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Daniel (Elton John song)
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For the Bat for Lashes single, see Daniel (Bat for Lashes song).
"Daniel"
Single by Elton John
from the album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
B-side
"Skyline Pigeon"
Released
26 March 1973 (1973-03-26)
Format
Vinyl record (7")
Recorded
June 1972,
Château d'Hérouville, France
Genre
Soft rock[1]
Length
3:54
Label
MCA (US)
DJM (UK)
Songwriter(s)
Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)
Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Crocodile Rock"
(1972) "Daniel"
(1973) "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"
(1973)
"Daniel" is a song and ballad by Elton John. It appeared on the 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. It was written by John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. In the United Kingdom, the song reached no. 4 in the official chart.[2] In the US the song reached No. 2 on the pop charts (only held from number one by "My Love" by Paul McCartney & Wings) and No. 1 on the adult contemporary charts[3] for two weeks in the spring of 1973. In the United States, it was certified Gold in September 1995 and Platinum in May 2018 by the RIAA. In Canada, it became his second No. 1 single, following "Crocodile Rock" earlier in the year, holding the position for two weeks in the RPM 100 national singles chart.[4] Writers John and Taupin received the 1973 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.[5]
Donatella Versace named her son after this song.[6]
Contents
1 Composition
2 Personnel
3 Chart performance
3.1 Weekly charts
3.2 Year-end charts
4 Accolades
5 Notable covers
6 Use as film music
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Composition[edit]
Bernie Taupin wrote "Daniel" after reading an article in either Time or Newsweek about a Vietnam War veteran who had been wounded, and wanted to get away from the attention he was receiving when he went back home.[7] The last verse in the original draft was cut from the final version, which has led to some speculation on the contents.[8]
"'Daniel' had been the most misinterpreted song that we'd ever written," explained Taupin, in the Two Rooms tribute project. "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."
Personnel[edit]
Elton John – Fender Rhodes electric piano, "flute" Mellotron, vocals
Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar, banjo
Dee Murray – bass
Nigel Olsson – drums, maracas
Ken Scott – ARP synthesizer
Chart performance[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (1973)
Peak
position
Canada RPM 100 Top Singles[4] 1
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[9] 2
Dutch Top 40[10] 14
Dutch Single Top 100[11] 15
German Singles Chart[12] 27
Irish Singles Chart[13] 4
New Zealand Singles Chart[14] 2
Norwegian Singles Chart[15] 8
South African Singles Chart[16] 6
Swiss Singles Chart[17] 5
UK Singles Chart[2] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 2
US Billboard Easy Listening[3] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[18] 2
Zimbabwean Singles Chart[19] 2
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (1973)
Rank
Australia[20] 55
Canada[21] 19
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 48
US Cash Box Top 100[23] 44
Accolades[edit]
Grammy Awards
Year
Nominee/work
Award
Result
1974 "Daniel" Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male[24] Nominated
Notable covers[edit]
"Daniel" was covered on the 1991 album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin by Wilson Phillips. It reached number seven on the US Adult Contemporary chart as an album cut.[25]
Sam Smith covered the song for the 2018 tribute album Revamp: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.
The band Fuel (band) covered "Daniel" on the bonus version of their year 2000 Something Like Human' album.[26][better source needed]
Use as film music[edit]
"Daniel" can be heard in the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore by Martin Scorsese.
See also[edit]
List of RPM number-one singles of 1973 (Canada)
List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1973 (U.S.)
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Fontenot, Robert. "Oldies Music Encyclopedia: "Soft Rock"". About.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Chart Stats - Elton John - Daniel". Retrieved 28 January 2009.
^ Jump up to: a b c "allmusic - Elton John - Billboard singles". Retrieved 28 January 2009.
^ Jump up to: a b "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
Jump up ^ Lister, David, Pop ballads bite back in lyrical fashion, The Independent (London), 28 May 1994
Jump up ^ "Donatella Versace Daniel Versace - Donatella Versace Net Worth". Getnetworth.com. 1955-05-02. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
Jump up ^ Joseph J. Foy (5 February 2015). American Politics Through Popular Culture. University Press of Kentucky. p. 203.
Jump up ^ "Bernie Taupin Interview". Billboard: 14. 4 October 1997.
Jump up ^ RPM Adult Contemporary, June 16, 1973
Jump up ^ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 9, 1973". Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ "dutchcharts.nl - Elton John - Daniel". Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ "charts-surfer.de search results". Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ "irishcharts.ie search results". Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ "Flavour of New Zealand - search listener". flavourofnz.co.nz.
Jump up ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Elton John - Daniel". Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ ""Daniel" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
Jump up ^ "Elton John - Daniel - hitparade.ch". Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-01. CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
Jump up ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
Jump up ^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
Jump up ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
Jump up ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 2016-06-25. CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
Jump up ^ "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
Jump up ^ "allmusic - Wilson Phillips - Billboard singles". Retrieved 28 January 2009.
Jump up ^ Something Like Human
External links[edit]
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
show
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t
e
Elton John songs
1960s and 1970s
"Skyline Pigeon" (1968)
"I've Been Loving You" (1968)
"Lady Samantha" (1969)
"It's Me That You Need" (1969)
"Border Song" (1970)
"Rock and Roll Madonna" (1970)
"From Denver to L.A." (1970)
"Take Me to the Pilot" (1970)
"Your Song" (1970)
"Friends" (1971)
"Levon" (1971)
"Indian Sunset" (1971)
"Tiny Dancer" (1972)
"Rocket Man" (1972)
"Honky Cat" (1972)
"I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself" (1972)
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" (1972)
"Crocodile Rock" (1972)
"Elderberry Wine" (1972)
"Daniel" (1972)
"Teacher I Need You" (1973)
"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" (1973)
"Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (1973)
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973)
"Step into Christmas" (1973)
"Candle in the Wind" (1974)
"Bennie and the Jets" (1974)
"Harmony" (1974)
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1974)
"The Bitch Is Back" (1974)
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1974)
"Philadelphia Freedom" (1975)
"I Saw Her Standing There" (1975)
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (1975)
"Island Girl" (1975)
"Grow Some Funk of Your Own" (1976)
"I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" (1976)
"Pinball Wizard" (1976)
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976)
"Cage the Songbird" (1976)
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (1976)
"Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" (1977)
"Crazy Water" (1977)
"The Goaldiggers Song" (1977)
"Ego" (1978)
"Part-Time Love" (1978)
"Song for Guy" (1978)
"Are You Ready for Love" (1979)
"Mama Can't Buy You Love" (1979)
"Johnny B. Goode" (1979)
1980s
"Little Jeannie" (1980)
"Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)" (1980)
"Dear God" (1980)
"Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1981)
"Nobody Wins" (1981)
"Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (with Kiki Dee, 1981)
"Blue Eyes" (1982)
"Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (1982)
"Ball and Chain" (1982)
"All Quiet on the Western Front" (1982)
"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983)
"I'm Still Standing" (1983)
"Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (1984)
"Passengers" (1984)
"Nikita" (1985)
"That's What Friends Are For" (1985)
"Wrap Her Up" (1985)
"Take Me to the Pilot" (1988)
"I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (1988)
"Town of Plenty" (1988)
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (1988)
"Healing Hands" (1989)
"Sacrifice" (1989)
1990s
"Club at the End of the Street" (1990)
"You Gotta Love Someone" (1990)
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991)
"The One" (1992)
"Runaway Train" (1992)
"The Last Song" (1992)
"Simple Life" (1993)
"True Love" (1993)
"Shakey Ground" (1994)
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1994)
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (1994)
"Circle of Life" (1994)
"Believe" (1995)
"Made in England" (1995)
"When the Money's Gone" (1995)
"You Can Make History (Young Again)" (1996)
"The Madness of King Scar" (1997)
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997)
"Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997)
"Written in the Stars" (1999)
2000s
"I Want Love" (2001)
"This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (2002)
"Original Sin" (2002)
"Are You Ready for Love" (2003)
"Ghetto Gospel" (2005)
"Electricity" (2005)
"The Bridge" (2006)
"Joseph, Better You than Me" (2008)
"Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer)" (2009)
2010s
"Good Morning to the Night"
"Sad"
Related articles
Albums discography
Videography
Book:Elton John
Category:Elton John
show
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Ivor Novello Awards – Best Song Musically and Lyrically
1960s
"She's Leaving Home" (1968)
1970s
"Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" (1970)
"Something" (1971)
"Don't Let It Die" (1972)
"Without You" (1973)
"Daniel" (1974)
"Streets of London"* (1975)
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1978)
"Baker Street" (1979)
1980s
"The Logical Song" (1980)
"Woman in Love" (1981)
"Memory" (1982)
"Have You Ever Been in Love" (1983)
"Every Breath You Take" (1984)
"Against All Odds" (1985)
"Nikita" (1986)
"Don't Give Up" (1987)
"Something Inside So Strong" (1988)
"They Dance Alone" (1989)
1990s
"The Living Years" (1990)
"Sacrifice" (1991)
"The Whole of the Moon" (1992)
"Why" (1993)
"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (1994)
"Think Twice" (1995)
"Common People" (1996)
"Too Much Love Will Kill You" (1997)
"Paranoid Android" (1998)
"Believe" (1999)
2000s
"Strong" (2000)
"Babylon" (2001)
"Walk On" (2002)
"The Other Side" (2003)
"Leave Right Now" (2004)
"Dry Your Eyes" (2005)
"Suddenly I See" (2006)
"Elusive" (2007)
"Love Is a Losing Game" (2008)
"One Day Like This" (2009)
2010s
"The Fear" (2010)
"Becoming a Jackal" (2011)
"The A Team" (2012)
"Next to Me" (2013)
"Strong" (2014)
"Take Me to Church" (2015)
"Wasn't Expecting That" (2016)
"Black Man in a White World" (2017)
"Magnificent (She Says)" (2018)
*Awarded as The Best Song
show
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t
e
Wilson Phillips
Chynna Phillips
Carnie Wilson
Wendy Wilson
Studio albums
Wilson Phillips (1990)
Shadows and Light (1992)
California (2004)
Christmas in Harmony (2010)
Dedicated (2012)
Compilation albums
Greatest Hits (2000)
Singles
"Hold On"
"Release Me"
"Impulsive"
"You're in Love"
"The Dream Is Still Alive"
"Daniel"
"You Won't See Me Cry"
"Give It Up"
"Flesh and Blood"
"Go Your Own Way"
"Already Gone"
"Get Together"
Related topics
Hey Santa!
Naked and Sacred
The Wilsons
Christmas with Carnie
Carnie Wilson: Unstapled
Book
Category
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Daniel_(Elton_John_song)&oldid=863533290"
Categories:
1973 singles
1970s ballads
Elton John songs
Wilson Phillips songs
Songs with music by Elton John
Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one singles
Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon
Songs of the Vietnam War
Rock ballads
DJM Records singles
MCA Records singles
Hidden categories:
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