"According to Gus Dudgeon, who produced Madman Across the Water and wrote an essay containing this information to accompany the remastered version, the name "Levon" was inspired by Levon Helm, drummer, lead singer, and founder of The Band, a group from the 60s and 70s. The Band was apparently Elton John's and Bernie Taupin's favorite group in those days. (Taupin is the guy who writes or co-writes a lot of Elton John's songs and who wrote the lyrics for "Levon.")"
-wwwstraightdope.com is where my quote came from. Someone had been wondering who Alvin Tostig was, and he answered with this and more. It is a ficticious name, and simply enough, he is Levon's father in this song. Levon is a very normal man who loves his son, but they have a conflicted relationship.
"According to Gus Dudgeon, who produced Madman Across the Water and wrote an essay containing this information to accompany the remastered version, the name "Levon" was inspired by Levon Helm, drummer, lead singer, and founder of The Band, a group from the 60s and 70s. The Band was apparently Elton John's and Bernie Taupin's favorite group in those days. (Taupin is the guy who writes or co-writes a lot of Elton John's songs and who wrote the lyrics for "Levon.")"
-wwwstraightdope.com is where my quote came from. Someone had been wondering who Alvin Tostig was, and he answered with this and more. It is a ficticious name, and simply enough, he is Levon's father in this song. Levon is a very normal man who loves his son, but they have a conflicted relationship.