Daniel (from Live to Russia - 1979) Elton John

[sakla123]

Yo tuve un hermano y esta cancion m e recuerda su presencia, tanto tiempo pasa el no esta pero ahora el esta presente, Rodrigo cuidate, que Dios te bendiga donde estes.

[reginaldk6522]

Absolutely amazing!! This is by far my favorite version of this song. I don't see how one man can possess so much talent.

[oldschoolfan92]

Fuck! I wish there are such musicians nowadays

[chinesetorture]

This is so amzing.

Happy birthday Elton <3

[subimedia]

wot was amazing was that the people were policed n not allowed 2 dance or shout - just allowed 2 clap quietly whilst sitting firmly in their seats!

[288Elizabeth]

I love his expressions @ 1:43 and 3:21! You can tell he is totally transported by his music:)

[R4YMI]

@288Elizabeth The public's expressions are also deep.

[CornelioIII]

@288Elizabeth xDD!! yay!! its a cool expression i like!

[cdavey13]

I agree this is a great version, but in my opinion, the best version is from his MTV Unplugged concert. I've only seen it once on MTV a while back. I have no idea how to find that version on cd or dvd.

[R4YMI]

Indeed, the unplugged version (I've got it too) is also great.

But it's after his throat operation (1990 I think) so his voice don't sound the same way. That's why I prefer this version even if the unpluggled one is awesome.

[Nuetful]

@R4YMI Thanks for uploading this, it is indeed fascinating to listen to Daniel through the years, personally I think his more "mature" voice also suits this song. I really like the version from "Actor's Studio" (was it 2005?), SUPER calm and reflecting version IMO.

[alpal2002]

Bad audio - such a pity.

[elton14jp]

best version

nice atmosphere

[gangastgdg]

Daniel you are Staaarrrrrr....in the face of the skyyyhhhyyyyhyyy !!!! Wunderschön I love you Elton

[dhouwhel]

I dedicate this song to my brother who passed away. Oh! O miss you so much!

[truckermich]

This version of Daniel became the best song i've ever heard. I'm a 24 years old tattooed tough guy, but i've cryed listening to this song. Saw it about 200 times and can't get enough of it. Thanks for sharing from the bottom of my heart.

Michel from Holland

[jaimolass20]

well i just have to say, what a great song and what a fantastic singer, i´ve never known an artist like him

[LeonardAndNickFan]

What a beautiful boy he was... with the voice of an angel... singing a GORGEOUS song!! Thanks for this post!! I must agree... best version of this song, ever!!

[Daim777]

Elton John... I just LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!

[ldjchgo]

What a great video of Elton. Love this song and I love the acoustic - makes it more real. Check out my take on it ...

[johncuschieri]

what an absolutely beautiful version of this wonderful song. he was at his best live and this is the best live version of his and taupin's classic he has ever done to my knowledge. thank you!

[ranchoboyeros]

a hit even in repressed Soviet Union back then

[alexgdeferrari]

Just awesome, thanks for sharing!

[JuneSLR]

well all i gotta say is that russia got what they wanted huh lol

[WhisperLady023]

just awesome

[ranchoboyeros]

i luv u

[stevenscrivo]

breath taking...it always is when its just elton and the piano he just has a way with his hands

[WhisperLady023]

I really agree, stevenscrivo! Elton is just great.

[marciorlz]

SUPERB!!! BRAVO!!!!

Congratulations and thank you very much for the post!!! For sharing it with everybody!!!

The video is excellent!!!

[duckscli]

That's the best version i've ever heard too , literally breathtaking.

[BadPianist]

Flaws in this performance...? I've never seen Elton John make a mistake on the piano, and I've seen him play the piano a lot.

[JohnMalcolm]

I once saw the whole documentary that this is from, and would love to get hold of it. I'm not a fan of Elton's recorded stuff, but in that doco I saw his real talent.

Ray Cooper on percussion in the second half was brilliant too. Does anyone have any more?

[jtsnowman66]

he was only allowed to bring one person into the country with him

[captaingrundy]

beautiful song despite any perceived 'flaws' in the live performance. i actually heard this song first as a cover, tortoise and 'bonnie' prince billy... a great version as well.

[newsboy5599]

How can I purchase a copy of this DVD? I can't find it anywhere.

[helenaZZZZirlandaise]

that's true. prefer his old stuff. he became too superficial and this has been reflected in his later work. thanx for sharing this, RAYMI :0)

[2rainbowed]

look online to the wikipedia, and type Elton John in the Search Engine. You'll find out about how he began to lose his voice after smoking too much pot, had the operation, and how he got hair implants and much more. I think he's more comfortable now with himself now but still think the best of his work ended after Goodbye Yellow Brick Road..

[theunusualbreed]

Captain Fantastic?!?

[sylvanol]

Personally, one of my favorites!

[jtsnowman66]

Yeah I do this song live on my regular piano and i constantly get comments about how it sounds better than the electric piano

[02jwinter]

it looks like he has a lot of hair here

[RoyRogers87]

I don't see why he ever would wanna play this song on what I personally would describe as the horrible el-piano sound when this song hits you so much more with the non-cheesy raw piano sound.. just my opinion..

[jtsnowman66]

yeah... I notice it ALOT on "I guess that's why they call it the blues" and "Empty Garden"..it's in "Nikita" too. He was really starting to develop alot more power to his voice in the 80's. Less highly voiced stuff, but high notes thrown in for occasional punch. I think his voice would have been beyond amazing by 1990 if he hadn't had the cancer.

[jtsnowman66]

he's starting to get his "80's voice" here

not so much falsetto but the power

and his strange pronunciations

[gtrplyr2112]

i see what you're talking about, with the "80's voice".

[mcesar84]

it looks like he gained a bit of weight here as well compared to the previous appearances. Perhaps that contributed to the noticeable change in voice.

[R4YMI]

mcesar84, his gain of weight in the 90's has no connexion with his voice change.

Indeed, he underwent a throat operation in 1987 ensuing from some polyp. that's why his voice has been modified (lower and more powerfull) since.

[mcesar84]

I was referring to his weight gain here compared to his earlier appearances. But he seems to develop the "80s voice" around this time; meaning more depth and power and shorter falsettos. His drug habit began around '75, which may have began to effect his "classic" voice by this time.

[radiance65]

I named my son after this record. Elton at his absolute best and my all time no. 1 record. Thanks for posting.

[reaction1986]

My mum did the same to me :) I love it as well

[ScottCLimaTeacher]

In fact, Elton's doctors at the time said the polyp removal would not effect his voice, and Elton says it did not. People love the drama of what caused voice changes, but the FACT is one thing alters the voice more than anything...getting older.

[Gibblady]

This song brings tears from a Vietnam era woman. Daniel's run in my family. I named my oldest son Daniel partly because of this song. We lost so many for so little.

[501W]

that's the stupid thing called war...everyone always looses more than they get.

[chenlung1]

I've seen Ray in this concert, was he not permitted to take Davey and the rest of the band? TBH, I liked him best in the 70s, but I wouldn't go to his concerts now as he can't sing anymore and the piano seems different too.

[raymonda100]

I think the Soviets viewed rock n' roll guitarists as a threat to the moral order!

[Chazfem]

of course he can sing! he sounds amazing.

[brianxyz]

Elton 'retired' in late 1977 and his band at the time were off doing other things. I believe Davey and some of the others had formed a band called China and weren't available.

[R4YMI]

The start is a cut cause of the footage I made with virtual dub, I've got the whole concert but I cut at the end of "your song", actually just after he received flowers and made some autograph.

[BadPianist]

Yeah, seems they stuck footage from the end of 'Your Song' a little bit into this song. Another funny thing on this DVD is that on the set list on the back, it says "I Thunk I'm Ginna Kill Myself." Probably a translation error, but still... Anyway I love the 79' Russia tour. Elton was fresh off a two-year break from touring and it showed.

[chenlung1]

lol I don't see any fingers on that piano at the start :D!

[dbeon]

I completely agree... I don't know... but this one is the best, for this song... Elton is the best... and was the year my birth...hehe

[chenlung1]

His voice sounds like Jose Felciano's cover version.

Another song (next to Tiny Dancer) where he's solo.

[ZiggyStardust35]

flawless! beautiful!

[JennaP46]

this si the true 70,s version..you had to be there

[message2you]

a classic video, classic song love it.