Elton John: Madman Across The Water - 1971
"Back in the seventies, when people were saying that 'Madman Across the Water' was about Richard Nixon, I thought, That is genius. I could never have thought of that" - Bernie Taupin
This is very much an understated album. There is nothing remotely commercial about it.
Nine extended ballads dominated by immaculately produced strings, powerful drums, clunking piano, strong and bluesy vocals from Elton. Every now and again a bit of potent guitar comes in. There is no Crocodile Rock or anything like that. This is a collection of sombre, reflective songs.
Let's count the headlights on the highway....
Everyone now knows Bernie Taupin’s paean to his wife in the beautiful, delicate melody of Tiny Dancer, a truly lovely song. Funnily enough, it wasn't until much later in Elton's career that the song's popularity really took off. The Elton mid-Atlantic thing is now in full mode - "blue jean babehhhh...LA ladehh......". It sounds silly, but I can't help but like it. It sort of makes the song.
Levon is lyrically bizarre - “Jesus wants to go to Venus...” and so on, but it has an irresistible, soulful atmosphere to it. Nobody knows what Levon was about, neither does it really matter, it sounds good anyway. It has remained a song that Elton has played in concert for decades.
Razor Face is a track full of power and some impressive organ flourishes. It is one of those typical early seventies punchy Elton John ballads, chock full of orchestration and a pounding drum sound. Everything about it is good, I have to say. It is one of those killer deep cuts. The sound on this album, as it is on all these early seventies remasters, is outstandingly good.
The lengthy ballad Madman Across The Water is similar - emotive, dramatic and vibrant, yet calming down in places into being subtle and tender, but not written about Richard Nixon as people at the time suggested. A fine alternative version of it now appears as a bonus track on the Tumbleweed Connection album, as the song dated from that album's sessions, initially, I think. That must be why it is included on that album's bonus tracks.
Indian Sunset has Taupin in full American West obsessive mode, telling a lengthy narrative tale from a Native American’s point of view. It is marvellously cinematic, but as uncommercial as it was possible to be. This is remarkably mature, adult music and lyrics from two such young men, who were still in their early twenties, it must be remembered. Quite remarkable, in fact. Indeed, it almost makes you wonder had they had not dabbled in all that glam rock, would they have continued putting out quality in this style? Mind you, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was also seriously good, despite its more commercial moments.Holiday Inn is a melodic, soulful, country-ish rock ballad with some fetching mandolin backing. Again, Elton’s vocal delivery is strong and confident, that strange twang of his now fully developing, far more, say, than on the Elton John album. The backing on this is just wonderful, and, as I said previously, the sound quality on the remaster is second to none.
Rotten Peaches is one of those Leon Russell-style piano-driven slow rock numbers that Elton just did so well, in the fashion of Burn Down The Mission or even more, Border Song, particularly with its dominant backing vocals. It contains the line "mercy on the criminal" that would, of course, be recycled into its own song on the Don't Shoot Me album.
A Bowie-style titled number, All The Nasties is a strange one, building up as a quiet ballad, it ends up as a vibrant gospel celebration with a lengthy "oh my soul" ending that lasts a couple of minutes. A bit like the way Curtains closed the Captain Fantastic album, Goodbye is a short, vocal, strings and piano lament to close what was an often overlooked album that conceals hidden depths under its lush, grandiose soundscapes.
Overall this was a good album, but ever so slightly deep and introspective, overshadowed a little by the two gems either side of it. There are hidden depths, though.
Regarding the non-album material, Rock Me When He's Gone is a bluesy, gospelly, piano-driven piece of boogie written for old Bluesology mate Long John Baldry, It rocks from beginning to end. I love it.
David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson plays on an extended version of Madman Across The Water. It is a sublime version, with lovely bass and some searing guitar from Ronson. I prefer it to the actual version used on the album. It is full of heavy rock vibes, one of the heaviest cuts Elton ever recorded. I have to say that it is really, really good.
