The Meaning Behind Daniel by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

I am a huge Elton John fan. And I also have the greatest respect for Bernie Taupin and his not-inconsiderable contribution to this writing duo. For more than 50 years, this pair has become one of the most successful songwriting pairs in music history. And their success is very much deserved.

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I love most Elton and Bernie songs. But, I am particularly happy to explore the meaning behind “Daniel” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. That’s because it is one of my favorite songs. To give the song more context, I will also look at Elton John’s career, his chart success, and some of the details behind the recording of the song. Let’s get started.

The Meaning Behind “Daniel” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Elton John’s Career

Elton John has had an amazing life and an equally amazing career. Even now, in his 70s, he is still writing, recording, and performing live. Not only that but the quality of his material and live shows is frankly staggering.

He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947 and would later change his name to Elton John in 1972. Elton showed a keen interest in music and started playing his grandmother’s piano at a very early age. Showing early prowess, he began formal lessons at just seven years old. Only four years later, he went on to study at The Royal College of Music.

Despite his classical training…

Elton quickly developed an interest in Rock n Roll. Pulled by the allure of this genre, he began playing at The Northwood Hill Hotel at just 15. Shortly after, Elton John’s first-ever band called “Bluesology” was formed.

His recording career began when he hooked up with the phenomenally talented lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1967. They recorded their first song, “Scarecrow,” in the same year. This would be the start of a songwriting partnership that has endured right up to the present day.

In 1968, the Elton John/Bernie Taupin debut single, “I’ve Been Loving You,” was released. It wasn’t a big success. Although, the album it was released from, Empty Sky, did pretty well and charted at #6 in the US. A good start for Elton John’s recording career. But what happened next was nothing short of remarkable.

1970 was arguably the biggest turning point in this writing duo’s career…

They scored a Top 10 hit, both in the US and the UK, with “Your Song.” Additionally, it also went multi-platinum. The album that “Your Song” came from, Elton John, was also a huge hit. How huge? It broke the Top 5 on both sides of the Atlantic.

1972 to 1973 then marked the most incredible two years of music for Elton John and Bernie Taupin. It was the golden age of anything they ever produced, and the world loved it.

It started in 1972…

With the release of Honky Chateau. And continued in 1973 with the release of Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, which was closely followed by the release of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road later in the same year. The chart success of these albums, and the singles that were taken from them, was massive.

Probably the best-known Elton John single from each album in order was “Rocket Man,” “Daniel,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” “Daniel,” I am going to come to specifically very shortly. However, before I do that, I want to give a very quick summary of the rest of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s songs, right up to the present time.

Over the course of Elton John’s career…

He has sold more than 300 million records. To put that into context, that is more than every group or artist in the world other than The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson. Yes, he has been that successful. And most of the songs are thanks to the John/Taupin combination.

The best-known Elton John/Bernie Taupin single is probably the remake of “Candle in the Wind.” It was first recorded in 1973 in the album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The remake was titled “Candle in the Wind 1997” and was released as a tribute to Princess Diana following her tragic death in August 1997.

The song had reworked lyrics by Taupin and ended up being the second-best-selling single in history. It sold 33 million copies and has only been beaten for sales by Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” which is thought to have sold 50 million copies as a best estimate.

It is worth noting…

Elton John gave away all his royalties, as did Taupin. In the process, they raised approximately $50 million for Princess Diana’s charities. I take my hat off to them both as I also do for the further $600 million Elton John has raised for AIDs charities during his career.

This is a man that is fully worthy of a knighthood if there was ever one. Now, let’s move on and take a closer look at “Daniel.”

Chart Success

“Daniel” was the second single to be released from, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player. The first single from the album was “Crocodile Rock.” That became Elton John’s first #1 hit song in the US. Also, it was his first #1 hit anywhere in the world and made the top spot in Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

“Daniel” followed but did not make it to #1…

I get that because it was more of a ballad and less commercial than the Rock/Pop song “Crocodile Rock.” However, “Daniel” still got to #2 in the US and #4 in the UK. It also scored #1 in Canada. Sales were also robust, going platinum in the US and silver in the UK.

Sales of the album, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player were also strong. It went triple platinum in the US and sold over three million copies. Chart success was equally as impressive, reaching #1 in the US, UK, Norway, Canada, and Australia.

At the time, it was the most successful album Elton had released. But that would quickly be eclipsed with the release of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. However, that is a story for another day. Let’s move on now and take a look at how Elton John’s song “Daniel” was recorded.

Recording

The song was recorded at the Chateau d’Herouville recording studio in France. Elton John recorded many of his songs and albums there. Most famously, his previous album, Honky Chateau, was an affectionate name given to the studio.

The recording was done relatively quickly by any standard. But, even more so when you consider how long modern-day groups take to lay down just a single track. The song only took three takes to complete, which is remarkable. It is also a testament to the quality of Elton’s musicianship and professionalism.

Despite the speed of completion…

It doesn’t feel like there has been any compromise in the final product. I can remember hearing it on the very first day of its release, on vinyl, of course, and the song felt rich and smooth. Now, listening to it 50 years later, I still get that same feeling and sensation.

It’s a song that was beautifully recorded and has aged brilliantly. Interestingly, the song originally contained an extra verse. However, Elton decided to cut it out because he thought it might be too long otherwise.

That said, if Elton had not fought to have the song included on the album, it would never have been included. The record company wrongly thought it was too depressing to be recorded and should have been left out.

Good thing Elton got his way…

“Daniel” was recorded in C major with a slow tempo. That perfectly framed the haunting melody and gave the song some much-needed space and time to breathe. The song also benefited from the addition of some lovely atmospheric touches courtesy of the mandolin. All in all, it has all the elements of a wonderful ballad.

It is worth noting that the feel of the song has a striking similarity to Procol Harum’s “Luskus Delph,” which is a huge compliment. Gary Brooker was another great musician and pianist who was a true genius in this kind of genre.

Keeping in mind this was the early 70s, there was never an official music video made to coincide with the release. I am pleased about this as it let my imagination run free. However, despite the lack of an official video, there are plenty of live versions that are well worth watching. Especially the early ones.

Lyrics and Meaning

The meaning behind “Daniel” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin has often been misunderstood. And, I must confess to not having any real idea of what it was about back in the 70s. In my defense, I was only a teenager. So, realistically, what could you expect?

What does the song mean?

The song starts in the first verse with the younger brother sadly witnessing the departure of his brother as he flies to Spain. It may have not been Spain specifically. That’s because the destination could have been anywhere. Regardless, the brother was leaving for somewhere far away.

What sometimes is confusing in this first verse is the reference to seeing clouds in the sky that look like Daniel. It has been interpreted as meaning that the song was a tribute to Daniel, who had possibly been killed.

However, this is not the case…

Without having more context, it is unclear what “Daniel” by Elton John is about. Yet, with that context, you can understand it’s about the lives of Vietnam War veterans. In particular, American soldiers. The song is essentially about them returning from the conflict and trying to get their lives back together.

The song further picks up on the fact that many of these returning young soldiers just wanted to return and slip back into their previous lives. However, this was not easily done, mainly because of the unwanted attention they received upon their return. Plus, they also struggled with all the mental damage due to their exposure to war.

This last part is referenced in the chorus. Elton sings about scars that won’t heal and the pain he can see in his brother’s eyes. As anyone who has been around people suffering from PTSD or acute mental distress knows, their eyes are often vacant. And they appear to be locked into a far-off stare.

When Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics…

He said that we wanted to write something sympathetic to the plight of the returning soldiers from Vietnam. I think we can agree that he succeeded in doing just that. The Ivor Novello committee agreed and subsequently presented Bernie Taupin and Elton with an award for the Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 1973.

Curious About the Meaning Behind of Famous Songs?

Well, then check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, The Meaning Behind “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals, The Meaning Behind “When Doves Cry” by Prince, The Meaning Behind “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam, and the Meaning Behind “Hotel California” Song By The Eagles for more musical insights and interpretations.