Brooke Martin
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. In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died in a car crash. The new version, titled Candle in the Wind 1997 or Goodbye England's Rose, featured new lyrics that honoured Princess Diana's life and legacy. The song has become closely associated with both Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana, two iconic women who left a lasting impact on the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Original Writer | Elton John |
| Lyricist | Bernie Taupin |
| Original Year | 1973 |
| Original Inspiration | Marilyn Monroe |
| Original Album | Goodbye Yellow Brick Road |
| Original Album Year | 1973 |
| Original Album Peak Position (UK) | 11 |
| Original Single Release Year | 1974 |
| Rewritten Inspiration | Diana, Princess of Wales |
| Rewritten Year | 1997 |
| Rewritten Title | Candle in the Wind 1997 or Goodbye England's Rose |
| Rewritten Album | Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra |
| Rewritten Album Year | 1987 |
| Rewritten Album Peak Position (UK) | 5 |
| Rewritten Album Peak Position (US Billboard Hot 100) | 6 |
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What You'll Learn
- The original version of the song was written and performed by Elton John
- The song was inspired by the phrase candle in the wind used by Clive Davis in tribute to Janis Joplin
- The song was rewritten and performed as a tribute to Princess Diana in 1997
- The song's opening line, Goodbye, Norma Jean, refers to Marilyn Monroe's real name
- The song's lyrics portray someone with a fragile and fleeting existence
The original version of the song was written and performed by Elton John
"Candle in the Wind" is a song written and performed by British musician Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. The original version of the song was written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier. The song appeared on John's 1973 album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and was released as a single in 1974. The lyrics are a sympathetic portrayal of Monroe's life, with the opening line "Goodbye, Norma Jean" referring to her real name, Norma Jeane (also commonly spelled Jean) Mortenson.
Taupin was inspired to write the lyrics after hearing the phrase "candle in the wind" used by Clive Davis in an obituary for Janis Joplin. Taupin explained that the song was about "the idea of fame or youth or somebody being cut short in their prime". The metaphor of a candle in the wind represents something fragile and fleeting, easily snuffed out, which can be applied to a person who dies young or unexpectedly.
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 in a car crash. The new version featured different lyrics, specifically honouring Princess Diana, while the melody remained the same. This version was released as a single and also appeared on the album Elton John's Greatest Hits 1970-2002.
The original version of "Candle in the Wind", written for and about Marilyn Monroe, holds a significant place in musical history. Its subsequent association with Princess Diana and performance at her funeral further solidified its impact and popularity.
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The song was inspired by the phrase candle in the wind used by Clive Davis in tribute to Janis Joplin
"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's opening line, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", refers to Monroe's real name, Norma Jeane (commonly spelled Jean) Mortenson.
The lyrics were inspired by the phrase "candle in the wind", which was used by Clive Davis in tribute to Janis Joplin. Taupin recalled, "I just kept hearing this term [and] I thought, what a great way of describing someone’s life".
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. This version became John's fourth No. 1 single in the United Kingdom and peaked at No. 1 in several other countries.
The song has been interpreted as a reference to Monroe and Diana as someone who feels helpless, fragile, a pushover, weak, etc.. It has also been seen as a defiant statement of strength, as in the case of Lana Del Rey's use of the phrase, where she signals that she is "not just a beautiful flame that can be simply snuffed out".
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The song was rewritten and performed as a tribute to Princess Diana in 1997
"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 in 1962. The song's opening line, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", refers to Monroe's real name, Norma Jeane (also spelled Jean) Mortenson.
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 that year in a car crash. The new version featured John backing himself on the piano, with atmospheric keyboard textures and bass pedals.
The lyrics of the original song are a sympathetic portrayal of Monroe's life and the pressures of fame that contributed to her untimely death. Bernie Taupin, John's lyricist partner, was inspired to write the lyrics after hearing the phrase "candle in the wind" used in tribute to Janis Joplin. Taupin felt the phrase captured the idea of "fame, youth, or somebody being cut short in their prime".
The 1997 version of the song, with its reference to "England's rose", similarly mourned the loss of Princess Diana, who was admired for her beauty, complexity, and subversiveness in defying societal expectations. The song's metaphor of a "candle in the wind" captures the fragility and fleeting nature of life, representing someone special who was "easily snuffed out" too soon.
The song "Candle in the Wind 1997" became a poignant tribute to Princess Diana, capturing the grief and sense of loss felt by many people around the world following her tragic death.
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The song's opening line, Goodbye, Norma Jean, refers to Marilyn Monroe's real name
The song "Candle in the Wind" was 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's opening line, "Goodbye, Norma Jean", refers to Monroe's real name, Norma Jeane Mortenson, although it is more commonly spelled "Jean".
The phrase "candle in the wind" was first used by Clive Davis in an obituary for Janis Joplin in 1970. Bernie Taupin, Elton John's lyricist partner, was inspired by the phrase and its use to describe "the idea of fame or youth or somebody being cut short in their prime". The song "Candle in the Wind" is a sympathetic portrayal of Monroe's life and her struggles with the pressures of fame.
In 1997, Elton 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 in a car crash. The new version of the song included changes to the lyrics to reflect this dedication.
The phrase "candle in the wind" has taken on a life of its own, being referenced in popular culture and used to describe someone who is special, charismatic, or magnetic, but whose life was cut short, either physically or metaphorically. The image of a candle in the wind represents something fragile, fleeting, and easily extinguished, much like a life that has ended too soon.
The song "Candle in the Wind" and its subsequent iterations have solidified the phrase's association with Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana, two iconic women who continue to capture the public's imagination and serve as a reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the impact of fame.
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The song's lyrics portray someone with a fragile and fleeting existence
The original version of "Candle in the Wind," written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, was inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe. The song's lyrics portray a fragile and fleeting existence, reflecting on the tragic and untimely death of the iconic actress. With poignant words, the song captures the fleeting nature of fame and the vulnerability of a life lived in the public eye.
The opening lines set the tone: "Goodbye Norma Jean / Though I never knew you at all / You had the grace to hold yourself / While those around you crawled." Norma Jean, Monroe's birth name, represents the private person behind the celebrity facade. The lyrics acknowledge the disconnect between the public's perception and the reality of her life, suggesting those closest to her didn't truly know her. The phrase "while those around you crawled" hints at the parasitic nature of those who exploited her fame, contrasting with her grace and dignity.
The verse continues, "Your candle burned out long before / Your legend ever did," emphasizing the tragic early death that ended her life prematurely while her legend and memory lived on. This line captures the enduring impact she had on the world, even as her own flame was extinguished too soon. The song goes on to describe her as a "candle in the wind," fragile and vulnerable to the whims of fate, her life flickering like a flame in the breeze.
The lyrics also allude to the pressures and loneliness of fame: "They crawled out of the woodwork / And they whispered into your brain / They set you on the treadmill / And they made you change your name." Here, there is a sense of the parasitic nature of the industry and the people who controlled her image, changing her name to suit their purposes and putting her on a path she couldn't deviate from. The line "And it seems to me you lived your life / Like a candle in the wind" reinforces the image of a fragile existence, easily snuffed out, vulnerable to the harsh winds of fate.
The song's portrayal of Monroe's life as fleeting and fragile underscores the tragic reality of a brilliant life cut short, leaving a lasting impression on the world long after her death.
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Frequently asked questions
The original version of "Candle in the Wind", written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, was released in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song as a tribute to Princess Diana, who had recently passed away. The new version, "Candle in the Wind 1997" or "Goodbye England's Rose", retained the original melody but featured new lyrics.
The original version of "Candle in the Wind" referenced Marilyn Monroe's life and her struggles with the pressures of fame. For example, the line “Goodbye, Norma Jean” refers to Monroe's real name. The 1997 version replaced these references with lyrics that honoured Princess Diana's life and legacy.
The phrase "candle in the wind" is used to describe someone who was special, charismatic, and magnetic but whose life was cut short unexpectedly and tragically. Princess Diana's sudden death in a car crash in 1997 resonated with the song's theme, and Elton John's rewritten version became a poignant tribute to her.
