The songs selected for this collection have been carefully chosen to represent the diverse ways Elton and Bernie approach death—from personal struggles and tragic loss to social commentary and existential reflection. The order of the songs is intentional, guiding the listener through a journey that moves from public tributes and historical reflections to intimate confessions and contemplations on mortality.
This progression not only highlights the depth and range of their work but also mirrors the complex emotions and stages we encounter when facing death—grief, remembrance, acceptance, and ultimately, understanding. Through this curated path, the collection reveals how death, in their music, serves as a powerful mirror reflecting the meaning and value of life.
With this framework in mind, we now present the selected songs that exemplify Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s exploration of death and its many facets. Each song is accompanied by its album and year of release, as well as a brief commentary highlighting its unique perspective on mortality.
The journey begins with public and historical tributes, moves through intimate personal reflections, and concludes with meditations on aging and the inevitability of death. This carefully structured sequence allows us to appreciate the depth and nuance of their work, revealing how their music transforms the theme of death into a profound reflection on life itself.
1. “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” (1973, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
The medley opens Goodbye Yellow Brick Road with an instrumental imagining of a funeral, followed by heartfelt lyrics of loss and heartbreak. Elton conceived it as the music he’d want at his own funeral.
2. “Candle in the Wind” (1973, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
A tribute originally written for Marilyn Monroe, the song reflects on the tragedy of fame and the price paid by those in the spotlight. The lines: “Even when you died / Oh, the press still hounded you / All the papers had to say / Was that Marilyn was found in the nude” highlight the relentless and invasive nature of media attention even after death, emphasizing the vulnerability and objectification faced by the icon. The song mourns not just the loss of a life but also the cruelty that surrounds public figures, making it a poignant meditation on mortality and fame.
3. “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)” (1982, Jump Up!)
A tribute to John Lennon, reflecting on grief, absence, and the echoing void left behind. The empty garden becomes a powerful symbol of loss and memory. It also expresses Elton’s personal sense of loneliness and disbelief after Lennon’s death, underscoring the deep impact of losing a friend and cultural icon. The song is both a public tribute and a private lament, balancing collective mourning with intimate grief.
4. “The Last Song” (1992, The One)
A poignant narrative of a young man dying from AIDS and seeking reconciliation with his father. Bernie Taupin aimed to "thaw the intolerance of not understanding" through this story, making it a standout in Elton’s catalog. The added line: “Tonight we touched on the things that were never spoken / That kind of understanding sets me free” emphasizes the fragile, precious connection and the release that comes from finally expressing deep, long-suppressed emotions. It reflects the human need for closure and forgiveness, especially in the face of impending death.
5. “Song for Guy” (1978, A Single Man)
A minimalist piano instrumental dedicated to Guy Burchett, a young messenger boy who died tragically. Its understated, contemplative tone serves as a quiet elegy.
6. “American Triangle” (2001, Songs from the West Coast)
Inspired by the hate-driven murder of Matthew Shepard, touching on tragic death and intolerance. The line: “Looks like a painting, that blue skyline / God hates fags where we come from” lays bare the harsh realities of homophobia and hatred that led to Shepard’s brutal death. The juxtaposition of a peaceful, beautiful sky with the violent prejudices of society heightens the tragic irony and emphasizes the cruel environment surrounding the event. It’s a stark and painful reminder of the social attitudes that fuel such hate crimes.
7. “Blues Never Fade Away” (2006, The Captain & the Kid)
Reflects on living through tragedy and loss amid life’s hardships, using blues as a metaphor for enduring pain and sorrow. The line: “And how did we get so lucky? / Targets on the rifle range / Who makes the call and who gets to choose?” deepens the sense of chance and fortune amid tragedy, in a life marked by hardship and pain. The imagery of “targets on the rifle range” and the question of who makes the call about life and death highlight the vulnerability and uncertainty that accompany human suffering, offering a meditation on fate and responsibility in an unjust world.
8. “Talking Old Soldiers” (1970, Tumbleweed Connection)
One of the most devastating and lesser-known songs in the catalog. An old soldier talks to a young man in a pub, remembering dead comrades and the life that will never return. Death isn’t explicit, but absence and loneliness permeate everything. The line: “Well, it's time I moved off / But it's been great just listening to you / And I might even see ya next time I'm passing through” adds a layer of poignant farewell and fleeting connection. It captures the bittersweet moment of parting, reflecting the transient nature of relationships formed amidst loss and the hope, however fragile, of reconnecting in the future despite the ever-present shadow of mortality.
9. “Goodbye” (1971, Madman Across the Water)
A brief, melancholic song that closes the album with a farewell that could be literal or symbolic. The final chord hangs suspended, like a life cut off mid-phrase. The lyric: “Just turn back a page / I'll waste away” deepens the sense of inevitable decline and resignation. It evokes the slow fading of life, memory, or perhaps a relationship, underscoring the theme of loss with a quiet, haunting sadness.
10. “Ticking” (1974, Caribou)
Based on a real shooting story. The protagonist, an outcast with mental illness, kills several people before dying. A harsh reflection on tragedy, violence, and senseless death. The lyric: “But they pumped you full of rifle shells as you stepped out the door / Oh you danced in death like a marionette on the vengeance of the law” vividly captures the tragic and violent climax, portraying the protagonist’s helplessness and the cold, mechanical nature of death. The image of dancing like a marionette underscores the loss of control and inevitability of fate in this grim scenario.
11. “All the Nasties” (1971, Madman Across the Water)
A melancholic and religious piece with an almost funeral-like choir. It deals with guilt, redemption, and the judgment that may come after death. The lyric: “Help them understand / That a full-blooded city boy / Is now a full-blooded city man” suggests a passage from innocence to experience, possibly hinting at personal growth or societal expectations. It may reflect the internal struggle of coming to terms with oneself amid external judgment and the consequences of past actions, fitting into the song’s themes of redemption and moral reckoning.
12. “Have Mercy on the Criminal” (1973, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player)
A song with echoes of a death sentence. The fugitive’s flight could be a metaphor for imminent death, with a very cinematic tone. The lyric: “Now have you ever seen the white teeth gleam / While you lie on a cold damp ground / You're taking in the face of a rifle butt / While the wardens hold you down” evokes a vivid, harsh image of violence and captivity, emphasizing the desperation and brutality faced by the fugitive. The tension and sense of impending doom create a powerful narrative of struggle against inevitable punishment.
13. “Lady Samantha” (1969, Single)
The lyrics tell of a mysterious woman who appears suddenly and disappears just as fast, while the community watches but does nothing. Some critics interpret it as an allegory of death or a woman who decides to commit suicide or flee the world. Not explicit but surrounded by mystery, disappearance, and loss. The lyric: “Lady Samantha glides over the hills / In a long satin dress that she wears every day / Her home is the hillside, her bed is the grave” enhances the haunting, ethereal quality of the song. The imagery of gliding over hills in a satin dress suggests an almost spectral presence, while “her bed is the grave” underlines the theme of death or escape from life, reinforcing the song’s somber, enigmatic mood.
14. “I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself” (1972, Honky Château)
Mixes an extremely serious topic—suicide—with an ironic, almost playful presentation. The light, almost circus-like tone contrasts with the gravity of the title and theme. The song seems a critique of adolescent hedonism and narcissism but also talks about a fantasy of death as a reaction to emotional emptiness. The lyric: “I think I'm gonna kill myself / Cause a little suicide / Stick around for a couple of days / What a scandal if I died on” captures this ironic tension perfectly. It conveys a flippant, almost mischievous attitude toward suicide, highlighting the youthful dramatics and the performative aspect of self-destruction fantasies, while also hinting at the seriousness beneath the surface.
15. “Someone’s Final Song” (1976, Blue Moves)
An intimate and compassionate ballad where the narrator sings for someone who has just died—without knowing who they were. It’s a simple, sober tribute, almost like a secular mass for someone forgotten. The lyric: “I've gathered dust / Like the dying flowers / And I've drunk myself sober / After hours and hours” evokes a profound sense of weariness and mourning. It paints a picture of emotional exhaustion and the quiet rituals of grief, deepening the song’s atmosphere of somber reflection and gentle remembrance.
16. “The Man Who Never Died” (1985, B-side of Nikita)
An elegant and serene tribute to John Lennon. Mostly instrumental, the title speaks for itself: death does not erase the presence or impact of someone like Lennon. Unlike “Empty Garden,” which expresses sadness and incomprehension, here Elton seems to offer a moment of calm and transcendence.
17. “Emily” (1992, The One)
A soft, nostalgic ballad about a woman who has died, buried and forgotten by the world but remembered by the narrator. It’s a meditation on oblivion, memory, and the value of those lives that go unnoticed. The lyric: “In a cage sits a gold canary / By a wicker chair and a rosewood loom / As a soul ascends aboard the evening / Canary sings to an empty room” evokes a haunting image of loneliness and quiet departure. The canary’s song to an empty room symbolizes remembrance in solitude, underscoring the theme of isolation after death and the fading echoes of a life once lived.
18. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” (1975, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy)
A deeply personal song about Elton’s struggle with his sexuality and a suicide attempt. It speaks candidly about salvation and survival, reflecting on how someone’s intervention saved him from death. The lyric: “I never realized the passin' hours of evening showers / A slip noose hangin' in my darkest dreams” reveals the depth of Elton’s despair and the lurking presence of suicidal thoughts. The metaphor of a noose “hanging” in his darkest dreams poignantly captures the gravity of his crisis and the fragile line between life and death that he struggled to navigate.
19. “When this Old World Is Done With Me” (2021, Who Believes in Angels?)
From his latest album, written with Bernie Taupin and Brandi Carlile. Elton revealed the song deeply moved him, and he broke down for about 45 minutes during writing. The chorus speaks candidly about his own mortality: “To be broken up in pieces / Scatter me among the stars / When this old world is done with me / When I close my eyes / Release me like an ocean wave / Return me to the tide” These lines express a profound surrender to the inevitable cycle of life and death, asking for a peaceful return to nature and the cosmos. It reflects a tender acceptance of mortality, embracing dissolution as a form of liberation and continuation beyond the self.
20. “Sixty Years On” (1970, Elton John)
A haunting reflection on aging, loss, and the passage of time. It contemplates the inevitable approach of death and the loneliness of looking back on life. “And the future you're giving me holds nothing for a gun / I've no wish to be living sixty years on” These lines convey a profound sense of despair and resignation toward a future that feels bleak and threatening. The lyric expresses a wish to escape prolonged suffering or stagnation, highlighting the emotional weight of confronting mortality and the loss of hope.
In conclusion, studying Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s treatment of death has shown how deeply and thoughtfully they explore this universal theme. Their songs transform death from an end into a reflection on life, grief, memory, and acceptance.This collection reveals a journey through diverse emotions—from public tribute to intimate confession—offering insight and compassion. Ultimately, their music teaches us that facing death helps us understand and value life more deeply. Specially when it comes from Bernie’s lyrics…
Picture Created and Courtesy of Júlia, 11 years old
