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)
Candle In The Wind '97
Elton John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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 out 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
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 '97" by Elton John is a tribute to Princess Diana, who died tragically in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997. The opening line, "Goodbye England's rose, may you ever grow in our hearts," sets the tone for the melancholy homage to the beloved princess. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and sorrow for the loss of a beautiful and influential person.
The metaphor of the candle in the wind represents Princess Diana's life, which was cut short before her time. She lived a life of grace and compassion, always reaching out to those in pain and calling out to her country. Even in the face of adversity, she remained strong and resilient, never fading with the sunset or the rain that set in. Her footsteps will always be remembered, especially in England's greenest hills, where her legacy will live on.
Overall, "Candle in the Wind '97" is a powerful tribute to Princess Diana, capturing the public's grief and sense of loss after her death. The lyrics perfectly capture her spirit and the impact she had on the world, making her memory an eternal flame that will never be extinguished.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye England's rose, may you ever grow in our hearts
Farewell to the beloved figure of England, may your memory forever flourish in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself where lives were torn apart
You were the kindness that was there for those whose lives were in pieces
You called out to our country and you whispered to those in pain
You reached out to our nation and offered solace to those suffering
Now you belong to heaven and the stars spell out your name
Now you have left this earth and your name is written in the heavenly skies
And it seems to me, you lived your life like a candle in the wind
To me, it appears that you led a life that was fragile, yet beautiful; just like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset when the rain set in
Even when darkness approached, and everything was darkness and gloom, your light never dimmed
And your footsteps will always fall here along England's greenest hills
Your memories will always be with us, present in every path we take along England's verdant hills
Your candle's burned out long before your legend ever will
Although you are gone, your legend and the impact you left behind will always live on
Loveliness we've lost, these empty days without your smile
We are missing the beauty that you brought, and these days feel hollow without your smile
This torch we'll always carry for our nation's golden child
We vow to always carry and honor the memory of our nation's treasured figure
And even though we try, the truth brings us to tears
Despite our best efforts, the truth of your passing brings us unbearable grief
All our words cannot express the joy you brought us through the years
No amount of language can articulate the immense happiness you brought us throughout the years
Goodbye England's rose, from a country lost without your soul
Farewell to England's beloved, leaving behind a nation that feels lost without your spirit
Who'll miss the wings of your compassion more than you'll ever know
More than you will ever understand, your compassion and kind nature will be missed deeply by many
Your footsteps will always fall here along England's greenest hills
Your memories will always be with us, present in every path we take along England's verdant hills
Your candle's burned out long before your legend ever will
Although you are gone, your legend and the impact you left behind will always live on
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Harthen
on Sacrifice
not like todays crap
Peter Harthen
on Sacrifice
Even at 56 years old, this music still sounds so good to me, how music should sound.....