Poised to become the greatest-selling single since the dawn of existence, Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind ’97,” made a compassionate, emotional and loving tribute to the late Princess of Wales as the singer-songwriter performed before an audience of millions at the Princess’ universally-televised funeral.
But what avid music minds want to know, or at least want to contemplate, is the reasoning behind John’s decision (along with longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin) to re-write the classic rock song. With such extensive re-working, wouldn’t it have been better to create a new song for Diana, rather than redo a 24-year-old tune already deeply etched in music listeners’ minds?
What’s more, when John and Taupin rewrote the song, weren’t they taking it away from Marilyn Monroe, the Hollywood legend to whom it was originally dedicated?
“Not at all,” says Jessica Beal, a long-time Monroe fan and memorabilia collector. “Marilyn and Diana were so different — but Diana deserved the song as much as Marilyn did.”
In comparing the two female icons, Beal views Diana as the quintessential “Marilyn for the ’90s.” She was ecstatic to hear that John would re-write “Candle in the Wind” for Diana’s funeral with new lyrics.
“I thought it was the perfect song that he could use. It made me cry,” adds Beal.
On the other hand, John Colling, a San Diego-based music writer who has followed much of John’s musical career, holds a different opinion of the new-fashioned “Candle in the Wind.”
“I question that,” Colling notes, “and I don’t know the answer to why he [re-wrote “Candle”]. You could go on the simple theory that it would be harder for him to quickly compose a brand-new song…maybe it was an easy out for him. But, some of the lyrics don’t fit, especially if you know the lyrics to the original song. It’s a story, and a lot of people know the words by heart. So, for him to change that is maybe, musically sacrilegious.”
Yet, all musical lack of godliness aside, Colling still admits that the new lyrics tugged at the proverbial heartstrings.
“I turned on the funeral broadcast just as Elton John was about to perform, and it was emotional and moving. I’m sure there were people balling their eyes out to it,” he says.
Whether “Candle in the Wind ’97” is a trite re-write or impassioned tear-jerker can be pondered yet never fully answered: it all boils down to each individual’s perceptions.
“There were probably hundreds of millions of people who watched the funeral,” Colling concludes, “so if you imagine how many different emotions could be going into the song, it’s kind of mind-boggling. It touched different people in different ways.”
