Random Wed May 13 2009

What's in a Name? Daniel Says It All

I'm really liking Bat for Lashes' new single, "Daniel," from her latest album Two Suns, of which she has an awesome video for on YouTube. "Daniel, when I first saw you/I knew that you had a flame in your heart/And under wild blue skies/Marlboro ruby skies/I found a home in your eyes/And we'd never be apart," singer Natasha Khan begins the song.

The song got me thinking...the Daniels in this world must make strong impression on lots of singers. The song made me revist two other odes to mysterious Daniels.

"Daniel," by Juliana Hatfield, from her album Beautiful Creature, is a raw ode to someone who looks "so small and lonely." "He looks alright outside/But he feels so bad inside/He looks so good on the outside/But he feels so bad inside." Hatfield reveals on her blog that the song is actually in reference to Silverchair singer Daniel Johns, who battled anorexia. The lyrics set up a nice contrast between physical appearance and inner struggle, and musically, Hatfield says she purposely used "a clean/twangy sound on the guitar solo after the heavy distorted chorus chords."

The oldest of the bunch, "Daniel" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, from Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, is a sad ballad about someone watching a guy named Daniel fly off to Spain. The song was a a big hit in 1973 and is reportedly about a Vietnam vet who flies away to Spain. John sings, "Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane/I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain/ Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye."

— Sheila Burt / Comments (1)