Daniel Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Daniel is travelin' tonight on a plane
I can see the red taillights headin' for Spain

Oh, and I can see Daniel wavin' goodbye
God, it looks like Daniel
Must be the clouds in my eyes

[Verse 2]
They say Spain is pretty, though I've never been
And Daniel says it's the best place he's ever seen
Oh, and he should know, he's been there enough
Lord, I miss Daniel
Oh, I miss him so much


[Chorus]
Oh, Daniel, my brother, you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Your eyes have died, but you see more than I
Daniel, you're a star in the face of the sky

[Chorus]
Oh, Daniel, my brother, you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Your eyes have died, but you see more than I
Daniel, you're a star in the face of the sky
[Verse 1]
Daniel is travelin' tonight on a plane
I can see the red taillights headin' for Spain
Oh, and I can see Daniel wavin' goodbye
God, it looks like Daniel
Must be the clouds in my eyes

[Outro]
Oh God, it looks like Daniel
Must be the clouds in my eyes

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

“Daniel”, the second single from Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, was an international hit in the summer of 1973. It reached the top 10 in several countries including #1 in Canada and #2 in the US.

It was written about a guy returning to a small town in Texas, disabled from the Vietnam War. On arrival, people give him unwanted attention – some adulation, others aggression – but he just wants to get back to the simple life he led before the war. To escape the situation, he moves to another country. The song is written from his younger brother’s perspective.

Elton John thought the song was too long and, according to guitarist Davey Johnstone, didn’t think the last verse fit very well, so he cut it out:

Elton had written this song which immediately we all loved. And he call me over and said ‘look at this last verse, I think Taupin’s on drugs. He must be taking acid or something.’ And we looked at this verse, and I can vaguely remember something about a ship’s dog named Paul. And I’m like, ‘What the f*** is he talking about?’ Suddenly out of nowhere he starts talking about this dog. So Elton just kind of took the page and ripped that bottom part off very slowly and very definitely and said, ‘Well, that’s the end of that.’ And that’s why that verse was lost.

Some believe the omitted last verse explains the true meaning of the song, but Taupin called this ‘just an urban legend’.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Credits
Produced By
Engineered By
Acoustic Guitar
Arp Synthesizer
Bass Guitar
Mellotrone
Recorded At
Château d’Hérouville, near Paris
Release Date
March 26, 1973
Tags
Comments