Candle In The Wind

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Candle In The Wind

Tribute To Princess Diana from

Elton John

1. Biography of Elton John and his most famous songs

March 25, 1947 in Pinner, England
original name: Reginald Kenneth Dwight
at the age of 14, Reginald Dwight (Elton) and his friend Stuart Brown formed a band called the Corvettes, named after a brand of shaving cream. The band was never very serious and soon broke up.
1963, he got together with Stuart Brown once again and formed Bluesology, a moderately successful band
on the Valentines Day 1985 he married Renate Blauel in Sydney who he met first in 1982
Elton was the first western pop star who started a tour through Russia.
Elton's first #1 hit in the United States was "Crocodile Rock" in 1972. Elton's first #1 hit in the United Kingdom was "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"in 1976. His first solo hit was "Sacrifice" in 1990.
The albums "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" (1975) and "Rock of the Westies" (1975) both hit #1 in the US on the very day of their release.

2. Candle In The Wind: The song

over 21 millions sold singles
one of the most often sold singles (3rd place at the moment)
profits from sales of the single Candle In The Wind will be donated (lat. donare) to Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

Candle In The Wind[1]
Goodbye Norman Jean
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
The crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on the treadmill
And they made you change you name
And it seems to me you lived your live
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
And I would have like to have known you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend never will
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Hollywood created a superstar
And the pain was the price you paid
Even when you died
The press still hounded you
All the papers had to say
Was that Marilyn was found in the nude
Goodbye Norman Jean
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
Goodbye Norman Jean
From the young man in the 22nd row
Who sees you as something more than sexual
More than just our Marilyn Monroe
Candle In The Wind 1997[2]
Goodbye England's Rose May you ever grow in our hearts. You were the grace that placed itself Where lives were torn apart. You called out to our country, And you whispered to those in pain. Now you belong to heaven, And the stars spell out your name1. And it seems to me you lived your life Like a candle in the wind²: Never fading with the sunset When the rain set in. And your footsteps will always fall here, Along England's greenest hills; Your candle's burned out long before³ Your legend ever will. Loveliness we've lost; These empty days without your smile. This torch we'll always carry For our nation's golden child4. And even though we try, The truth brings us to tears; All our words cannot express The joy you brought us through the years. Goodbye England's Rose, From a country lost without your soul, Who'll miss the wings of your compassion More than you'll ever know.
Vocabulary
grace: Gunst
to tear (tore, torn) apart: völlig durcheinanderbringen
to whisper: flüstern; pain: Schmerz
to fade: verschwinden, sunset: Sonnenuntergang
footstep: Fußstapfen
loveliness: Schönheit
torch: Fackel
joy: Freude
wings: Flügel
compassion: Mitleid
2.1. Style and Rhyth
The song is characterised by plainness because there is only one instrument used in the song, also there is only one person singing. By the way the piano plays only a background function, so that the text is to the fore of the song and is easily understandable.
It has a very slow and sad rhyth so that the song became the emotional high spot of the ceremony.
2.2. Stylistic devices in the song
Here are some stylistic devices which are used in the song Candle In The Wind:

1 the stars spell out your name: personification of ”stars”

² like a candle in the wind: comparison

³ your candle´s burned out long before: symbol

4 for our nation's golden child: paraphrase