Music is weird. One day a song is just a catchy tune on the radio, and the next, it’s the definitive anthem for a global tragedy. That is exactly what happened with Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s "Candle in the Wind." Most people think of it as the Princess Diana song. Honestly, though? It started as a gritty, slightly cynical look at the Hollywood machine and the short, tragic life of Marilyn Monroe. It’s a song about how we consume people until there’s nothing left.
We’ve all seen the footage. Elton sitting at the piano in Westminster Abbey, his voice cracking just a tiny bit as he sang those reworked lyrics. It was 1997. The world was mourning "England’s Rose." But the song itself was already twenty-four years old by then.
The 1973 Original: It Wasn't About a Princess
When Bernie Taupin sat down to write the lyrics for the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album, he wasn't trying to write a eulogy for royalty. He was looking at the 1950s. He was looking at Norma Jeane Baker.
The phrase like a candle in the wind didn't even come from Bernie’s head originally. He actually picked it up from a tribute he read about Janis Joplin. It’s a perfect metaphor. It describes someone whose life is flickering, beautiful, and incredibly fragile. It’s about someone who is being blown around by forces they can’t control—the press, the studios, the fans.
The original lyrics are actually quite dark. They talk about the "loneliness" of 22nd row fans and the way Hollywood "created a superstar" just to watch it burn out. It’s not a soft song. It’s a critique. Elton’s melody makes it feel like a lullaby, but if you actually read the words, it’s a bit of an indictment of us—the audience. We are the ones who let the candle burn out.
The Marilyn Monroe Connection
Why Marilyn? Well, she was the ultimate symbol of the exploited star. Taupin has often said the song could have been about Montgomery Clift or James Dean. It was just about the idea of fame being a death sentence.
In the 1973 version, the lyrics mention "Goodbye Norma Jeane." It’s personal. It strips away the "Marilyn" persona and tries to talk to the real woman underneath. It’s kinda heartbreaking because, by the time the song came out, she’d been gone for over a decade. The song wasn’t news; it was a post-mortem.
1997: When Everything Changed
Fast forward to August 1997. Princess Diana dies in a car crash in Paris. The world stops.
Elton John was a close friend of Diana. They’d actually had a falling out and had only recently reconciled at Gianni Versace’s funeral. Suddenly, he’s asked to perform at her funeral. He calls Bernie. He says, "We need to change the words."
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Bernie Taupin rewrote the lyrics in about two hours. He swapped "Norma Jeane" for "England’s Rose." He changed the perspective from a distant observer of a Hollywood star to a grieving nation mourning a friend.
- "Goodbye England's Rose" replaced "Goodbye Norma Jeane."
- "Your footsteps will always fall here, along England's greenest hills" replaced the references to the 22nd row.
- The essence of the like a candle in the wind metaphor remained, but the "wind" was no longer just the press—it was a literal tragedy that cut a life short at 36.
The performance at the funeral was a one-time thing. Elton has famously refused to sing the 1997 version ever again unless Diana’s sons ask him to. He doesn't want to capitalize on that grief.
The Chart-Topping Madness
The 1997 version, officially titled "Candle in the Wind 1997," became the biggest-selling single since charts began. It’s second only to Bing Crosby’s "White Christmas" in terms of all-time physical sales.
Think about that.
Over 33 million copies. It stayed at number one in the UK for five weeks and in the US for fourteen weeks. It was a cultural juggernaut. Every cent of the royalties—millions and millions of dollars—went to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. It wasn’t just a song; it was a massive global fundraising effort.
But here is the thing: some critics hated it.
Some people felt it was too soon, or too "produced." They felt that turning a song about a Hollywood actress into a song for a Royal was a bit lazy. But the public didn't care. The song captured the specific, heavy atmosphere of September 1997. You couldn't walk into a grocery store without hearing it. It was the background noise of a world in mourning.
Why the Metaphor Still Sticks
Why does the phrase like a candle in the wind still resonate today?
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Because we still do this. We still build people up and then act surprised when they break. Whether it's Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, or even the intense scrutiny on modern stars like Britney Spears or Taylor Swift, the "wind" is always blowing.
The song works because it’s simple.
- It acknowledges the beauty of the person.
- It acknowledges the cruelty of the environment.
- It admits that we, the observers, didn't do enough to protect them.
It’s an apology. In 1973, it was an apology to Marilyn. In 1997, it was an apology to Diana.
Technical Mastery: Why It Sounds "Right"
If you strip away the lyrics, the song is a masterclass in pop songwriting. Elton John is a melodic genius. The way the chords move in the chorus—that lifting sensation—creates a feeling of hope even though the words are sad.
It’s written in E major, which is generally a "bright" key, but Elton plays it with a heavy, rhythmic piano style that grounds it. The 1997 version added a string quartet (arranged by the legendary George Martin, the Beatles' producer). That's why it sounds so much more "stately" and formal than the 1973 rock-ballad version. George Martin knew exactly how to make it sound like it belonged in a cathedral.
Differences in Production
The 1973 version has a classic 70s rock feel. You’ve got the backing vocals from Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, and Nigel Olsson. It feels like a band in a room.
The 1997 version is basically just Elton and the strings. It’s lonelier. It feels like a solo vigil. That’s probably why it hits harder. There’s no drum kit to hide behind. It’s just a man and his grief.
The Legacy of the Song
"Candle in the Wind" has become a shorthand for any life cut short. You see it in headlines all the time. It’s passed into the lexicon.
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But it’s also a reminder of the power of a rewrite. Very few songs can survive having their entire subject matter swapped out halfway through their lifespan. It worked because the core emotion—the idea of a fragile light in a dark, gusty world—is universal.
It’s kinda fascinating that the song has two lives. One for the film buffs who love the 70s era of Elton, and one for the millions who remember where they were when Diana died.
What We Get Wrong About the Lyrics
People often misinterpret the line "I would have liked to have known you, but I was just a kid."
In the 1973 version, Elton (or Bernie) is literally saying they were too young when Marilyn was at her peak. In the 1997 version, it’s more about the missed opportunity of a friendship that ended too soon.
There's also the misconception that the song was always intended to be a funeral march. It wasn't! The original is a mid-tempo rock track. You can actually tap your feet to it. It’s only the weight of history that turned it into a somber hymn.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers and History Buffs
If you want to truly appreciate the depth of this track, don't just listen to the radio edit.
- Listen to the "Live in Australia" version (1986). Elton performs it with a full symphony orchestra. This was before the Diana rewrite, and you can hear how the song was already evolving into something grander and more emotional.
- Compare the lyrics side-by-side. Look at how Bernie Taupin managed to keep the rhyme scheme almost identical while completely changing the meaning. It’s a lesson in technical writing.
- Check out the 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. "Candle in the Wind" is just one part of a massive, ambitious double album. Hearing it in its original context—right before "Bennie and the Jets"—changes how you perceive its "seriousness."
- Research the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. While the fund closed in 2012, its work continues through the Royal Foundation. Knowing where that "Candle in the Wind" money went gives the song a tangible, real-world legacy that goes beyond music charts.
The song serves as a permanent marker of two very different eras. It links the Golden Age of Hollywood to the peak of the British Monarchy’s 20th-century crisis. Most importantly, it reminds us that fame is a high-speed game, and sometimes, the most brilliant lights are the ones that are the easiest to blow out.
Don't just view it as a sad song. View it as a warning about how we treat our icons. Because the "wind" hasn't stopped blowing; we just have different names for the candles now.
To dive deeper into the history of these sessions, look for archival interviews with Bernie Taupin from the early 2000s where he discusses the pressure of the 1997 rewrite. You can also explore the 2014 "40th Anniversary" remastered edition of the original album to hear the 1973 recording with modern clarity, revealing the subtle guitar work that often gets buried in the radio mix.