There's no song on this album that doesn't make it one of the greatest albums ever. And so moving, that 2 young men from the UK created this beauty of a dark time of our US History. Empathy and awareness, pouring out of every note and word. Thanks so much reacting to this album.

Tiny Dancer, Levon, Indian Sunset, Holiday Inn .... This entire album is fire.

Good stuff, guys. This album is so, so strong. He was in a class by himself in this era.

it really is a masterpiece..vocals, music, lyrics...

You don't hear it mentioned, but the empathy of EJ is truly amazing. He'd take a sheet of lyrics from Bernie and write what they made him feel and then make us feel it too... I mean, what should those guys know about the 19th century American West? But they can make you believe they lived it.

I bought that album when it was new. Great album. But I haven’t heard this song for at least 40 years. I’m crying hearing those lyrics again. 😢

Paints the picture and tells the story. The way the lyrics are brought to life, e.g. "where the healing waters run," is beautiful.

I cry a lot to this song. When its the 'it's lonely and its quiet' bit...man i always shed a tear. The tragedy of the native american will forever be etched in my soul

Brings a tear to my eye every time I hear this. 😢

This is great album. Thanks for a start to the day. Excellent reaction fellas. Appreciate you 🙏 ❤

This song was released at a time when artists were starting to pay more attention to the indigenous perspective in places like Canada and the US (same year as the Paul Revere song Indian Reservation, 1971) both in music and film.

I'm so glad you played this I forgot about it I haven't heard it in so long Thank you so much for all your great reactions

I've always loved the direct segue from this tune into Holiday Inn. From mourning the exploitation of the natives of this continent to the ultimate expression of that exploitation, the commercialism that not only denies the history, but charms us into forgetting it. Just my way of looking at it. Great song, and my favorite of Elton's albums. Wonderful music

One of my favorite and least heard Elton songs. Powerful and great vocals.

OMG, huge Elton John fan here. I love the way you pick up the songs I ignored and listen with fresh ears. I've always been of the opinion that Elton John's greatest albums has been Goodbye Yellow Brick Road with the lead track Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding as his greatest track. But you guys reactions have gotten me to do some serious thinking about that! You've definitely opened my eyes to Madman Across the Water, which I now realize is highly underrated. And in this song, with your new ears, I think you've uncovered a monster of a song. I was in tears by the end of this program.

One of Elton and Bernie's very best and most moving. "And peace to this young warrior comes..." gets to me when just hearing it in my mind's ear. So glad y'all found this gem. Jesse Colin Young (Youngbloods) has a similar song called "Before You Came". Same tragedy. Also beautiful, moving.

Hello La & Che, this is one of my favorite albums by Elton John. So glad you finished listening to the whole album. I'd suggest moving on to "Elton Johnn - Honky Cat" (Studio Version) --This song was released as the opening track for John's fifth studio album, "Honky Chateau" released in 1972. As always loved rocking with you fellas have a great day. Thanks for sharing.

I’ve never heard this song before. Thank you so much It was fantastic!!!

A deep dive into one of my favorite artists of all time! Elton is a genius!

I'm so happy you continued with this album. This song is just so deep.

If I had to pay a dollar for every time I have listened to this album during this year I would be bankrupt 😂😂❤❤All the best to you both as always . Beautiful album ..

His early stuff was his best stuff , And everything he touched turned to Gold !! He's been my favorite artist for 51 years now ! Right next to Supertramp !

You need to check out the live version, with just Elton and Ray Cooper. You're a drummer, Ray is one of the best Percussionist. I've seen Elton 3 times, once with Billy Joel, and once just Elton and Ray, and the whole band. I call Ray the Mad Scientist. Elton and Bernie have written some amazing songs, and not once in over 60 years, have they written a song in the same room. Truly Amazing!!

Been waiting for someone to react to this one. Absolutely brilliant. Bernie's lyric is so imaginative and descriptive. Pretty special for a 19 year old. Cheers ✌

This one is still my favorite Elton LP. Thanks for sharing this one. 🙂

So glad you guys reviewed this song. one of my absolute favorites.

A great one from one of the greatest. Thanks for reacting to this one, and I look forward to the remaining deeper tracks from this truly classic album.

This entire album followed by all of Yellow Brick Road, with some Thai Stick back in the day sent us to the moon! Great song and album, Elton is dope, especially in the 70s. 🎵🎹🎤🎸🎶

I bought this album along with Tapestry (Carole King), Blue (Joni Mitchell) & Sweet Baby James (James Taylor) with my first paycheck. 4 of my top 10 albums of all time. 💜

Paul Buckmaster’s intro of strings really adds texture and strength to the song. Not dissimilar to George Martin’s use on some Beatles tracks in another dimension. Good history lesson is right. Bernie Taupin’s best lyrical adventure. So good.

From my fav LP (cannot wait for title track), I discovered Madman after literally listening to GYBR album for a year. Got my hands on this and my world changed. I'm native, grew off res but near it. Basically this song taught me 2 things, EJ and Bernie were incredible and I had a lot more ?'s then answers so as painful as it is, I learn the real history of my people and our nation. Still recovering, but having EJ and Bernie on my side feels incredible. The production on this album blows me away. 👍🏽😎

Perhaps my favorite song on the album. Bernie Taupin deserves mad credit for immersing himself in western lore and classic narrative: on this, and the entire Tumbleweed Connection album, he evokes the American west right up there with the greats. What a writer. And of course Elton's music, singing, and playing are the direct, roots-y, soulful excellence that made him famous. His 70s albums are, IMO peak Elton.

SOMETHIN HEAVY'S COMIN, I LUVVVV THAT!!! 👌😊

Warren Haynes does a heart breaking version of this, hard to find as it was on a radio show.

Bernie took a little poetic license with these lyrics. Geronimo wasn't gunned down like that. He fell from his horse and caught pneumonia after lying in the weather, aged 79. Overall, a very good song. Just don't like pushing false narratives when it comes to historical issues. It can cause hatred and we see enough of it these days. The next song, Holiday Inn is very good.

Always a tear shed.

One of Bernie Taupin's greatest lyrics. Elton's songs begin with Bernie Taupin writing out lyrics and mailing them to Elton. When they arrive, Elton puts them on the piano, looks them over, uses his intuition and imagination and begins working out the tune. Later he goes into the studio and plays it to his band and arranger, who make up their parts for the song and record the tracks. The great arranger Paul Buckmaster added the soaring strings, violins, etc. The song is a masterpiece. Lots of historical inaccuracies, however. Bernie was only about 20 when he wrote it, and though he loved to write about America's history and culture, he was not an expert on Native tribes, since he mixed up references to tribes that lived thousands of miles away from each other across the continent. Like Geronimo who lived on the plains, while the Iroquois were in New York State .A wonderful song, nonetheless.

Rotten Peaches is a history lesson too about the dust bowl, Grapes of Wrath thing, This is Taupin's lyrics brought to life through music. A Norman Rockwell put to music thing.

EJ does not have many gems that fly under the radar. However, this may be one.

This is what 13 year old me was listening to back in the day. This song made me cry. Still does.

You have got to listen to , got to listen to, Got To Listen To… Tickin’ , In my opinion one of his best and overlooked songs !

This entire album is stunning. Writing, performance, production, concept...just amazing

The original version of Madman Across the water was later added to the Tumbleweed Connection album , evidently it was written much earlier. Its a different arrangement with heavy lead guitar and not the big band and strings you hear on the Madman across the water album.

Love EJ and also love the TRAFFIC behind you! ( ❤❤❤you both, too!) Holiday Inn just comes right into this...

YESSSS CHE, WE NEED YOUR REPORT, I'M GUESSING THEY DON'T KNOW THIS, NOT MANY DO! 😊

Chief Geronimo died a POW at Fort Sill, OK. My grandmother was from Afton, OK (Cherokee).

Thank you so much!

I'm so glad my favorite reactors are reacting to this, because it's a masterpiece of lyrical and musical drama, and I have no idea why more reactors haven't done it. However I'm glad you gentlemen did.

Glad you made it back to this album - not a bad cut left (actually - not a bad cut on it).

Great choice! Give Have Mercy On The Criminal next or Ticking, more great storytelling songs. Bernie Taupin writes the words and Elton does the rest.

great album.

He's done this live a few times, truly awesome!

Genius beautiful song.Notice how the song ended on a dime…death.

I never heard this song before…. Thank you , thank you …!

just wanted to say guys, yall do very good reactions. pleasure to enjoy with you.

That could have been a movie score 3:06

Finally someone reacting to this beautiful song

HOLIDAY INN IS NEXT!!! 😊WHEN WE WERE A FAMILY ( 50 ) YEARS AGO LA & CHE WE TRAVELED BACK AND FORTH ( CA TO NY ) 6 TIMES GUYS AND WE ATE AT HOWARD JOHNSONS AND STAYED AT HOLIDAY INNS! MEMORIES FOR SURE FROM A CHILD! 😊

Something has gotten you all down the path of a lot of the great music from that era. The message at least as important as the notes and rhythm. This is one of those very special songs to me..... I am not Native, but did grow up on the Res in Montana and know a lot of Natives. Have two adopted Native sisters. You look at how they carry themselves today after this history, the genocide and the heartbreak and trying to squeeze every bit of Indian out of them... And the pride and independence and quiet strength that could not be killed. You can't help but have the greatest of respect. Did you know there was a time the Natives were issued blankets to keep warm, but those blankets were infected with Smallpox? Or that one of the biggest reasons for the wholesale slaughter of the buffalo herds was to eliminate that source of food? The cool part at the end of the story is that the young have found their power, taking pride in their heritage and ensuring it is preserved but getting the education and knowing the ways of the "White Man", taking them on and beating them at their own game in the courts.

Despite the historical inaccuracies its a masterpiece.

This album has so many gems, it ought to be in a bank vault. My favorite period and music of Elton’s career. Great reaction La and Che.

WOWWWW!!! 😊WELL THIS TOOK AWHILE FOR SURE, I WAS WAITING FOR SIDE 2 TO START!👍😊 LOTSAAAAA MUSIC TO DO YOU GUYS I KNOW! THANKS

💯FYYYRRRRR LA & CHE, THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A DEEP HIDDEN TRACK😊, AND HE HAS MANYYYYY OF THOSE THROUGH HIS 50 YEARS, JUST INSANE TO ME!

Your Native American friends will find one or two sour notes here. 'Squaw', for instance, is a deeply offensive term, but it's certainly not used in that way here, and maybe we can give a couple of pasty-faced English boys in the early 70s a pass there. There is also some confusion about tribal culture and geography. The Iroquois lived in the northeastern US, not the prairie, and they lived in longhouses, not teepees. All that being said, it's a f*%#@ing awesome song.

Anything that includes Gus Dudgeon and Paul Buckmaster is pure gold.

This is not a fun song but a very important song!

Tupac sampled this for "Ghetto Gospel"

Orchestral arrangement by Paul Buckmaster - he's worked with many many well known artists over the decades.

Very moving song. You need to hit up Tragic Magic from that album behind you!

Told ya. Been requesting this for a year.

How a gay guy from Britain had such a grasp on the Indian experience has always amazed me. One of my favorite Elton song!! Thanks for doing this one.

Favorite EJ album.

Incredible music 😮

I know the album, so I know it will be great

And in case nobody else mentioned it, this song was sampled in Ghetto Gospel

Boston at last and the plane’s touching down…….

HITEMWITHALITTLEGHETTOGOSPEL

Elton could put the phone book to music and make it theatrical, Bernie's lyrics give the story with the show music to back it up

😊 YOU SHOULD DO FROM THE 70 BBC CONCERT ( MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER ) 💯YOU GET A NIIIICCCCCE PIANO SOLO JAM FROM ELTON LAH & CHE!👍😊

😊

I haven't read all of the comments, but I guess you already know that 2Pac sampled Indian Sunset on this track Ghetto Gospel, which was produced by Eminem?

Please give feedback from friends! Y’all yet to get to “What Now, St. Peter”…After this one, y’all will KNOW why so many of us tag Madman the Greatest EJ album ever!

Use the 1973 and 1974 album versions of the songs I mentioned!

You should check out John Prine. One of our finest songwriters.

Do Ziggy Stardust.

Love this, but wish you’d come back to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

2pac Ghetto Gospel

Also what a very sad song of what the white men did to the Indians , epic song

Elton and Bernie play a little hard and fast with history in this song, no more than your standard western I guess. Geronimo died of pneumonia after being thrown from his horse on a very cold day. He was found very ill. Don't get your history from rock stars. Great storytelling, outstanding album.

What a song most non single Elton songs were better

Theatrical

Well if it a history lesson it is a poor one. The lyrics imply Geronimo was shot down dead while surrendering. In actuality he died of pneumonia. The treatment of American Indians by the Government was bad enough without needing to embellish. On the other hand the over romanticized version of their innocence that popular culture perpetuates needs a reality check.

Worse song on an amazing record.....madman, peaches, etc