John was raised in the Pinner suburb of London and learned to play piano at an early age, forming the blues band Bluesology in 1962. After leaving Bluesology in 1967 to embark on a solo career, John met Taupin after they both answered an advert for songwriters. For two years, they wrote songs for other artists, and John worked as a session musician for artists. John released his debut album Empty Sky in 1969, and a year later formed the Elton John Band and released his first hit single, "Your Song".
John's critical success was at its peak in the 1970s when he released a streak of chart-topping albums in the US and UK, which began with Honky Château (1972) and culminated with Rock of the Westies (1975). John continued his success in the 1980s and 1990s, having several hit singles and albums in both decades, and has continued to record new music since then. He has also had success in musical films and theatre, composing music for The Lion King, Aida, and Billy Elliot the Musical. In 2018, John began his ongoing farewell tour Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which is scheduled to conclude in 2023. The 2019 biopic Rocketman dramatized his life and career.
Outside of music, John is an HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser and has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised over £300 million since its inception, and a year later he began hosting his annual Foundation Academy Awards Party, which has since become one of the biggest high-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. John was the chairman and director of Watford F.C, from 1976 to 1987, and again from 1997 to 2002, and is an honorary life president of the club. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, John developed a severe addiction problem to drugs and alcohol but has been sober since 1990. He entered into a civil partnership with Canadian filmmaker David Furnish in 2005; they married after same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014.
John has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart and US Billboard Hot 100, including nine number-ones in the UK and US, as well as seven consecutive number-one albums in the US. His tribute single "Candle in the Wind 1997", a rewritten version of his 1974 single in dedication to Princess Diana, sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling chart single of all time. In 2021, John became the first solo artist with UK Top 10 singles across six decades.
John has received numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards; including for Outstanding Contribution to Music; two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, a Disney Legend Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and is a fellow of The Ivors Academy. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to music and charitable services in 1998 and was appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) in 2020.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_John
Solo studio albums
Empty Sky (1969)
Elton John (1970)
Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
Madman Across the Water (1971)
Honky Château (1972)
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Caribou (1974)
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
Rock of the Westies (1975)
Blue Moves (1976)
A Single Man (1978)
Victim of Love (1979)
21 at 33 (1980)
The Fox (1981)
Jump Up! (1982)
Too Low for Zero (1983)
Breaking Hearts (1984)
Ice on Fire (1985)
Leather Jackets (1986)
Reg Strikes Back (1988)
Sleeping with the Past (1989)
The One (1992)
Made in England (1995)
The Big Picture (1997)
Songs from the West Coast (2001)
Peachtree Road (2004)
The Captain & the Kid (2006)
The Diving Board (2013)
Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
Regimental Sgt. Zippo (2021)
02 Candle In The Wind 1997
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself
Where lives were torn apart
You called out to our country
And you whispered to those in pain
Now you belong to heaven
And the stars spell out your name
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall here
Along England's greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend ever will
Loveliness we've lost
These empty days without your smile
This torch we'll always carry
For our nation's golden child
And even though we try
The truth brings us to tears
All our words cannot express
The joy you brought us through the years
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall here
Along England's greenest hills
Your candle's burned our long before
Your legend ever will
Goodbye England's rose
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself
Where lives were torn apart
Goodbye England's rose
From a country lost without your soul
Who'll miss the wings of your compassion
More than you'll ever know
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall here
Along England's greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend ever will
The song "Candle In The Wind 1997" by Elton John is a tribute to Princess Diana who died tragically on August 31st, 1997. The lyrics express the singer's grief at the loss of a beloved figure who stood out for her compassion and grace. The opening lines "Goodbye England's Rose, May you ever grow in our hearts" pay homage to Princess Diana's nickname, which was Rose, and convey the hope that her legacy will endure. The next lines "You were the grace that placed itself where lives were torn apart, You called out to our country, And you whispered to those in pain" refer to Princess Diana's humanitarian work and how she reached out to the victims of war, poverty, and disease, bringing comfort and consolation.
The chorus of the song "And it seems to me you lived your life, Like a candle in the wind, Never fading with the sunset, When the rain set in" uses the image of a candle in the wind to symbolize Princess Diana's life, which was short but bright, always shining in the face of adversity. The following lines "And your footsteps will always fall here, Along England's greenest hills, Your candle's burned out long before, Your legend ever will" reinforce the metaphor of the candle and suggest that Princess Diana's spirit will continue to inspire and guide future generations.
The ending stanza "Goodbye England's rose, From a country lost without your soul, Who'll miss the wings of your compassion, More than you'll ever know" expresses the depth of the singer's sorrow and emphasizes the significance of Princess Diana's presence in the lives of many people. The song "Candle In The Wind 1997" is a poignant tribute to a remarkable woman who embodied kindness, courage, and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye England's rose
Farewell to the cherished one who represents England
May you ever grow in our hearts
May the memories of you forever stay with us
You were the grace that placed itself
You brought kindness to a place of turmoil
Where lives were torn apart
Amidst the devastation caused by life's struggles
You called out to our country
You spoke up for our nation
And you whispered to those in pain
Guiding a ray of light to those who suffer
Now you belong to heaven
Now you are part of the afterlife
And the stars spell out your name
The sky above honors your legacy
And it seems to me you lived your life
It appears to me that you were living your life
Like a candle in the wind
You were like a small light, vulnerable to changes
Never fading with the sunset
Your light never faltered or faded
When the rain set in
Even under difficult times, you kept shining
And your footsteps will always fall here
The impact you made will continue to resonate
Along England's greenest hills
In the most serene and peaceful corners of England
Your candle's burned out long before
You departed this world, but your legacy lives on
Your legend ever will
You will be remembered as an icon forever
Loveliness we've lost
Our hearts are now missing your beauty
These empty days without your smile
These days feel empty without your cheerful presence
This torch we'll always carry
We will forever hold onto the light you brought us
For our nation's golden child
You were a precious and beloved member of our country
And even though we try
Despite our best efforts
The truth brings us to tears
We can't help but feel emotional when we hear the truth
All our words cannot express
We run out of words to describe the greatness you brought
The joy you brought us through the years
Your presence brought us happiness and hope throughout the years
From a country lost without your soul
Your absence leaves our country feeling lost
Who'll miss the wings of your compassion
We will long for your caring and empathetic nature
More than you'll ever know
We can't even begin to explain how much we will miss you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@frankkinley6272
Bryn Paulson,
Elton John singing at the funeral of Princess Diana (1997) The song "Candle in the Wind" was originally written by Elton John as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe the movie star.
Later when Princess Diana tragically passed awsy Elton John rewrote the words of his famous song for her funeral. Two thousand people attended her funeral in person, and 2.5 Billion people watched on television around the world.
Elton John said this version of the song which he rewrote specially for Princess Diana he said he would never play the song live again and he hasn't.
The world has never seen anything quite like her Funeral. And her two sons Prince Andrew (age 15 at the time) & Prince Harry (age 12 at the time) walked behind her coffin the entire time it traveled.
Princess Diana was loved by many.
@donnalombardo5061
It's so sad that she died so young in such a horrible way. Elton John did a great job rewriting this as a tribute to her.
@melindawilliams6803
A beautiful song for a beautiful princess. God bless her
@zachmueller5093
Princess Di could have been Queen of England. God Bless her. She missed her sons getting married and having families.
@Gingybb
While I was just a boy at 7 and I couln't fully understand what was going on at the time I remember walking by the TV and noting to myself that while very rare a beautiful women can also be beautiful on the inside as well. What an angel.
@eluviamarroquin1183
Princess Diana always in our hearts.
@Squab1972
RIP Beautiful lady
@Farrah300
The original song was a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. Both she and Princess Diana were 36 years old upon their deaths.
@CG-vd4nu
Something about this song reminds me of "rocky mountain high" by John Denver
@luciakaur
❤
@brynpaulson9937
Hi Who is that that's singing