Madman Across The Water (1971) is my favorite album of this amazing musician, or should I say...a pair of musicians. The name of Bernie Taupin has to be mentioned because the collaboration between these two stars made their songs so powerful and meaningful. Elton's amazing music was usually proceeded by Bernie's special lyrics at times providing us with a light poetic tone of mellow ballads and at others shining light upon some of our real struggles and worries. Perhaps their most powerful and deepest songs can be found on Elton John's second album from 1970, the one with his face silhouetted over the black cover and simply called Elton John. However, I find that album very uneven. I understand that someone not bothered by average rock'n'roll songs might find that album his best. For me this album Madman Across The Water provides the nicest balance of placing me in the atmosphere of his early songs, which I find much more ambitious and less pop, sustaining the most even feel throughout and distracting me the least by the rock'n'roll hits hard for me to digest. This album has a nice light tone to it. It is almost like some peace was found inside of someone's heart and mind after releasing the tension earlier. So many of his songs of this album and some of his later jewels as well have this airy disposition and when mixed with some of the darker more complex songs I find the combination quite breathtaking. Elton's musical career has delivered over 30 studio albums and close to 20 of various best of and live compilations. However, with a few exceptions, like Song For Guy, which is one of my favorite instrumental melodies of all times, most of my favorite songs of Elton John came from the early 1970s. Some of my favorite songs of Elton John are: Goodbye, First Episode At Hienton, Song For Guy, Seasons Reprise, Sixty Years On, Mood 3, It's Me That You Need, Your Song, I need You To Turn To, Tonight, Funeral For A Friend, The Greatest Discovery, Tiny Dancer, Madman Across The Water, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Levon.