Brooke Martin
Elton John's Candle in the Wind is a threnody-style ballad written by John and Bernie Taupin in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song, Candle in the Wind 1997, at Princess Diana's funeral. This version became the second-best-selling single in the world, with 33 million copies sold. John has not performed this version live since Diana's funeral and has repeatedly turned down requests to do so, vowing never to perform it again unless asked by Diana's sons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Songwriters | Elton John and Bernie Taupin |
| Songwriters' ages when the song was written | 15 and 12 |
| Year of first release | 1973 |
| Inspiration for the song | Marilyn Monroe |
| Year of second release | 1997 |
| Inspiration for the second version | Diana, Princess of Wales |
| Performance of the second version | At Princess Diana's funeral |
| Number of times the second version was performed | Once |
| Performance of the song at Princess Diana's memorial concert in July 2007 | No |
| Number-one single | Yes |
| Highest-selling single since charts began in the 1950s | Yes |
| Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance | Yes |
| Position on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004 | 347 |
| Position on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2010 | 356 |
| Performance at Farm Aid IV on 7 April 1990 | Yes |
| Person the song was dedicated to at Farm Aid IV | Ryan White |
| Performance at the funeral of Ryan White | No, 'Skyline Pigeon' was performed |
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What You'll Learn
- Elton John performed 'Candle in the Wind' at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997
- The 1997 version of the song was a tribute to Princess Diana
- Elton John has not performed the 1997 version live since Diana's funeral
- The original version of the song was written about Marilyn Monroe
- Elton John has performed the original version of the song at his concerts since 1988
Elton John performed 'Candle in the Wind' at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997
Elton John performed "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. The song was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier. However, following Princess Diana's tragic death in 1997, John reworked the song as a tribute to her. The new version, titled "Candle in the Wind 1997" or "Goodbye England's Rose," featured revised lyrics by John's songwriting partner Bernie Taupin.
John's performance at Princess Diana's funeral was particularly poignant as the two were very close friends. The singer was deeply affected by her death and wanted to pay tribute to her memory. The decision for John to perform at the funeral was not without controversy, as Buckingham Palace initially objected, believing the new lyrics were "too sentimental." However, the Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr. Wesley Carr, successfully appealed to the royals, arguing that John's performance would be an "imaginative and generous" gesture to the grieving public.
"Candle in the Wind 1997" became an incredibly successful single, peaking at number one in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. It sold 33 million copies, making it the second-best-selling single of all time, according to the Guinness Book of Records. The song also won John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1998.
John has not performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" live since Princess Diana's funeral and it has not appeared on any of his subsequent compilation albums. However, his performance at the funeral, backed by just his piano playing, remains a powerful memory for many who witnessed it, showcasing his professionalism and emotional connection to the song and the late princess.
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The 1997 version of the song was a tribute to Princess Diana
"Candle in the Wind" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who had died in 1962.
In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song, "Candle in the Wind 1997", as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died that year. The new version of the song, with lyrics adapted by Taupin, was released in September 1997, just a month after the Princess's death. John performed the song publicly only once, at the funeral of Princess Diana in Westminster Abbey on 6 September 1997.
The 1997 version of "Candle in the Wind" became a huge success, topping the charts in the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, and several other countries. It is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the second-highest-selling physical single of all time, with 33 million copies sold, and the highest-selling single since the 1950s. The song raised about £38 million (approximately $62 million) for Diana's Memorial Fund. John won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the song in 1998.
John has not performed the 1997 version of the song since Diana's funeral and it has not appeared on any of his subsequent albums. He has repeatedly turned down requests to perform the song again, vowing never to sing it again unless asked by Diana's sons.
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Elton John has not performed the 1997 version live since Diana's funeral
"Candle in the Wind" is a threnody-style ballad written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song, "Candle in the Wind 1997", as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died in a car crash that year.
John has only performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" once, at Princess Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey on 6 September 1997. He has not performed this version live since and it has not appeared on any of his subsequent compilation albums. Instead, the original version of the song is included on these albums. John continues to sing the original version at his concerts but has repeatedly turned down requests to perform the 1997 version, even for the memorial Concert for Diana in July 2007. He vowed never to perform it again unless asked by Diana's sons.
The 1997 version of "Candle in the Wind" is one of the best-selling singles of all time. It raised about £38 million (approximately $62 million) for Diana's Memorial Fund, with another £34 million raised through donations. John's performance at Diana's funeral was widely praised for his professionalism and the strength it must have taken to get through the song, given that he and Diana were good friends.
John's 1997 version of "Candle in the Wind" won him the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998. The song also topped the German Singles Chart for seven weeks, the Australian Singles Chart for six weeks, and many other music charts around the world.
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The original version of the song was written about Marilyn Monroe
"Candle in the Wind" is a threnody-style ballad written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally written and performed in 1973, in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier. The song's opening line, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", refers to Monroe's real name, Norma Jeane (more commonly spelled Jean) Mortenson. The lyrics of the song are a sympathetic portrayal of Monroe's life.
In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song, titled "Candle in the Wind 1997", as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died in an automobile crash. The opening lines of the 1973 version, "Goodbye Norma Jean / though I never knew you at all", were adapted to "Goodbye England's rose / May you ever grow in our hearts". Most of the lyrics were adapted to suit the circumstances of Diana's life and death.
John publicly performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" only once, at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in Westminster Abbey on 6 September 1997. He continues to sing the original version of the song at his concerts but has repeatedly turned down requests to perform the revised version, vowing never to perform it again unless asked by Diana's sons.
Despite the song's association with Monroe, Bernie Taupin, John's songwriting partner, revealed that the song was not originally intended to be about her. In an interview with Graham Norton, Taupin explained that the song was inspired by the title of a book by Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, which he felt was a metaphor for "a life snuffed out too soon". Taupin also cited his fascination with Montgomery Clift, who co-starred with Monroe in "The Misfits" and died young, as an influence. Taupin acknowledged that Monroe's fame and fragile character made her a more fitting subject for the song.
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Elton John has performed the original version of the song at his concerts since 1988
"Candle in the Wind" is a threnody-style ballad written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier. The song was released on John's 1973 album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and as a single in 1974.
In 1987, Elton John underwent surgery to remove a non-cancerous lesion from his throat. He made a full recovery and resumed touring in September 1988. The 1987 live version of "Candle in the Wind" gave the song new life, especially in the US, where it had not been released as a single. Since then, it has become a regular selection at his concerts, often played as part of the encore.
In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song, titled "Candle in the Wind 1997" or "Goodbye England's Rose," as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died earlier that year. John performed this version only once, at Princess Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997.
Despite performing the revised version at Princess Diana's funeral, John has continued to sing the original version of "Candle in the Wind" at his concerts since 1988. He has repeatedly turned down requests to perform the 1997 version, even for the memorial Concert for Diana in July 2007, vowing never to perform it again unless asked by Diana's sons.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Elton John performed "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. The song was a rewritten version of his 1973 song of the same name, originally written in honour of Marilyn Monroe.
No, Elton John has not performed the 1997 version of "Candle in the Wind" since Princess Diana's funeral. He continues to perform the original version of the song at his concerts.
Yes, Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, rewrote the lyrics to honour Princess Diana.
