

I don't know how you know what this song is about. Even Elton doesn't know.

Daniel, is not dead. It's based on a guy going home after a tour in Vietnam. He wrote Spain because it rhythmed with plane.

I'm ready to hear Rose Royce I'm Wishing on A Star. Thank me later.

Daniel was a scared emotionally speaking war veteran. Trying to recover. A Vietnam war survivor

the situation was called the Vietnam war

during a plane wreck

I know a lot about this song, but try to just let it wash over me and feel the emotions that come up. I try lot to listen too hard or think too much about it. More of a "tone poem" to me