I can see very well/
Take my word I’m a madman, don’t you know?

“Madman Across the Water” by Elton John seems to be written about a guy who is in an asylum but might not be as mad as everyone thinks he is. However, the circumstances might be driving him there.

He is lucid, and joking and sarcastic, the only thing we really suspect that makes him “mad” is his half-joke that he might not be up high enough from the ground (presumably so that if he jumped he wouldn’t kill himself).

He says “I can see very well”. The way he describes it makes it seem like a family put a troubled young man in a hospital of some sort and they come and visit for a short time once a week. And this isn’t exactly curing him. It makes him feel like a circus freak.

Musically, this is the first time we hear John use a guitar in one of his songs. The guitar solo is quite effective: it sounds dissonant, as if things aren’t right. Perfect for the song. John’s voice is always good. He sounds feisty when he sings this song.

He released two versions of “Madman Across the Water”. In the one on the Madman album there is also a lot of orchestral work. I can’t tell if I like this one or the one on Tumbleweed Connection better. They are both good. He seems to use the piano a lot less in this song then in most of his other work. He also experiments with different percussion.

Madman Across the Water Lyrics

I can see very well,
There’s a boat on the reef with a broken back.
And I can see it very well.
There’s a joke and I know it very well.
It’s one of those that I told you long ago,
Take my word I’m a madman, don’t you know?

Once a fool had a good part in the play.
If it’s so would I still be here today?
It’s quite peculiar in a funny sort of way.
They think it’s very funny everything I say.
Get a load of him, he’s so insane.
You better get your coat dear,
It looks like rain.

We’ll come again next Thursday afternoon,
The in-laws hope they’ll see you very soon.
But is it in your conscience that you’re after,
Another glimpse of the madman across the water?

I can see very well.
There’s a boat on the reef with a broken back.
And I can see it very well.
There’s a joke and I know it very well,
It’s one of those that I told you long ago.
Take my word I’m a madman, don’t you know.

The ground’s a long way down but I need more.
Is the nightmare really black
Or are the windows painted?
Will they come again next week
Can my mind really take it?

We’ll come again next Thursday afternoon.
The in-laws hope they’ll see you very soon.
But is it in your conscience that you’re after,
Another glimpse of a madman across the water?

Songwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton John