Elton John - Daniel
Hello! Below you'll find my "Daniel" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by Elton John has a great groove and a typically stunning keyboard part. It's not important to play note for note what he does on the recording, because he plays these songs different every time! But I give you options both to keep it simple, and to add arpeggios and flourishes in his style.
Enjoy!
Daniel Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Daniel:
Daniel Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| C | C | F | F | G | G | C | C |
| C | C | F | F | G | G | C | C |
[Verse 1]
C Dm
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
G E Am
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
F G Am
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
F G F/C (C)
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
| C | C | G | G |
[Verse 2]
C Dm
They say Spain is pretty, no I've never been
G E Am
Well Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen
F G Am
Oh and he should know, he's been there enough
F G F/C C
Lord I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much ooooh
[Chorus]
F C
Daniel my brother you are older than me
F C
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Am F
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Ab C A Dm G
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
F C
Daniel my brother you are older than me
F C
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Am F
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Ab C A Dm G
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
[Interlude]
| C | C | Dm | Dm | G | G | E | Am |
| F | G | Am | Am | F | F | G | F/G | C | C |
Ooooh
[Chorus]
F C
Daniel my brother you are older than me
F C
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Am F
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Ab C A Dm G
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
F C
Daniel my brother you are older than me
F C
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Am F
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Ab C A Dm G
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
[Verse 3]
C Dm
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
G E Am
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
F G Am
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
F G F/C C
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
F G
Oh God it looks like Daniel
F/C (C)
Must be the clouds in my eyes
| C | C | F | F | G | G | C | C |
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Daniel Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Daniel" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Daniel" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
