Major view
C major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = B (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = F (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Elton John - Daniel - Chord
Key C major – A minor Chords C, F, Am, G, G7, Dm, E7, F/G … Easy key G (capo 5)
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: C | Am
Capo: 0
C Dm
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
G E7 Am
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain oh and
F G Am
I can see Daniel waving goodbye
F G7 F/G C
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
C Dm
They say Spain's pretty, though I've never been
G E7 Am
Daniel says it's the best place he's ever seen.Oh and
F G Am
he should know, he's been there enough
F G7 F/G C
God I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much
C F C
Oh, 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 A7 Dm7 G7
Daniel, you're a star, in the face of the sky
F C
Oh, 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 A7 Dm7 G7
Daniel, you're a star, in the face of the sky
C Dm
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
G E7 Am
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
F G Am
oh and, I can see Daniel waving goodbye
F G7 F/G C
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
End of song Play again?
Elton John - Daniel Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Elton John – Daniel: key and chord analysis
The song opens on C and ends on C. Its chords belong to both C major and Am, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
A minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = F (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = G (natural-minor colour)
- #7 = G# (harmonic-minor leading tone from the V chord)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the C major side because it both starts and finishes on C, C is heard 13 times against 8 for Am and the major V chord points straight at Am. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from A minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to C or to Am; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | Tonic — home | C · E · G | 13× |
| ii | Dm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · A | 3× |
| ii7 | Dm7 | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | D · F · A · C | 2× |
| iii | Em | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | E · G · B | — |
| V7/vi | E7 | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Amsecondary dominant | E · G# · B · D | 3× |
| IV | F | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · A · C | 12× |
| IV | F/G | Subdominant — moves away from home | F · A · C | 3× |
| V | G | Dominant — strongest pull home | G · B · D | 6× |
| V7 | G7 | Dominant — strongest pull home | G · B · D · F | 5× |
| bVI | Ab | Borrowed from the parallel minorborrowed chord | Ab · C · Eb | 2× |
| vi | Am | Relative minor — the melancholy side | A · C · E | 8× |
| V7/ii | A7 | Secondary dominant V/ii — leads to Dmsecondary dominant | A · C# · E · G | 2× |
| vii° | Bdim | Leading-tone chord — tension | B · D · F | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Tonic — home | A · C · E | 8× |
| V7/iv | A7 | Secondary dominant V/iv — leads to Dmsecondary dominant | A · C# · E · G | 2× |
| ii° | Bdim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | B · D · F | — |
| III | C | Relative major — the bright side | C · E · G | 13× |
| iv | Dm | Subdominant — moves away from home | D · F · A | 3× |
| iv7 | Dm7 | Subdominant — moves away from home | D · F · A · C | 2× |
| v | Em | Minor dominant — soft pull | E · G · B | — |
| V7 | E7 | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | E · G# · B · D | 3× |
| VI | F | Submediant — warm colour | F · A · C | 12× |
| VI | F/G | Submediant — warm colour | F · A · C | 3× |
| VII | G | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | G · B · D | 6× |
| VII7 | G7 | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | G · B · D · F | 5× |
| #VII | Ab | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | Ab · C · Eb | 2× |
Analysis
The key pair is C major and its relative A minor (no sharps or flats). 11 different chords appear 59 times in total; 8 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. The major V of Am brings the harmonic-minor leading tone, giving the minor side a sharper, more dramatic pull; seen from C, the same E7 is V7/vi, a secondary dominant heading for Am. A7 acts as a secondary dominant, briefly pointing at another chord of the key. Ab is borrowed from the parallel minor, adding a darker shade to the major side.
Chord movement
- F C CIV → Iplagal cadence AmVI → III ×4
- E7 Am CV7/vi → visecondary resolution AmV7 → iharmonic-minor cadence ×3
- G Am CV → videceptive cadence AmVII → iAeolian arrival ×3
- F/G C CIV → Iplagal cadence AmVI → III ×3
- Dm G Cii → Vii → V Amiv → VII ×3
- F G CIV → VIV → V AmVI → VIIVI → VII ×3
The move to watch is F → C, heard 4 times. From the C side it reads IV → I (plagal cadence: the soft 'amen' ending); from the Am side it is VI → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic are the same five notes (C – D – E – G – A): start from C for a brighter phrase, from A for a bluesier one.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over F, land on F, A, C — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- When E7 comes, swap the scale's G for G#: that single note is the harmonic-minor sound of the chord.
- On Ab, follow the chord's notes (Ab · C · Eb) rather than the key's scale — it's a borrowed colour.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With C major shapes
- No capo — open C shapes
- Capo 3 + A shapes
- Capo 5 + G shapes
With A minor shapes
- No capo — open Am shapes
- Capo 5 + Em shapes
- Capo 7 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 5 semitones down · capo 5 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is C; the ear learns where home is within a second. The backbone is C, F, Am, G — I–IV–vi–V from the C side, III–VI–i–VII from the Am side. E7 is the interesting twist: in C it is a chromatic chord (V7/vi), while in Am it becomes the dominant (V7) that makes the minor side sound so determined. Keep an ear on F → C (IV → I in C, VI → III in Am): plagal cadence — the soft 'amen' ending. The final chord is C; the ear comes to rest in C.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Elton John - Daniel Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
Repertoires with this song
Similar songs, ready to play: pick a list.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.