Madman Across The Water [Original Version]

[BiteUrLip]

From the remastered version of Tumbleweed Connection.

[BiteUrLip]

Not as good as the version on Madman, but still quite good, and interesting.

4½ stars.

[dougs]

"Madman Across the Water" from RARE MASTERS and TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION - Deluxe Edition:

This version of "Madman Across the Water" is one of several attempted by Elton in the studio.  According to Bernie, there was an all-acoustic version with Mike Chapman on guitar, this heavily electric (with some acoustic) version with Mick Ronson on guitar, and then the one which finally made MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER with Davey and Chris Spedding on guitars with the lush Paul Buckmaster orchestral arrangement.  The song was initially an outtake from the TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION sessions.  It is amazing how great Elton, Nigel, and Dee made "Madman Across the Water" sound live without any acoustic or electric guitars or string arrangement.  Check the 1971 BBC "Sounds For Saturday" performance to see how they made magic.

This particular version featuring Mick Ronson may be more up the alley of fans who prefer electric guitar work.  This is interesting and certainly edgier and possibly more angry than the one we know on MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER.  Bernie calls the version which made it to MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER as "the ultimate version."  Interestingly, the lyrics from this song were often considered to be written about then-president Richard Nixon who was embroiled in the Vietnam War and other political issues in the US at the time.  Bernie always denied that this was the meaning of the song.  But, like good art, the lyrics are open to multiple interpretations.

Had Elton adopted Hookfoot members (Caleb Quaye & Roger Pope) into his touring band at the time rather than Nigel & Dee, this more electric version of "Madman Across the Water" may have been how the song would have sounded live in those early days.  It is a good version and one of those really strong "B-side" or "rarity" tracks of Elton's worth checking out.  The vocal is fairly similar to the final version which made it to the album MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER.

Rating: 4 1/2 to 5 stars

Doug

[Commodore Orpington]

They said it was about Nixon only because rock listeners were caught up in looking for coded meanings. There's nothing in there to look at in that way. What I keep telling people is that writers don't write in code. They actually want people to understand.

[newloneranger]

I like this version, but the version on MATW is a bit better.

5 stars

[rocketman]

5 stars...the better of the two versions on disc. A more expansive song than the counterpart/iteration on Madman, which itself is also a 5 star song. I think this version benefits from its more bare-boned feel. It meanders somewhat in comparison to the more direct, shorter version on the Madman album, but that's hardly a problem with a song this good, with great guitar by Ronson and excellent drum flourishes.

DougS, I appreciate the details you add to these reviews...

[dougs]

rocketman:

Thanks!  My pleasure.

Doug

[BiteUrLip]

The MATW album version is more polished, which is why I like it more. I like the raw sound that guitars bring into this version though.