Madman Across the Water (Madman Across the Water 4 of 10)

[bruffie1]

Whatever happened to him? He was so good in those days and turned into a prancing Parrot more bothered about the show than the music. I miss THIS Elton John,

[SHEPARDWISPERER]

proof Elton is time traveler , saw the Italian cruse ship disaster and wrote this song about it and its captain after returning to 1971

[santillanaelpuma]

great elton john and bernie taupin thank you so ,so ,so mutch guys

[santillanaelpuma]

AAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ­ZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN­NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG­GGGGGGGGGG,HUGH I SAY

[cocarter]

perhaps you need a cup of stfu

[urkoolUncle]

A Masterpiece.



[illusiondoptik]

A-MA-ZI-NG !

[DigJam53]

it was a great time for Elton,,, first 4 albums or so,, back before he became a rosebowl float,, his music with Taupin's lyrics were awesome,,,

[mayabelle1107]

Angry and beautiful... he must have been holding an emotion or 47 back... Didn't leave anything on the floor, except his heart, again.... Thank you Mr. John.

[shannonfreeman1]

I love this song, I think it is my favorite.

[Herbuliss]

It's simple beautiful... :-)

[shire2005]

Great lyrics, great everything!

[SunnyDays951]

The end of this song is so spooky, ethernal.

[kenevans233]

"...when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw."

Actually, I would say that Bernie was commenting on the peculiar nature of people to do so many crazy, mundane things, but then call someone else's unique nature, 'Mad'.

[Mrdianalynn]

Therre's a joke and I personally know it very well.

[MsMeatloaf69]

i wanted out so much then elton and ziggy came along

[MsMeatloaf69]

scary rock is bad ass wake up and see the white rabbit

[6562willow]

xoxo umg is blocking me

[6562willow]

xoxo

[rstlsdreamr]

You think that I'm a madman, well that's all right by me. I see reality very well, thank you. In fact, because I am a "madman" (as you call me), I see reality much more realistically than you. You look and laugh and in your busy little lives have no idea of the brilliance of my "madness". All the while thanking God that you are not me.

[wtw88]

@rstlsdreamr Wow yeah man

[SunnyDays951]

I beleive it was with this track that I realized we had a legend on our hands.

[410rdt]

Elton and Bernie at there best..BUT - the version of this song on the Tumbleweed Connection Album is the best..12mins. long on that album..

[jason13204]

@410rdt I was just thinkint the same thing. You know most of his early albums he already had the songs for as far back as 1967.

[TheKevinLuckeKid]

So much better than that late 70's and 80's pop shit that he did

[ProcolHarum1967]

@TheKevinLuckeKid I think even he might agree with you on that because when I went to see him he mostly played early tunes including this one.

[CRAZYEYEVAN]

Madman is one of Elton's and Bernie's best collaborations especially the song ! I really like all the comments and beliefs of what the song means ? You all have great imaginations, no doubt ! Most of the time though even Elton does not know what Bernie is writing about, or what the song means ? I believe once those melodies have been laid down to the words the energy is more powerful than a nuclear power plant ! The best way to interpret an EJ and BT song is to feel the music in your soul !

[vconjones]

I guess I always assume that the song describe the ranting of a madman as in response to an unwanted visitation. great song to listen to when depressed and on your six Guinness.

[MsTiggerrr]

for 1, not so subtle, guy. my dad was Navy SEAL. i think the words are surprisingly direct, as the sea and man have always had a tumultuous relationship

[MsTiggerrr]

for 1, not so subtle, guy. my dad was Navy SEAL. i think the words are surprisingly straight.

[kertbert1]

I don't have a clue what he's talking about. I have always loved this song. I can feel the frustration. I feel the energy exploding inside when I listen to this.  I think I'll listen to Rocket Man next.

[1subtleguy]

Actually and "back in the day", he was talking about Adolph Hitler... everyone who knew anything at all "back then:, knew it.... Get over the hate Hucktube, while you still have time to love...

[huckutube]

Back in the day, they told us he was talking about Richard Nixon.

[jguterman]

Great in every way. Strong vocal.

[mckins1]

Best Taupin-John song - best Elton John album by a long shot - "we'll come again next Thursday afternoon............"

[csumjr]

Wow, You guys read waaaayyy to much into a Great Song......why can't it just be Entertainment?

[myblueroad]

Some see things clearer than others

[thewakid]

i think its about when elton john was in a mental institution......

[Mr1969rastus]

Love the strings on this track! Thank you Paul Buckmaster.

[redlipstickmafia]

This was the last album by Elton that I got. I loved him for the first 4 when people didn't know who he was. It was a more subtle and tasteful production. Songs with more depth. Loved all of this stuff... learned a lot of piano from it. Still I was only about 11 or 12. The live album, I loved it 11/7/71? Did I really just remember that?

I turned 11 in nov. 1971.pular and rich and i had always though he was my secret before that!

[Vulcanrider58]

I always thought it was a song about boredom with life and the frustrations that go with barely ekeing out a living. Still one of Bernie and Elton's best. Makes me feel old that I remember playing them when they were considered "current". A little depressing...LOL

[bigrussthefusss]

I think its a song about a guy who is in a mental institution and is going to kill himself, his family is trying to hold onto him but they are fading away and slowly forgetting about him, he eventually takes his life. THen again, it could be about elton he is the madman across the water, in england and we are looking at him like "what the fuck is this?"

[trenawl]

Surely it's a metaphor for coming to terms with the dudes sexuality. Never really questioned the motive here, just loved the raw passion with which it was conveyed.

[DonaldRumsfailed]

@trenawl Oh, I get it. boat on the reef with a broken back. Broke back mountain. Now it's all clear. broken back is some sort of code.. (Not really, of course. By the way, I don't think Bernie T was gay, and he wrote the lyrics, right?

[dacordova]

@DonaldRumsfailed I'm guessing that you probably know the code.

[DonaldRumsfailed]

I don't know about the Nixon link. It's almost too obvious, and the rest of the lyrics don't really fit. I think this is about drug-related mental breakdown and being hospitalized.

[virgilio1956]

urban legend that this was about nixon

LBJ started the campaign, nixon ended it.

libs can never get history right , doh!

[nutbagbrew102]

are you fucking kidding me jsoynbnj?

what a fucking moron you are , the windows painted black is what they did in england when being bombing at night by hitlers air force - its always funny to hear young people always use nixon as the person in this song. this song is really about OBAMA and how elton knew this nagger was coming in the future, how bout that asshole.

[jsoynbnj]

A song that captures that period so well. Obviously, Elton and Bernie were doing a song about Richard Nixon---as a Brit would see him, as the "madman across the water", murdering perhaps millions in Vietnam, determined not to "lose" that war, completely out of control, unhinged, huddled in the White House.

Elton and Bernie, you expressed it so well.

[diddymuck]

don't think so. Boat on the reef with a broken back? Once a fool had a good part in a play. Better get your coat dear it looks like rain.

sounds like a song of frustration and wishing to run away. people in singer's life are driving him mad with their mundane behavior.

[damselinthisdress1]

@diddymuck That would be songwriter bernie taupon. but ya thats what it sounds like. great song and era for music

[celloprofundo]

@diddymuck He's Harry Potter's grandfather in a muggle world, or pissed off about having to perform for people who have no idea of appreciation for his art...or he's tired of being in the closet... or typical in-law problems, dis-like running in bothe directions...or an en-lightened Brit wondering why Americans are so especially thick.

[MrBazzabee]

Dear jsoynbnj..This song is more or less about Bernie's strained relationship with his American 1st wife,Maxine's parents ..the in-laws, who thought everything he said- sounded funny ..coming from Lincolnshire!!! and also coming from......Across....the Water.!!(Atlantic) But obviously NOT about american failed,foreign military policies !!!

[luvthatzeppelin]

Soundtrack from "Dog Day Afternoon" with Al Pacino.

Great movie and a great tune...

[sharpshooter1959]

dog day afternoon had only one song on the entire movie

Amoreena

not much of a sound track

[luvthatzeppelin]

"Title song" from Dog Day Afternoon".

Does that make you feel better....?

jeesh!

[sharpshooter1959]

I feel great

thanks for asking.

But...

madman across the water was not in dog day afternoon

The song was amoreena.

luv zep too

later.

[slytomcat999]

there is a boat on the reef with a broken back...and I can see it very well...

[fecinny]

there's a boat on the reef with a broken bale

[VenusInPisces]

Excellent song, and excellent arrangement

[MegaBabeTV]

This is a really excellent album!

[Jwo32]

Great song, amazing vocal performance

[tungfumove]

i love this ablum and goodbye yellow brick road, with greatest hits placing third for me... oh and dont shoot the piano player... yep... and madman and levon are my two faves for sure

[kwillyou22]

this was his best album i think Indian Sunset is like my favorite song of all time

[terrance58]

Many people did not like this when it was released. Thaat said, I believe it is important to his portfolio. This song in particular.

[gwangi09]

Best song he ever did.. beautiful, babe.

[doreenhayes]

whats wrong with you people CLASSIC ELTON? let me guess only the camercial stuff! how sad; for you dode8371