"Madman Across The Water" Appreciation Thread

[Lancemc]

I find Elton John's 1971 pop masterpiece is simply umbeatable when I'm looking for catchy, traditional pop music. It just digs its way under your skin and doesn't scratch off. It's seriously 45 minutes and 15 seconds of piano-laden, guitar-crunching, string-accented, melodic bliss. The man's early 70's-voice was also unmatched.

You could argue that he went on to make better albums, but I personally can't escape this one. It's a classic for good reason.

And I'm going to go on record here saying "Tiny Dancer" just might be the finest pop love song ever written.


Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

Jesus freaks out in the street
Handing tickets out for God
Turning back she just laughs
The boulevard is not that bad

Piano man he makes his stand
In the auditorium
Looking on she sings the songs
The words she knows, the tune she hums

But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can't hear me
When I say softly, slowly

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
you had a busy day today

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

I'm not entirely sure what it is about the song, but it's just so perfect. Like any good pop song, there isn't any one thing that makes it so great. I do know that the strings and vocal harmonies give me goosebumps every time.

And the "Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand" lines always do a good job at making me just a bit teary-eyed.

It's also hard to beat "Levon", "Madman Across The Water" and "All The Nasties".

Appreciate this album.

Now.

bitches.

 

[LemonMelon]

I've never heard Madman outside of Levon and Tiny Dancer, but so far I'm unimpressed. I wouldn't put either up with Elton's very best. Perhaps I should listen to it all straight through and report back. But, so far, Tumbleweed Connection > Madman

 

[Lancemc]

You were unimpressed with Levon and Tiny Dancer?



You sir, have no soul to speak of.

 

[Lancemc]

You were unimpressed with Levon and Tiny Dancer?



You sir, have no soul to speak of.

BTW, this was post #6000 for me. And I couldn't have picked a better way to use it then by telling LemonMelon he has no soul to speak of.

How nice.

 

[Screwtape2]

This is probably my favorite Elton John album.

 

[BVS]

Elton is the man, and yes 'Tiny Dancer' is one of the best pop songs ever written...

 

[LemonMelon]

You were unimpressed with Levon and Tiny Dancer?



You sir, have no soul to speak of.

You sir, are exaggerating. At least I'm not one of those types who consider him talentless because he recorded Circle Of Life. I think Elton is great, but compared to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Daniel, Rocket Man, and other great ballads he's done, those two pale a bit. I like Levon's chorus though.

 

[impy13]

Tumbleweed Connection > Madman Across The Water


It's science.

 

[cdisantis83]

Madman is an excellent album, probably outshone in his catalogue only by Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. I've said it before, but what amazes me about Elton is the manner in which his craft lets one forget about Taupin's frequently inane lyrics. In my opinion, Levon and Tiny Dancer are both atrocious lyrics; yet, when listening to the songs, the melodies and hooks completely obviate that fact. Taupin ought to be damn grateful that Elton ever accepted him as a lyricist.