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Recorded by Elton John
Rewritten by Bernie Taupin and sung by Elton John at Princess Diana's funeral.
CD Single: "Candle In The Wind 1997"
The song was originally written in 1973 to sympathize with the life and times of Marilyn Monroe; however, other circumstances would cause John to revisit the song to dedicate to another person. On August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash. The news immediately shocked John as he and the Princess had been very good friends. Following John's agonizing recovery from her death, he decided he wanted to pay a tribute to Diana. With that in mind, he contacted his veteran writing partner, Bernie Taupin, and they helped re-write lyrics for the new version of the song. With the new lyrics, John draws parallels between her life and that of the aforementioned Marilyn Monroe (the opening line of the song is changed from "Goodbye Norma Jean" to "Goodbye England's Rose"). More comparisons between the two can also be seen as both Monroe and Diana had very difficult lives filled with many problems causing them both of them to suffer from depression. John sums up his feelings about Diana being like a candle in the wind, as he states "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.
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 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.
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