Jessie Taylor
Candle in the Wind is a song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. The song includes the lyric it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind, which has become a well-known phrase. The metaphor of a candle in the wind is used to describe the fragility of life, and the potential for a small flame to be extinguished by external forces. The song was later re-recorded as a tribute to Princess Diana, who died in a car accident in 1997. The phrase has also been referenced by singer Lana Del Rey, who uses it to signal that she is feeling stable and resilient.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of poem | Acrostic |
| Written by | Elton John and Bernie Taupin |
| Dedicated to | Marilyn Monroe |
| Year | 1973 |
| Album | Goodbye Yellow Brick Road |
| Tribute to | Princess Diana of Wales |
| Year of tribute | 1997 |
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What You'll Learn
'Candle in the Wind' is a song, not a poem
"Candle in the Wind" is a song, not a poem. Written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, it was first released in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, whose real name was Norma Jeane Mortenson. The song describes her life and tragic death, and how she was forced to perform, ultimately leading to her demise.
The opening line, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", sets the tone, with John reflecting on Monroe's life and the challenges she faced, including the pressure to conform to a certain image. The song includes the lyric, "they set you on the treadmill", which is a metaphor for the expectations of Hollywood stardom and the pressure to maintain a certain appearance.
In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song as a tribute to Princess Diana of Wales, who had died in a car accident that year. This version, titled "Candle in the Wind 1997" or "Goodbye England's Rose", peaked at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and several other countries.
The phrase "candle in the wind" has been used by various artists, including Lana Del Rey, who references it in her songs to signal her resilience and stability. Despite the poetic nature of the lyrics and the use of metaphors, "Candle in the Wind" is a song, not a poem, and has become one of Elton John's most recognised and celebrated works.
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It was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
"Candle in the Wind" is a song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier. The song includes the lyrics: "Goodbye, Norma Jean", Marilyn Monroe's name at birth.
Taupin was inspired to write the lyrics after hearing the phrase "candle in the wind" used by Clive Davis in tribute to Janis Joplin. The lyrics also refer to those in Monroe's life as "crawling out of the woodwork", a metaphor for insects. The song's vehicle, "set you on the treadmill", represents the pressure to lose weight and conform to a certain image. The "candle in the wind" itself represents the fragility of life, with the line "your candle burned out" serving as a metaphor for death.
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 recently died in a car accident. This version peaked at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and several other countries, becoming John's fourth No. 1 single.
The phrase "candle in the wind" has also been used by singer Lana Del Rey in her music. She uses the phrase to signal that she is feeling more stable and resilient, no longer a "flame that can be snuffed out by the wind".
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It was originally written about Marilyn Monroe
"Candle in the Wind", written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, was originally a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. The song was written in 1973, 11 years after Monroe's death. The opening line of the song, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", refers to Monroe's real name, Norma Jeane Mortenson.
Taupin was inspired to write the song after hearing the phrase "candle in the wind" used by Clive Davis in tribute to Janis Joplin. Taupin said he thought it was a "great way of describing someone's life". The song focuses on the life of Norma Jeane and her rise to fame as Marilyn Monroe. It also touches on her tragic death, with lyrics such as "Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did".
In an interview, Taupin disputed the idea that he was a huge fan of Monroe's. He said that she was a "metaphor for fame and dying young" and that the song could have been about any number of famous figures who died young, such as James Dean, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Sylvia Plath, or Virginia Woolf.
In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song, "Candle in the Wind 1997", as a tribute to Princess Diana of Wales, who had died in a car accident that year. This version of the song became John's fourth No. 1 single in the UK and other countries. It has been listed as the second-best-selling single in the world by Guinness World Records, with 33 million copies sold. John has not performed this version live since Diana's funeral and it has not appeared on any of his subsequent compilation albums.
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It was rewritten and performed as a tribute to Princess Diana
"Candle in the Wind" is a song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to 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.
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 tragic car accident that year. The new version of the song had new lyrics adapted to suit the circumstances of Diana's life and death. The opening lines were changed to "Goodbye England's rose/May you ever grow in our hearts". John performed the song at Princess Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey on 6 September 1997 and has not performed this version live since.
"Candle in the Wind 1997" was released in September 1997 and peaked at No. 1 in the United Kingdom, becoming John's fourth No. 1 single. It also reached No. 1 in several other countries, including Germany, Australia, and France. The song has sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is listed by Guinness World Records as the second-best-selling single in the world. All artist and composer royalties and record company profits were donated to Diana's charities via the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
The original version of "Candle in the Wind" appeared on John's 1973 album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and was released as a single in 1974. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine listed the original version of the song as one of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
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The phrase candle in the wind is used to symbolise the fragility of life
"Candle in the Wind" is a song by Elton John, released in 1973, that was originally written in memory of Marilyn Monroe. The lyrics were penned by Bernie Taupin, and the song was later re-recorded in 1997 as a tribute to Princess Diana of Wales, who passed away in a tragic car accident. The song's opening line, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", refers to Monroe's birth name, and the song chronicles her rise to fame and tragic death.
The phrase "candle in the wind" is used in the song to symbolise the fragility of life. This metaphor captures the delicate nature of existence, much like a candle flame that can be easily extinguished by the wind. The song's lyrics explore how Monroe navigated the challenges of Hollywood stardom and the manipulative nature of the industry, ultimately leading to her untimely demise.
The image of a candle in the wind evokes a sense of vulnerability and transience. Just as a candle flame is fragile and can be snuffed out by a gentle breeze, so too can life be fleeting and fragile in the face of adversity. The metaphor conveys a sense of life's impermanence and the potential for it to be abruptly cut short.
In the context of the song, the phrase "candle in the wind" specifically alludes to Monroe's struggles with the pressures of fame and the relentless hounding of the press. The lyrics "they crawled out of the woodwork and whispered into your brain/they set you on the treadmill" depict the intrusive and manipulative nature of those around her, contributing to her sense of isolation and fragility.
The metaphor of a "candle in the wind" has resonated with many people beyond the song's original subject matter. It has been interpreted as a symbol of strength and resilience, indicating that one is no longer willing to be blown out or consumed by life's challenges. This interpretation flips the original meaning, suggesting that just as a candle can be extinguished, it can also burn brightly and withstand the forces around it.
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Frequently asked questions
"Candle in the Wind" is a song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin. It is not a poem.
The original version of "Candle in the Wind" was written about Marilyn Monroe, specifically focusing on her life and tragic death.
Yes, the song was rewritten and re-recorded in 1997 as a tribute to Princess Diana of Wales, who died in a car accident.
The phrase "candle in the wind" is used as a metaphor for the fragility of life.
