Sky News reports that initially the royal family was not very fond of Elton John’s performance as part of saying goodbye to the tragically deceased Princess Diana. Westminster Abbey had a saxophonist on standby to play in the event that Buckingham Palace did not agree to the performance of Candle in the Wind. The British National Archives declassified the contents of a note sent to the Palace by Wesley Carr, Dean of Westminster.
“Popular culture at its best”. Dean of Westminster about the song “Candle in the Wind”
“This will be a key moment in the service, where it would be worth taking care of something bold. It is then that the unexpected, something of the modern world, represented by the Duchess, happens,” wrote Carr. It did not escape the dean’s attention that “anything classical or choral, even as popular as Lloyd Webber’s compositions” would be “inappropriate”. “Better and strong would be a song by Elton John, known by millions and liked by the Duchess herself” – argued Carr.
The Reverend rightly noticed that the new text for Candle in the Wind, which refers directly to Princess Diana, “is sung in homage to her throughout the country” and does not come off the radio. “The use of this piece would capture the imagination and be an expression of generosity to the mourning millions: it is popular culture at its best,” the memo reads. Carr added that if Buckingham Palace sticks to the view that the lyrics are too “sloppy”, they don’t need to be included in the printed service order.
Dating from 1973, “Candle in the Wind” was written to commemorate Marylin Monroe. Bernie Taupin, the author of the text, recounted in an interview that when John asked him to rewrite the words, he felt that he had to adopt the “whole nation’s perspective”. – I wanted it to sound like the whole country was singing the song. After the first few lines I wrote, the rest of it just worked out, Taupin recalled. The words “Goodbye, Norma Jean / Though I never knew you at all / You had the grace to hold yourself / While those around you crawled” were replaced by the words: “Goodbye England’s rose / May you ever grow in our hearts / You were the grace that placed itself / Where lives were torn apart “.
Nearly 2.5 billion people watched the broadcast of the funeral of Princess Diana on September 6, 1997.
Source: Gazeta
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
