Candle in the Wind 1997 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997"
CD single cover
Single by Elton John
A-side	"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" "Candle in the Wind 1997"
B-side	"You Can Make History (Young Again)"
Released	13 September 1997 (1997-09-13)
Recorded	September 1997
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:59 ("Something About the Way You Look Tonight") 4:11 ("Candle in the Wind 1997")
Label	Rocket A&M
Songwriter(s)	Elton John Bernie Taupin (re-written)
Producer(s)	George Martin
Elton John singles chronology
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" / "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997) "Recover Your Soul" (1998)

"Candle in the Wind 1997", also known as "Goodbye England's Rose", is a very famous song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. It's a special version of their 1973 song, rewritten to honor Diana, Princess of Wales.

The song was released on September 13, 1997, as a tribute after Diana's death. All the money earned from the song went to Diana's charities. In many countries, it was released as a double A-side with another song, "Something About the Way You Look Tonight". Sir George Martin produced this special version.

According to the Guinness World Records, "Candle in the Wind 1997" is one of the highest-selling physical singles of all time. It's the best-selling single since music charts began in the 1950s.

After its release, the song quickly became number one in many countries. It topped the UK Singles Chart and became the best-selling single in UK chart history. In the US, it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks. It was also the first song in the US to be certified Diamond, meaning it sold over 10 million copies.

In 1998, Elton John won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for this song. The original 1973 song was about Marilyn Monroe. For the 1997 version, the lyrics were changed to fit Diana's life and death. For example, "Goodbye Norma Jean" became "Goodbye England's Rose."

The Story Behind the Song

On August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris, France. This news deeply saddened Elton John, as he and Diana were close friends. He had also recently lost another friend, fashion designer Gianni Versace.

Elton John wanted to pay a special tribute to Diana. In his book Me, he shared that Richard Branson called him. Branson said many people were quoting the lyrics of Elton's song "Candle in the Wind" in the book of condolence for Diana. Branson asked Elton if he would rewrite the lyrics and sing them at Diana's funeral.

Elton John then asked his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin, to change the words of their 1973 song. The new lyrics were meant to sound like a whole country was singing them. Sir George Martin helped produce the song. He added a beautiful string quartet and woodwind instruments to the music. The song was recorded in West London right after the funeral.

Elton John performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" only once in public. This was at Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997. He has said he will not perform this special version again unless Diana's sons ask him to. He still sings the original version of the song at his concerts. This version of the song has not been released on any of his other albums or collections.

How Well the Song Sold

"Candle in the Wind 1997" was expected to sell very well because it was a tribute to Princess Diana. It became the fastest-selling single in the UK. On its first day, it sold 658,000 copies! In its first week, it sold over 1.5 million copies.

The single stayed at number one on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks. It became the best-selling song in UK history. It broke the record held by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" As of September 2017, it had sold 4.94 million copies in the UK.

The song also had huge success in the United States. It was released there on September 22, 1997. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 3.5 million copies in its first week. It stayed at the top of the charts for 14 weeks in a row. This was a record for a male solo artist.

It holds the record for the most sales in a single calendar year, selling over 8.1 million physical copies in 1997. Billboard magazine even named it the No. 1 song of 1997, even though it was only on the chart for eight weeks that year. It was the only song to debut at number one and also be the year-end number one until 2017.

"Candle in the Wind 1997" is the best-selling single in Billboard history. It was also the only single ever certified Diamond in the United States at that time. This means it shipped over 11 million copies in the US.

In Canada, the song stayed in the top 20 for three years. It spent 46 non-stop weeks at the top spot on the Canadian Singles Chart. In Australia, it was number one on the ARIA Charts for six weeks. It is one of the all-time best-selling singles in Australia. In Finland, it is the best-selling single ever.

It's believed that at its peak, almost six copies of the single were sold every second. All the money from the artist and composer payments, and the record company profits, were given to Diana's charities. This was done through the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

All-Time Sales Ranking

The song has sold over 33 million copies worldwide. This makes it one of the best-selling singles of all time. There's some discussion about whether it's the absolute best-selling. This is because it's hard to compare its sales to older songs like Bing Crosby's "White Christmas". "White Christmas" was released before modern music charts existed.

However, after looking into it carefully, Guinness World Records decided in 2007 that "White Christmas" had sold at least 50 million copies. They said "Candle in the Wind" had sold 33 million. So, "White Christmas" is considered the best-selling single of all time.

But in 2009, Guinness World Records updated their book. They decided to honor both songs. They stated that Elton John's song is the "best-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s." They also kept "White Christmas" as the "best-selling single of all time" because it was released before the first pop charts.

Charts

Certifications

Other Versions

In 1997, the music group La Bouche also covered "Candle in the Wind 1997". They included it as a bonus track on their album A Moment of Love.

See also

In Spanish: Candle in the Wind 1997 para niños