1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:10,677 --> 00:00:12,094 [Alexis] It's a real pleasure to, 4 00:00:12,095 --> 00:00:13,387 obviously-- I have gotta say, 5 00:00:13,388 --> 00:00:14,889 it's a real pleasure to talk to you. 6 00:00:14,890 --> 00:00:17,266 It's not a difficult thing at all. 7 00:00:17,267 --> 00:00:19,520 [Elton] I regard you as a great friend, and it's like... 8 00:00:19,686 --> 00:00:21,103 [Alexis] It doesn't feel like an interview, 9 00:00:21,104 --> 00:00:23,022 though I am sitting here with a pad and pen, you know? 10 00:00:23,023 --> 00:00:24,440 [Elton] ...one of my best friends, right? 11 00:00:24,441 --> 00:00:26,192 - And that's how it should be. - [Alexis] Brilliant. 12 00:00:26,193 --> 00:00:28,069 - [Elton] That's fantastic. - [Alexis] Thank you so much. 13 00:00:28,070 --> 00:00:29,487 [Elton] You're kidding me. No. Thank you. 14 00:00:29,488 --> 00:00:30,572 [Alexis] Okay. 15 00:00:31,156 --> 00:00:32,490 [Elton] Right. Where are we now, my love? 16 00:00:32,491 --> 00:00:35,494 [Alexis] We are, um, '70s today. 17 00:00:35,702 --> 00:00:42,543 [crowd chanting] Elton! Elton! Elton! Elton! Elton! 18 00:00:44,002 --> 00:00:46,629 [♪ pop music playing, Elton John "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"] 19 00:00:46,630 --> 00:00:49,174 [crowd cheering] 20 00:00:56,223 --> 00:00:59,017 ♪ It's getting late Have you seen my mates? ♪ 21 00:00:59,184 --> 00:01:01,353 ♪ Ma, tell me when the boys get here ♪ 22 00:01:02,020 --> 00:01:04,439 ♪ It's seven o'clock and I wanna rock ♪ 23 00:01:04,731 --> 00:01:06,942 ♪ Wanna get a belly full of beer ♪ 24 00:01:08,151 --> 00:01:10,778 ♪ My old man's drunker than a barrel full of monkeys ♪ 25 00:01:10,779 --> 00:01:12,864 ♪ And my old lady she don't care ♪ 26 00:01:13,949 --> 00:01:16,826 ♪ My sister looks cute in her braces and boots ♪ 27 00:01:16,827 --> 00:01:19,204 ♪ A handful of grease in her hair ♪ 28 00:01:22,499 --> 00:01:25,669 ♪ Oh, don't give us none of your aggravation ♪ 29 00:01:25,836 --> 00:01:28,046 ♪ We had it with your discipline ♪ 30 00:01:28,297 --> 00:01:31,717 ♪ Oh, Saturday night's all right for fighting ♪ 31 00:01:31,842 --> 00:01:33,760 ♪ Get a little action in ♪ 32 00:01:34,678 --> 00:01:37,431 ♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train ♪ 33 00:01:37,681 --> 00:01:39,433 ♪ Gonna set this dance alight ♪ 34 00:01:40,684 --> 00:01:43,436 ♪ 'Cause Saturday night's the night I like ♪ 35 00:01:43,437 --> 00:01:47,649 ♪ Saturday night's all right all right, all right ♪ 36 00:01:47,983 --> 00:01:50,527 ♪ Ooh ♪ 37 00:01:55,991 --> 00:01:57,158 [♪ song fades] 38 00:01:57,159 --> 00:01:59,995 [Alexis] Let's talk about this period in the mid-70s. 39 00:02:00,245 --> 00:02:01,830 You're the most famous popstar in the world. 40 00:02:02,289 --> 00:02:03,789 There's been an ascent, an ascent, and ascent 41 00:02:03,790 --> 00:02:04,874 - and ascent... - [Elton] Yeah. 42 00:02:04,875 --> 00:02:07,002 ...and it reached its pinnacle at the Dodger Stadium. 43 00:02:07,586 --> 00:02:09,379 [Elton] The biggest gig of my life. 44 00:02:10,213 --> 00:02:12,382 I knew it couldn't get any bigger. 45 00:02:12,507 --> 00:02:15,385 ♪ I was justified when I was five... ♪ 46 00:02:15,886 --> 00:02:18,929 [reporter 1 chuckles] Once-in-a-lifetime concert event, 47 00:02:18,930 --> 00:02:20,222 Elton John live... 48 00:02:20,223 --> 00:02:21,432 [reporter 2] Tickets are sold out, 49 00:02:21,433 --> 00:02:23,768 as Elton John is set to play at Dodger Stadium 50 00:02:23,769 --> 00:02:26,062 in front of 110,000. 51 00:02:26,063 --> 00:02:27,898 [reporter 3] Elton making history once again. 52 00:02:28,106 --> 00:02:32,026 No solo artist has ever put on a live stadium show. 53 00:02:32,027 --> 00:02:34,071 [Elton] I was nervous about Dodger Stadium. 54 00:02:34,196 --> 00:02:36,322 I've never played to that many people before. 55 00:02:36,323 --> 00:02:37,908 ♪ ...that's all right ♪ 56 00:02:38,033 --> 00:02:41,411 ♪ I even like steak on a Saturday night... ♪ 57 00:02:41,870 --> 00:02:44,289 Bob Mackie, who makes all of Elton's clothes, 58 00:02:44,539 --> 00:02:45,666 made this one out. 59 00:02:46,083 --> 00:02:47,834 Just like a Dodgers suit, only it's all... 60 00:02:48,502 --> 00:02:49,961 - sequined up. - [interviewer] Quite fitting. 61 00:02:50,087 --> 00:02:51,713 [woman] Yeah. And then he's got this hat. 62 00:02:51,922 --> 00:02:53,005 [interviewer] I quite like that. 63 00:02:53,006 --> 00:02:55,883 ♪ ...I'm a bitch, I'm a bitch oh, the bitch is back ♪ 64 00:02:55,884 --> 00:02:57,385 ♪ Stone cold sober... ♪ 65 00:02:57,386 --> 00:02:59,470 [Elton] I've always been able to pull off the big occasions, 66 00:02:59,471 --> 00:03:01,848 but it's a big occasion, so you get worked up about it. 67 00:03:02,015 --> 00:03:03,140 ♪ ...better than you ♪ 68 00:03:03,141 --> 00:03:07,771 ♪ It's the way that I move The things that I do, oh ♪ 69 00:03:10,982 --> 00:03:13,151 [Elton] Everyone thought my life was so perfect. 70 00:03:15,487 --> 00:03:17,822 [Alexis] You can see, you're... you're really charming 71 00:03:17,823 --> 00:03:19,365 and you're funny and all that kind of thing. 72 00:03:19,366 --> 00:03:21,283 But you can see there's something 73 00:03:21,284 --> 00:03:22,910 there's-- You look quite out of it. 74 00:03:22,911 --> 00:03:24,079 [Elton] Yeah. 75 00:03:27,916 --> 00:03:29,418 There was an emptiness within me. 76 00:03:33,004 --> 00:03:34,088 I could have great fun, 77 00:03:34,089 --> 00:03:37,384 but when I went home at night, it didn't really satisfy me. 78 00:03:39,970 --> 00:03:42,305 The only thing in my life at that point was work. 79 00:03:44,599 --> 00:03:48,228 I couldn't have anything apart from my success and my drugs. 80 00:03:54,192 --> 00:03:56,778 My soul had gone dark. I had gone dark. 81 00:03:57,529 --> 00:03:59,489 I wasn't a joy to be around. 82 00:04:01,408 --> 00:04:04,953 I desperately didn't want to be the Elton that I had become. 83 00:04:05,537 --> 00:04:08,914 I wanted to be the person that I was before that. 84 00:04:08,915 --> 00:04:10,959 [♪ anthemic piano ballad playing, Elton John "Curtains"] 85 00:04:11,084 --> 00:04:12,377 ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ 86 00:04:17,257 --> 00:04:21,052 ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ 87 00:04:24,139 --> 00:04:28,435 ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ 88 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,650 ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ 89 00:04:38,945 --> 00:04:42,157 ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ 90 00:04:45,494 --> 00:04:46,952 [♪ song fades] 91 00:04:46,953 --> 00:04:50,165 [♪ gentle piano music playing, Elton John "Levon"] 92 00:05:29,996 --> 00:05:33,875 ♪ Levon wears his war wound like a crown ♪ 93 00:05:38,213 --> 00:05:40,799 ♪ Calls his child Jesus... ♪ 94 00:05:43,718 --> 00:05:45,887 [♪ song fades] 95 00:05:46,054 --> 00:05:47,722 The Queen isn't waving, by the way. 96 00:05:48,932 --> 00:05:49,933 Should she be? 97 00:05:50,851 --> 00:05:53,186 No. She should be, yeah. 98 00:05:54,271 --> 00:05:55,688 [makeup artist] All right. There you go. 99 00:05:55,689 --> 00:05:57,732 [chuckles] 100 00:05:58,483 --> 00:06:00,986 I wonder what's gonna happen to all this stuff when I finish. 101 00:06:01,236 --> 00:06:02,904 - [makeup artist] I know, right? - Well... 102 00:06:04,781 --> 00:06:06,323 This is the latter time in my life. 103 00:06:06,324 --> 00:06:08,076 I don't know how much time I have left. 104 00:06:08,743 --> 00:06:10,828 And you think about that more when you get to my age, 105 00:06:10,829 --> 00:06:13,540 you think about, um, life and, uh... 106 00:06:14,624 --> 00:06:16,918 and death. And you think, well... 107 00:06:18,378 --> 00:06:21,005 I just want to be where I want to be now. 108 00:06:21,006 --> 00:06:22,798 I don't have to work after this tour. 109 00:06:22,799 --> 00:06:23,883 I don't wanna do anything. 110 00:06:23,884 --> 00:06:27,136 I'll be working doing records and putting radio shows together 111 00:06:27,137 --> 00:06:29,346 and doing other things, but travelling takes it 112 00:06:29,347 --> 00:06:32,391 so much out of you. Um... It's very tiring. 113 00:06:32,392 --> 00:06:34,476 I'm used to it, and I'm a veteran at it. 114 00:06:34,477 --> 00:06:36,437 And I'd-- You know, I'm enjoying it 115 00:06:36,438 --> 00:06:38,397 so far on this tour, which is good. 116 00:06:38,398 --> 00:06:41,276 {\an8}But this is where you start to think about mortality. 117 00:06:41,902 --> 00:06:44,194 {\an8}[Alexis] And kids make you think about mortality too. 118 00:06:44,195 --> 00:06:45,530 {\an8}- I find. - [Elton] Yeah. 119 00:06:45,780 --> 00:06:46,865 {\an8}- [Alexis] Right? - [Elton] Yeah. 120 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:48,533 They think about my mortality. 121 00:06:49,284 --> 00:06:50,451 They worry about my mortality, 122 00:06:50,452 --> 00:06:53,872 because they know how old I am. Not so much David but me. 123 00:06:55,915 --> 00:06:56,999 Yeah, they love their daddy, 124 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,627 so they want me to be around forever. 125 00:06:59,044 --> 00:07:00,753 Um... And I would love to be around forever. 126 00:07:00,754 --> 00:07:02,755 I wanna see them have children and get married 127 00:07:02,756 --> 00:07:05,132 and-- But I don't think I'm gonna be around for that. 128 00:07:05,133 --> 00:07:06,551 Who knows? You never know. 129 00:07:06,801 --> 00:07:09,346 Um, so that's why I wanna weigh the best time, 130 00:07:09,888 --> 00:07:12,349 best... best of my time while I'm around for them 131 00:07:14,017 --> 00:07:16,394 Time together is so wonderful and so precious. 132 00:07:20,523 --> 00:07:22,274 [Alexis] Let's just sort of begin 133 00:07:22,275 --> 00:07:24,527 at the beginning, with your childhood. 134 00:07:24,694 --> 00:07:25,986 [crowd applauding] 135 00:07:25,987 --> 00:07:27,321 [host] Winifred Atwell. 136 00:07:27,322 --> 00:07:30,033 - Of course it is. - [crowd cheering] 137 00:07:30,450 --> 00:07:32,661 [♪ jazz piano music playing] 138 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:42,169 [Elton] As a child, I used to watch 139 00:07:42,170 --> 00:07:43,713 Winifred Atwell on television. 140 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,050 She just was my hero, and she had two pianos. 141 00:07:47,717 --> 00:07:50,011 She would play grand piano, 142 00:07:50,345 --> 00:07:52,806 and that she would say, "I'm going over to my other piano now," 143 00:07:52,931 --> 00:07:55,140 which was an upright honky-tonk piano. 144 00:07:55,141 --> 00:07:56,476 It's your own piano. 145 00:07:56,601 --> 00:07:58,519 Your special one, what are you gonna play first on that? 146 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:00,689 Well, I thought the kids would like Poor People Paris. 147 00:08:05,735 --> 00:08:08,446 [Elton] I loved her. She loved what she did. 148 00:08:08,613 --> 00:08:10,322 And I think, I took a lot of that with me 149 00:08:10,323 --> 00:08:11,658 when I became Elton John. 150 00:08:11,991 --> 00:08:14,202 She was my first big influence, without question. 151 00:08:16,705 --> 00:08:19,374 I remember starting to play the piano when I was very young. 152 00:08:20,542 --> 00:08:22,127 We had an upright piano at the house. 153 00:08:23,253 --> 00:08:25,296 My father and mother, 154 00:08:25,505 --> 00:08:27,549 I don't know if they were ever in love with each other. 155 00:08:28,550 --> 00:08:30,218 There were lots of arguments. 156 00:08:30,719 --> 00:08:32,762 Both of them, I was frightened of. 157 00:08:34,097 --> 00:08:36,473 They were abusive. They were violent. 158 00:08:36,474 --> 00:08:38,142 They were physically violent. 159 00:08:38,143 --> 00:08:39,811 - I used to walk on eggshells... - [Alexis] Yeah. 160 00:08:39,936 --> 00:08:41,229 ...in case I did anything wrong. 161 00:08:42,647 --> 00:08:44,314 My mother, when I was a year old, 162 00:08:44,315 --> 00:08:46,233 she beat me till I bled with a wire brush 163 00:08:46,234 --> 00:08:47,569 to make me potty trained. 164 00:08:48,611 --> 00:08:50,320 My dad, when I was playing football 165 00:08:50,321 --> 00:08:52,824 and the ball went on the garden instead of on the grass, 166 00:08:53,616 --> 00:08:54,909 there was hell to pay. 167 00:08:56,161 --> 00:08:57,703 My mom said, "It never did you any harm," 168 00:08:57,704 --> 00:08:59,622 and I said, "God, you have no idea." 169 00:09:00,999 --> 00:09:02,125 To be reprimanded, 170 00:09:02,625 --> 00:09:04,961 walloped on the street in front of people, 171 00:09:05,211 --> 00:09:06,379 it stays with you. 172 00:09:08,798 --> 00:09:10,925 My whole childhood was full of fear. 173 00:09:12,343 --> 00:09:14,596 I was Reg. I hadn't become Elton. 174 00:09:14,929 --> 00:09:16,931 I hated being called Reg so much. 175 00:09:17,807 --> 00:09:18,849 I always hated the name. 176 00:09:18,850 --> 00:09:20,643 [indistinct argument] 177 00:09:21,311 --> 00:09:23,103 I spend a lot of my time in fantasy land 178 00:09:23,104 --> 00:09:24,647 while my parents were arguing. 179 00:09:26,399 --> 00:09:28,109 I cherish the things that I had. 180 00:09:31,654 --> 00:09:33,239 [Alexis] You have this record collection. 181 00:09:33,406 --> 00:09:34,448 [Elton] Yeah. 182 00:09:34,449 --> 00:09:36,408 It was a pristine record collection. 183 00:09:36,409 --> 00:09:39,037 Initially 78s, then of course 45s. 184 00:09:39,704 --> 00:09:41,663 I used to hold them, caress them. 185 00:09:41,664 --> 00:09:42,999 Look at them, study them. 186 00:09:46,461 --> 00:09:48,296 Playing the piano, I got approval. 187 00:09:48,797 --> 00:09:50,882 That was my way of getting into the good books. 188 00:09:51,966 --> 00:09:53,133 If I heard something on the radio, 189 00:09:53,134 --> 00:09:55,637 I could go to the piano and play it verbatim. 190 00:09:56,763 --> 00:09:58,723 It gave me a sense of pride. 191 00:09:59,724 --> 00:10:01,810 Social occasions or such was like, 192 00:10:02,018 --> 00:10:04,437 I was kind of wheeled out. People loved it. 193 00:10:05,522 --> 00:10:07,022 Um, I went to the Royal Academy 194 00:10:07,023 --> 00:10:09,651 from the age of 11 to 15 every Saturday morning. 195 00:10:09,901 --> 00:10:12,986 I really enjoyed playing Mozart, and Bach, and Beethoven, 196 00:10:12,987 --> 00:10:14,239 all the melodic stuff. 197 00:10:14,823 --> 00:10:16,073 When it got to things like Bartók, 198 00:10:16,074 --> 00:10:18,492 I didn't know whether I was playing the wrong thing or the right thing. 199 00:10:18,493 --> 00:10:19,619 I just couldn't tell. 200 00:10:20,078 --> 00:10:21,663 I didn't have the hands for it. 201 00:10:22,497 --> 00:10:23,914 I didn't have the technical ability 202 00:10:23,915 --> 00:10:25,333 to be a classical pianist. 203 00:10:26,543 --> 00:10:28,752 I wanted to play a different kind of music. 204 00:10:28,753 --> 00:10:30,754 [♪ rock music playing, Elton John "Rock and Roll Madonna"] 205 00:10:30,755 --> 00:10:33,424 ♪ If anyone should see me making it down the highway ♪ 206 00:10:35,677 --> 00:10:39,180 ♪ Breaking all the laws of the land... ♪ 207 00:10:39,347 --> 00:10:41,766 [Elton] I was 15 and started playing in the pub. 208 00:10:42,308 --> 00:10:43,560 I used to get a pound a night. 209 00:10:44,102 --> 00:10:47,272 I saved up, and I got a microphone and an amplifier. 210 00:10:47,397 --> 00:10:51,608 ♪ Well, that's my rock and roll Madonna... ♪ 211 00:10:51,609 --> 00:10:53,694 [Elton] My father hated rock 'n' roll. 212 00:10:53,695 --> 00:10:54,945 - Hated it. - [Alexis chuckling] 213 00:10:54,946 --> 00:10:56,738 [Elton] You cannot be involved with-- Look at this. 214 00:10:56,739 --> 00:10:58,575 You know, the way they dress, the way they act. 215 00:10:59,617 --> 00:11:01,785 He instilled in me, 216 00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:04,831 the desire to prove that rock 'n' roll wasn't a shit. 217 00:11:04,956 --> 00:11:09,919 ♪ But the freeway is the only way she knows ♪ 218 00:11:10,044 --> 00:11:12,713 [Alexis] And you went down well in this environment? 219 00:11:12,714 --> 00:11:15,216 - I mean, you-- - [Elton] Yeah. Like a storm. 220 00:11:15,341 --> 00:11:17,259 I mean, if you can play there, you can play anywhere. 221 00:11:17,260 --> 00:11:19,053 [♪ jazz music playing, Bluesology "Come Back Baby"] 222 00:11:19,179 --> 00:11:21,556 ♪ Come back, baby ♪ 223 00:11:22,348 --> 00:11:24,851 ♪ Come back to me, yeah... ♪ 224 00:11:25,018 --> 00:11:27,103 [Elton] I was beginning to get a band together. 225 00:11:28,771 --> 00:11:30,689 We did a tour with the Ink Spots. 226 00:11:30,690 --> 00:11:31,816 We backed them. 227 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,404 The Drifters, the Temptations, Patti LaBelle. 228 00:11:36,863 --> 00:11:38,990 It was a great learning curve. 229 00:11:39,616 --> 00:11:42,869 My life was all consumed by music. It was my sex. 230 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:45,663 All I cared about was playing. 231 00:11:46,789 --> 00:11:49,541 [Alexis] When you changed your name, did that change you? 232 00:11:49,542 --> 00:11:53,171 {\an8}[Elton] Yes, without question. Kind of shedding my skin. 233 00:11:53,671 --> 00:11:55,924 It made me feel as if I could make it. 234 00:11:56,341 --> 00:11:57,842 Reg was never gonna make it. 235 00:11:58,343 --> 00:12:00,761 "Here he is, Reg Dwight." Like, boring! 236 00:12:00,762 --> 00:12:02,221 - [Alexis laughs] - [Elton] But Elton John? 237 00:12:02,222 --> 00:12:03,723 - [Alexis] Yeah. - [Elton] That's different. 238 00:12:06,351 --> 00:12:07,936 I just wanted to become a songwriter. 239 00:12:08,686 --> 00:12:10,437 And that's when I went and answered 240 00:12:10,438 --> 00:12:11,689 - the Liberty advert. - [Alexis] Sure. 241 00:12:12,857 --> 00:12:14,942 {\an8}[Elton] That advert, I thought, "Wow, songwriters wanted." 242 00:12:14,943 --> 00:12:16,694 {\an8}"Well, maybe I can-- I've written two songs, 243 00:12:16,819 --> 00:12:18,195 {\an8}"but they-- the lyrics weren't very good. 244 00:12:18,196 --> 00:12:19,572 {\an8}"But maybe I can get a lyric writer." 245 00:12:19,989 --> 00:12:22,158 - [traffic whizzing] - [indistinct chatter] 246 00:12:22,283 --> 00:12:24,369 [Elton] I cannot believe I had the courage to answer it. 247 00:12:24,577 --> 00:12:27,497 But I did. And I did it without telling anybody. 248 00:12:28,498 --> 00:12:30,290 And I was shaking when I went into the office. 249 00:12:30,291 --> 00:12:31,376 [telephone ringing] 250 00:12:31,501 --> 00:12:33,461 [Elton] I said, "I've written my lyrics and I don't like it. 251 00:12:33,586 --> 00:12:35,337 "They're not very good, but I love writing melodies." 252 00:12:35,338 --> 00:12:37,381 It ended up by him giving me an envelope 253 00:12:37,382 --> 00:12:38,548 with Bernie's lyrics. 254 00:12:38,549 --> 00:12:39,883 He hadn't even looked at the lyrics. 255 00:12:39,884 --> 00:12:41,009 [Alexis] Right. 256 00:12:41,010 --> 00:12:42,887 - [Elton] It boggles the mind. - [Alexis] It really does. 257 00:12:43,471 --> 00:12:45,472 [Elton] My life wouldn't be the same. If I hadn't had that, 258 00:12:45,473 --> 00:12:47,058 we wouldn't be sitting here talking about it. 259 00:12:47,183 --> 00:12:48,517 [Alexis] No, no, no, absolutely not, no. 260 00:12:48,518 --> 00:12:50,144 [Elton] It was the biggest piece of serendipity 261 00:12:50,270 --> 00:12:51,479 that I could possibly have. 262 00:12:51,938 --> 00:12:55,733 Bernie was the-- He was the link to what was gonna happen, 263 00:12:56,025 --> 00:12:57,609 whatever was gonna happen. 264 00:12:57,610 --> 00:13:00,905 [♪ soft piano music playing] 265 00:13:26,639 --> 00:13:28,766 - [Elton] Hello, Olly. - [Olly] Hey, Elton. 266 00:13:29,350 --> 00:13:30,642 {\an8}[Elton] Do you play guitar? 267 00:13:30,643 --> 00:13:33,354 {\an8}[Olly] No, I tried to learn the guitar when I was younger. 268 00:13:33,479 --> 00:13:35,272 {\an8}- [Elton] It's so difficult. - [Olly chuckles] I-- Yeah, 269 00:13:35,273 --> 00:13:36,481 I couldn't get my head around it. 270 00:13:36,482 --> 00:13:37,566 [Elton] I just-- I just can't 271 00:13:37,567 --> 00:13:38,984 - wrap my head around it. - [Olly chuckles] 272 00:13:38,985 --> 00:13:40,445 [Elton] Plus my hands are so small. 273 00:13:40,820 --> 00:13:41,945 I just can't... 274 00:13:41,946 --> 00:13:44,531 [Olly] But that help-- I think that helps you stylistically, though. 275 00:13:44,532 --> 00:13:46,491 'Cause when your hands bounce around the piano, 276 00:13:46,492 --> 00:13:48,160 - it's mesmerizing. - [Elton] Right. 277 00:13:48,161 --> 00:13:50,495 Well, it's such a different instrument, 278 00:13:50,496 --> 00:13:51,789 it's such a percussive instrument, 279 00:13:51,914 --> 00:13:53,623 the piano rather than the guitar. 280 00:13:53,624 --> 00:13:55,709 It's-- You write simpler things on a guitar, 281 00:13:55,710 --> 00:13:57,085 - which I'd love to do. - [Olly] Yeah. 282 00:13:57,086 --> 00:13:58,920 The piano, because of the way it's structured, 283 00:13:58,921 --> 00:14:00,881 you write more complicated chord structures. 284 00:14:00,882 --> 00:14:02,966 - [Olly] Yeah, it's nice. - Um, which I don't mind, 285 00:14:02,967 --> 00:14:05,302 but it would be nice to be able to play another instrument 286 00:14:05,303 --> 00:14:06,762 so you can get another crack 287 00:14:06,763 --> 00:14:08,680 - at writing in a different way. - [Olly] Yeah. 288 00:14:08,681 --> 00:14:11,350 Do you... Do you write lyrics first and then-- 289 00:14:11,476 --> 00:14:12,934 I don't-- No, I don't write lyrics at all. 290 00:14:12,935 --> 00:14:15,020 - I just write to lyrics. - [Olly] Just write to lyrics. 291 00:14:15,021 --> 00:14:16,897 [Elton] Yeah. Soon as I see the written word, 292 00:14:16,898 --> 00:14:18,315 I can visualize the whole thing. 293 00:14:18,316 --> 00:14:20,568 - [Olly] You can see it. - [Elton] Like a film or a movie. 294 00:14:21,069 --> 00:14:22,820 - Am I on? - [Olly] Oh, yeah, you are. 295 00:14:23,029 --> 00:14:26,240 [crowd cheering] 296 00:14:28,868 --> 00:14:31,036 [Elton] My intuitiveness about not being able 297 00:14:31,037 --> 00:14:33,081 to write lyrics was right on the money. 298 00:14:34,582 --> 00:14:36,626 I wanted to be part of a team. 299 00:14:37,293 --> 00:14:39,837 And I thought I need to have someone to write with, 300 00:14:40,171 --> 00:14:41,505 'cause I can't do it on my own. 301 00:14:41,506 --> 00:14:43,298 [♪ Elton John "Thank You for All Your Loving"] 302 00:14:43,299 --> 00:14:47,386 ♪ It was I on my own with no need to belong ♪ 303 00:14:47,762 --> 00:14:52,307 ♪ And I wanted to die That's when you came along... ♪ 304 00:14:52,308 --> 00:14:53,809 [Elton] There was a magic that happened 305 00:14:53,810 --> 00:14:56,979 when I saw Bernie's lyrics, that made me write the songs. 306 00:14:57,438 --> 00:14:59,190 I knew that I was getting somewhere. 307 00:15:00,358 --> 00:15:02,275 I have to have the kickstart 308 00:15:02,276 --> 00:15:04,487 and the inspiration of the written word. 309 00:15:04,612 --> 00:15:06,072 I'm hopeless without it. 310 00:15:07,782 --> 00:15:10,743 Bernie was just as enthusiastic as I was. 311 00:15:11,035 --> 00:15:12,452 When I played him some of the songs, 312 00:15:12,453 --> 00:15:14,997 he loved them, and we got on straight away. 313 00:15:18,084 --> 00:15:20,085 I had someone to go to films with, 314 00:15:20,086 --> 00:15:21,462 to go to the pub with, 315 00:15:21,879 --> 00:15:23,923 to lie on the floor and listen to the records with. 316 00:15:26,175 --> 00:15:27,927 I'd never really had a best friend, 317 00:15:28,469 --> 00:15:31,264 and it was really, really great for me. 318 00:15:31,639 --> 00:15:35,434 ♪ It's hard to say what I feel when I'm by your side ♪ 319 00:15:35,601 --> 00:15:37,102 ♪ You're there when... ♪ 320 00:15:37,103 --> 00:15:39,647 [Elton] We just moved into the-- my bedroom in Pinner, 321 00:15:39,981 --> 00:15:42,900 which was minuscule, that had double bunk beds, 322 00:15:43,609 --> 00:15:45,153 one on the top, one on the bottom. 323 00:15:45,903 --> 00:15:47,780 And one night, I told him that I loved him... 324 00:15:48,906 --> 00:15:51,158 when he was on the top bunk and I was on the bottom bunk 325 00:15:51,159 --> 00:15:52,743 at my parents' apartment. 326 00:15:53,661 --> 00:15:55,788 And he said, "Well, I think you should see a doctor." 327 00:15:56,747 --> 00:15:58,374 But I never meant it physically. 328 00:15:59,125 --> 00:16:00,542 I felt really rejected, 329 00:16:00,543 --> 00:16:03,170 but I didn't have the wherewithal 330 00:16:03,171 --> 00:16:05,422 to tell him that it wasn't that kind of love, 331 00:16:05,423 --> 00:16:06,590 you know, I just-- 332 00:16:06,591 --> 00:16:08,383 And I did love him, I loved him so much, 333 00:16:08,384 --> 00:16:10,302 but it wasn't, you know, I couldn't be without him 334 00:16:10,303 --> 00:16:11,804 'cause he was my other half. 335 00:16:12,138 --> 00:16:13,472 But I-- It wasn't sexual. 336 00:16:15,183 --> 00:16:17,143 I was still very naive. I didn't know I was gay. 337 00:16:17,393 --> 00:16:19,395 I didn't know I was anything. I hadn't had sex with anybody. 338 00:16:20,938 --> 00:16:23,107 [Bernie] We had two, I think two years 339 00:16:23,232 --> 00:16:25,067 of where we didn't really get anywhere. 340 00:16:25,693 --> 00:16:28,654 We were more or less bludgeoned into writing very commercial, 341 00:16:29,155 --> 00:16:33,242 uh, ballads for à la Engelbert Humperdinck and Tom Jones. 342 00:16:33,784 --> 00:16:37,163 And it just wasn't our sort of field, um... 343 00:16:38,831 --> 00:16:40,707 We were asked to write those sort of songs, 344 00:16:40,708 --> 00:16:42,876 and at the time we were very certainly novices 345 00:16:42,877 --> 00:16:45,213 and we were green. And, um... 346 00:16:46,505 --> 00:16:49,216 that's what we thought we had to do to be successful 347 00:16:49,217 --> 00:16:50,343 until, um... 348 00:16:51,469 --> 00:16:54,221 certain people came along and said, "Look, if you're going 349 00:16:54,222 --> 00:16:56,348 "to be successful, you should be writing 350 00:16:56,349 --> 00:16:58,643 "the sort of material that you enjoy writing." 351 00:16:59,310 --> 00:17:02,062 Just remember that Steve Brown joined as a pro-- 352 00:17:02,063 --> 00:17:04,023 new promotion man, as a plugger. 353 00:17:04,232 --> 00:17:05,357 {\an8}I'd heard him do some other things 354 00:17:05,358 --> 00:17:06,524 {\an8}that he'd written more recently. 355 00:17:06,525 --> 00:17:08,235 {\an8}Things that he enjoyed doing but hadn't recorded 356 00:17:08,236 --> 00:17:09,779 {\an8}because he didn't think they were commercial. 357 00:17:09,904 --> 00:17:12,489 And I suggested that he should continue writing in that vein, 358 00:17:12,490 --> 00:17:14,992 rather than just trying to write top 20 hits. 359 00:17:15,618 --> 00:17:17,453 So that's why we sort of took a turn 360 00:17:17,870 --> 00:17:19,829 and started writing for ourselves. 361 00:17:19,830 --> 00:17:21,665 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "Skyline Pigeon"] 362 00:17:21,666 --> 00:17:26,462 ♪ Turn me loose from your hands ♪ 363 00:17:26,879 --> 00:17:31,968 ♪ Let me fly to distant lands ♪ 364 00:17:32,176 --> 00:17:34,719 [Alexis] When you make Empty Sky, it comes out 365 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:36,681 and very little kind of happens. 366 00:17:38,015 --> 00:17:41,102 [Elton] Empty Sky paved the way for the next set of songs, 367 00:17:41,811 --> 00:17:43,646 which was so much more cohesive 368 00:17:43,813 --> 00:17:45,940 and just a whole different league. 369 00:17:46,524 --> 00:17:48,400 Steve Brown produced Empty Sky. 370 00:17:48,401 --> 00:17:51,779 He said, "Right. Next album, you need a good producer." 371 00:17:52,488 --> 00:17:53,488 "What record do you like?" 372 00:17:53,489 --> 00:17:54,823 And I said, "Well, the best record 373 00:17:54,824 --> 00:17:56,826 "I've heard is David Bowie's 'Space Oddity.'" 374 00:17:57,201 --> 00:17:58,411 "Whoever did that." 375 00:18:00,037 --> 00:18:01,414 {\an8}We had a meeting with Gus Dudgeon 376 00:18:01,539 --> 00:18:02,665 {\an8}and Paul Buckmaster, 377 00:18:03,374 --> 00:18:05,918 {\an8}one of the most innovative arrangers that ever was. 378 00:18:06,502 --> 00:18:09,213 Gus and Paul were just fantastic. 379 00:18:10,548 --> 00:18:13,134 It was planned to record it live. 380 00:18:13,843 --> 00:18:16,761 Four sessions, three songs a session, 381 00:18:16,762 --> 00:18:18,972 like an army procedure, that album, 382 00:18:18,973 --> 00:18:20,056 live with the orchestra. 383 00:18:20,057 --> 00:18:21,933 - The only thing I did on it I-- - [Alexis] Fucking hell. 384 00:18:21,934 --> 00:18:23,143 [Elton] Now I was shitting myself. 385 00:18:23,144 --> 00:18:24,311 [Alexis] I bet, yeah, yeah, yeah. 386 00:18:24,312 --> 00:18:26,147 [Elton] I had never played with an orchestra before. 387 00:18:26,939 --> 00:18:30,442 It was like the first experience in my life that I really 388 00:18:30,443 --> 00:18:33,154 had to step up to the plate and make sure I did it. 389 00:18:33,821 --> 00:18:36,072 The energy and the fact that I had to play live 390 00:18:36,073 --> 00:18:37,282 sparked something in me. 391 00:18:37,283 --> 00:18:41,662 [♪ orchestral music playing, Elton John "Take Me to the Pilot"] 392 00:18:55,843 --> 00:18:58,220 ♪ Through a glass eye your throne ♪ 393 00:18:58,763 --> 00:19:00,890 ♪ Is the one danger zone ♪ 394 00:19:01,098 --> 00:19:04,810 ♪ Take me to the pilot for control ♪ 395 00:19:05,978 --> 00:19:09,523 [♪ jazz piano music playing] 396 00:19:11,651 --> 00:19:14,028 {\an8}[Elton] Something magical happened in those sessions. 397 00:19:14,195 --> 00:19:17,614 Nobody had really recorded an album of funky 398 00:19:17,615 --> 00:19:19,115 kind of or... orchestral stuff 399 00:19:19,116 --> 00:19:21,201 with that kind of arrangement before. 400 00:19:21,202 --> 00:19:23,746 [♪ upbeat music playing, Elton John "The Cage"] 401 00:19:23,871 --> 00:19:27,083 ♪ Where you live to be whipped and be tamed ♪ 402 00:19:27,667 --> 00:19:31,253 ♪ For I've never loved in a cage ♪ 403 00:19:31,629 --> 00:19:35,049 ♪ Or talked to a friend or just waved ♪ 404 00:19:35,174 --> 00:19:37,008 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "The King Must Die"] 405 00:19:37,009 --> 00:19:40,513 ♪ No man's a jester playing Shakespeare ♪ 406 00:19:42,807 --> 00:19:47,103 ♪ Round your throne room floor ♪ 407 00:19:48,604 --> 00:19:52,650 ♪ While the juggler's act is danced upon ♪ 408 00:19:53,109 --> 00:19:57,571 ♪ The crown that you once wore ♪ 409 00:19:57,697 --> 00:19:59,699 [♪ upbeat music playing, Elton John "Bad Side of the Moon"] 410 00:19:59,824 --> 00:20:01,032 ♪ I'm a light world away ♪ 411 00:20:01,033 --> 00:20:03,411 ♪ From the people who make me stay ♪ 412 00:20:04,370 --> 00:20:08,624 ♪ Sitting on the bad side of the moon ♪ 413 00:20:08,833 --> 00:20:11,711 [♪ mellow music playing] 414 00:20:15,881 --> 00:20:17,800 [Elton] The magic of Gus's production 415 00:20:18,092 --> 00:20:20,678 and Paul Buckmaster's revolutionary arrangement, 416 00:20:21,429 --> 00:20:22,429 the beginning of the '60s, 417 00:20:22,430 --> 00:20:24,222 when the strings are making that funny noise, 418 00:20:24,223 --> 00:20:26,057 - like a swarm of bees. - [Alexis] Yeah, yeah, yeah. 419 00:20:26,058 --> 00:20:28,184 [Elton] He turned to the string players and said, 420 00:20:28,185 --> 00:20:30,062 "I don't know how to describe this." 421 00:20:30,479 --> 00:20:33,648 But I want you to make a sound the equivalent of... 422 00:20:33,649 --> 00:20:37,235 - [vocalizing] - [Alexis laughing] 423 00:20:37,236 --> 00:20:39,572 [Elton] And that's what they did. Wasn't written. 424 00:20:42,700 --> 00:20:44,702 [♪ gentle harp music playing] 425 00:20:44,827 --> 00:20:46,244 [Elton] We edited that onto the beginning, 426 00:20:46,245 --> 00:20:47,328 when the harp comes on. 427 00:20:47,329 --> 00:20:49,165 - [Alexis] Sure, sure, sure. - [Elton vocalizing] 428 00:21:03,596 --> 00:21:04,596 I didn't realize it, 429 00:21:04,597 --> 00:21:06,390 but it was all my years at the academy, 430 00:21:06,682 --> 00:21:09,685 learning classical, that came through in the song writing. 431 00:21:10,019 --> 00:21:13,480 It was the fruition of everything I'd done, 432 00:21:13,481 --> 00:21:15,983 since I'd left school, had come together on that album. 433 00:21:26,285 --> 00:21:27,787 [Alexis] Did you know that you'd nailed it? 434 00:21:28,454 --> 00:21:29,455 [Elton] Yeah. 435 00:21:32,041 --> 00:21:33,459 [interviewer] What was the big break then? 436 00:21:33,584 --> 00:21:35,502 Uh, well, the thing that really happened for us, 437 00:21:35,503 --> 00:21:37,712 we sort of-- things happened gradually 438 00:21:37,713 --> 00:21:39,882 until we went to America for the first time. 439 00:21:40,007 --> 00:21:41,382 And we played the Troubadour Club 440 00:21:41,383 --> 00:21:45,095 in Los Angeles and-- Which held to 250 people. 441 00:21:45,262 --> 00:21:48,974 [♪ rock music playing, Elton John "Sixty Years On"] 442 00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:06,492 {\an8}♪ You've hung up your great coat and you've laid down your gun ♪ 443 00:22:08,494 --> 00:22:13,958 {\an8}♪ You know the war you fought in wasn't too much fun ♪ 444 00:22:15,543 --> 00:22:21,340 ♪ And the future you're giving me holds nothing for a gun ♪ 445 00:22:23,008 --> 00:22:29,348 ♪ I've no wish to be living sixty years on ♪ 446 00:22:50,452 --> 00:22:52,121 [♪ song fades] 447 00:22:54,123 --> 00:22:56,040 [♪ gentle music playing] 448 00:22:56,041 --> 00:22:57,834 [young Elton] It's just happened on the first night 449 00:22:57,835 --> 00:22:59,544 and next day we got incredible press reviews 450 00:22:59,545 --> 00:23:01,212 and it just spread across America 451 00:23:01,213 --> 00:23:03,757 and the album went soaring up into the charts. 452 00:23:04,842 --> 00:23:05,842 I wasn't ready for it. 453 00:23:05,843 --> 00:23:07,468 I mean, I thought we might be quite successful 454 00:23:07,469 --> 00:23:09,346 in America, but never as successful as that. 455 00:23:24,111 --> 00:23:26,487 {\an8}This is our 329th episode coming up. 456 00:23:26,488 --> 00:23:28,239 {\an8}- [Alexis] Come on. - [David chuckles] Yes. 457 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:29,366 [David] You're ready to go? 458 00:23:29,742 --> 00:23:30,743 {\an8}Yeah. 459 00:23:32,786 --> 00:23:34,370 [♪ upbeat music playing, The Beaches "Let's Go"] 460 00:23:34,371 --> 00:23:35,455 Hi, I'm Elton John. 461 00:23:35,456 --> 00:23:36,873 This is my Rocket Hour on Apple Music. 462 00:23:36,874 --> 00:23:38,917 Here are The Beaches and The Lights. 463 00:23:38,918 --> 00:23:40,376 ♪ I'm just a girl ♪ 464 00:23:40,377 --> 00:23:44,255 ♪ Who used to loaf at a Toronto art school ♪ 465 00:23:44,256 --> 00:23:47,092 - You just sneaked it in there. - [laughs] 466 00:23:47,635 --> 00:23:49,427 The Linda Linda's are an all-girl punk group 467 00:23:49,428 --> 00:23:51,930 from Los Angeles. They are Lucia, age 15, 468 00:23:51,931 --> 00:23:55,851 Eloise, 14, Bela, age 17, and Mila, age 11. 469 00:23:56,060 --> 00:23:57,727 - Hi. - Hi. 470 00:23:57,728 --> 00:24:01,189 Welcome to the Rocket Hour. You are such great fun, 471 00:24:01,190 --> 00:24:03,025 and we love you so much. 472 00:24:03,192 --> 00:24:05,652 I just-- I'm blown away by your talent 473 00:24:05,653 --> 00:24:07,905 at such a young age. It's quite remarkable. 474 00:24:08,405 --> 00:24:09,782 And Mila is the drummer. 475 00:24:10,032 --> 00:24:11,075 How old are you? 476 00:24:11,283 --> 00:24:12,326 I'm 11. 477 00:24:12,826 --> 00:24:16,288 And she is absolutely incredible as are all the other girls. 478 00:24:16,497 --> 00:24:18,707 But listen, I just think you're amazing. 479 00:24:18,916 --> 00:24:20,541 - [Lucia] Oh, thank you. - [Eloise] Thank you. 480 00:24:20,542 --> 00:24:22,543 [Lucia] We never expected to be here talking to you, 481 00:24:22,544 --> 00:24:24,253 but we're really excited that we are, though. 482 00:24:24,254 --> 00:24:25,422 [laughs] 483 00:24:25,673 --> 00:24:28,007 We're gonna play your new single, "Talking to Myself." 484 00:24:28,008 --> 00:24:29,467 We hope you have a great day at school. 485 00:24:29,468 --> 00:24:30,927 Thank you for joining us. 486 00:24:30,928 --> 00:24:32,261 Thank you so much. 487 00:24:32,262 --> 00:24:33,346 [Elton] Bye. 488 00:24:33,347 --> 00:24:35,431 [♪ pop punk music playing Linda Lindas "Talking to Myself"] 489 00:24:35,432 --> 00:24:36,600 ♪ When I talk to myself ♪ 490 00:24:36,725 --> 00:24:40,938 ♪ I think about the things that no one ever talks about ♪ 491 00:24:41,438 --> 00:24:43,231 ♪ Like how life just keeps on givin' ♪ 492 00:24:43,232 --> 00:24:45,316 ♪ Despite all my bad decisions... ♪ 493 00:24:45,317 --> 00:24:46,694 [both chuckle] 494 00:24:48,028 --> 00:24:51,197 [Elton] I mean, I am 64 years older 495 00:24:51,198 --> 00:24:53,074 than the drummer from the Linda Lindas. 496 00:24:53,075 --> 00:24:55,703 [both laugh] 497 00:24:56,245 --> 00:24:57,245 [Elton] Allison Ponthier 498 00:24:57,246 --> 00:24:59,038 is an exciting singer and songwriter 499 00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:01,958 who I first started playing on the Rocket Hour last year. 500 00:25:01,959 --> 00:25:04,044 She's a pioneering queer country star 501 00:25:04,169 --> 00:25:06,422 and so let's give her a call right now. 502 00:25:07,756 --> 00:25:09,049 I don't like the word "queer." 503 00:25:09,425 --> 00:25:11,175 - It's the... - [Elton] It's what they-- 504 00:25:11,176 --> 00:25:13,929 - ...most politically correct. - [Elton] Yeah? Okay. 505 00:25:14,763 --> 00:25:16,514 [David] Well, I mean, you and I grew up with it, 506 00:25:16,515 --> 00:25:18,057 it was a derogatory term, but now people... 507 00:25:18,058 --> 00:25:19,893 - [Elton] Is that off now? - ...really embrace it. No. 508 00:25:20,269 --> 00:25:21,311 [Elton] Hi, Allison. 509 00:25:21,437 --> 00:25:23,563 You are a very interesting woman. 510 00:25:23,564 --> 00:25:25,523 Not only do you write your own songs and sing, 511 00:25:25,524 --> 00:25:28,944 but you make sculptures with little alien people. 512 00:25:29,236 --> 00:25:30,737 - And you love-- - [chuckles] Yeah, I do. 513 00:25:30,738 --> 00:25:32,238 [Elton] And you love trashy movies. 514 00:25:32,239 --> 00:25:33,531 Welcome to the club. 515 00:25:33,532 --> 00:25:35,867 - [laughs] - [laughs] Thank you, thank you. 516 00:25:35,868 --> 00:25:37,452 I cannot believe how, like, 517 00:25:37,453 --> 00:25:39,370 I don't know, like emotionally touched I am right now. 518 00:25:39,371 --> 00:25:41,122 I knew I'd be very excited to talk to you today. 519 00:25:41,123 --> 00:25:42,415 But I feel, like, I don't know. 520 00:25:42,416 --> 00:25:45,127 Very, very lucky and very grateful to be here. Um... 521 00:25:45,627 --> 00:25:49,673 One of my first, like, records that I really loved, my mom had 522 00:25:49,798 --> 00:25:51,174 two of your greatest hits records. 523 00:25:51,175 --> 00:25:53,676 So, I feel very, very happy to be here. Thank you. 524 00:25:53,677 --> 00:25:55,762 I'm happy to be here because that's an old record. 525 00:25:55,763 --> 00:25:57,723 [both laugh] 526 00:25:58,766 --> 00:26:01,350 Allison, you're... you're an LGBT artist 527 00:26:01,351 --> 00:26:03,562 um, and so we are both 528 00:26:03,812 --> 00:26:06,898 on the-- in the same game here. And you've done a lot of stuff 529 00:26:06,899 --> 00:26:10,360 for LGBTQ folk, homeless youths in Dallas. 530 00:26:10,652 --> 00:26:12,362 Um, and I applaud you for that. 531 00:26:12,738 --> 00:26:14,113 You have a new EP coming out, 532 00:26:14,114 --> 00:26:16,533 and we're gonna play "Autopilot," which is the first track. 533 00:26:16,825 --> 00:26:18,577 Thank you so much for joining us. 534 00:26:18,786 --> 00:26:20,537 We are so thrilled to have you on the show. 535 00:26:20,662 --> 00:26:21,746 Keep doing what you're doing 536 00:26:21,747 --> 00:26:24,458 and bravo for all the work you do for LGBTQ people. 537 00:26:24,583 --> 00:26:26,292 [♪ rock music playing, Allison Ponthier "Autopilot"] 538 00:26:26,293 --> 00:26:28,211 Thank you. It's a true honor. I'm so happy to be here. 539 00:26:28,212 --> 00:26:29,671 And this is, like, one of the highlights 540 00:26:29,797 --> 00:26:31,297 of my life. So thank you for what you do. 541 00:26:31,298 --> 00:26:32,591 Love you. Take care. 542 00:26:33,425 --> 00:26:40,349 ♪ Autopilot, autopilot... ♪ 543 00:26:40,557 --> 00:26:43,310 Okay. That ends Elton's interview with Allison Ponthier. 544 00:26:44,103 --> 00:26:46,521 - What a great girl. - She's lovely. 545 00:26:46,522 --> 00:26:48,524 - [Elton] I loved her. - I know, I loved her energy. 546 00:26:48,899 --> 00:26:52,026 [staff member] I don't wanna say why do it but why do it? 547 00:26:52,027 --> 00:26:53,153 Why do it? 548 00:26:53,487 --> 00:26:56,405 I love it and if I don't do it, 549 00:26:56,406 --> 00:26:58,282 then who's gonna be playing this music, 550 00:26:58,283 --> 00:27:01,411 you know, for... for the acts that, you know, 551 00:27:01,537 --> 00:27:04,039 that never got a chance on formulaic radio. 552 00:27:04,164 --> 00:27:06,541 Um, the stuff that I'm playing should be on radio. 553 00:27:06,542 --> 00:27:08,626 Should be on radio. It should be, you know-- 554 00:27:08,627 --> 00:27:11,088 But they just play pap most of the time. 555 00:27:11,755 --> 00:27:13,798 Right now, I'm gonna play you the record of the '60s. 556 00:27:13,799 --> 00:27:15,925 And no, it's not The Beatles, it's not The Rolling Stones, 557 00:27:15,926 --> 00:27:17,177 it's not The Beach Boys. 558 00:27:17,553 --> 00:27:19,720 Gary Brooker was a hero of mine. 559 00:27:19,721 --> 00:27:21,722 I-- He used to be in a band called the Paramounts, 560 00:27:21,723 --> 00:27:23,475 and I used to go and see them, locally. 561 00:27:23,642 --> 00:27:25,059 Um, and he was the first guy 562 00:27:25,060 --> 00:27:27,062 I ever saw play an electric piano. 563 00:27:27,688 --> 00:27:29,981 And then the Paramounts broke up, 564 00:27:29,982 --> 00:27:32,734 and they formed a group called Procol Harum. 565 00:27:32,901 --> 00:27:35,695 And Gary recently passed away, which is such a tragedy 566 00:27:35,696 --> 00:27:39,199 because he was a great singer, a great writer, 567 00:27:39,533 --> 00:27:41,243 and a great keyboard player. 568 00:27:41,493 --> 00:27:44,120 Um, but his life and his songs 569 00:27:44,121 --> 00:27:47,498 and his voice lives on in this incredible record, 570 00:27:47,499 --> 00:27:48,791 "A Whiter Shade of Pale." 571 00:27:48,792 --> 00:27:51,502 [♪ mild music playing, Gary Brooker and Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale"] 572 00:27:51,503 --> 00:27:54,089 ♪ We skipped the light fandango ♪ 573 00:27:56,258 --> 00:27:59,386 ♪ Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor... ♪ 574 00:28:02,931 --> 00:28:04,348 [♪ song fades] 575 00:28:04,349 --> 00:28:08,145 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "Your Song"] 576 00:28:08,729 --> 00:28:11,607 ♪ It's a little bit funny ♪ 577 00:28:12,482 --> 00:28:15,527 ♪ This feeling inside ♪ 578 00:28:16,403 --> 00:28:22,993 ♪ I'm not one of those who can easily hide ♪ 579 00:28:23,785 --> 00:28:29,791 ♪ I don't have much money but boy if I did ♪ 580 00:28:31,043 --> 00:28:35,005 ♪ I'd buy a big house where we both could live... ♪ 581 00:28:35,339 --> 00:28:37,466 [Pete] That's Elton John and "Your Song." 582 00:28:37,799 --> 00:28:40,384 Pete Fornatale, WNEW-FM in New York. 583 00:28:40,385 --> 00:28:42,553 It is a pleasure to welcome Elton John 584 00:28:42,554 --> 00:28:44,764 - and Bernie Taupin. - [young Elton] Good morning. 585 00:28:44,765 --> 00:28:47,975 We're just starting this weekend on our massive campaign 586 00:28:47,976 --> 00:28:51,270 to capture the hearts of the American youth, folks. 587 00:28:51,271 --> 00:28:53,606 [Pete] Which will take you all over-- 588 00:28:53,607 --> 00:28:54,858 [young Elton] All over, mate, yeah. 589 00:28:55,192 --> 00:28:57,193 [Pete] This album literally, literally came out of nowhere. 590 00:28:57,194 --> 00:28:58,278 [young Elton] Yeah. 591 00:28:58,403 --> 00:28:59,987 Pete] It had tremendous impact in this country. 592 00:28:59,988 --> 00:29:01,280 [young Elton] I can't understand it. 593 00:29:01,281 --> 00:29:02,907 I really can't. Because it wasn't a hit album. 594 00:29:02,908 --> 00:29:05,160 It got to 45 in England, which is nothing. 595 00:29:05,702 --> 00:29:07,161 I can't believe it is where it is. 596 00:29:07,162 --> 00:29:08,996 And I'm knocked out, you know, and-- 597 00:29:08,997 --> 00:29:11,333 [Pete] Now it is probably the most successful... 598 00:29:11,583 --> 00:29:13,459 - [young Elton] Yeah, mate. - [Pete] ...album of its kind. 599 00:29:13,460 --> 00:29:15,128 [♪ jazz music playing, Elton John "Amoreena"] 600 00:29:15,295 --> 00:29:18,173 ♪ Like the king bee misses honey ♪ 601 00:29:19,967 --> 00:29:23,220 ♪ And when it rains the rain falls down ♪ 602 00:29:24,179 --> 00:29:26,556 ♪ Washing out the cattle town ♪ 603 00:29:27,307 --> 00:29:34,189 ♪ And she's far away somewhere in her eiderdown ♪ 604 00:29:34,523 --> 00:29:37,275 ♪ And she dreams of crystal streams ♪ 605 00:29:37,526 --> 00:29:40,696 ♪ Of days gone by when we would lean ♪ 606 00:29:41,488 --> 00:29:46,660 ♪ Laughing, fit to burst on each other ♪ 607 00:29:49,079 --> 00:29:52,165 ♪ And when it rains the rain falls down... ♪ 608 00:29:52,290 --> 00:29:54,208 [Elton] I was exposed to a brand-new world. 609 00:29:54,209 --> 00:29:56,293 The side of me that had been closed up 610 00:29:56,294 --> 00:29:57,503 for years came out. 611 00:29:57,504 --> 00:29:59,089 And I was just having fun. 612 00:30:00,340 --> 00:30:01,633 I was really having fun. 613 00:30:06,346 --> 00:30:12,894 ♪ Lately, I've been thinking how much I miss my lady ♪ 614 00:30:13,603 --> 00:30:20,402 ♪ Amoreena's in the cornfield brightening the daybreak ♪ 615 00:30:21,486 --> 00:30:24,823 ♪ Living like a lusty flower ♪ 616 00:30:25,991 --> 00:30:28,660 ♪ Running through the grass for hours ♪ 617 00:30:28,785 --> 00:30:34,665 ♪ Rolling through the hay Oh, like a puppy ♪ 618 00:30:34,666 --> 00:30:37,085 ♪ Like a puppy child ♪ 619 00:30:40,756 --> 00:30:44,800 - [crowd applauding] - [♪ song concludes] 620 00:30:44,801 --> 00:30:47,387 [Elton] At that time, frontmen were so fascinating. 621 00:30:48,388 --> 00:30:50,390 There's a part of me that wanted to be the frontman, 622 00:30:50,682 --> 00:30:53,601 but, uh, I wasn't David Bowie. I wasn't Mick. 623 00:30:53,602 --> 00:30:55,562 - [crowd applauding] - [Elton] I wasn't a sex symbol. 624 00:30:57,189 --> 00:30:59,065 [♪ lively piano music playing] 625 00:30:59,066 --> 00:31:00,275 ♪ Yeah! ♪ 626 00:31:02,194 --> 00:31:03,320 ♪ Come on, now ♪ 627 00:31:04,446 --> 00:31:06,531 ♪ Wanna take a high dive ♪ 628 00:31:06,698 --> 00:31:10,034 - [crowd] ♪ High dive ♪ - ♪ High dive ♪ 629 00:31:10,035 --> 00:31:11,703 [crowd] ♪ High dive ♪ 630 00:31:11,912 --> 00:31:15,082 - ♪ High dive ♪ - [crowd] ♪ High dive ♪ 631 00:31:15,540 --> 00:31:17,125 ♪ High dive ♪ 632 00:31:17,375 --> 00:31:19,043 [Elton] Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis 633 00:31:19,044 --> 00:31:20,252 visualize the piano. 634 00:31:20,253 --> 00:31:22,088 They made the piano a visual object, 635 00:31:22,089 --> 00:31:25,008 whereas before, it was just-- I call it the nine-foot plank. 636 00:31:25,342 --> 00:31:28,637 - ♪ High dive ♪ - [crowd] ♪ High dive ♪ 637 00:31:28,970 --> 00:31:31,932 - ♪ High dive ♪ - [crowd] ♪ High dive ♪ 638 00:31:32,516 --> 00:31:33,725 ♪ High dive ♪ 639 00:31:35,185 --> 00:31:37,229 ♪ Wanna take a high dive ♪ 640 00:31:38,522 --> 00:31:40,774 ♪ Wanna take a high dive ♪ 641 00:31:42,192 --> 00:31:44,236 ♪ Wanna take a high dive ♪ 642 00:31:46,655 --> 00:31:51,201 ♪ One, two, three ♪ 643 00:31:58,291 --> 00:32:00,168 [Elton] I took Winifred Atwell's bonhomie, 644 00:32:00,919 --> 00:32:03,130 I took Little Richard's aggression 645 00:32:03,255 --> 00:32:04,965 and Jerry Lee Lewis's outrageousness 646 00:32:05,132 --> 00:32:07,758 in my style of playing, forging myself 647 00:32:07,759 --> 00:32:10,095 into being a personality like nobody else. 648 00:32:13,098 --> 00:32:14,307 ♪ Yeah! ♪ 649 00:32:17,477 --> 00:32:20,063 [Cliff] I can't believe it. Four albums in one year. 650 00:32:21,022 --> 00:32:22,356 [Elton] God knows how I fitted it in. 651 00:32:22,357 --> 00:32:25,609 But it was just a fantastic era of creativity. 652 00:32:25,610 --> 00:32:28,864 [♪ energetic music playing] 653 00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:36,912 [Elton] Nigel and Dee and I 654 00:32:36,913 --> 00:32:38,873 were becoming one of the best live bands 655 00:32:38,874 --> 00:32:40,083 in the world. 656 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:50,510 There was a certain rawness to us. 657 00:32:51,052 --> 00:32:52,553 And there was nobody doing what we were doing. 658 00:32:52,554 --> 00:32:55,307 There was no piano, bass and drums. We were unique. 659 00:32:56,391 --> 00:32:59,644 And, we were just, you know, giving it shit. 660 00:33:11,656 --> 00:33:13,533 The acclaim grew and the audiences grew. 661 00:33:14,659 --> 00:33:16,703 It's manna from heaven for an artist. 662 00:33:18,496 --> 00:33:19,496 Once you find your groove, 663 00:33:19,497 --> 00:33:22,082 and beginning to find a little bit of success 664 00:33:22,083 --> 00:33:23,168 and acceptance, 665 00:33:23,585 --> 00:33:25,545 it just gives you so much confidence. 666 00:33:34,763 --> 00:33:36,681 [Alexis] How did John Reid come into the frame? 667 00:33:37,390 --> 00:33:40,268 [Elton] Well, I knew him. He was a plugger for Motown. 668 00:33:41,603 --> 00:33:43,854 He was very young and very confident 669 00:33:43,855 --> 00:33:46,441 and very funny and very attractive. 670 00:33:47,234 --> 00:33:48,734 And very good at his job. 671 00:33:48,735 --> 00:33:50,277 [♪ gentle music playing] 672 00:33:50,278 --> 00:33:52,821 [Elton] I got to know him and a couple of his friends, 673 00:33:52,822 --> 00:33:56,660 and, um, I liked his personality and I certainly liked the fact 674 00:33:56,910 --> 00:33:58,161 that he liked music. 675 00:33:59,204 --> 00:34:01,706 We'd hang out together, but we didn't do anything. 676 00:34:02,249 --> 00:34:03,792 We didn't go even on a date or anything 677 00:34:04,167 --> 00:34:07,044 until I was due to go to San Francisco 678 00:34:07,045 --> 00:34:08,505 and play the Troubadour Club there. 679 00:34:09,130 --> 00:34:10,881 And funnily enough, John Reid was there 680 00:34:10,882 --> 00:34:12,259 at a Motown convention. 681 00:34:13,176 --> 00:34:14,302 And I thought, "Oh." 682 00:34:15,095 --> 00:34:16,596 And that's when it happened. 683 00:34:18,974 --> 00:34:20,183 I was very naive, 684 00:34:21,101 --> 00:34:23,979 I'd never experimented, and I had never had sex. 685 00:34:25,188 --> 00:34:27,440 It was my first... first love. 686 00:34:29,317 --> 00:34:31,902 [Alexis] Being gay in 1970, 687 00:34:31,903 --> 00:34:33,612 it's still kind of an underground thing. 688 00:34:33,613 --> 00:34:35,740 [Elton] Oh, yeah. People were still-- 689 00:34:36,116 --> 00:34:37,742 If they were gay, they were in the closet. 690 00:34:39,369 --> 00:34:41,162 We moved in together very quickly. 691 00:34:41,746 --> 00:34:42,997 [Alexis] So, the relationship happened 692 00:34:42,998 --> 00:34:45,040 before the managerial position was taken? 693 00:34:45,041 --> 00:34:47,794 [Elton] Yeah. John was very clued in musically. 694 00:34:49,045 --> 00:34:52,090 He was like me. He had just a love of records. 695 00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:53,925 And I thought, "He'll be good." 696 00:34:54,801 --> 00:34:58,178 Um, he's got experience. And it was fantastic, 697 00:34:58,179 --> 00:35:00,764 'cause I had someone who was managing me, 698 00:35:00,765 --> 00:35:03,684 interested in me. He loved my music. He loved me. 699 00:35:03,685 --> 00:35:05,853 And it seemed like a match made in heaven. 700 00:35:05,854 --> 00:35:07,105 Which it was. 701 00:35:20,452 --> 00:35:22,245 [♪ music fades] 702 00:35:23,997 --> 00:35:25,290 [birds chirping] 703 00:35:29,169 --> 00:35:31,129 [cell phone ringing] 704 00:35:32,756 --> 00:35:34,840 - [Elton] Aw, it's my boy. - [cell phone chimes] 705 00:35:34,841 --> 00:35:37,177 - [Zachary] Hi. - Hi, darling, how did it go? 706 00:35:37,469 --> 00:35:39,095 - [Zachary] Great. - Did you do well? 707 00:35:39,763 --> 00:35:40,763 [Zachary] Yeah. 708 00:35:40,764 --> 00:35:43,265 - You remember all your lines? - [Zachary] Yeah. 709 00:35:43,266 --> 00:35:44,559 You're a clever sausage. 710 00:35:44,851 --> 00:35:45,851 So proud of you. 711 00:35:45,852 --> 00:35:47,603 - [Zachary] Thanks. - [Elton] Were you Jack what? 712 00:35:47,604 --> 00:35:48,687 I was Silver. 713 00:35:48,688 --> 00:35:50,690 You were-- Long John Silver. That's it. 714 00:35:51,900 --> 00:35:53,985 I bet you're having a peanut butter 715 00:35:54,110 --> 00:35:56,154 - and jelly sandwich, right? - Honey. 716 00:35:56,488 --> 00:35:58,198 Peanut butter and honey. Okay. 717 00:35:58,865 --> 00:36:00,909 Now you're sweet as honey. [blows kiss] 718 00:36:01,117 --> 00:36:02,202 [blows kiss] 719 00:36:02,410 --> 00:36:03,620 I love you so, eh? 720 00:36:04,329 --> 00:36:06,873 - I love you so much. - Aw, I love you, too. 721 00:36:07,415 --> 00:36:08,708 Did Elijah go, too? 722 00:36:08,875 --> 00:36:10,000 - [Zachary] Yeah. - [Elijah] Yeah. 723 00:36:10,001 --> 00:36:11,586 [Elton] Hello, gorgeous boy. 724 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:13,671 - [Elijah] Hello. - [Elton] Hi, gorgeous. 725 00:36:13,672 --> 00:36:14,756 How are you? 726 00:36:15,256 --> 00:36:16,715 How was your day at school? Was it good? 727 00:36:16,716 --> 00:36:18,343 [squeals] Stop it, stop it! 728 00:36:18,468 --> 00:36:20,970 - You've just eaten out of that! - [Elton] Don't, don't. 729 00:36:21,763 --> 00:36:24,015 - How was your day? Was it good? - [Elijah] Yup. 730 00:36:24,557 --> 00:36:25,684 [Elton] Zachary, leave him alone. 731 00:36:26,559 --> 00:36:28,019 How was Zachary in his play? 732 00:36:28,728 --> 00:36:30,854 He was cool. He was really good. [yawns] 733 00:36:30,855 --> 00:36:31,940 [Elton] Oh, great. 734 00:36:32,148 --> 00:36:34,609 Mr. Reckless. I love that T-shirt. 735 00:36:35,443 --> 00:36:36,861 - Thanks. - [Elton] Aw. 736 00:36:37,904 --> 00:36:38,947 I miss you. 737 00:36:39,406 --> 00:36:40,782 Yeah, we miss you too. 738 00:36:41,282 --> 00:36:42,951 [Elton] Bless you. I love you so much. 739 00:36:43,493 --> 00:36:45,285 - All right, love you. - [Elton] Love you both so much. 740 00:36:45,286 --> 00:36:47,329 - Bye. Love you, Daddy. - [Elton] Have a great night's sleep. 741 00:36:47,330 --> 00:36:48,415 And well done, okay? 742 00:36:48,623 --> 00:36:50,375 - Thank you. Bye. - [Elton] Bye. 743 00:36:51,042 --> 00:36:52,127 {\an8}Bless him. 744 00:36:52,460 --> 00:36:54,254 {\an8}[Andrew] All right, you got something to play for us? 745 00:36:54,379 --> 00:36:55,838 {\an8}[♪ pop music playing, Elton John "The One"] 746 00:36:55,839 --> 00:36:58,299 [Andrew] Where's the verse? Here? Okay. Zoom it in. 747 00:36:59,926 --> 00:37:01,010 What's in here? 748 00:37:10,687 --> 00:37:14,357 ♪ I saw you dancin' out the ocean ♪ 749 00:37:18,486 --> 00:37:23,032 ♪ Runnin' fast along the sand ♪ 750 00:37:25,869 --> 00:37:29,456 ♪ A spirit born of earth and water ♪ 751 00:37:29,581 --> 00:37:30,622 [Andrew] "A spirit born." 752 00:37:30,623 --> 00:37:32,834 [both speaks indistinctly] 753 00:37:33,793 --> 00:37:37,422 ♪ Fire flying from your hands ♪ 754 00:37:38,757 --> 00:37:40,133 [Andrew] The "spirit born." 755 00:37:41,676 --> 00:37:42,885 ♪ Hold me closer... ♪ 756 00:37:42,886 --> 00:37:43,970 Sounds amazing. 757 00:37:44,220 --> 00:37:45,764 [Andrew] That's your original master vocal. 758 00:37:45,930 --> 00:37:47,181 - Yeah. - [Andrew] That's your vocal. 759 00:37:47,182 --> 00:37:48,515 I just put them-- I just re-did them-- 760 00:37:48,516 --> 00:37:49,642 Yeah. I think they sound great. 761 00:37:49,768 --> 00:37:51,226 - [Andrew] Yeah. - They sound really unusual. 762 00:37:51,227 --> 00:37:52,519 [Andrew] I just want to do one thing. 763 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,521 So, the part from "Don't go breaking my heart..." 764 00:37:54,522 --> 00:37:55,899 - [vocalizes] - [Elton] Yeah. 765 00:37:56,024 --> 00:37:57,776 [Andrew] It comes on the one of the second. 766 00:37:57,901 --> 00:38:00,444 A cue should go... [vocalizes] 767 00:38:00,445 --> 00:38:02,029 - Not. [vocalizes] - [Andrew] Yeah. 768 00:38:02,030 --> 00:38:03,406 You go. [vocalizes] 769 00:38:03,782 --> 00:38:08,076 ♪ Lay me down in sheets of linen ♪ 770 00:38:08,077 --> 00:38:09,162 Yeah. 771 00:38:11,247 --> 00:38:15,460 ♪ You had a busy day today ♪ 772 00:38:15,585 --> 00:38:17,796 That's so they can do the high and do the low. 773 00:38:19,088 --> 00:38:20,882 ♪ Hold me closer ♪ 774 00:38:22,133 --> 00:38:23,342 Maybe there's piano here. 775 00:38:23,343 --> 00:38:24,844 ♪ Hold me closer ♪ 776 00:38:25,804 --> 00:38:30,517 [plays piano] 777 00:39:13,726 --> 00:39:14,936 [Elton] All right, drop me in there. 778 00:39:15,353 --> 00:39:16,437 [cheers] 779 00:39:16,646 --> 00:39:18,189 [plays piano] 780 00:39:31,911 --> 00:39:33,036 - [Andrew] Perfect. - [Elton] Yeah? 781 00:39:33,037 --> 00:39:36,374 That was... [bleep] [laughs] 782 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,252 [laughs] 783 00:39:40,670 --> 00:39:42,087 [reporter] Elton John recently returned 784 00:39:42,088 --> 00:39:44,840 from his second major tour of the United States, 785 00:39:44,841 --> 00:39:47,259 where at one time he had four different LPs 786 00:39:47,260 --> 00:39:49,094 in the top 50, all in the same week, actually. 787 00:39:49,095 --> 00:39:51,014 And that must put him on a par with The Beatles, 788 00:39:51,472 --> 00:39:53,682 prompting American as well as British critics to suggest 789 00:39:53,683 --> 00:39:55,934 that Elton John and his lyric-writing partner, 790 00:39:55,935 --> 00:39:58,020 Bernie Taupin, could well be the most inventive 791 00:39:58,021 --> 00:40:01,357 and original team of songwriters since Lennon and McCartney. 792 00:40:02,150 --> 00:40:04,067 {\an8}[Bernie] The way we write is much stranger 793 00:40:04,068 --> 00:40:06,279 {\an8}than the majority of people write. 794 00:40:07,196 --> 00:40:10,365 {\an8}We don't write together. I write what I write first 795 00:40:10,366 --> 00:40:12,701 and I send it to him and he goes away 796 00:40:12,702 --> 00:40:14,870 and there's a chance that I won't even hear it 797 00:40:14,871 --> 00:40:15,955 till it's recorded. 798 00:40:16,289 --> 00:40:18,248 That's all lyrics here and I-- 799 00:40:18,249 --> 00:40:20,084 You know, I just sit through and there's one here 800 00:40:20,209 --> 00:40:21,461 that I've sort of done the other day 801 00:40:21,669 --> 00:40:22,879 called "Tiny Dancer," 802 00:40:23,004 --> 00:40:25,048 which is about Bernie's girlfriend. 803 00:40:25,673 --> 00:40:26,674 Uh... 804 00:40:27,425 --> 00:40:29,260 I guess he just was-- 805 00:40:29,636 --> 00:40:31,386 Just sort of felt like-- I looked at all the lyrics, 806 00:40:31,387 --> 00:40:32,763 and that was the one I fancied writing, 807 00:40:32,764 --> 00:40:34,974 mainly because I knew Bernie would like me to do this one. 808 00:40:35,099 --> 00:40:36,850 You look at it, the words 809 00:40:36,851 --> 00:40:39,854 "Blue Jean Baby, L.A. Lady, seamstress of the band. 810 00:40:40,146 --> 00:40:42,315 "Pretty-eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man." 811 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:44,232 "Ballerina" as soon as he gets to the word ballerina, 812 00:40:44,233 --> 00:40:45,442 you know, it's not gonna be fast. 813 00:40:45,443 --> 00:40:49,696 It's got to be sort of gentle and sort of quite slow. 814 00:40:49,697 --> 00:40:53,033 So, I mean, like, the way it's written here is a verse 815 00:40:53,034 --> 00:40:54,117 and it's a chorus 816 00:40:54,118 --> 00:40:56,328 or a middle eight and a chorus, then another verse. 817 00:40:56,329 --> 00:40:59,665 I just sort of ran it through the two verses together, 818 00:40:59,666 --> 00:41:01,041 then a middle eight, then a chorus, 819 00:41:01,042 --> 00:41:02,918 and then back to the sort of verse sort of thing. 820 00:41:02,919 --> 00:41:04,628 It's a very-- It happens very quickly. 821 00:41:04,629 --> 00:41:07,757 It sounds long, but it's sort of starts off... 822 00:41:08,424 --> 00:41:13,972 ♪ Blue jean baby, L.A. lady ♪ 823 00:41:14,722 --> 00:41:18,559 ♪ Seamstress for the band ♪ 824 00:41:21,229 --> 00:41:23,648 ♪ Pirate smile ♪ 825 00:41:24,357 --> 00:41:31,197 ♪ Pretty eyed You'll marry a music man ♪ 826 00:41:33,616 --> 00:41:35,159 ♪ Ballerina... ♪ 827 00:41:35,284 --> 00:41:37,620 [Elton] As a three-piece, we'd gone as far as we could. 828 00:41:37,996 --> 00:41:39,246 I wanted to add a guitarist 829 00:41:39,247 --> 00:41:41,624 and I introduced Davey into the band. 830 00:41:43,084 --> 00:41:45,670 I liked the fact that he was a folk banjo player. 831 00:41:46,337 --> 00:41:48,797 He never ever had played electric guitar 832 00:41:48,798 --> 00:41:50,466 till he played on Honky Château. 833 00:41:51,342 --> 00:41:52,885 Just had a feeling he'd be great. 834 00:41:53,219 --> 00:41:54,220 And he could sing. 835 00:41:55,138 --> 00:41:57,139 {\an8}We went off to the château, which was the first time 836 00:41:57,140 --> 00:41:58,975 {\an8}that we'd ever gone away and recorded, 837 00:41:59,183 --> 00:42:01,059 {\an8}and the whole scenario changed. 838 00:42:01,060 --> 00:42:03,229 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters"] 839 00:42:03,354 --> 00:42:04,480 ♪ Now I know ♪ 840 00:42:05,940 --> 00:42:12,739 ♪ Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say... ♪ 841 00:42:12,947 --> 00:42:14,323 [Elton] The equipment was in the studio, 842 00:42:14,449 --> 00:42:15,657 but we also set up an electric piano, 843 00:42:15,658 --> 00:42:18,703 drum kit, bass guitar, guitar amplifier, 844 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,497 and mics in the breakfast room, 845 00:42:21,789 --> 00:42:24,249 'cause I used to get up early and while I'm having breakfast 846 00:42:24,250 --> 00:42:26,209 just stroll over to the piano and look at the lyrics 847 00:42:26,210 --> 00:42:27,754 and start writing the songs. 848 00:42:28,087 --> 00:42:29,296 The band would drift down, 849 00:42:29,297 --> 00:42:31,132 have their breakfast and join in. 850 00:42:31,299 --> 00:42:37,013 ♪ Until you've seen this trash-can dream come true... ♪ 851 00:42:37,388 --> 00:42:39,432 [Elton] The original band with Nigel and Dee, 852 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:41,726 they instinctively knew where I was gonna go. 853 00:42:41,851 --> 00:42:44,062 When Davey came, it didn't make any difference. 854 00:42:44,228 --> 00:42:46,438 They were in tune to exactly what I was doing 855 00:42:46,439 --> 00:42:48,191 and they were very, very quick. 856 00:42:48,983 --> 00:42:51,736 ♪ There's people out there like you... ♪ 857 00:42:52,820 --> 00:42:54,864 [Elton] You hear things like "Rocket Man" coming into being 858 00:42:55,198 --> 00:42:58,534 and "Honky Cat," "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters." 859 00:42:59,243 --> 00:43:02,538 They formed a shape before we went into the studio. 860 00:43:02,789 --> 00:43:06,833 ♪ While Mona Lisas and mad hatters ♪ 861 00:43:06,834 --> 00:43:10,296 ♪ Sons of bankers sons of lawyers ♪ 862 00:43:11,130 --> 00:43:15,467 ♪ Turn around and say good morning to the night ♪ 863 00:43:15,468 --> 00:43:18,553 [Elton] I was spreading my wings and it just was the right fit. 864 00:43:18,554 --> 00:43:21,891 ♪ For unless they see the sky ♪ 865 00:43:22,475 --> 00:43:26,104 ♪ But they can't and that is why ♪ 866 00:43:28,272 --> 00:43:33,902 ♪ They know not if it's dark outside or light... ♪ 867 00:43:33,903 --> 00:43:35,321 [Elton] It was an era 868 00:43:35,488 --> 00:43:37,573 that produced a lot of magic for me. 869 00:43:39,283 --> 00:43:41,536 But it also was a pretty horrible time. 870 00:43:43,287 --> 00:43:44,539 I was afraid of John. 871 00:43:45,540 --> 00:43:46,833 He had violence in him. 872 00:43:48,543 --> 00:43:51,253 A few drinks too many. If you crossed him, 873 00:43:51,254 --> 00:43:52,880 he'd punch you or he'd break a glass 874 00:43:53,005 --> 00:43:54,215 and put it in your face. 875 00:43:56,092 --> 00:43:59,011 I can see a lot of my father's behavior. 876 00:44:02,807 --> 00:44:06,644 I was a young, first-time-in-love person. 877 00:44:08,354 --> 00:44:10,106 I still wanted to be together. 878 00:44:10,690 --> 00:44:12,233 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "Rocket Man"] 879 00:44:12,358 --> 00:44:15,111 ♪ She packed my bags last night, pre-flight... ♪ 880 00:44:16,362 --> 00:44:18,239 [young Elton] We just made a new album in France, 881 00:44:18,906 --> 00:44:20,240 so we're gonna play you eight new songs 882 00:44:20,241 --> 00:44:21,951 that you've never, ever heard before. 883 00:44:22,410 --> 00:44:23,577 This is called "Rocket Man," 884 00:44:23,578 --> 00:44:25,370 and it'll be released as a single, I hope, 885 00:44:25,371 --> 00:44:26,497 on March 3rd. 886 00:44:28,166 --> 00:44:32,628 ♪ I miss the Earth so much I miss my wife ♪ 887 00:44:35,548 --> 00:44:38,676 ♪ It's lonely out in space ♪ 888 00:44:41,304 --> 00:44:45,808 ♪ On such a timeless flight ♪ 889 00:44:54,567 --> 00:44:57,652 ♪ And I think it's gonna be a long, long time ♪ 890 00:44:57,653 --> 00:45:00,990 ♪ 'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find ♪ 891 00:45:01,199 --> 00:45:03,993 ♪ I'm not the man they think I am at home ♪ 892 00:45:04,118 --> 00:45:05,870 ♪ Oh, no, no, no ♪ 893 00:45:06,537 --> 00:45:08,664 ♪ I'm a rocket man ♪ 894 00:45:10,208 --> 00:45:11,708 ♪ Rocket man ♪ 895 00:45:11,709 --> 00:45:14,670 ♪ Burning out his fuse up here alone... ♪ 896 00:45:16,881 --> 00:45:19,884 [Alexis] After "Rocket Man" is a big single, 897 00:45:20,468 --> 00:45:21,551 you get Beatlemania, 898 00:45:21,552 --> 00:45:23,596 - you get screaming fans. - [Elton] Yeah. 899 00:45:24,555 --> 00:45:26,891 I never thought of myself as a pop artist, 900 00:45:27,767 --> 00:45:30,477 and that was the first pop hit. After "Your Song," 901 00:45:30,478 --> 00:45:32,312 that was really the first hit I had. 902 00:45:32,313 --> 00:45:34,607 ♪ I'm a rocket man ♪ 903 00:45:36,108 --> 00:45:37,734 ♪ Rocket man ♪ 904 00:45:37,735 --> 00:45:40,738 ♪ Burning out his fuse up here alone... ♪ 905 00:45:46,452 --> 00:45:48,203 [Elton] I stumbled on commerciality really 906 00:45:48,204 --> 00:45:49,914 when I added David to the band. 907 00:45:50,581 --> 00:45:52,041 I'd never set out to write commercial songs, 908 00:45:52,250 --> 00:45:53,500 but it just made it easier, 909 00:45:53,501 --> 00:45:55,544 because I was writing for a guitarist, as well. 910 00:45:56,796 --> 00:45:58,965 And suddenly, I become this big singles artist 911 00:45:59,298 --> 00:46:01,299 who had hit after hit after hit after hit. 912 00:46:01,300 --> 00:46:03,551 [♪ pop music playing, Elton John "I'm Gonna Be a Teenage Idol"] 913 00:46:03,552 --> 00:46:06,221 ♪ And root toot shoot myself to fame ♪ 914 00:46:06,222 --> 00:46:09,684 ♪ Every kid alive gonna know my name ♪ 915 00:46:09,850 --> 00:46:14,145 ♪ An overnight phenomenon like there's never been ♪ 916 00:46:14,146 --> 00:46:16,398 [all cheering] 917 00:46:16,399 --> 00:46:20,987 ♪ A motivated supersonic king of the scene ♪ 918 00:46:22,989 --> 00:46:28,451 ♪ I'll be a teenage idol Just give me a break... ♪ 919 00:46:28,452 --> 00:46:29,744 [young Elton] The clothes thing, 920 00:46:29,745 --> 00:46:31,913 it's a reaction against everything 921 00:46:31,914 --> 00:46:34,375 that I wasn't allowed to do when I was a child. 922 00:46:34,667 --> 00:46:36,418 "You cannot wear this. You cannot do this. 923 00:46:36,419 --> 00:46:38,129 "You cannot-- You can't wear those glasses." 924 00:46:38,587 --> 00:46:39,922 There are no rules in life. 925 00:46:41,549 --> 00:46:42,549 I'm everything that 926 00:46:42,550 --> 00:46:44,510 a rock-'n'-roll star isn't supposed to be. 927 00:46:45,594 --> 00:46:47,971 I'm not the best-looking person in the world, et cetera. 928 00:46:47,972 --> 00:46:50,473 And so, I think a lot of people identify with me as sort of, 929 00:46:50,474 --> 00:46:52,600 "Well, if he can do it, then I might be able to." 930 00:46:52,601 --> 00:46:53,686 [chuckling] 931 00:46:55,604 --> 00:46:57,480 I always believed that if you have got enough ambition, 932 00:46:57,481 --> 00:46:59,941 no matter what you look like, no matter what you sound like, 933 00:46:59,942 --> 00:47:01,068 you can make it anyway. 934 00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:03,403 {\an8}And I am ambitious. 935 00:47:03,404 --> 00:47:05,030 {\an8}[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, Elton John. 936 00:47:05,031 --> 00:47:07,073 {\an8}[crowd cheering] 937 00:47:07,074 --> 00:47:10,536 [♪ lively music playing, Elton John "Crocodile Rock"] 938 00:47:15,958 --> 00:47:17,793 [crowd cheering] 939 00:47:18,169 --> 00:47:20,796 ♪ I remember when rock was young ♪ 940 00:47:21,047 --> 00:47:23,299 ♪ Me and Susie had so much fun ♪ 941 00:47:24,050 --> 00:47:26,677 ♪ Holding hands and skimming stones ♪ 942 00:47:26,969 --> 00:47:29,889 ♪ Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own ♪ 943 00:47:30,056 --> 00:47:32,350 ♪ But the biggest kick I ever got ♪ 944 00:47:33,017 --> 00:47:35,728 ♪ Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock ♪ 945 00:47:35,853 --> 00:47:38,522 ♪ While the other kids were rocking 'round the clock ♪ 946 00:47:39,065 --> 00:47:42,443 ♪ We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock... ♪ 947 00:47:43,027 --> 00:47:44,445 [Elton] I love performing, 948 00:47:44,945 --> 00:47:47,406 I've just felt different to when I was off stage. 949 00:47:49,283 --> 00:47:51,785 It's electric, fulfilling, 950 00:47:51,786 --> 00:47:54,038 an out-of-body experience really. 951 00:47:54,288 --> 00:47:57,083 ♪ Oh, lawdy mama Those Friday nights ♪ 952 00:47:57,249 --> 00:48:00,044 ♪ When Susie wore her dresses tight... ♪ 953 00:48:00,211 --> 00:48:01,629 [Elton] You just feel free as a bird, 954 00:48:02,630 --> 00:48:04,006 and you can do anything you want. 955 00:48:05,174 --> 00:48:06,508 It's just kind of addictive. 956 00:48:06,509 --> 00:48:10,763 ♪ La, la-la-la-la-la ♪ 957 00:48:11,639 --> 00:48:15,643 ♪ La-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la-la ♪ 958 00:48:17,937 --> 00:48:21,232 ♪ But the years went by and the rock just died ♪ 959 00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:23,858 ♪ Susie went and left us for some foreign guy... ♪ 960 00:48:23,859 --> 00:48:26,612 [Alexis] At this time, you are a star, 961 00:48:27,613 --> 00:48:29,156 unequivocally successful. 962 00:48:29,782 --> 00:48:31,909 Was your dad pleased for you? 963 00:48:33,786 --> 00:48:35,079 [Elton] My dad never saw me. 964 00:48:35,871 --> 00:48:37,122 [Alexis] He never saw you live at all? 965 00:48:37,123 --> 00:48:38,207 [Elton] No. 966 00:48:39,125 --> 00:48:40,126 [Alexis] It's really sad. 967 00:48:41,127 --> 00:48:42,795 [Elton] Yeah. I wish it had been much different. 968 00:48:44,046 --> 00:48:45,464 God, I wish it had been different. 969 00:48:45,673 --> 00:48:47,633 ♪ When your feet just can't keep still ♪ 970 00:48:48,759 --> 00:48:53,180 ♪ I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will ♪ 971 00:48:54,306 --> 00:48:56,976 ♪ Oh, lawdy mama Those Friday nights ♪ 972 00:48:57,143 --> 00:48:59,854 ♪ When Susie wore her dresses tight... ♪ 973 00:49:02,106 --> 00:49:06,193 [♪ dramatic music playing] 974 00:49:14,034 --> 00:49:15,870 [♪ music fades] 975 00:49:20,458 --> 00:49:22,585 Huh? Well, I don't think so. 976 00:49:30,092 --> 00:49:31,302 - Yeah. - [crew member 1] Yeah? 977 00:49:32,720 --> 00:49:34,722 - Um, sneakers. - [crew member 1] Okay. 978 00:49:35,598 --> 00:49:38,058 [Elton] I have never in my whole career, 979 00:49:38,184 --> 00:49:39,184 in my whole career, 980 00:49:39,185 --> 00:49:40,685 done shows that have been so good. 981 00:49:40,686 --> 00:49:44,064 I mean, astonishingly good. Um, I'm not bullshitting. 982 00:49:44,273 --> 00:49:46,692 You guys are amazing. Everything you play every night, 983 00:49:46,817 --> 00:49:48,943 it's the standard of professionalism 984 00:49:48,944 --> 00:49:53,115 and dedication and playing is off the charts. 985 00:49:53,240 --> 00:49:56,118 You guys are just absolutely phenomenal. 986 00:49:56,243 --> 00:49:57,660 I wanted to go out on a high, 987 00:49:57,661 --> 00:49:59,412 and it's not a high, it's even better than a high. 988 00:49:59,413 --> 00:50:00,498 [crew member 2] Yay! 989 00:50:00,623 --> 00:50:02,499 [Elton] You should be proud of yourself. I'm so proud. 990 00:50:02,500 --> 00:50:04,251 I'm privileged to play with you guys. 991 00:50:04,502 --> 00:50:06,128 - [band member 1] Thank you, Elton. We are. - Yeah. 992 00:50:07,755 --> 00:50:12,009 [♪ upbeat music playing, Elton John "Candle in the Wind"] 993 00:50:28,901 --> 00:50:30,986 ♪ Goodbye, Norma Jeane ♪ 994 00:50:31,570 --> 00:50:34,698 ♪ Though I never knew you at all ♪ 995 00:50:34,823 --> 00:50:37,910 ♪ You had the grace to hold yourself ♪ 996 00:50:38,244 --> 00:50:40,955 ♪ While those around you crawled ♪ 997 00:50:44,124 --> 00:50:46,585 ♪ Goodbye, Norma Jeane ♪ 998 00:50:46,835 --> 00:50:49,755 ♪ From the young man in the twenty-second row ♪ 999 00:50:50,047 --> 00:50:53,259 ♪ Who sees you as something more than sexual ♪ 1000 00:50:53,384 --> 00:50:57,304 ♪ More than just our Marilyn Monroe ♪ 1001 00:50:59,139 --> 00:51:02,810 ♪ And it seems to me you lived your life ♪ 1002 00:51:03,018 --> 00:51:05,896 ♪ Like a candle in the wind ♪ 1003 00:51:06,730 --> 00:51:10,025 ♪ Never knowing who to cling to... ♪ 1004 00:51:10,359 --> 00:51:12,694 [Alexis] Were you aware when you wrote things, 1005 00:51:12,695 --> 00:51:15,364 like "Candle in the Wind," that this is one for the ages? 1006 00:51:16,407 --> 00:51:17,866 [Elton] That really is happenstance. 1007 00:51:18,826 --> 00:51:20,910 [Alexis] It is quite a somber album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1008 00:51:20,911 --> 00:51:22,787 for all it's held up as your great pop moment. 1009 00:51:22,788 --> 00:51:23,997 It's... 1010 00:51:23,998 --> 00:51:25,331 [Elton] Relationships collapsing. 1011 00:51:25,332 --> 00:51:27,625 - [Alexis] Yeah. - When I wrote those songs, 1012 00:51:27,626 --> 00:51:29,128 I was miserably unhappy. 1013 00:51:30,462 --> 00:51:32,798 That kind of came through in the songwriting 1014 00:51:33,215 --> 00:51:35,425 and it was very, very moving for me 1015 00:51:35,426 --> 00:51:37,136 and it was very, very cathartic. 1016 00:51:38,262 --> 00:51:40,806 [Alexis] What do you think influenced your writing? 1017 00:51:42,474 --> 00:51:45,185 [Elton] It was the same time John Reid broke my heart. 1018 00:51:45,477 --> 00:51:47,813 [♪ soft music playing] 1019 00:51:51,483 --> 00:51:55,154 [Elton] My relationship with him wasn't all it was meant to be. 1020 00:51:56,196 --> 00:51:58,823 I was very naive. I didn't know that. 1021 00:51:58,824 --> 00:52:00,700 He was having sex outside... 1022 00:52:00,701 --> 00:52:02,620 - [Alexis sighs] - ...the relationship. 1023 00:52:02,911 --> 00:52:05,039 When I found out about it, I was crushed. 1024 00:52:06,040 --> 00:52:08,792 He was very, you know, very rough. 1025 00:52:09,752 --> 00:52:11,961 I had a party at the house and we had a fight 1026 00:52:11,962 --> 00:52:14,631 and he's smacked me in the face and made my nose bleed, 1027 00:52:14,632 --> 00:52:15,758 cut my face. 1028 00:52:17,926 --> 00:52:19,345 I loved John very much. 1029 00:52:19,678 --> 00:52:22,556 But, you know, I'd say, "I can't go through this anymore." 1030 00:52:23,307 --> 00:52:26,352 And then when that fell apart, I kind of fell apart. 1031 00:52:27,353 --> 00:52:29,103 John left an emptiness within me. 1032 00:52:29,104 --> 00:52:30,230 [Alexis] Yeah. 1033 00:52:31,649 --> 00:52:33,651 [Elton] I thought being alone was a sense of failure. 1034 00:52:35,069 --> 00:52:37,863 Why isn't someone with me? You're not good enough. 1035 00:52:39,198 --> 00:52:41,659 I chased relationships, I chased love. 1036 00:52:42,618 --> 00:52:44,536 Always looking for love all the time. 1037 00:52:48,248 --> 00:52:49,917 [host] And what's your next ambition? 1038 00:52:53,462 --> 00:52:54,504 Funny that it may seem, 1039 00:52:54,505 --> 00:52:57,090 I don't really have any ambitions left anymore. 1040 00:52:57,091 --> 00:52:59,134 Not a concrete ambition. 1041 00:52:59,426 --> 00:53:02,053 And my one concrete ambition was always to make it. 1042 00:53:02,054 --> 00:53:04,097 I don't really have one set ambition now. 1043 00:53:04,098 --> 00:53:07,267 I'm sustaining my level of popularity. 1044 00:53:08,102 --> 00:53:11,020 But that-- Again, that's sort of a secondary importance. 1045 00:53:11,021 --> 00:53:12,815 I really don't know. I've sort of... 1046 00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:14,982 I haven't got any. It sounds really strange, 1047 00:53:14,983 --> 00:53:17,945 but I just do not have any ambitions now. 1048 00:53:18,278 --> 00:53:20,572 I'm sort of plodding on at the moment. 1049 00:53:20,698 --> 00:53:25,953 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "I've Seen That Movie Too"] 1050 00:53:29,832 --> 00:53:34,628 ♪ I can see by your eyes you must be lying ♪ 1051 00:53:38,382 --> 00:53:42,344 ♪ When you think I don't have a clue ♪ 1052 00:53:45,139 --> 00:53:47,182 ♪ Baby, you're crazy ♪ 1053 00:53:49,560 --> 00:53:52,438 ♪ If you think that you can fool me ♪ 1054 00:53:53,897 --> 00:53:58,402 ♪ Because I've seen that movie too ♪ 1055 00:54:04,116 --> 00:54:08,370 ♪ The one where the players are acting surprised ♪ 1056 00:54:12,207 --> 00:54:15,919 ♪ Saying love's just a four-letter word... ♪ 1057 00:54:18,213 --> 00:54:20,965 {\an8}[Elton] After Yellow Brick Road, we made Caribou, 1058 00:54:20,966 --> 00:54:23,218 {\an8}the first record we ever made in America. 1059 00:54:24,428 --> 00:54:25,428 And that was the first time 1060 00:54:25,429 --> 00:54:27,681 we'd been to Colorado on the road. 1061 00:54:28,223 --> 00:54:29,682 [Alexis] Ray Cooper comes into the picture. 1062 00:54:29,683 --> 00:54:31,226 [Elton] Yeah. He was at that session. 1063 00:54:32,686 --> 00:54:34,188 He was a percussion player 1064 00:54:34,480 --> 00:54:38,609 who could also play xylophone and keyboards 1065 00:54:39,276 --> 00:54:41,320 and just do something daring. 1066 00:54:42,321 --> 00:54:43,946 [Alexis] It’s also during the sessions of Caribou 1067 00:54:43,947 --> 00:54:45,323 that you take coke for the first time. 1068 00:54:45,324 --> 00:54:46,949 - [Elton] Yes. - [Alexis] So who was doing it? 1069 00:54:46,950 --> 00:54:48,868 - The rest of the band was doing it? - [Elton] John Reid. 1070 00:54:48,869 --> 00:54:50,579 - [Alexis] John Reid was doing it. - [Elton] Yeah. 1071 00:54:51,747 --> 00:54:53,122 [Alexis] He obviously remains in your life 1072 00:54:53,123 --> 00:54:54,541 as your manager. 1073 00:54:54,708 --> 00:54:56,584 [Elton] Unfortunately, I broke up with him 1074 00:54:56,585 --> 00:54:58,253 and stayed with him in business, 1075 00:54:58,754 --> 00:55:01,089 because I was frightened of confrontation. 1076 00:55:01,298 --> 00:55:03,425 But he was a ballsy, fiery manager. 1077 00:55:04,510 --> 00:55:05,552 At that time, 1078 00:55:06,220 --> 00:55:08,096 my career was more important than anything. 1079 00:55:09,681 --> 00:55:10,806 I walked in the room, 1080 00:55:10,807 --> 00:55:12,725 there was like little white lines and a straw. 1081 00:55:12,726 --> 00:55:15,436 And I said, "What's that?" And they said, "It's cocaine." 1082 00:55:15,437 --> 00:55:16,521 I said, "What does that do?" 1083 00:55:16,522 --> 00:55:18,105 He said, "It just makes you feel good." 1084 00:55:18,106 --> 00:55:19,857 - I didn't know what it was. - [Alexis chuckles] 1085 00:55:19,858 --> 00:55:21,568 "Well, I'll try some of that." 1086 00:55:24,780 --> 00:55:26,073 [Alexis] Did you like it straightaway? 1087 00:55:26,740 --> 00:55:28,574 [Elton] Not really, because it made me feel sick. 1088 00:55:28,575 --> 00:55:30,369 So, I thought, "I don't like this." 1089 00:55:31,703 --> 00:55:33,830 But it didn't stop me going back for another line. 1090 00:55:34,122 --> 00:55:36,667 Yeah. So, that was the first time. 1091 00:55:38,961 --> 00:55:40,963 Cocaine opened me up, and I became social. 1092 00:55:41,755 --> 00:55:42,965 It gave me confidence. 1093 00:55:44,716 --> 00:55:45,883 I suddenly found I could talk. 1094 00:55:45,884 --> 00:55:48,595 I wasn't intimidated to be in a room full of strangers. 1095 00:55:49,763 --> 00:55:51,556 I quite liked that, 'cause I always found it difficult 1096 00:55:51,557 --> 00:55:54,184 to, you know, to sit down and open up. 1097 00:55:55,727 --> 00:55:57,270 I never thought it was a hard drug. 1098 00:55:57,271 --> 00:55:58,896 I thought, "I'm not an addict. 1099 00:55:58,897 --> 00:56:01,065 "I'm okay on cocaine or smoking a joint. 1100 00:56:01,066 --> 00:56:02,776 "That's fine. I'm in control." 1101 00:56:03,777 --> 00:56:05,319 [Alexis] This is a widely held fact 1102 00:56:05,320 --> 00:56:06,988 that if you make records on cocaine, 1103 00:56:06,989 --> 00:56:08,574 it makes them worse. 1104 00:56:09,616 --> 00:56:12,159 [Elton] Oh, absolutely. It affects everything. 1105 00:56:12,160 --> 00:56:14,413 You cannot think in a sane and proper way. 1106 00:56:15,706 --> 00:56:18,708 I was exhausted. I was exhausted creatively 1107 00:56:18,709 --> 00:56:20,626 and exhausted from touring 1108 00:56:20,627 --> 00:56:23,463 and exhausted-- No, I used to stay up every night. 1109 00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:26,340 And then, when the album came out, 1110 00:56:26,341 --> 00:56:27,425 people didn't like it. 1111 00:56:27,426 --> 00:56:29,052 [♪ somber music playing, Elton John "Ticking"] 1112 00:56:29,177 --> 00:56:32,723 ♪ Remember Mama said Ticking, ticking ♪ 1113 00:56:32,973 --> 00:56:35,683 ♪ Grow up straight and true blue ♪ 1114 00:56:35,684 --> 00:56:37,519 ♪ Run along to bed ♪ 1115 00:56:38,145 --> 00:56:45,068 ♪ Hear it, hear it Ticking, ticking ♪ 1116 00:56:51,491 --> 00:56:52,491 I haven't got any illusions 1117 00:56:52,492 --> 00:56:53,868 that I'm gonna stay at the top forever. 1118 00:56:53,869 --> 00:56:55,494 [interviewer] How long do you think you've got? 1119 00:56:55,495 --> 00:56:57,580 I don't know. Every year I think, "This is it," you know? 1120 00:56:57,581 --> 00:57:00,333 Uh, so I-- You can't predict it. 1121 00:57:00,334 --> 00:57:02,919 That's what's so much fun about this business. 1122 00:57:03,170 --> 00:57:04,338 You just can't predict. 1123 00:57:04,463 --> 00:57:05,672 [♪ soft music playing] 1124 00:57:08,008 --> 00:57:09,343 My debauchery came. 1125 00:57:10,761 --> 00:57:12,512 I was desperately wanting happiness... 1126 00:57:14,097 --> 00:57:15,974 and going completely the wrong way about it. 1127 00:57:19,311 --> 00:57:22,147 I've had quite a lot of lonely periods in my life. 1128 00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:25,066 You know... [stutters] ...the bubble thing. 1129 00:57:25,067 --> 00:57:26,234 [Alexis] Right. 1130 00:57:26,526 --> 00:57:29,154 [Elton] Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, 1131 00:57:30,656 --> 00:57:33,241 there's a danger that people live in that bubble 1132 00:57:34,242 --> 00:57:36,119 and they become sequestered away. 1133 00:57:38,914 --> 00:57:41,040 I'd like nothing more than to shut my bedroom door 1134 00:57:41,041 --> 00:57:43,502 and then go and do a two, three-day binge... 1135 00:57:45,128 --> 00:57:46,545 on my own in my hotel suite, 1136 00:57:46,546 --> 00:57:49,591 just watching porno, smoking dope, whiskey. 1137 00:57:52,886 --> 00:57:55,346 Running away was what I did in my childhood. 1138 00:57:55,347 --> 00:57:56,515 I've shut the door. 1139 00:57:56,807 --> 00:57:58,265 - I've been running away... - [Alexis] Yeah. 1140 00:57:58,266 --> 00:57:59,934 ...ever since I was four or five years old, 1141 00:57:59,935 --> 00:58:01,895 shutting the door when my parents were rowing. 1142 00:58:04,773 --> 00:58:05,941 [Alexis] Cocaine doesn't help. 1143 00:58:25,669 --> 00:58:27,212 [Elton] This is the most special place. 1144 00:58:27,421 --> 00:58:28,629 It's the best gig in the world, 1145 00:58:28,630 --> 00:58:30,673 {\an8}because of the history involved in everything 1146 00:58:30,674 --> 00:58:34,176 {\an8}that's gone on here, you know? It's just an exciting place. 1147 00:58:34,177 --> 00:58:35,344 {\an8}All the wonderful artists 1148 00:58:35,345 --> 00:58:36,721 that have played here over the years. 1149 00:58:36,722 --> 00:58:38,681 It's a piece of magic and they don't-- 1150 00:58:38,682 --> 00:58:41,101 There's not many venues that are magical like this. 1151 00:58:41,476 --> 00:58:42,893 Not-- I can't think of any, actually, 1152 00:58:42,894 --> 00:58:44,396 after Madison Square Garden. 1153 00:58:44,813 --> 00:58:46,021 It's just, you know, when they say, 1154 00:58:46,022 --> 00:58:47,106 "Where do you like to play?" 1155 00:58:47,107 --> 00:58:48,775 it's a no-brainer. Madison Square Garden. 1156 00:58:49,526 --> 00:58:50,526 It's always been special. 1157 00:58:50,527 --> 00:58:53,155 John Lennon came onstage here Thanksgiving, 1158 00:58:53,613 --> 00:58:55,031 and, um, you know, 1159 00:58:55,157 --> 00:58:56,783 you don't forget things like that. 1160 00:58:57,659 --> 00:58:59,577 - [crew member 1] Rolling? - [crew member 2] Still rolling. 1161 00:58:59,578 --> 00:59:00,661 [crew member 3] Speed. 1162 00:59:00,662 --> 00:59:02,204 {\an8}[crew member 1] Okay, here we go. Stand by. 1163 00:59:02,205 --> 00:59:04,206 {\an8}[♪ royal music playing] 1164 00:59:04,207 --> 00:59:08,002 [narrator] Ladies and gentlemen, Her Royal Highness the Queen. 1165 00:59:08,003 --> 00:59:10,297 - Good evening. - [crew members laughing] 1166 00:59:10,422 --> 00:59:14,050 {\an8}I've been asked to do this commercial. 1167 00:59:14,593 --> 00:59:18,471 {\an8}It relates to a gramophone record... 1168 00:59:18,472 --> 00:59:19,722 [crew members laughing] 1169 00:59:19,723 --> 00:59:23,477 ...called Mind Games by John Lennon. 1170 00:59:23,852 --> 00:59:26,480 [Alexis] You knew John Lennon through Tony? 1171 00:59:26,980 --> 00:59:28,147 [Elton] Yes. I met him through Tony. 1172 00:59:28,148 --> 00:59:30,107 - [Alexis] Okay. - [Elton] I met him on the set. 1173 00:59:30,108 --> 00:59:31,359 where John was doing a video 1174 00:59:31,485 --> 00:59:33,361 and Tony was actually dressed up as the Queen of England. 1175 00:59:34,404 --> 00:59:36,238 [crew member 4] Fred Astaire and ginger beer. 1176 00:59:36,239 --> 00:59:37,908 - [laughs] - [indistinct chatter] 1177 00:59:38,408 --> 00:59:39,617 [Elton] I was obviously 1178 00:59:39,618 --> 00:59:41,828 very intimidated and very excited. 1179 00:59:42,788 --> 00:59:45,122 Tony had told me that he was really nice 1180 00:59:45,123 --> 00:59:46,290 and good fun and everything, 1181 00:59:46,291 --> 00:59:48,627 and it was like I'd met someone I'd known all my life. 1182 00:59:50,670 --> 00:59:52,339 We started to hang out together. 1183 00:59:53,590 --> 00:59:56,301 We went out a lot, had a lot of fun. 1184 00:59:57,302 --> 00:59:58,385 This man was in The Beatles, 1185 00:59:58,386 --> 01:00:00,221 and he still wants to make music. 1186 01:00:00,222 --> 01:00:01,806 He still wants to be politically involved. 1187 01:00:01,807 --> 01:00:03,892 He still has a purpose in his life. 1188 01:00:04,267 --> 01:00:05,768 And I love people like that. 1189 01:00:05,769 --> 01:00:08,145 I love people who think about tomorrow 1190 01:00:08,146 --> 01:00:09,355 rather than yesterday. 1191 01:00:09,356 --> 01:00:11,775 ♪ Life is the real one... ♪ 1192 01:00:12,776 --> 01:00:15,445 [Elton] We just hung out and just had a great time. 1193 01:00:16,112 --> 01:00:17,988 We just laughed and laughed and laughed, 1194 01:00:17,989 --> 01:00:19,616 and we did a lot of drugs. 1195 01:00:21,243 --> 01:00:22,952 [Alexis] I heard a fantastic story 1196 01:00:22,953 --> 01:00:24,537 that you and him were in a hotel room 1197 01:00:24,538 --> 01:00:25,622 in New York somewhere. 1198 01:00:25,747 --> 01:00:27,289 [Elton] Yes. It was like 2:00 in the morning. 1199 01:00:27,290 --> 01:00:29,501 - Mountains of coke coming out. - [Alexis chuckling] 1200 01:00:31,378 --> 01:00:33,088 [Elton] I thought, "Is that the police?" 1201 01:00:33,421 --> 01:00:36,131 And so, being so paranoid, it took me about five minutes 1202 01:00:36,132 --> 01:00:37,884 to walk across to the peephole. 1203 01:00:39,594 --> 01:00:41,262 - And I saw it was Andy Warhol. - [Alexis chuckling] 1204 01:00:41,263 --> 01:00:42,888 I went to John. [whispering] "Andy!" 1205 01:00:42,889 --> 01:00:44,223 And John went, "No way." 1206 01:00:44,224 --> 01:00:45,474 - [doorbell ringing] - [Alexis laughs] 1207 01:00:45,475 --> 01:00:47,310 [Elton] So, he kept ringing the bell and we just... 1208 01:00:47,894 --> 01:00:49,104 [Alexis] You hid from Andy Warhol? 1209 01:00:49,229 --> 01:00:50,896 [Elton] He carried the camera everywhere, 1210 01:00:50,897 --> 01:00:52,565 the Polaroid. Like, "No, thanks." 1211 01:00:52,566 --> 01:00:53,775 [Alexis laughs] 1212 01:00:53,900 --> 01:00:56,110 [♪ upbeat music playing, Elton John "Grey Seal"] 1213 01:00:56,111 --> 01:00:57,695 [Elton] That was the fun part of the cocaine. 1214 01:00:57,696 --> 01:00:59,906 ♪ If anyone can cry then so can I ♪ 1215 01:01:00,282 --> 01:01:02,533 ♪ I read books and draw life... ♪ 1216 01:01:02,534 --> 01:01:05,412 You did spend quite a lot of time in LA last year, didn't you? 1217 01:01:05,662 --> 01:01:09,499 Yeah, yeah. I was sort of, you know, avoiding reality. 1218 01:01:09,916 --> 01:01:11,375 [interviewer] You seem o have really enjoyed 1219 01:01:11,376 --> 01:01:13,086 the things you did with Elton. 1220 01:01:13,211 --> 01:01:15,004 - Oh, yeah, yeah. - [interviewer] Yeah. 1221 01:01:15,005 --> 01:01:16,923 Well, Elton and I are very close. 1222 01:01:17,716 --> 01:01:19,717 ♪ Whatever gets you thru the night ♪ 1223 01:01:19,718 --> 01:01:21,427 [young Elton] He played me some rough cassettes 1224 01:01:21,428 --> 01:01:23,345 of Walls and Bridges, you know, just the rough tracks. 1225 01:01:23,346 --> 01:01:25,515 We immediately flashed on Whatever Gets You Thru the Night. 1226 01:01:25,849 --> 01:01:28,350 So, he asked me to-- Would I come down to the studio 1227 01:01:28,351 --> 01:01:30,729 and do some backing vocals? So I said, "Yeah." 1228 01:01:31,062 --> 01:01:32,855 I-- We listened to the track back on the big speakers 1229 01:01:32,856 --> 01:01:35,441 and I said, "Could do with a bit of piano on it, actually." 1230 01:01:35,442 --> 01:01:36,734 So he said, "All right. Go ahead." 1231 01:01:36,735 --> 01:01:37,861 And then he said, 1232 01:01:37,986 --> 01:01:40,112 "Well, why don't you, you know, let's sing it as a duet." 1233 01:01:40,113 --> 01:01:42,574 [♪ rock music playing, John Lennon "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night"] 1234 01:01:42,699 --> 01:01:43,825 ♪ Come on listen to me ♪ 1235 01:01:43,950 --> 01:01:46,912 ♪ I won't do you no harm... ♪ 1236 01:01:47,454 --> 01:01:48,954 [Elton] I was very nervous. 1237 01:01:48,955 --> 01:01:51,373 But for me, it was a dream come true. 1238 01:01:51,374 --> 01:01:52,875 I could have died and gone to heaven. 1239 01:01:52,876 --> 01:01:56,795 You know, I cycled to Hatch End to get The Beatles album 1240 01:01:56,796 --> 01:01:58,214 and here I am, playing on his record, 1241 01:01:58,340 --> 01:02:00,549 um, and having the greatest time 1242 01:02:00,550 --> 01:02:02,509 and having the best fun with him. 1243 01:02:02,510 --> 01:02:05,387 And I said, "Listen." I said, "This is a number-one record." 1244 01:02:05,388 --> 01:02:06,805 And he went, "No, no." 1245 01:02:06,806 --> 01:02:08,474 And I said, "Listen, if it gets to number one, 1246 01:02:08,475 --> 01:02:09,850 "you've got to come on stage with me." 1247 01:02:09,851 --> 01:02:11,894 And he never thought in a million years 1248 01:02:11,895 --> 01:02:13,355 it would get to number one. 1249 01:02:16,691 --> 01:02:17,942 And then, when it got to number one, 1250 01:02:17,943 --> 01:02:19,486 he didn't just try and shirk out of it. 1251 01:02:20,362 --> 01:02:21,695 And he certainly hadn't played onstage 1252 01:02:21,696 --> 01:02:23,907 - in New York since Shea Stadium. - [Alexis] Yeah. 1253 01:02:24,491 --> 01:02:27,869 {\an8}[Tony] We went up to Boston to see Elton in concert 1254 01:02:28,244 --> 01:02:30,704 {\an8}so that John could get an idea of what it was like. 1255 01:02:30,705 --> 01:02:33,415 {\an8}And he hadn't been to a show in a long, long time 1256 01:02:33,416 --> 01:02:36,460 {\an8}and didn't realize how much more sophisticated it had got. 1257 01:02:36,461 --> 01:02:40,215 {\an8}[♪ rock song playing, Elton John "The Bitch Is Back"] 1258 01:02:40,340 --> 01:02:43,927 {\an8}♪ The bitch, the bitch, oh The bitch is back ♪ 1259 01:02:46,846 --> 01:02:49,515 [Tony] And especially Elton was state-of-the-art at that time. 1260 01:02:49,516 --> 01:02:51,225 You know, his sound system, 1261 01:02:51,226 --> 01:02:55,480 his touring entourage was very lavish, you know? 1262 01:02:56,106 --> 01:02:59,275 And John had come from the four amps. [chuckles] 1263 01:03:00,026 --> 01:03:01,694 And, you know, The Beatles' last show 1264 01:03:01,695 --> 01:03:04,572 had been 1966, in Candlestick Park. 1265 01:03:06,825 --> 01:03:08,409 [Elton] I think he sat there with his mouth open 1266 01:03:08,410 --> 01:03:09,743 at my outfits and what was going on. 1267 01:03:09,744 --> 01:03:11,663 He was like, "Oh, this is what it's like now, is it?" 1268 01:03:16,668 --> 01:03:19,587 {\an8}- [crowd cheering] - [♪ song fades] 1269 01:03:22,674 --> 01:03:25,300 [Tony] People knew something was in the air. 1270 01:03:25,301 --> 01:03:27,012 There was a definite buzz, 1271 01:03:27,721 --> 01:03:29,556 there was gonna be something special. 1272 01:03:30,890 --> 01:03:34,309 John and Yoko had been split up for a couple of years, 1273 01:03:34,310 --> 01:03:36,687 and Yoko called me 1274 01:03:36,688 --> 01:03:39,274 and says she would like to come to the show. 1275 01:03:39,607 --> 01:03:41,859 But she said, "John mustn't know I'm there." 1276 01:03:41,860 --> 01:03:44,194 So, I got her a seat 11 rows back, 1277 01:03:44,195 --> 01:03:46,740 'cause John's so shortsighted he couldn't see her. 1278 01:03:47,615 --> 01:03:51,452 We're backstage, getting ready and two gardenias arrive. 1279 01:03:51,453 --> 01:03:53,871 John said, "I bet they're from Yoko. 1280 01:03:53,872 --> 01:03:56,875 "You know, I couldn't do it if I knew she was here." 1281 01:03:57,834 --> 01:03:58,960 We said nothing. 1282 01:04:00,086 --> 01:04:01,170 [Elton] He was terrified. 1283 01:04:01,171 --> 01:04:03,798 I mean, I can absolutely tell you he was terrified. 1284 01:04:05,008 --> 01:04:06,717 And I can tell you that he was physically sick 1285 01:04:06,718 --> 01:04:08,594 before the show, 1286 01:04:08,595 --> 01:04:10,180 absolutely physically sick. 1287 01:04:10,805 --> 01:04:14,476 [♪ rock music playing] 1288 01:04:36,998 --> 01:04:38,373 [Elton] Thank you, New York City! 1289 01:04:38,374 --> 01:04:40,585 - [crowd cheering, applauding] - [Elton] Thank you! 1290 01:04:42,921 --> 01:04:44,422 Seeing it's Thanksgiving, 1291 01:04:45,090 --> 01:04:46,465 we thought we'd make tonight a little bit 1292 01:04:46,466 --> 01:04:47,717 of a joyous occasion, 1293 01:04:48,635 --> 01:04:51,929 by inviting someone up with us onto the stage. 1294 01:04:51,930 --> 01:04:53,681 [crowd cheering] 1295 01:04:55,850 --> 01:04:56,851 [young Elton] And... 1296 01:04:57,727 --> 01:05:00,896 I'm sure he will be no stranger to anybody in the audience 1297 01:05:00,897 --> 01:05:03,273 when I say it's our great privilege 1298 01:05:03,274 --> 01:05:05,610 to see and hear Mr. John Lennon. 1299 01:05:07,320 --> 01:05:10,824 [crowd cheering, applauding] 1300 01:05:22,460 --> 01:05:24,003 [Elton] The reception that he got, 1301 01:05:24,170 --> 01:05:26,506 I've never heard a noise, a roar like it. 1302 01:05:27,173 --> 01:05:30,759 [Tony] No, I think everybody was just knocked sideways 1303 01:05:30,760 --> 01:05:33,304 by the volume of the ovation. 1304 01:05:33,555 --> 01:05:35,556 And John turned around and looked at the band 1305 01:05:35,557 --> 01:05:38,100 as though to say, "What the... [bleep] ...that?" 1306 01:05:38,101 --> 01:05:39,977 [Elton] And a lot of us cried and, you know, 1307 01:05:39,978 --> 01:05:41,687 there were tears running down our faces. 1308 01:05:41,688 --> 01:05:44,023 - [crowd cheering] - [John] Here we go, then. 1309 01:05:44,524 --> 01:05:46,108 A-one, two-- A-one, two, three, four. 1310 01:05:46,109 --> 01:05:49,737 [♪ jazz music playing, John Lennon "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night"] 1311 01:05:58,997 --> 01:06:01,249 ♪ Whatever gets you thru the night ♪ 1312 01:06:02,041 --> 01:06:04,711 ♪ It's all right It's all right ♪ 1313 01:06:06,004 --> 01:06:08,047 ♪ It's your money or your life ♪ 1314 01:06:09,090 --> 01:06:11,676 ♪ It's all right It's all right ♪ 1315 01:06:12,886 --> 01:06:15,722 ♪ Don't need a sword to cut thru flower ♪ 1316 01:06:16,514 --> 01:06:18,808 ♪ Oh no, oh no ♪ 1317 01:06:20,226 --> 01:06:22,270 ♪ Whatever gets you thru your life ♪ 1318 01:06:23,396 --> 01:06:25,940 ♪ It's all right It's all right ♪ 1319 01:06:27,275 --> 01:06:29,402 ♪ Do it wrong or do it right ♪ 1320 01:06:30,445 --> 01:06:33,114 ♪ It's all right It's all right ♪ 1321 01:06:34,032 --> 01:06:36,701 ♪ Don't need a watch to waste your time ♪ 1322 01:06:37,619 --> 01:06:40,205 ♪ Oh no, oh no ♪ 1323 01:06:57,055 --> 01:07:00,308 ♪ Hold me, darlin' Come on listen to me ♪ 1324 01:07:00,683 --> 01:07:03,102 ♪ I won't do you no harm ♪ 1325 01:07:03,937 --> 01:07:07,397 ♪ Trust me, darlin' Come on, listen to me ♪ 1326 01:07:07,398 --> 01:07:11,319 ♪ Come on, listen to me Come on, listen, listen ♪ 1327 01:07:24,332 --> 01:07:27,877 - [crowd cheering] - [♪ song fades] 1328 01:07:37,178 --> 01:07:39,179 [John] I'd like to thank Elton and the boys 1329 01:07:39,180 --> 01:07:40,640 for having me on tonight. 1330 01:07:42,725 --> 01:07:43,850 We're trying to think of a number 1331 01:07:43,851 --> 01:07:46,061 to finish off with so that I can get out of here 1332 01:07:46,062 --> 01:07:47,980 - and be sick. - [young Elton chuckles] 1333 01:07:47,981 --> 01:07:49,439 [John] And we thought we'd do another 1334 01:07:49,440 --> 01:07:52,193 a number of an older, strange fiancé of mine 1335 01:07:52,610 --> 01:07:54,736 called Paul. This is one I never sang. 1336 01:07:54,737 --> 01:07:57,739 It's an old Beatle number, and we just about know it. 1337 01:07:57,740 --> 01:07:58,825 Here we are. 1338 01:07:59,617 --> 01:08:02,787 [rock music playing, John Lennon "I Saw Her Standing There"] 1339 01:08:10,920 --> 01:08:16,301 ♪ Well, she was just seventeen You know what I mean... ♪ 1340 01:08:16,843 --> 01:08:19,928 {\an8}[Tony] When John came offstage, he got in the back of the limo 1341 01:08:19,929 --> 01:08:21,388 {\an8}and he looked at me and he said, 1342 01:08:21,389 --> 01:08:23,766 {\an8}"That was... [bleep] ...great!" [chuckles] 1343 01:08:24,851 --> 01:08:26,518 {\an8}We went back to the Sherry-Netherland 1344 01:08:26,519 --> 01:08:28,980 and Elton was in the bathroom crying. 1345 01:08:29,897 --> 01:08:31,773 And John said to me, "Where's Elton? Where's Elton?" 1346 01:08:31,774 --> 01:08:34,401 I said, "He's in the bathroom, John. He's crying." 1347 01:08:34,402 --> 01:08:36,654 [laughs] So, John said, "What's he crying about?" 1348 01:08:37,030 --> 01:08:39,657 I said, "Because of the-- What has happened." 1349 01:08:39,907 --> 01:08:44,578 "He's so over the moon about it, he's c-- he's in tears." 1350 01:08:44,579 --> 01:08:47,497 So, John said, "Oh, my God." He said, "Should I go in?" 1351 01:08:47,498 --> 01:08:48,832 And I said, "Yeah." 1352 01:08:48,833 --> 01:08:51,711 They ended up sitting in the bloody lavatory 1353 01:08:51,919 --> 01:08:53,588 at the hotel together. 1354 01:08:57,091 --> 01:09:00,636 We were all enjoying it as a very joyous event, 1355 01:09:01,054 --> 01:09:06,100 not as John's swan song, which it turned out to be. 1356 01:09:07,352 --> 01:09:09,686 But none of us realized that that was gonna be 1357 01:09:09,687 --> 01:09:12,398 the last show that he would ever do. 1358 01:09:13,524 --> 01:09:15,485 [♪ soft music playing] 1359 01:09:20,823 --> 01:09:22,949 [Elton] I was probably the catalyst of Yoko and John 1360 01:09:22,950 --> 01:09:24,285 getting back together again. 1361 01:09:24,869 --> 01:09:26,995 If I hadn't played on "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," 1362 01:09:26,996 --> 01:09:28,997 if I hadn't told him he had to do the show, 1363 01:09:28,998 --> 01:09:30,875 maybe he would never have met Yoko again. 1364 01:09:32,627 --> 01:09:34,002 Of course, they did get back together. 1365 01:09:34,003 --> 01:09:35,087 And they had Sean. 1366 01:09:35,088 --> 01:09:36,798 - [Alexis] And you’re his godfather? - [Elton] Yeah. 1367 01:09:39,342 --> 01:09:41,469 - He became in love again. - [Alexis] Oh. 1368 01:09:42,595 --> 01:09:44,262 [Elton] And so, his wildness, 1369 01:09:44,263 --> 01:09:47,266 it kinda stopped the drugs. Stopped the craziness. 1370 01:09:48,851 --> 01:09:50,728 Which was great, I was very happy for him. 1371 01:09:52,355 --> 01:09:55,066 - Didn't stop my craziness. - [Alexis] Were you-- [laughs] 1372 01:09:55,233 --> 01:09:58,069 [♪ lively music playing. Elton John "Levon"] 1373 01:10:07,453 --> 01:10:11,332 ♪ Levon sells cartoon balloons in town ♪ 1374 01:10:15,128 --> 01:10:18,047 ♪ His family business thrives ♪ 1375 01:10:20,007 --> 01:10:23,803 ♪ Jesus blows up balloons all day ♪ 1376 01:10:25,930 --> 01:10:30,143 ♪ Sits on the porch swing watching them fly ♪ 1377 01:10:32,603 --> 01:10:36,816 ♪ And Jesus He wants to go to Venus ♪ 1378 01:10:39,986 --> 01:10:43,030 ♪ Leave Levon far behind ♪ 1379 01:10:45,783 --> 01:10:49,412 ♪ Take a balloon and go sailing ♪ 1380 01:10:51,247 --> 01:10:56,878 ♪ While Levon Levon slowly dies ♪ 1381 01:10:58,129 --> 01:11:02,340 ♪ He was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas Day ♪ 1382 01:11:02,341 --> 01:11:05,343 ♪ When the New York Times said "God is dead" ♪ 1383 01:11:05,344 --> 01:11:07,221 ♪ And the war's begun ♪ 1384 01:11:08,181 --> 01:11:12,101 ♪ Oh, Alvin Tostig has a son today ♪ 1385 01:11:15,605 --> 01:11:17,982 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1386 01:11:18,816 --> 01:11:21,110 ♪ And he shall be a good man ♪ 1387 01:11:22,069 --> 01:11:24,197 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1388 01:11:25,239 --> 01:11:27,700 ♪ In tradition with the family plan ♪ 1389 01:11:28,242 --> 01:11:30,620 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1390 01:11:31,496 --> 01:11:34,040 ♪ And he shall be a good man ♪ 1391 01:11:35,875 --> 01:11:39,879 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1392 01:11:40,922 --> 01:11:43,174 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1393 01:11:44,383 --> 01:11:46,260 ♪ And he shall be a good man ♪ 1394 01:11:47,136 --> 01:11:49,472 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1395 01:11:50,556 --> 01:11:53,100 ♪ In tradition with the family plan ♪ 1396 01:11:53,518 --> 01:11:55,728 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1397 01:11:56,729 --> 01:11:58,981 ♪ And he shall be a good man ♪ 1398 01:12:01,025 --> 01:12:04,862 ♪ And he shall be Levon ♪ 1399 01:12:05,780 --> 01:12:09,784 ♪ He shall be Levon, yeah ♪ 1400 01:12:25,258 --> 01:12:29,387 - [♪ song fades] - [♪ soft piano music playing] 1401 01:12:30,346 --> 01:12:32,890 What key is "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" in? 1402 01:12:33,099 --> 01:12:34,474 - F? D? - [manager] D. 1403 01:12:34,475 --> 01:12:36,269 [indistinct chatter] 1404 01:12:45,903 --> 01:12:49,197 I can't remember it. Too long ago, 1976. 1405 01:12:49,198 --> 01:12:51,408 - [musician] That's a while back. - Don't remember back that far. 1406 01:12:51,409 --> 01:12:53,410 Can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning. 1407 01:12:53,411 --> 01:12:54,536 [laughter] 1408 01:12:54,537 --> 01:12:57,039 ♪ I've got dementia ♪ 1409 01:13:00,084 --> 01:13:02,503 I think I've got dementia. I can't remember. 1410 01:13:02,795 --> 01:13:03,838 [all laugh] 1411 01:13:04,046 --> 01:13:05,506 [Elton] Is Dua here or not? 1412 01:13:06,173 --> 01:13:08,133 - Here she comes. Hey, baby. - [manager] There she is. Hello! 1413 01:13:08,134 --> 01:13:09,385 [Elton laughs] 1414 01:13:10,094 --> 01:13:12,178 I am so excited to be here. 1415 01:13:12,179 --> 01:13:13,764 - [Elton] Hello, lovely. - Hello, hello, hello. 1416 01:13:14,223 --> 01:13:15,807 [Elton] Hi, gorgeous. I haven’t seen you... 1417 01:13:15,808 --> 01:13:17,517 - In so long. - [Elton] Been so long. 1418 01:13:17,518 --> 01:13:19,228 [♪ upbeat music playing, Dua Lipa "Cold Heart"] 1419 01:13:19,353 --> 01:13:21,939 ♪ Think it's gonna be a long, long time ♪ 1420 01:13:22,064 --> 01:13:26,319 ♪ Till touchdown brings me 'round again to find ♪ 1421 01:13:26,694 --> 01:13:30,114 ♪ I'm not the man they think I am at home ♪ 1422 01:13:30,323 --> 01:13:32,450 ♪ Oh no, no, no ♪ 1423 01:13:33,534 --> 01:13:38,623 ♪ And this is what I should have said ♪ 1424 01:13:39,498 --> 01:13:41,000 ♪ Cold heart ♪ 1425 01:13:41,500 --> 01:13:44,127 ♪ Well, I thought it, but... ♪ 1426 01:13:44,128 --> 01:13:45,463 - [Elton] This is it. - [Zachary] Tiny. 1427 01:13:45,922 --> 01:13:48,049 I thought it was bigger than this. [laughs] 1428 01:13:49,467 --> 01:13:51,135 [Alexis] Do you remember it as being bigger? 1429 01:13:51,928 --> 01:13:55,221 Everything from the past is always bigger in your memory. 1430 01:13:55,222 --> 01:13:58,684 - And this is tiny. - [Alexis laughs] 1431 01:14:00,061 --> 01:14:01,728 I mean, it's absolutely tiny, 1432 01:14:01,729 --> 01:14:05,191 but it's got great atmosphere. I mean, look at the floor space. 1433 01:14:07,151 --> 01:14:10,947 I was this close to Leon Russell and people like that... 1434 01:14:12,239 --> 01:14:15,493 when I'm playing here, so I could see them perfectly. 1435 01:14:16,827 --> 01:14:19,704 Look at it. It's got something about it. 1436 01:14:19,705 --> 01:14:22,416 It's got an atmosphere and an aura about. 1437 01:14:29,256 --> 01:14:30,841 [young Elton] That's the new cover, folks. 1438 01:14:31,634 --> 01:14:33,468 Took me six years to crochet that. 1439 01:14:33,469 --> 01:14:35,471 [crowd laughs] 1440 01:14:35,596 --> 01:14:37,263 [interviewer] What can we expect on that album? 1441 01:14:37,264 --> 01:14:39,475 - [young Elton] Filth. - [crowd laughs] 1442 01:14:39,600 --> 01:14:41,309 No. Seriously, it's a story-type album. 1443 01:14:41,310 --> 01:14:42,519 It's the first story album 1444 01:14:42,520 --> 01:14:43,895 that Bernie and I have ever written. 1445 01:14:43,896 --> 01:14:45,564 It's basically about us two. 1446 01:14:45,982 --> 01:14:48,733 All the experiences that we had trying to make it 1447 01:14:48,734 --> 01:14:50,443 before we made the Empty Sky album, 1448 01:14:50,444 --> 01:14:53,363 like, the disappointments about the songs being refused 1449 01:14:53,364 --> 01:14:55,991 and all the people trying to sign you up for life 1450 01:14:55,992 --> 01:14:57,159 and things like that. 1451 01:14:58,411 --> 01:14:59,953 [Elton] Captain Fantastic was the first album 1452 01:14:59,954 --> 01:15:02,498 to enter the Billboard charts at number one ever, 1453 01:15:03,290 --> 01:15:06,043 so it shows you where we'd come to in our career. 1454 01:15:09,046 --> 01:15:10,672 [reporter] We've just arrived in Los Angeles 1455 01:15:10,673 --> 01:15:12,716 with Elton John's mother and stepfather 1456 01:15:12,717 --> 01:15:14,342 and their next-door neighbors 1457 01:15:14,343 --> 01:15:16,594 and several of Elton's aunts and uncles 1458 01:15:16,595 --> 01:15:19,682 to see Elton perform live at the huge Dodger Stadium. 1459 01:15:21,225 --> 01:15:23,059 [Alexis] And why did you want all these people? 1460 01:15:23,060 --> 01:15:25,396 [Elton] L.A. was the place I'd made it in America. 1461 01:15:25,563 --> 01:15:27,690 So, it seemed a natural homecoming. 1462 01:15:28,482 --> 01:15:30,151 I wanted them to feel proud. 1463 01:15:30,317 --> 01:15:33,070 And so, yeah, I wanted people to see it. 1464 01:15:33,237 --> 01:15:39,201 [crowd chanting] We want Elton! We want Elton! 1465 01:15:39,326 --> 01:15:46,291 [crowd cheering, chanting] 1466 01:15:46,292 --> 01:15:49,794 I now want to present a proclamation 1467 01:15:49,795 --> 01:15:53,716 which declares this week Elton John Week. 1468 01:15:53,841 --> 01:15:56,385 [crowd cheering] 1469 01:15:56,510 --> 01:15:57,845 [Mike] At that time, 1470 01:15:58,763 --> 01:16:01,473 {\an8}there was the excitement of these big events, 1471 01:16:01,474 --> 01:16:03,725 {\an8}but there was a lot of emotional stuff 1472 01:16:03,726 --> 01:16:06,020 {\an8}going on with Elton behind the scenes... 1473 01:16:07,688 --> 01:16:13,402 and cocaine was a big part of what was going on. 1474 01:16:15,154 --> 01:16:18,364 And I could see the... the downward spiral 1475 01:16:18,365 --> 01:16:20,868 that he was going through, physically and mentally. 1476 01:16:26,207 --> 01:16:28,334 [Alexis] How would you define the state you were in? 1477 01:16:30,628 --> 01:16:33,547 [Elton] I was either really fun or very miserable. 1478 01:16:34,590 --> 01:16:36,217 {\an8}[Alexis] Why were you so unhappy? 1479 01:16:36,801 --> 01:16:38,344 {\an8}[Elton] My career was killing me. 1480 01:16:39,595 --> 01:16:43,641 All I lived for was my chart position and... 1481 01:16:44,809 --> 01:16:46,977 sex and cocaine. 1482 01:16:48,187 --> 01:16:49,813 I mean, I felt there must be something 1483 01:16:49,814 --> 01:16:51,398 more to my life than this. 1484 01:16:53,651 --> 01:16:55,151 But I was the worst kind of person 1485 01:16:55,152 --> 01:16:58,238 to take drugs, because I couldn't have a line 1486 01:16:58,239 --> 01:16:59,656 - and then put it away. - [Alexis] Right. 1487 01:16:59,657 --> 01:17:02,118 [Elton] I'd just have to finish it off, and then I'd want more. 1488 01:17:03,577 --> 01:17:05,703 When you drink that much and you do that amount of drugs, 1489 01:17:05,704 --> 01:17:07,997 it's like I was dead and looking at it from up 1490 01:17:07,998 --> 01:17:09,458 in heaven thinking, 1491 01:17:10,000 --> 01:17:12,586 "Who the... [bleep] ...are you? What have you become?" 1492 01:17:16,298 --> 01:17:18,425 I just wanted someone to put their arm around me. 1493 01:17:21,262 --> 01:17:24,557 I was nervous about my family seeing what kind of state I was in. 1494 01:17:25,099 --> 01:17:27,851 The day before the show, we were having lunch 1495 01:17:27,852 --> 01:17:30,479 at my house in Beverly Hills... 1496 01:17:32,314 --> 01:17:34,191 I took a bunch of sleeping tablets. 1497 01:17:37,987 --> 01:17:40,739 I took them, came up to the swimming pool, said, 1498 01:17:40,865 --> 01:17:42,366 "I'm gonna-- I've taken a bunch of tablets. 1499 01:17:42,575 --> 01:17:44,702 "I'm gonna kill my-- I'm gonna drown." 1500 01:17:46,745 --> 01:17:50,958 [♪ soft rock music playing] 1501 01:18:12,062 --> 01:18:15,774 [Mike] I was outside, sitting with his mum 1502 01:18:15,900 --> 01:18:21,447 and his stepdad and his nan, and we pulled him out. 1503 01:18:23,574 --> 01:18:24,825 I called the doctor. 1504 01:18:25,784 --> 01:18:28,120 I believe the doctor pumped his stomach 1505 01:18:28,871 --> 01:18:30,205 and put him to bed. 1506 01:18:30,206 --> 01:18:34,334 And I just sat by his bed all night 1507 01:18:34,335 --> 01:18:36,545 as he went in and out of consciousness. 1508 01:18:39,131 --> 01:18:41,133 And then, in the morning, he came to. 1509 01:18:42,301 --> 01:18:46,096 [♪ soft piano music playing] 1510 01:18:52,603 --> 01:18:54,312 [Alexis] How did your parents take it? 1511 01:18:54,313 --> 01:18:55,813 [Elton] My mother and my stepfather 1512 01:18:55,814 --> 01:18:57,900 and my grandmother were worried about me. 1513 01:18:59,860 --> 01:19:01,694 [Alexis] Were you then in bed for a couple of days 1514 01:19:01,695 --> 01:19:03,447 - after that or-- - [Elton] No. 1515 01:19:03,572 --> 01:19:05,114 [Alexis] So, you were right as rain? 1516 01:19:05,115 --> 01:19:08,117 [Elton] Well, I had the show to do, so I had to be as right as rain. 1517 01:19:08,118 --> 01:19:10,204 [Alexis] There was never any question of canceling the show? 1518 01:19:10,746 --> 01:19:11,955 [Elton] No. 1519 01:19:11,956 --> 01:19:14,833 I've never taken my personal life on stage with me. 1520 01:19:14,959 --> 01:19:16,125 - [Alexis] Okay. - For those two hours 1521 01:19:16,126 --> 01:19:20,005 or two-and-a-half hours, it's an escape from turmoil. 1522 01:19:21,090 --> 01:19:23,092 And that comes all the way back 1523 01:19:23,259 --> 01:19:25,510 and the only time I felt really included sometimes, 1524 01:19:25,511 --> 01:19:28,097 was when I was playing the piano in front of people. 1525 01:19:31,267 --> 01:19:33,435 [crowd cheering] 1526 01:19:33,602 --> 01:19:37,940 [♪ rock music playing, Elton John "Pinball Wizard"] 1527 01:19:50,411 --> 01:19:53,455 ♪ Ever since I was a young boy I played the silver ball ♪ 1528 01:19:53,706 --> 01:19:56,750 ♪ From Soho down to Brighton I must've played them all ♪ 1529 01:19:57,042 --> 01:20:00,045 ♪ But I ain't seen nothin' like him in any amusement hall ♪ 1530 01:20:00,296 --> 01:20:04,383 ♪ That deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball ♪ 1531 01:20:10,556 --> 01:20:13,517 ♪ He stands like a statue becomes part of the machine ♪ 1532 01:20:13,726 --> 01:20:16,937 ♪ Feeling all the bumpers always playing clean ♪ 1533 01:20:17,104 --> 01:20:20,189 ♪ He plays by intuition the digit counters fall ♪ 1534 01:20:20,190 --> 01:20:24,570 ♪ That deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball ♪ 1535 01:20:30,159 --> 01:20:33,662 ♪ He's a pinball wizard He scores a trillion more ♪ 1536 01:20:33,912 --> 01:20:38,709 ♪ A pinball wizard The world's new pinball lord ♪ 1537 01:20:39,668 --> 01:20:42,546 ♪ He's scoring more ♪ 1538 01:20:43,047 --> 01:20:47,468 ♪ He's scoring more ♪ 1539 01:20:48,761 --> 01:20:49,845 ♪ All right! ♪ 1540 01:20:50,137 --> 01:20:51,597 [vocalizing] 1541 01:21:00,731 --> 01:21:02,566 Thank you! "Pinball Wizard!" 1542 01:21:02,691 --> 01:21:05,235 [crowd cheering] 1543 01:21:20,209 --> 01:21:23,087 Thank you, Los Angeles! Thank you, the Dodgers! 1544 01:21:26,340 --> 01:21:32,137 [♪ instrumental music playing] 1545 01:21:37,184 --> 01:21:39,102 [Elton] I was communicating and having great success 1546 01:21:39,103 --> 01:21:41,688 in front of all these thousands and thousands of people, 1547 01:21:42,648 --> 01:21:45,817 and I was very good at it. That's what kept me going. 1548 01:21:45,818 --> 01:21:47,611 I mean, that love of the music. 1549 01:21:48,404 --> 01:21:51,155 But that wasn't how you cope with normal life. 1550 01:21:51,156 --> 01:21:52,825 That's fantasy land. 1551 01:21:54,493 --> 01:21:56,786 And I had all the success, I had all of the trappings, 1552 01:21:56,787 --> 01:21:58,871 and I loved that and everything, but they really-- 1553 01:21:58,872 --> 01:22:00,666 They didn't make me happy. 1554 01:22:02,000 --> 01:22:05,671 And I knew that I could not stay so unhappy and so miserable. 1555 01:22:31,572 --> 01:22:34,575 [Cliff] 18 August 1976. 1556 01:22:35,242 --> 01:22:36,660 {\an8}Speaking with Elton John. 1557 01:22:38,954 --> 01:22:40,289 You've announced no touring. 1558 01:22:40,622 --> 01:22:42,416 You're gonna stay with that if you can. 1559 01:22:42,541 --> 01:22:43,541 [young Elton] For the time. 1560 01:22:43,542 --> 01:22:44,667 I'm not saying I'm retiring. 1561 01:22:44,668 --> 01:22:46,461 I just know it's time to do something else now. 1562 01:22:46,462 --> 01:22:49,088 [Cliff] This is a very important time in your life. 1563 01:22:49,089 --> 01:22:50,466 A lot of changes going on. 1564 01:22:50,799 --> 01:22:52,425 [young Elton] Yeah. I mean, I feel very strange 1565 01:22:52,426 --> 01:22:53,719 at this particular moment. 1566 01:22:54,636 --> 01:22:56,597 [Cliff] You've had five years at the top. 1567 01:22:57,055 --> 01:23:01,894 You're in a rank of stardom that's almost incomparable. 1568 01:23:02,311 --> 01:23:04,146 You've got everything a person could have. 1569 01:23:04,855 --> 01:23:06,607 But what about old Elton, when he, uh, 1570 01:23:07,608 --> 01:23:11,236 goes home at night? Do you have love and affection? 1571 01:23:12,112 --> 01:23:13,321 [young Elton] Not really. 1572 01:23:13,322 --> 01:23:15,532 I do have a certain amount of sex and that's it. 1573 01:23:15,824 --> 01:23:17,325 I would desperately like to be loved, 1574 01:23:17,326 --> 01:23:19,786 but that isn't part of my life that's come together yet. 1575 01:23:20,496 --> 01:23:23,706 [Cliff] Can you be relaxed at all about the kind of person 1576 01:23:23,707 --> 01:23:25,208 you'd really like to fall in love with? 1577 01:23:25,209 --> 01:23:27,586 [young Elton] I'm a bit of a coward when it comes to that. 1578 01:23:28,128 --> 01:23:29,504 I tend to get scared. 1579 01:23:29,505 --> 01:23:31,422 As soon as somebody tries to get to know me deeply, 1580 01:23:31,423 --> 01:23:34,801 I sort of clam up and turn off. I just won't let people near me. 1581 01:23:35,928 --> 01:23:38,764 I just hurt so much as a kid, I don't want it to happen again. 1582 01:23:43,352 --> 01:23:45,604 - [Cliff] Can we get personal? - [young Elton] Hmm, a little bit. 1583 01:23:45,729 --> 01:23:46,813 [Cliff] Shall we turn that off? 1584 01:23:48,941 --> 01:23:50,484 - [young Elton] Keep going. - [Cliff] Yeah, ok. 1585 01:23:51,026 --> 01:23:52,945 Do you see any time when you can be 1586 01:23:53,153 --> 01:23:54,947 totally honest and upfront about yourself, 1587 01:23:55,155 --> 01:23:56,197 sexually? 1588 01:23:56,198 --> 01:23:57,949 [young Elton] I've never talked about this before. 1589 01:23:57,950 --> 01:23:59,075 [Cliff chuckles] 1590 01:23:59,076 --> 01:24:00,619 [young Elton] But I'm not gonna turn it off. 1591 01:24:00,994 --> 01:24:01,994 I haven't met anybody 1592 01:24:01,995 --> 01:24:04,873 that I would really like to settle down of either sex. 1593 01:24:06,667 --> 01:24:08,377 [Cliff] Do you think it would be devastating 1594 01:24:08,710 --> 01:24:10,712 for your music or your sales that is-- 1595 01:24:11,338 --> 01:24:13,423 If you were to take the bisexual posture? 1596 01:24:15,676 --> 01:24:17,718 [young Elton] I think I've got to the point in my life 1597 01:24:17,719 --> 01:24:19,263 where I have to do what is honest. 1598 01:24:20,389 --> 01:24:23,057 Basically, I would like to get married eventually 1599 01:24:23,058 --> 01:24:24,851 and have kids, 'cause I love kids. 1600 01:24:25,185 --> 01:24:26,561 I have to have a personal life 1601 01:24:26,562 --> 01:24:30,314 and I have to have some peace of mind 1602 01:24:30,315 --> 01:24:31,440 and someone to share it with. 1603 01:24:31,441 --> 01:24:32,858 I've had no one to share this with. 1604 01:24:32,859 --> 01:24:34,570 And it's a little-- It can get to you. 1605 01:24:34,903 --> 01:24:36,655 I'm getting tired of being on my own. 1606 01:24:39,533 --> 01:24:41,867 [♪ somber music playing, Elton John "All the Nasties"] 1607 01:24:41,868 --> 01:24:45,747 ♪ If it came to pass that they should ask ♪ 1608 01:24:49,251 --> 01:24:52,045 ♪ What could I tell them? ♪ 1609 01:24:53,630 --> 01:24:59,469 ♪ Would they criticize behind my back? ♪ 1610 01:25:02,723 --> 01:25:05,559 ♪ Maybe I should let them ♪ 1611 01:25:08,145 --> 01:25:12,316 ♪ Oh, if only then and only then ♪ 1612 01:25:12,441 --> 01:25:15,444 ♪ They would understand ♪ 1613 01:25:16,862 --> 01:25:19,990 ♪ They'd turn a full-blooded city boy ♪ 1614 01:25:20,115 --> 01:25:22,534 ♪ Into a full-blooded city man... ♪ 1615 01:25:25,871 --> 01:25:29,458 [Alexis] Was there any reaction to it within the music business? 1616 01:25:31,251 --> 01:25:33,127 [Elton] People around me were nervous, 1617 01:25:33,128 --> 01:25:34,796 the record company in America. 1618 01:25:35,881 --> 01:25:38,299 There was a knee-jerk reaction amongst some radio stations 1619 01:25:38,300 --> 01:25:41,386 in America who burnt my records and stuff like that. 1620 01:25:41,928 --> 01:25:44,473 There's no hiding the truth, it did hurt my career. 1621 01:25:45,682 --> 01:25:47,099 [Alexis] Was it a liberating thing? 1622 01:25:47,100 --> 01:25:48,602 - Was it a-- - [Elton] Oh, totally. 1623 01:25:49,144 --> 01:25:51,313 To finally be able to be who I was. 1624 01:25:52,230 --> 01:25:53,565 You've no idea. 1625 01:25:54,107 --> 01:25:56,276 It took me years and years to be honest. 1626 01:25:58,362 --> 01:26:01,113 And then it took me from that time 1627 01:26:01,114 --> 01:26:04,533 to when I got sober when I was 43 1628 01:26:04,534 --> 01:26:06,787 to get as honest as I possibly could. 1629 01:26:08,038 --> 01:26:10,791 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1630 01:26:11,249 --> 01:26:13,919 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1631 01:26:14,544 --> 01:26:16,879 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1632 01:26:16,880 --> 01:26:18,798 [Elton] It's not until I got sober in 1990 1633 01:26:18,799 --> 01:26:20,592 that everything changed. 1634 01:26:20,967 --> 01:26:23,762 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1635 01:26:24,304 --> 01:26:27,182 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1636 01:26:27,516 --> 01:26:30,977 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1637 01:26:33,855 --> 01:26:35,190 ♪ Oh, my soul... ♪ 1638 01:26:35,357 --> 01:26:37,900 [Elton] It did take me 43 years to learn how to function 1639 01:26:37,901 --> 01:26:40,404 as a human being, rather than as a rock star. 1640 01:26:43,407 --> 01:26:46,410 {\an8}♪ ...Oh, my soul ♪ 1641 01:26:46,618 --> 01:26:49,704 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1642 01:26:49,705 --> 01:26:52,874 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1643 01:26:56,294 --> 01:26:59,005 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1644 01:26:59,464 --> 01:27:02,050 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1645 01:27:02,801 --> 01:27:05,512 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1646 01:27:09,015 --> 01:27:15,272 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1647 01:27:15,772 --> 01:27:19,151 {\an8}♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1648 01:27:21,945 --> 01:27:28,285 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1649 01:27:28,493 --> 01:27:31,663 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1650 01:27:34,916 --> 01:27:37,377 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1651 01:27:38,086 --> 01:27:40,505 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1652 01:27:41,298 --> 01:27:44,176 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1653 01:27:47,596 --> 01:27:50,724 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1654 01:27:50,974 --> 01:27:53,310 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1655 01:27:53,894 --> 01:27:56,855 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1656 01:28:00,150 --> 01:28:02,652 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1657 01:28:03,361 --> 01:28:05,864 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1658 01:28:06,531 --> 01:28:09,034 ♪ Oh, my soul ♪ 1659 01:28:09,242 --> 01:28:13,330 [crowd cheering] 1660 01:28:22,255 --> 01:28:27,427 {\an8}[♪ soft music playing, Elton John "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"] 1661 01:28:36,561 --> 01:28:39,564 ♪ When I think of those East End lights ♪ 1662 01:28:39,898 --> 01:28:42,400 ♪ Muggy nights the curtains drawn ♪ 1663 01:28:42,526 --> 01:28:45,529 ♪ In the little room downstairs ♪ 1664 01:28:47,948 --> 01:28:50,784 ♪ Prima donna Lord you really should have been there ♪ 1665 01:28:51,159 --> 01:28:56,206 ♪ Sittin' like a princess perched in her electric chair ♪ 1666 01:28:57,791 --> 01:29:04,172 ♪ And it's one more beer And I don't hear you anymore ♪ 1667 01:29:04,339 --> 01:29:07,217 ♪ We've all gone crazy lately ♪ 1668 01:29:07,801 --> 01:29:12,556 ♪ My friend's out there rolling 'round the basement floor ♪ 1669 01:29:13,390 --> 01:29:16,017 ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ 1670 01:29:18,144 --> 01:29:20,981 ♪ And someone saved my life tonight ♪ 1671 01:29:21,147 --> 01:29:24,609 - ♪ Sugar bear ♪ - ♪ Sugar bear ♪ 1672 01:29:24,818 --> 01:29:27,070 ♪ You almost had your hooks in me ♪ 1673 01:29:27,696 --> 01:29:29,281 ♪ Didn't you dear ♪ 1674 01:29:29,739 --> 01:29:33,410 ♪ You nearly had me roped and tied ♪ 1675 01:29:34,369 --> 01:29:38,414 ♪ Altar bound hypnotized Sweet freedom ♪ 1676 01:29:38,415 --> 01:29:42,419 ♪ Whispered in my ear You're a butterfly ♪ 1677 01:29:43,837 --> 01:29:47,132 ♪ And butterflies are free to fly ♪ 1678 01:29:47,299 --> 01:29:48,466 ♪ Fly away ♪ 1679 01:29:50,552 --> 01:29:52,971 ♪ High away ♪ 1680 01:29:53,138 --> 01:29:55,098 ♪ Bye bye ♪ 1681 01:29:55,557 --> 01:29:58,768 ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ 1682 01:30:03,189 --> 01:30:05,399 [♪ song fades] 1683 01:30:05,400 --> 01:30:08,360 This is a very special night for me, 1684 01:30:08,361 --> 01:30:11,531 a very emotional night for me. And-- [clears throat] 1685 01:30:11,656 --> 01:30:15,075 [crowd cheering] 1686 01:30:15,076 --> 01:30:17,661 It's been a long journey. And... 1687 01:30:17,662 --> 01:30:21,666 - [laughs, clicks tongue] - [crowd cheering] 1688 01:30:28,840 --> 01:30:32,217 I first came here, to America, in 1970, 1689 01:30:32,218 --> 01:30:34,219 to the City of Angels, 1690 01:30:34,220 --> 01:30:36,931 - Los Angeles. - [crowd cheering] 1691 01:30:36,932 --> 01:30:39,351 And I played a club called the Troubadour Club, 1692 01:30:40,727 --> 01:30:42,687 which thankfully is still there. 1693 01:30:43,855 --> 01:30:46,023 It's been 50 years of touring in the United States 1694 01:30:46,024 --> 01:30:47,733 across all 50 states. 1695 01:30:47,734 --> 01:30:49,693 So, thank you for all the years 1696 01:30:49,694 --> 01:30:51,737 of love and generosity and loyalty. 1697 01:30:51,738 --> 01:30:53,697 [♪ rock music playing, Elton John "I'm Still Standing"] 1698 01:30:53,698 --> 01:30:55,825 ♪ You just fade away ♪ 1699 01:30:56,743 --> 01:30:59,370 ♪ Don't you know I'm still standin' ♪ 1700 01:30:59,371 --> 01:31:01,289 ♪ Better than I ever did? ♪ 1701 01:31:01,957 --> 01:31:07,337 ♪ Lookin' like a true survivor Feelin' like a little kid ♪ 1702 01:31:08,380 --> 01:31:12,842 ♪ I'm still standin' after all this time ♪ 1703 01:31:13,301 --> 01:31:15,970 ♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life ♪ 1704 01:31:15,971 --> 01:31:18,556 ♪ Without you on my mind ♪ 1705 01:31:18,890 --> 01:31:22,894 ♪ I'm still standin' Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ 1706 01:31:24,521 --> 01:31:29,234 ♪ I'm still standin' Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ 1707 01:31:31,444 --> 01:31:33,613 ♪ Once I never coulda hoped to win ♪ 1708 01:31:33,780 --> 01:31:36,281 ♪ You're startin' down the road leavin' me again ♪ 1709 01:31:36,282 --> 01:31:39,159 ♪ The threats you made were meant to cut me down ♪ 1710 01:31:39,160 --> 01:31:41,620 ♪ And if our love was just a circus ♪ 1711 01:31:41,621 --> 01:31:43,999 ♪ You'd be a clown by now ♪ 1712 01:31:44,708 --> 01:31:49,129 ♪ You know I'm still standin' better than I ever did ♪ 1713 01:31:50,422 --> 01:31:52,215 ♪ Lookin' like a true survivor ♪ 1714 01:31:52,841 --> 01:31:54,926 ♪ Feelin' like a little kid ♪ 1715 01:31:56,219 --> 01:32:00,724 ♪ I'm still standin' after all this time ♪ 1716 01:32:01,099 --> 01:32:03,518 ♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life ♪ 1717 01:32:03,977 --> 01:32:06,229 ♪ Without you on my mind ♪ 1718 01:32:06,813 --> 01:32:10,942 ♪ I'm still standin' Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ 1719 01:32:12,277 --> 01:32:16,573 ♪ I'm still standin' Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ 1720 01:32:17,949 --> 01:32:22,287 ♪ I'm still standin' Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ 1721 01:32:23,455 --> 01:32:28,626 ♪ I'm still standin' Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ 1722 01:32:30,545 --> 01:32:35,759 - [♪ song concludes] - [crowd cheering] 1723 01:32:36,926 --> 01:32:39,721 [crowd cheering, whistling] 1724 01:33:13,505 --> 01:33:17,092 [cheering, whistling continues] 1725 01:33:33,233 --> 01:33:36,402 [♪ soft music playing, Elton John "Your Song"] 1726 01:33:40,949 --> 01:33:43,243 ♪ It's a little bit funny ♪ 1727 01:33:44,786 --> 01:33:46,996 ♪ This feelin' inside ♪ 1728 01:33:48,414 --> 01:33:53,795 ♪ I'm not one of those who can easily hide ♪ 1729 01:33:55,672 --> 01:34:00,802 ♪ I don't have much money But boy if I did ♪ 1730 01:34:02,303 --> 01:34:08,768 ♪ I'd buy a big house where we both could live ♪ 1731 01:34:11,187 --> 01:34:13,356 ♪ If I was a sculptor ♪ 1732 01:34:14,816 --> 01:34:18,319 ♪ But then again, no or a man ♪ 1733 01:34:18,778 --> 01:34:23,658 ♪ Who makes potions in a travelin' show ♪ 1734 01:34:25,326 --> 01:34:30,707 ♪ I know it's not much But it's the best I can do ♪ 1735 01:34:32,083 --> 01:34:38,173 ♪ My gift is my song And this one's for you ♪ 1736 01:34:41,092 --> 01:34:44,262 ♪ And you can tell everybody ♪ 1737 01:34:44,804 --> 01:34:47,182 ♪ This is your song ♪ 1738 01:34:48,224 --> 01:34:53,646 ♪ It may be quite simple But now that it's done ♪ 1739 01:34:54,606 --> 01:34:57,984 ♪ I hope you don't mind I hope you don't mind ♪ 1740 01:34:58,109 --> 01:35:01,696 ♪ That I put down in words ♪ 1741 01:35:02,530 --> 01:35:06,034 ♪ How wonderful life is ♪ 1742 01:35:06,409 --> 01:35:10,496 ♪ While you're in the world ♪ 1743 01:35:10,997 --> 01:35:13,750 [Elton] I would like to introduce somebody who, 1744 01:35:14,083 --> 01:35:15,083 if it wasn't for him, 1745 01:35:15,084 --> 01:35:16,960 I wouldn't be sitting here right now. 1746 01:35:16,961 --> 01:35:19,671 - Come on, Mr. Bernie Taupin. - [crowd cheering] 1747 01:35:19,672 --> 01:35:21,007 ♪ I sat on the roof ♪ 1748 01:35:23,051 --> 01:35:25,261 ♪ And kicked off the moss ♪ 1749 01:35:26,429 --> 01:35:28,764 ♪ Well, a few of the verses ♪ 1750 01:35:28,765 --> 01:35:32,101 ♪ Well They've got me quite cross ♪ 1751 01:35:33,728 --> 01:35:35,354 ♪ But the sun's been quite kind ♪ 1752 01:35:35,355 --> 01:35:36,772 Bernie Taupin! 1753 01:35:36,773 --> 01:35:39,192 ♪ While I wrote this song... ♪ 1754 01:35:40,652 --> 01:35:44,113 And as you know, I am stopping touring, 1755 01:35:44,572 --> 01:35:46,616 and this would mean my last concert in America. 1756 01:35:46,950 --> 01:35:50,119 It's 'cause I wanna spend time with my family. 1757 01:35:50,536 --> 01:35:55,749 So, I wanna bring them out and show you why I am retiring. 1758 01:35:55,750 --> 01:35:58,544 David, Zachary, and Elijah. 1759 01:35:59,963 --> 01:36:03,924 [crowd cheering] 1760 01:36:03,925 --> 01:36:07,971 ♪ Anyway the thing is What I really mean ♪ 1761 01:36:10,974 --> 01:36:16,229 ♪ Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen ♪ 1762 01:36:19,857 --> 01:36:26,197 ♪ And you can tell everybody this is your song ♪ 1763 01:36:27,073 --> 01:36:32,578 ♪ It may be quite simple But now that it's done ♪ 1764 01:36:33,997 --> 01:36:35,415 ♪ I hope you don't mind ♪ 1765 01:36:35,790 --> 01:36:40,753 ♪ I hope you don't mind that I put down in words ♪ 1766 01:36:41,587 --> 01:36:45,133 ♪ How wonderful life is ♪ 1767 01:36:45,717 --> 01:36:49,470 ♪ While you're in the world ♪ 1768 01:36:51,556 --> 01:36:53,224 ♪ I hope you don't mind ♪ 1769 01:36:53,349 --> 01:36:58,771 ♪ I hope you don't mind that I put down in words ♪ 1770 01:36:59,564 --> 01:37:02,859 ♪ How wonderful life is ♪ 1771 01:37:03,484 --> 01:37:07,030 ♪ While you're in the world ♪ 1772 01:37:16,789 --> 01:37:18,958 [♪ song concludes] 1773 01:37:19,125 --> 01:37:24,964 [crowd cheering, applauding] 1774 01:37:49,030 --> 01:37:52,241 [♪ soft piano music playing, Elton John and Brandi Carlile "Never Too Late"] 1775 01:38:02,043 --> 01:38:04,379 ♪ It's never too late ♪ 1776 01:38:05,296 --> 01:38:08,383 ♪ For a wide-open slate ♪ 1777 01:38:09,008 --> 01:38:15,014 ♪ A kiss from a stranger A thousand first dates ♪ 1778 01:38:15,515 --> 01:38:18,892 ♪ You're a diamond, baby ♪ 1779 01:38:18,893 --> 01:38:21,479 ♪ To hell with heaven's gate ♪ 1780 01:38:22,063 --> 01:38:23,981 ♪ There's not a moment too soon ♪ 1781 01:38:24,107 --> 01:38:27,985 ♪ If it's never too never too late ♪ 1782 01:38:28,778 --> 01:38:34,784 ♪ Well, it's never too late To go shoot out the moon ♪ 1783 01:38:35,368 --> 01:38:41,707 ♪ We'll go dancing in graveyards You can keep your balloons ♪ 1784 01:38:42,375 --> 01:38:48,131 ♪ Be a runaway bride Trading gifts is the groom ♪ 1785 01:38:49,090 --> 01:38:53,719 ♪ If it's never too late For a moment too soon ♪ 1786 01:38:56,264 --> 01:39:01,978 {\an8}♪ Time, don't bore me With the same old tired story ♪ 1787 01:39:02,478 --> 01:39:04,814 {\an8}♪ What's new in the news? ♪ 1788 01:39:05,690 --> 01:39:08,985 ♪ Who's hot? Where's the glory? ♪ 1789 01:39:09,152 --> 01:39:12,113 ♪ How we dwell in the past ♪ 1790 01:39:12,738 --> 01:39:15,283 ♪ For laughing at time ♪ 1791 01:39:15,658 --> 01:39:18,911 ♪ Don't the years make jokes of all of us? ♪ 1792 01:39:19,036 --> 01:39:20,704 ♪ Let the whole ♪ 1793 01:39:20,705 --> 01:39:24,333 ♪ Let the whole century slide ♪ 1794 01:39:39,182 --> 01:39:42,059 ♪ There's a last time for everything ♪ 1795 01:39:42,852 --> 01:39:45,104 ♪ But we won't ever know ♪ 1796 01:39:45,980 --> 01:39:48,816 ♪ It's a slow dance on a carousel ♪ 1797 01:39:49,484 --> 01:39:52,153 ♪ A walk in the snow ♪ 1798 01:39:52,445 --> 01:39:55,781 ♪ Don't let it cross your mind ♪ 1799 01:39:55,990 --> 01:39:59,160 ♪ Keep a smile upon your lips ♪ 1800 01:39:59,494 --> 01:40:03,706 ♪ Let's spin 'round the sun like the veil never slips ♪ 1801 01:40:06,292 --> 01:40:09,462 ♪ Time, don't bore me ♪ 1802 01:40:09,629 --> 01:40:12,173 ♪ With the same old tired story ♪ 1803 01:40:12,423 --> 01:40:15,009 ♪ What's new in the news? ♪ 1804 01:40:15,843 --> 01:40:18,846 ♪ Who's hot? Where's the glory? ♪ 1805 01:40:19,013 --> 01:40:22,266 ♪ How we dwell in the past ♪ 1806 01:40:22,725 --> 01:40:25,186 ♪ For laughing at time ♪ 1807 01:40:25,770 --> 01:40:28,898 ♪ Don't the years make jokes of all of us? ♪ 1808 01:40:29,190 --> 01:40:31,692 - ♪ Let the whole ♪ - ♪ Let the whole ♪ 1809 01:40:31,817 --> 01:40:35,362 - ♪ Century slide ♪ - ♪ Century slide ♪ 1810 01:40:35,363 --> 01:40:37,949 ♪ Slide ♪ 1811 01:40:39,367 --> 01:40:45,248 ♪ Oh, it's never too late For a wide-open slate ♪ 1812 01:40:46,249 --> 01:40:48,793 ♪ A kiss from a stranger ♪ 1813 01:40:49,544 --> 01:40:52,129 ♪ A thousand first dates ♪ 1814 01:40:52,588 --> 01:40:55,550 ♪ You're a diamond, baby ♪ 1815 01:40:56,050 --> 01:40:59,135 ♪ To hell with heaven's gate ♪ 1816 01:40:59,136 --> 01:41:00,805 ♪ There's not a moment too soon ♪ 1817 01:41:00,930 --> 01:41:04,015 ♪ If it's never too never too late ♪ 1818 01:41:04,016 --> 01:41:05,226 ♪ Oh, no ♪ 1819 01:41:05,685 --> 01:41:07,519 ♪ There's not a moment too soon ♪ 1820 01:41:07,520 --> 01:41:10,314 ♪ If it's never too never too late ♪ 1821 01:41:12,483 --> 01:41:19,197 ♪ There's not a moment too soon If it's never too late ♪ 1822 01:41:19,198 --> 01:41:20,908 [♪ song fades] 1823 01:41:24,745 --> 01:41:27,331 [♪ soft music playing] 1824 01:42:05,119 --> 01:42:07,038 [♪ music fades]