Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: Elton John (vocals, piano, keyboards); Elton John; Sunny Leslie, Sue Glover (vocals, background vocals); Alan Parker (guitar); David Katz (violin); Diana Lewis (synthesizer, ARP synthesizer); Diane Lewis-Steinberg (synthesizer); Chris Laurence (acoustic bass, acoustic bass guitar); Herbie Flowers (electric bass, bass guitar); Dee Murray (bass guitar, background vocals); Dave Glover , Brian Odgers (bass guitar); Sunny, Sue & Sunny, Sue (background vocals); Davey Johnstone (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, sitar, synthesizer); Lesley Duncan, Liza Strike, Roger Cook, Terry Steele, Tony Burrows, Barry St. John (vocals, background vocals); Caleb Quaye (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Les Thatcher (guitar, acoustic guitar); Chris Spedding (guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar); B.J. Cole (steel guitar); Jack Emblow (accordion); Brian Dee (harmonium); Rick Wakeman (organ, keyboards); Nigel Olsson (drums, background vocals); Roger Pope, Terry Cox, Barry Morgan (drums); Ray Cooper (tambourine, percussion); Cantores in Ecclesia. | | Audio Remasterer: Tony Cousins. | | Audio Remixer: Ken Scott. | | Liner Note Authors: Gus Dudgeon; John Tobler. | | Recording information: Trident Studio, London, England (02/27/1971-08/14/1971). | | Director: Robert Kirby. | | Editor: Gus Skinas. | | Illustrator: David Larkham. | | Photographers: Bob Gruen; David Larkham. | | Unknown Contributor Roles: Steve Brown; Bernie Taupin. | | Arranger: Paul Buckmaster. | | MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER produced only a couple of minor hits, which may have something to do with the fact that its best songs are all five or six minutes long. But they're among the strongest songs in the entire Elton John catalog--especially the lovely opening track, "Tiny Dancer," which builds from a light, delicately melodic verse to a sweeping, dramatic chorus. Another highlight is the inscrutably biographic "Levon," whose title character was born "on a Christmas day when the New York Times said God is dead." | | John's luxurious piano melodies, Bernie Taupin's poetic lyrics, and Paul Buckmaster's lush string arrangements all stretch out on MADMAN, giving the record a grandiose, sweeping feel when it is not riding dark, surging currents, as on the memorably edgy title track. There is a painstaking, interior quality here that goes missing from John's early pop-song oriented albums and from the later excesses of GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. For this reason, MADMAN ON THE WATER is a crucial, unique addition to the John catalogue. |
Producer: Gus Dudgeon; Gus Dudgeon |
Engineer: Robin Geoffrey Cable; Ken Scott; Robin Geoffrey Cable |
Musical Guests | | Rick Wakeman |
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