Song requests my brother: Eric Burdon & War - Tabacco Road (live 1970) featuring Eric Burdon from The Animals. Sugarloaf - Green Eyed Lady. Nina Simone - Sinnerman. Mike and the Mechanics - Silent Running. God Bless
There’s some many... Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, The Bitch Is Back, Crocodile Rock, Someone Savrs My Life Tonight, Pinball Wizard, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Philadelphia Freedom, I’m Still Standing, Sad Songs ... the list is endless...
Beautiful ,Beautiful song, Bernie Taupins lyrics and Elton's song arrangements were pure magic. Don't leave out Levon and Madman across the water.both a must have.
That's an interesting slant, and probably quite true as far as today's music with a high profile is concerned. Kind-hearted songs still exist. They're just generally under the radar...
I read that this song was actually about a guy that came home from Vietnam and got parade around as a hero. "Daniel" wanted to leave the war behind and lead a peaceful life, so very appropriate to associate it with Vietnam. A lot of those guys came back with PTSD or as they called it then "battle fatigue"
"Daniel" was written by John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. "'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." - Source - Wikipedia.
Lyrics were written by Bernie- music by Elton- Elton left off the last verse as he felt it was a bit long- and he always tells us the story about how he left the last verse off and how as a result no one really understood the songs meaning- including Elton himself !
This song holds a deeply personal meaning for me. My dad was a critically wounded Vietnam Vet (Special Forces-Green Beret). I'll never forget the day the Army Chaplain came to our house to deliver the news. We were shattered; miraculously he survived. He came home a different man. Dad passed away 5 years ago. Thanks for doing this song 🙏
Sorry for the loss of your Father, i hold Vietnam Veterans in the highest regard. Never realized that this song was associated with wounded soldiers, and their return home.
My dad served in Vietnam and this song was always close to his heart. He passed almost 2 years ago from Agent Orange related multiple myeloma. My dads birthday is tomorrow. Thank you for listening to this. ❤️ I miss you daddy
My dad too, Kristin. Throat cancer from AO. Happy birthday to your dad on the other side. Maybe they are playing cards together and drinking beer or something.
Deepest condolences for your loss little sister may our Lord Jesus Christ and his Father God Almighty forgive him of any sins and allow him entrance into the Father's kingdom may he find his peace as he found it in his kids happiness and his grandchildren's happiness and I say thank you sir for your service and your sacrifices Amen
I have a hard time listening to this song. A childhood friend who's actual name was Daniel passed away a few years ago. His younger brother sang this with an acoustic guitar at the funeral. Really tough listen now. RIP Brother. 🙏
My mother and I used to sing this song together whenever we'd hear it. Her brother David died in the Vietnam War. We'd put David's name in place of Daniel. Beautiful reaction Jamel! Thanks.
My grandpa used to tell me there was this Elton John song that he liked, and he thought it was called "Rose Garden". Just recently I remembered him saying that and finally looked into it and found out it was "Empty Garden". I made him a mix CD with that song and he just loves it.
The vets coming back from Vietnam didn't have the benefit of the mental health services that are available now. They really hadn't even named PTSD back then. Also the war was very unpopular and the soldiers were often spit on and disrespected. This song is so sad.
My brother, Daniel, died of a heart attack at the age of 28, totally unexpected and totally devastating. Hearing this song has torn me up ever since even though he was my younger brother. I think what makes it worse is that none of us ever got to say goodbye.
I cry every time I hear this....a Veteran's mom who is a Daniel. My only child and son. He came home on leave from combat in middle East and had to go back to combat. It ripped my heart out to see the change come over his body language and eyes. He was trying to be brave for me but when he turned back the last time and looked at me I saw the fear in them. The anxiety welling up and he tried to smile then turned away. Actually feel to my knees and sobbed because I just wanted to grab him and run. I'll never forget that look...7 years he served with distinction and honor. I won't say what his mos was but he like many went threw and saw he'll on earth. I'm a PROUD and lucky mom to have him back. My Danny. Complete strangers ran to me in that desperate broken moment and. I will never be able to thank them enough. This song is very personal to me and his 4 younger siblings. I prayed to God and he gave him back to us. I was lucky but he like so many have unseen scars along with shrapnel bits list hearing and battered knees. War takes such a toll.
Seeing your post in 2024. I hope the military and VA have carried our nation as honored its promises to your son and your family. To, as Abraham Lincoln said, "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." Hopes and blessings that your family is healing and thriving.
JAMEL, Venture off the beaten track! Please react to ”BURN DOWN THE MISSION “ or “FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/ LOVE LIES BLEEDING” Both are masterpieces by Elton John, and should be Kept Alive!
“Your eyes have died, but you see more than I” references the look you see in the eyes of someone traumatized. In military, it is called the “thousand yard stare” or “two thousand yard stare”. The blank, unfocused gaze of those in combat. There are paintings and photographs about this.
@@robynnjasper3843 probably. I'd say most people who've been traumatized at some point does it. I've done it, I've never been in combat or anything but i start thinking about some mistakes I've made or someone I've lost and after a few minutes mentally I'm somewhere or somewhen else. But the guy i was talking about you can walk up and look in his eyes and it's obvious where he's at. I remember once when we worked together there was a helicopter that flew a regular route around where we worked it was a similar bird that he flew in. One day it did a lap around a hill beside our building and he pretended he was holding a rifle and said "damn, no wonder we got shot down so much". He'd told me some stories from Nam and I'm not gonna lie and say i wish I'd have went, because I'm not small & would be a great target plus i hate being shot at.
@@meghanmonroe i believe most people with normal emotions and a healthy grasp on right and wrong have done it a few times. It's just sad when it's thrust on people by other people and their foolish choices or actions.
The first 4 on your list are some of my favorites. So many forget Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters. Such a beautiful song. I would add "Funeral for a Friend/Live Lies Bleeding" . Even though he didn't write " Love Song" it's beautiful too.
I knew a SEAL who served in Vietnam. Green Face. I grew up not far from his family farm. I heard as much as he wanted to say. I never pried. God bless them all. Took an almost mortal wound. Saved my being taped up and choppered out.
The thing that amazes me about these songs is the fact that the lyrics were FIRST written by Bernie Taupin, and LATER set to music by Elton. Talk about a marriage made in heaven. The catalog of great music they've given us is staggering. I love that you're celebrating these timeless gems. Thank you Elton and Bernie. God bless you Jamel !
I once had a brother-in-law named Daniel who was 7 years old when I first met him in 1975. When he was 18 he took his own life. Can’t hear this song without thinking about him. Heart breaking.
I lost a great friend 2 years ago who was a Vietnam War veteran. He was incredible, an engineer, husband, father and friend. I knew him for 4-5 years before he started speaking about his time in Vietnam. He had paid. At home he was volatile. Sometimes he went to his bedroom for weeks. He wouldn't speak to anyone. Sometimes homelife was hard for his family. Whe talked about the Vietnam War memorial but he kept saying he couldn't go to see it. He finally joined his wife's church. Slowly I started seeing a change in him. The last time I saw him he was telling me he had went to the doctor that week and he was in great shape for his age. The next day he fell dead
Someone Saved My Life Tonight is, to me, his most raw, emotional song. Bernie wrote it, but it's all about Elton and his near marriage and break up with Linda Woodrow whom he almost married. Sugar Bear is Long John Baldry...who told him not to get married. Song so filled with emotion.
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters is his most underrated song of all time. It's one of his top 5 best songs imo, which is saying a lot coming from somebody who likes almost all Elton John songs
Around 20 years ago Elton John and Billy Joel did a tour together and I was lucky enough see them together singing this on stage and I remember it like yesterday. Great sad song about PTSD and war.
You are an "old soul" The voices of our ancestors have found you, I know you hear them. Yes, you knew what it was about. Bless you for accepting that message into your heart. This is what WAR does to the men who wage it...just imagine what it's like for the innocent civilians in the countries where WE flight them.
The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton's writing partner. He explained the inspiration on his web site: "I'd seen this article in Time magazine on the Tet Offensive. And there was a sidebar next to it with a story about how many of the soldiers that were coming back from 'Nam were these simple sort of down home country guys who were generally embarrassed by both the adulation and, depending on what part of the country you came from, the animosity that they were greeted by. For the most part, they just wanted to get back to a normal life, but found it hard, what with all the looky loos and the monkeys of war that they carried on their backs. I just took it from there and wrote it from a younger brother's perspective; made him disabled and wanting to get away.
When this song came out I dedicated to my brother in arms (68-69') Daniel Ferutti...we saw the same close arms combat in Hue and a hundred other places, but he fought another war a decade later through an invisible enemy.
"'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. www.songfacts.com/facts/elton-john/daniel
His library is so vast and diverse I spent the 90’s learning all the great albums he put out... just an amazing collection of music that should be discovered by all!!
Jamel... PLEASE listen to "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"... the studio version from the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. It is a musical masterpiece and I guarantee you will be taken on an amazing journey!
A fantastic example of Elton John being more than a ballad writer, there's a great live version from Central Park in 1980 which is also worth checking out.
Trevor, that is one of my favorite songs. I sure wish Elton would get back to making music like Funeral For A Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding. Elton went way too pop for my tastes. I miss the ‘early’ Elton. Another song I’d like to see a reaction to: Burn Down The Mission
I’ve loved this song since I was a little kid. But I have never realized it was about ptsd from war. The difference in how you hear things as a child vs as an adult.
It's NOT about PTSD, per se. It's about a Vietnam Vet who returned to his small hometown where he was treated like a hero, but he just wanted to be out of the spotlight and try to get back to the farm life that he'd led before going to war. Everyone who goes to war is changed by it in some way by the death they have seen. That doesn't mean they all come back with PTSD. And this song most certainly doesn't indicate that this person came back with PTSD. Just that he came back with a desire to return to some type of normalcy. Bernie Taupin who wrote the song lyrics later said it was the most misinterpreted song they'd ever wrote.
@@Stretch1003. You're right, not every vet comes back with PTSD, but "..The scars that won't heal. Your eyes have died" - Its pretty much text book PTSD, although it wasn't called that back in the day. They often referred to returned soldiers as having 'flash-backs' or being 'shell shocked', which is PTSD in current language. All PTSD sufferers crave normalcy. It's part of the condition.
I loved the melody of the song growing up as well. Now that I know the meaning behind the song, (and really listening to the lyrics) there must be a cloud in my eye. 😢 Damn that caught me off guard.
Such a beautiful song. I love 70’s Elton. Please consider Elton and George Michael’s live version of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”. George needs some love on your channel! #RIPGeorge
This came out the same time I was dumped by my boyfriend Dan... still makes my throat tighten up now almost 50 years later.... Elton's music is beautiful, but a big shout-out to his lyricist Bernie Taupin who wrote the sad beautiful words. It's so amazing how you felt the pain and beauty in the song from the very first notes and words.
This song was written in part about a Vietnam vet who returned home but just wanted the comfort and quiet of the life he knew before the war. All the attention, and later the controversies, made him just want to escape from it all. I'm assuming that Spain was a common layover for troops on their way to Vietnam. I'd always assumed that this song was a personal story that Elton was telling about his own life. But then again this song is so beautifully written that anyone who's suffered the loss of a loved one far from home can relate and find meaning and an outlet for the grief that while it grows more infrequent over time, never really goes away.
I may have been 7 when my oldest brother left home for college and this song came out. This song made me sad for him. (He was named Mark, and not Daniel; over the years, none of my friends could quite understand why this song made me think of him.) (Heathens!)
Thanks for all the replies. This song must have been very relatable for all of us. I was 9-10 years old and was still learning to understand English, but the song's meaning was clear as day when I first listened to it. None of my immediate relatives were in the army, and I don't have an elder brother either, but I cried whenever this song was being played. I guess it always reminds me of my paternal grandfather, who was an Indonesian WW2 veteran and a decade later died of possibly pneumonia in a guerilla warfare against terrorist insurgents, 25 years before I was born. I only knew him from pictures.
"Daniel my brother" Song about Daniel returning to a small town in Texas..coming back from the Vietnam War..oh..but if only i could get my hands on those sunglasses I too could be a star!
The story this is based off of, Daniel returned from the War, and was celebrated a hero by his home town, when he just wanted to go back to his farm and forget the war.
This song is about a Vietnam vet. Elton read an article in a magazine about this vet who had returned home, and the powers that be wanted to use him as a poster boy for that conflict. But as Elton was writing the music, he cut the last verse of lyrics, which explained the song. Elton explains this in a doc, think it’s called The Red Room.
My favorite singer of all time.When I was in high school and I was driving. I would come home after being with some friends. I would sit out in my car 🚗 at night and listen to my Elton John eight track.That man has just so many great songs. This was back in the middle seventies. I graduated from high school in 1976.
This is one of the songs that take me to places I don't want to see again. Seems I only play them when I am alone. Of course, that leaves me living in my head which is a dark and dangerous place for me to go.
@@michelemichele3375 It depends who you ask. Those who know how and are able to use it effectively (without getting caught)will say that it should be legal. It is all of those others who start the trouble ;-)
Gotcha. Thanks. Must make the ball spin a little different? I was surprised 😲 that some of the hits, jabs and trips are allowed in hockey, some legal, some just overlooked. Watching Golden Knights now. But grew up with baseball on TV. Cool that you’re watching Jamel. Seems like the nicest guy, huh? 😊
I remember this song from my childhood. My mother is the world's biggest Elton John fan, so she bought "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" as soon as it came out in 1973. I was 8 and thought the whole album was the best thing ever, but this song was my favorite. Thank you for reacting to it, Jamel!
My baby brother was named Daniel. I cry whenever I hear this. He died of a brain tumor in 2001. He was only 29. Seeing him in the hospital....I didn't want to leave him. 😪
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Funeral For a Friend (segue's into "Love Lies Bleeding") "Candle in the Wind" (tribute to Marilyn Monroe that was repurposed for Princess Diane after her death).
I have loved Elton John since I was in grade school. I remember he made a song with Kiki Dee back in the early 70’s. My daddy and I used to sing it. Now that my daddy has passed away,(2016), every 11/25 on my birthday I have heard it. It always makes me smile and cry all at the same time. In 2019, I was at the Paula Deen gift shop in Myrtle Beach, SC. with my daughter.
Diane Gray thank you. He was suffering from emphysema. It was hard seeing him trying to breathe. I know that he is no longer suffering and that gives me some peace.
Philadelphia Freedom is one of those songs I would do the driving dance when it came on back in the day. You can't listen to that song without dancing and moving to the music while singing as loud as possible lol. It's a miracle I didn't have a LOT of wrecks. 😂😂😂💖💖💖
Music you should listen to by Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Your Song, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Dont Let the Sun Go Down On Me, Take Me to the Pilot, Philadelphia Freedom, Candle In The Wind, Guess Thats Why They Call It the Blues, Something About The Way You Lokk Tonight, Grey Seal, Dont Go Breakin My Heart, Honky Cat, Im Still Standin, Sad Songs Say So Much, Island Girl, Nikita, Bitch Is Back, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Rock and Roll Madonna, Victim of Love, Pinball Wizard, and Amoreena.
One of my favorite songs from Elton John. I love the song the name Daniel my son my only child is named Daniel. My grandmother would sing this to him as a child because we traveled alot between California and Arizona.
"Beautifully sad." Jamel, your words capture the essence of what the ancient Greeks called "catharsis." Tragedy so profoundly represented in art that it is spiritually fulfilling.
You hit it right on the head. Everybody has a Daniel and this song reminds us of them. My Daniel, named Dan, was a great and loving friend who we met by chance. He lived in another state and we just happened to strike up a conversation in a bar one night when he was in my town. We became great friends and even went to visit him once. He passed away a few years later and this song always makes me think of him. Thank you so much for reacting to this and for getting it.
My "Daniel " was Dennis. He had many anger issues when he came home. He was 17 when he signed for the Marines. I loved Dennis, but didn't understand back then what it was. So he left me before he hurt me in any way.
Keep great music alive merchandise and more use promo code ‘Jamel’ teespring.com/stores/jamel-aka-jamal-youtube-store
Song requests my brother:
Eric Burdon & War - Tabacco Road (live 1970) featuring Eric Burdon from The Animals.
Sugarloaf - Green Eyed Lady.
Nina Simone - Sinnerman.
Mike and the Mechanics - Silent Running.
God Bless
Do Goodbye Yellow Brick Road next
There’s some many... Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, The Bitch Is Back, Crocodile Rock, Someone Savrs My Life Tonight, Pinball Wizard, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Philadelphia Freedom, I’m Still Standing, Sad Songs ... the list is endless...
Beautiful ,Beautiful song, Bernie Taupins lyrics and Elton's song arrangements were pure magic. Don't leave out Levon and Madman across the water.both a must have.
My nephew Daniel died 33 years ago from leukemia. This song brings back a lot of memories. He was six years old
"Daniel" was associated with wounded Vietnam Vets and their struggles. Daniel left the country. PTSD, blindness. Next up, "Levon".
He named his son after Levon
Definitely "levon "
Yeah, Levon is definitely my favorite EJ song. Sorry, EJ & BT song.
Levon. Yes.
LEVON PLEASE !!!! You won’t be sorry !!
Back when music actually had empathy for other people.
Good comment 💕
That's an interesting slant, and probably quite true as far as today's music with a high profile is concerned. Kind-hearted songs still exist. They're just generally under the radar...
Don't let the sun go down on me.
Someone saved my life tonight.
OMG! 😲 Nailed It!
Dan you are so right! Absolutely gorgeous and soul touching classic’s. ♥️
YES!! I will feel better about 2020 if we get Jamel's reaction to those two AMAZING songs!
This song came to be identified with the Vietnam war for many Americans Jamel. Means a lot to many people.
@Donna D 0
I read that this song was actually about a guy that came home from Vietnam and got parade around as a hero. "Daniel" wanted to leave the war behind and lead a peaceful life, so very appropriate to associate it with Vietnam. A lot of those guys came back with PTSD or as they called it then "battle fatigue"
Cannot hear this song without getting a few clouds in my eyes.
❤️
And your eyes are such a pretty shade of Cloud. Cumulus, I believe. ☁️
"Daniel" was written by John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. "'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."
- Source - Wikipedia.
Lyrics were written by Bernie- music by Elton- Elton left off the last verse as he felt it was a bit long- and he always tells us the story about how he left the last verse off and how as a result no one really understood the songs meaning- including Elton himself !
This song holds a deeply personal meaning for me. My dad was a critically wounded Vietnam Vet (Special Forces-Green Beret). I'll never forget the day the Army Chaplain came to our house to deliver the news. We were shattered; miraculously he survived. He came home a different man. Dad passed away 5 years ago. Thanks for doing this song 🙏
Sorry for the loss of your Father, i hold Vietnam Veterans in the highest regard. Never realized that this song was associated with wounded soldiers, and their return home.
Tiger Williams: Thank you for sharing this memory. It brought tears to my eyes. Peace to you, sending love and good vibes your way.
Huge thanks to your Dad for the great sacrifice! Rest in Peace, Sir. 🙏♥️
@@Bluesman57 Thank you.
@@itgetter9 Thank you.
My brother Daniel lost his vision passed away from AIDS in July 92 and it hits me in the feels real hard every time I hear it
Such a horrific way to go. I'm sorry 🙇♀️
Elton John is a damn legend! All his albums from the 70's are master pieces!
1970-1976 was his golden era, especially 71-75.
12 albums in 7 years... 1969-1976, before taking a one year break
Except Victim Of Love lol
My dad served in Vietnam and this song was always close to his heart. He passed almost 2 years ago from Agent Orange related multiple myeloma. My dads birthday is tomorrow. Thank you for listening to this. ❤️ I miss you daddy
My dad too, Kristin. Throat cancer from AO. Happy birthday to your dad on the other side. Maybe they are playing cards together and drinking beer or something.
Jessica Martens I am sorry for your loss as well. Thank you so much. I’d like to think that is exactly what they are doing. xo
Deepest condolences for your loss little sister may our Lord Jesus Christ and his Father God Almighty forgive him of any sins and allow him entrance into the Father's kingdom may he find his peace as he found it in his kids happiness and his grandchildren's happiness and I say thank you sir for your service and your sacrifices Amen
@@raymondreid4987 So,so sweet of you! Giving comfort that is what it is all about. Your words touched me deeply! Wishing you many blessings!
Raymond Reid thank you for such beautiful words. Such a kind heart
I have a hard time listening to this song. A childhood friend who's actual name was Daniel passed away a few years ago. His younger brother sang this with an acoustic guitar at the funeral. Really tough listen now. RIP Brother. 🙏
I'm sorry for your loss.
makes me tear up too n i don't even know any daniel
May his memory be a blessing.
Sorry for your loss....
R.I.P Daniel.
My mother and I used to sing this song together whenever we'd hear it. Her brother David died in the Vietnam War. We'd put David's name in place of Daniel. Beautiful reaction Jamel! Thanks.
My brother Dan passed away 10 years ago, "he was older than me" this song is very emotional.
Same exactly here. Miss my big brother Dan, too
"Empty Garden" is another beautiful yet sad song Elton John wrote in tribute to John Lennon after his death. Very moving lyrics and melody.
OMG I forgot about empty garden. Thank you
Love, love “Empty Garden”!!!!!
My grandpa used to tell me there was this Elton John song that he liked, and he thought it was called "Rose Garden". Just recently I remembered him saying that and finally looked into it and found out it was "Empty Garden". I made him a mix CD with that song and he just loves it.
That's a great song!
My favourite Elton song
Elton has a heartbreaking song about losing John Lennon called "Empty Garden", worth a listen.
this. excellent song. So sad tho. John Lennon. Damn.
I love that song!!!
I love that song , it always brings a tear to my eyes
Yes it's a good one also
Empty Garden is a good one!!
“Levon” next by Elton John!
Definitely!! ☺️
Brad Rhodes one of my favorites!
One of my top 3 songs by elton
But it needs to be live with the extended piano solo.
The vets coming back from Vietnam didn't have the benefit of the mental health services that are available now. They really hadn't even named PTSD back then. Also the war was very unpopular and the soldiers were often spit on and disrespected. This song is so sad.
My brother, Daniel, died of a heart attack at the age of 28, totally unexpected and totally devastating. Hearing this song has torn me up ever since even though he was my younger brother. I think what makes it worse is that none of us ever got to say goodbye.
Heartbreaking man. My name is Daniel and im 28. What a coincidence.
I'm so sorry. I hope you've found some peace in the last three years.
“Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” is one of the greatest as well as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”. Thanks Jamel!!
Definitely reaction for this
Hell, might as well save some time and do the whole 'Yellow Brick' album...;^)
YES!!!
Don't let the Sun go down on me should be next. please.
The live version with George Michael please!
Yes! The live version with George Michael is remarkable.
@@snakelite61
He did an excellent version of Find Somebody to Love with Queen. I think it was with Live aid. My favorite version ever. 🙉🙈🙊✌🌼
@@liamlockhart-rush5497 That is an outstanding version and GM just kills it.
I cry every time I hear this....a Veteran's mom who is a Daniel. My only child and son. He came home on leave from combat in middle East and had to go back to combat. It ripped my heart out to see the change come over his body language and eyes. He was trying to be brave for me but when he turned back the last time and looked at me I saw the fear in them. The anxiety welling up and he tried to smile then turned away. Actually feel to my knees and sobbed because I just wanted to grab him and run. I'll never forget that look...7 years he served with distinction and honor. I won't say what his mos was but he like many went threw and saw he'll on earth. I'm a PROUD and lucky mom to have him back. My Danny. Complete strangers ran to me in that desperate broken moment and. I will never be able to thank them enough. This song is very personal to me and his 4 younger siblings. I prayed to God and he gave him back to us. I was lucky but he like so many have unseen scars along with shrapnel bits list hearing and battered knees. War takes such a toll.
Same… every time.
Seeing your post in 2024. I hope the military and VA have carried our nation as honored its promises to your son and your family. To, as Abraham Lincoln said, "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan."
Hopes and blessings that your family is healing and thriving.
God bless you.
JAMEL, Venture off the beaten track! Please react to ”BURN DOWN THE MISSION “ or “FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/ LOVE LIES BLEEDING” Both are masterpieces by Elton John, and should be Kept Alive!
I saw my dad crying to this song when I was a kid. It’s always affected me.
“Your eyes have died, but you see more than I” references the look you see in the eyes of someone traumatized.
In military, it is called the “thousand yard stare” or “two thousand yard stare”. The blank, unfocused gaze of those in combat. There are paintings and photographs about this.
I've seen it from a cousin who was a door gunner in Nam. He made 10 months before he got sent home.
daniel stewart I have seen that look in the eyes of traumatized children.
@@robynnjasper3843 probably. I'd say most people who've been traumatized at some point does it.
I've done it, I've never been in combat or anything but i start thinking about some mistakes I've made or someone I've lost and after a few minutes mentally I'm somewhere or somewhen else.
But the guy i was talking about you can walk up and look in his eyes and it's obvious where he's at. I remember once when we worked together there was a helicopter that flew a regular route around where we worked it was a similar bird that he flew in. One day it did a lap around a hill beside our building and he pretended he was holding a rifle and said "damn, no wonder we got shot down so much".
He'd told me some stories from Nam and I'm not gonna lie and say i wish I'd have went, because I'm not small & would be a great target plus i hate being shot at.
@@danielstewart7163 I came here to say this. I think it's just a symptom of PTSD, honestly. I do it, too.
@@meghanmonroe i believe most people with normal emotions and a healthy grasp on right and wrong have done it a few times.
It's just sad when it's thrust on people by other people and their foolish choices or actions.
Elton John ~
"Someone Save My Life Tonight"
"Madman Across The Water"
"Mad Hatters and Mona Lisa's"
"Levon"
"Little Jeanie"
"Sad Songs"
The first 4 on your list are some of my favorites. So many forget Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters. Such a beautiful song. I would add "Funeral for a Friend/Live Lies Bleeding" . Even though he didn't write " Love Song" it's beautiful too.
@@girl_overthinx "Funeral for a friend" is great as well..! I was typing "I Guess Why They Call It the Blues" when he said he knew it.....lol
"Someone Save My Life Tonight"
THIS ^ SOOOOO MUCH THIS^
Pam A “love song” was sung at my wedding. I walked down the aisle to it.
L LL my favourite of Elton’s songs.
"Your eyes have died" That's the 1000 mile stare.
I always thought of that line as literal; that he was blinded in the war. Your interpretation goes deeper, and I like it much more.
I knew a SEAL who served in Vietnam. Green Face. I grew up not far from his family farm. I heard as much as he wanted to say. I never pried. God bless them all. Took an almost mortal wound. Saved my being taped up and choppered out.
People have so many meanings for this song. Daniel reminds me of my late brother Roy. Rest in peace dear brother.😪
I still suggest, a great deep cut by Elton John... "Madman Across the Water"...
As a combat vet with ptsd you’re spot on about sounds being triggers. It’s also different for everyone what will take them there
Thank you for your service and happy to see you made it back home.
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your service, William.
Thank you for your service! I knew a guy who was set off by headlights flashing across the windows in his house.
Bless you William and thank you for your service.
The thing that amazes me about these songs is the fact that the lyrics were FIRST written by Bernie Taupin, and LATER set to music by Elton. Talk about a marriage made in heaven. The catalog of great music they've given us is staggering. I love that you're celebrating these timeless gems. Thank you Elton and Bernie. God bless you Jamel !
“Don’t let the sun go down on me” is my favorite, all of his songs are good
ruclips.net/p/PLuVEqIYTvee1SRZjcdPgTujz7bdDwGJrr
Listen to amir tataloo song. He is one of the best persian singer.
Useing inglish subtite
I played this at my brother's funeral. THAT was challenging.
So sorry 🥀🥀🥀
Oh God, I can only imagine. It was good of you to do it, I know it must have been powerful for everyone.
I am sorry for your loss, Phil.
Someone Saved My Life Tonight by Elton John. The lyrics are just so real. Not a hit, but I feel it's his masterpiece!
such an emotional song...1 of my favs
Was going to suggest the same, good choice. Kind of the most badass breakup song ever
Not a hit? It reached #4 on Billboard and the album was the first ever to debut at #1!
Yes! Love it!! Forgot to recommend!😭😍
Real
This song I always dedicate to my brother James who fights the war of addiction. I miss him so much!
"Your Song" was his first hit. "Take Me To The Pilot" is a great one also.
I once had a brother-in-law named Daniel who was 7 years old when I first met him in 1975. When he was 18 he took his own life. Can’t hear this song without thinking about him. Heart breaking.
Elton John and Bernie Taupin, one of the greatest songwriting teams ever. I'm so here for this Elton John journey.
I lost a great friend 2 years ago who was a Vietnam War veteran. He was incredible, an engineer, husband, father and friend. I knew him for 4-5 years before he started speaking about his time in Vietnam. He had paid. At home he was volatile. Sometimes he went to his bedroom for weeks. He wouldn't speak to anyone. Sometimes homelife was hard for his family. Whe talked about the Vietnam War memorial but he kept saying he couldn't go to see it. He finally joined his wife's church. Slowly I started seeing a change in him. The last time I saw him he was telling me he had went to the doctor that week and he was in great shape for his age. The next day he fell dead
“Sorry seems to be the hardest word” is one of my faves.
ruclips.net/p/PLuVEqIYTvee1SRZjcdPgTujz7bdDwGJrr
Listen to amir tataloo song. He is one of the best persian singer.
Useing inglish subtite
Someone Saved My Life Tonight is, to me, his most raw, emotional song. Bernie wrote it, but it's all about Elton and his near marriage and break up with Linda Woodrow whom he almost married. Sugar Bear is Long John Baldry...who told him not to get married. Song so filled with emotion.
Agreed.
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters is his most underrated song of all time. It's one of his top 5 best songs imo, which is saying a lot coming from somebody who likes almost all Elton John songs
100%
Such a beautiful song. Makes me think of my older brother who died in 1975. Always makes me cry.
Sorry for loss.
😥😥😥
@@jimyoung1011 Thank you. I still miss him.
Lost my sweet cousin, Daniel, a couple years ago and this song always makes me think of him 💜 and I’ve always loved this song.
Same thing with my brother. He died back in 03 and we played this at the funeral
Sending condolences...what a wonderful remembrance song.
jeaninia same to you
Thank you
My condolences for your loss
Best concert I ever went to was Elton John. He sang for 3 hours nothing but piano with 1 short break.
We saw him at the old Sydney Entertainment Centre during his "Too Low for Zero" tour in 1984......what a night.
I honestly thought this was my post when I saw it!!! 100% agree!!!
Me too.
Around 20 years ago Elton John and Billy Joel did a tour together and I was lucky enough see them together singing this on stage and I remember it like yesterday. Great sad song about PTSD and war.
You are an "old soul" The voices of our ancestors have found you, I know you hear them. Yes, you knew what it was about. Bless you for accepting that message into your heart. This is what WAR does to the men who wage it...just imagine what it's like for the innocent civilians in the countries where WE flight them.
The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton's writing partner. He explained the inspiration on his web site: "I'd seen this article in Time magazine on the Tet Offensive. And there was a sidebar next to it with a story about how many of the soldiers that were coming back from 'Nam were these simple sort of down home country guys who were generally embarrassed by both the adulation and, depending on what part of the country you came from, the animosity that they were greeted by. For the most part, they just wanted to get back to a normal life, but found it hard, what with all the looky loos and the monkeys of war that they carried on their backs.
I just took it from there and wrote it from a younger brother's perspective; made him disabled and wanting to get away.
"madman across the water","Levon","Mona Lisas and mad hatters" are all three Elton John masterpieces ☮️
Gary Kelly; yeah mad man across the water and Levon.
You named my three the three i was thinking haha
💃👍❤️
Love Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters!
I love love love Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters brilliant song!!!
Elton’s “Mona Lisas and mad hatters” such a great song.
When this song came out I dedicated to my brother in arms (68-69') Daniel Ferutti...we saw the same close arms combat in Hue and a hundred other places, but he fought another war a decade later through an invisible enemy.
"'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. www.songfacts.com/facts/elton-john/daniel
Nice article. Thanks for the link.
Thanks for the link. I was always confused by Spain :)
Guess it rhymes with “plane.” Lol
His library is so vast and diverse I spent the 90’s learning all the great albums he put out... just an amazing collection of music that should be discovered by all!!
Jamel... PLEASE listen to "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"... the studio version from the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. It is a musical masterpiece and I guarantee you will be taken on an amazing journey!
A fantastic example of Elton John being more than a ballad writer, there's a great live version from Central Park in 1980 which is also worth checking out.
Trevor, that is one of my favorite songs. I sure wish Elton would get back to making music like Funeral For A Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding. Elton went way too pop for my tastes. I miss the ‘early’ Elton.
Another song I’d like to see a reaction to:
Burn Down The Mission
pretty much anything on that album is a masterpiece....
allan jones I agree!! 😊👍
One of my favorite 🎧🎶 Elton John songs
I always enjoyed how they would make sure Nigel Olsson's snare drum was so clean & distinct in the mix...cuts right through and sounds great!
Nigel was talented.
My grand son's name is Daniel and I have been singing this to him since he was born. He sings with me now🤗
I’ve loved this song since I was a little kid. But I have never realized it was about ptsd from war. The difference in how you hear things as a child vs as an adult.
It's NOT about PTSD, per se. It's about a Vietnam Vet who returned to his small hometown where he was treated like a hero, but he just wanted to be out of the spotlight and try to get back to the farm life that he'd led before going to war.
Everyone who goes to war is changed by it in some way by the death they have seen. That doesn't mean they all come back with PTSD. And this song most certainly doesn't indicate that this person came back with PTSD. Just that he came back with a desire to return to some type of normalcy. Bernie Taupin who wrote the song lyrics later said it was the most misinterpreted song they'd ever wrote.
@@Stretch1003. You're right, not every vet comes back with PTSD, but "..The scars that won't heal. Your eyes have died" - Its pretty much text book PTSD, although it wasn't called that back in the day. They often referred to returned soldiers as having 'flash-backs' or being 'shell shocked', which is PTSD in current language. All PTSD sufferers crave normalcy. It's part of the condition.
I loved the melody of the song growing up as well. Now that I know the meaning behind the song, (and really listening to the lyrics) there must be a cloud in my eye. 😢 Damn that caught me off guard.
Such a beautiful song. I love 70’s Elton. Please consider Elton and George Michael’s live version of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”. George needs some love on your channel! #RIPGeorge
This came out the same time I was dumped by my boyfriend Dan... still makes my throat tighten up now almost 50 years later.... Elton's music is beautiful, but a big shout-out to his lyricist Bernie Taupin who wrote the sad beautiful words. It's so amazing how you felt the pain and beauty in the song from the very first notes and words.
This song was written in part about a Vietnam vet who returned home but just wanted the comfort and quiet of the life he knew before the war. All the attention, and later the controversies, made him just want to escape from it all.
I'm assuming that Spain was a common layover for troops on their way to Vietnam. I'd always assumed that this song was a personal story that Elton was telling about his own life. But then again this song is so beautifully written that anyone who's suffered the loss of a loved one far from home can relate and find meaning and an outlet for the grief that while it grows more infrequent over time, never really goes away.
As a kid, I used to cry listening to this song!
i still do
I may have been 7 when my oldest brother left home for college and this song came out. This song made me sad for him.
(He was named Mark, and not Daniel; over the years, none of my friends could quite understand why this song made me think of him.)
(Heathens!)
Me too...
@@auldthymer - Wow! This song also makes me think about my brother Daniel who passed when I was 7yrs old. Such a great song!
Thanks for all the replies. This song must have been very relatable for all of us. I was 9-10 years old and was still learning to understand English, but the song's meaning was clear as day when I first listened to it. None of my immediate relatives were in the army, and I don't have an elder brother either, but I cried whenever this song was being played.
I guess it always reminds me of my paternal grandfather, who was an Indonesian WW2 veteran and a decade later died of possibly pneumonia in a guerilla warfare against terrorist insurgents, 25 years before I was born. I only knew him from pictures.
"Daniel my brother"
Song about Daniel returning to a small town in Texas..coming back from the Vietnam War..oh..but if only i could get my hands on those sunglasses I too could be a star!
James Boyd and then actually taking off for Spain (fresh start)
D Mc maybe in the article this was inspired from ... but Daniel was not blind.
The story this is based off of, Daniel returned from the War, and was celebrated a hero by his home town, when he just wanted to go back to his farm and forget the war.
Ocrilat yes, that is correct - pretty much what everyone has been saying
This song is about a Vietnam vet. Elton read an article in a magazine about this vet who had returned home, and the powers that be wanted to use him as a poster boy for that conflict. But as Elton was writing the music, he cut the last verse of lyrics, which explained the song. Elton explains this in a doc, think it’s called The Red Room.
True story, except it was Bernie Taupin that wrote the lyrics for this song.
it sounds like you think that Elton wrote the lyrics. Of course it was Bernie. Funny how these things get mixed up, even though they're so well known.
Educate me ... I don't get why Daniel was on a plane to Spain if this song was about Vietnam
@jamie tobler That's a lie anyway, but there's nothing in the song to support it. I suppose you're just trolling.
@@ellavader4411 Danged if I know. From the lyrics I gather it's a place he loves, he's been there often before.
I cry every time I hear this....reminds me of my big brother, Danny....R.I.P. Danny, miss you so much man...✌️❤️
ruclips.net/p/PLuVEqIYTvee1SRZjcdPgTujz7bdDwGJrr
Listen to amir tataloo song. He is one of the best persian singer.
Useing inglish subtite
Sorry for your loss my friend
Elton John = Our modern-day Mozart. eEverything. Absolutely beautiful. Sweeps me away to another zone.
Lost my brother years ago. Can't believe I still tear up after all these years. This song gets to you. Thanks Jamal, I needed this
"Daniel" is such a beautiful song!!!
My favorite singer of all time.When I was in high school and I was driving. I would come home after being with some friends. I would sit out in my car 🚗 at night and listen to my Elton John eight track.That man has just so many great songs. This was back in the middle seventies. I graduated from high school in 1976.
“Crocodile Rock” or “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John! 2 of my favorites!
This is one of the songs that take me to places I don't want to see again. Seems I only play them when I am alone. Of course, that leaves me living in my head which is a dark and dangerous place for me to go.
{{Pitcher}}
Good thing you’re with us, Pitcher. You’re not alone here. 🥰 Now, ain’t Spitballs illegal ... or the accepted norm? Just askin’ 😉
@@michelemichele3375 It depends who you ask. Those who know how and are able to use it effectively (without getting caught)will say that it should be legal. It is all of those others who start the trouble ;-)
Gotcha. Thanks. Must make the ball spin a little different?
I was surprised 😲 that some of the hits, jabs and trips are allowed in hockey, some legal, some just overlooked. Watching Golden Knights now. But grew up with baseball on TV.
Cool that you’re watching Jamel. Seems like the nicest guy, huh? 😊
I remember this song from my childhood. My mother is the world's biggest Elton John fan, so she bought "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" as soon as it came out in 1973. I was 8 and thought the whole album was the best thing ever, but this song was my favorite. Thank you for reacting to it, Jamel!
"Harmony" "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"
ruclips.net/p/PLuVEqIYTvee1SRZjcdPgTujz7bdDwGJrr
Listen to amir tataloo song. He is one of the best persian singer.
Useing inglish subtite
Someone saved my life tonight is a masterpiece. Please react to this
My baby brother was named Daniel. I cry whenever I hear this. He died of a brain tumor in 2001. He was only 29. Seeing him in the hospital....I didn't want to leave him. 😪
“Your Song” is one of Elton John’s most beautiful songs and my personal favorite. It deserves to be heard by everyone.
ruclips.net/p/PLuVEqIYTvee1SRZjcdPgTujz7bdDwGJrr
Listen to amir tataloo song. He is one of the best persian singer.
Useing inglish subtite
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Funeral For a Friend (segue's into "Love Lies Bleeding") "Candle in the Wind" (tribute to Marilyn Monroe that was repurposed for Princess Diane after her death).
ruclips.net/p/PLuVEqIYTvee1SRZjcdPgTujz7bdDwGJrr
Listen to amir tataloo song. He is one of the best persian singer.
Useing inglish subtite
This song reminds me of two friends who were shipped overseas to protect our country. Just one of them made it home.
Same here, my parents were friends with a couple who lost their only child in Vietnam.
I have loved Elton John since I was in grade school. I remember he made a song with Kiki Dee back in the early 70’s. My daddy and I used to sing it. Now that my daddy has passed away,(2016), every 11/25 on my birthday I have heard it. It always makes me smile and cry all at the same time. In 2019, I was at the Paula Deen gift shop in Myrtle Beach, SC. with my daughter.
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Kiki Dee. Good one!
Pamela Scott, my mother died on my birthday, I was in my mid 30s. Vietnam war was a big waste of time.
Grace Chapman I am so sorry to hear that. And I totally agree with you about Vietnam
'76, a bit later, but what a lovely memory for you. So sorry you lost him.
Diane Gray thank you. He was suffering from emphysema. It was hard seeing him trying to breathe. I know that he is no longer suffering and that gives me some peace.
There's a lot of Elton John music worth reacting to - try "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" or "Philadelphia Freedom"
Philadelphia Freedom is one of those songs I would do the driving dance when it came on back in the day. You can't listen to that song without dancing and moving to the music while singing as loud as possible lol. It's a miracle I didn't have a LOT of wrecks. 😂😂😂💖💖💖
20+ years ago, a girlfriend of mine loved this song. Still think of her when I hear it. Great reaction.
You need to do "Honky Cat", "Crocodile Rock", and "Candle In The Wind" 😎🤙
Music you should listen to by Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Your Song, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Dont Let the Sun Go Down On Me, Take Me to the Pilot, Philadelphia Freedom, Candle In The Wind, Guess Thats Why They Call It the Blues, Something About The Way You Lokk Tonight, Grey Seal, Dont Go Breakin My Heart, Honky Cat, Im Still Standin, Sad Songs Say So Much, Island Girl, Nikita, Bitch Is Back, Crocodile Rock, Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Rock and Roll Madonna, Victim of Love, Pinball Wizard, and Amoreena.
Only those?
Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word. Another amazing song of his
100% agree
Can't believe you overlooked Benny and the Jets and Funeral For a Friend :/
Mona Lisas and mad hatters>>>>>
One of my favorite songs from Elton John. I love the song the name Daniel my son my only child is named Daniel. My grandmother would sing this to him as a child because we traveled alot between California and Arizona.
“Your Song”, this is what got him noticed and is, IMO, one of the great love songs.
And the Christmas Commercial he made with that song is the best. Warms the heart.
Yaaasss!
Such emotional tune. I always think Daniel and Nikita as twin songs because of the smooth emotional experience
Exactly. Nikita hits you from a different angle but still emotionally impactful.
I love Nikita, Daniel is one of my favourites too
When my son Daniel went to study in New Zealand, for three years, this song made me cry 😢🙏
"Beautifully sad." Jamel, your words capture the essence of what the ancient Greeks called "catharsis." Tragedy so profoundly represented in art that it is spiritually fulfilling.
Please remember the beautiful wordsmith is Bernie Taupin not Reginald Dwight (Elton John)
Yes, this Bernie, lyrics. Elton, music. Elton did Bernie such justice in his music. But never forget that Bernie wrote the lyrics.
Could never forget Taupin. Reggie couldn't have become Elton John without him.
This song always reminds me of my older brother. He wasn’t around much, but he was the best brother. 💗
I've listened to this song a million time, this is the first time feeling it. Thank you Jamel
Harmony and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are great ones if you haven’t heard them yet
"Blessed" and "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters", both great songs moving lyrics!
Chills from this song. So bitter sweet.
You hit it right on the head. Everybody has a Daniel and this song reminds us of them. My Daniel, named Dan, was a great and loving friend who we met by chance. He lived in another state and we just happened to strike up a conversation in a bar one night when he was in my town. We became great friends and even went to visit him once. He passed away a few years later and this song always makes me think of him. Thank you so much for reacting to this and for getting it.
My "Daniel " was Dennis. He had many anger issues when he came home. He was 17 when he signed for the Marines. I loved Dennis, but didn't understand back then what it was. So he left me before he hurt me in any way.
You've just barely scratched the surface. Love Elton John.
please listen to “Your Song” please!!!
Seconding this.
This was voted people's favorite song of his. It's mine!
“Someone saved my Life Tonight” by Elton John; please...
I know everyone is out there singing along to this one, and I still goosebumps singing to this cut. My 2nd fav Elton John
Elton John has so many good songs. BRAVO, maestro! 🤘👏♥️🎵
Bernie Taupin writes his stuff.
@@thisiszaphod Bernie writes lyrics, Elton does music.