# Candle in the Wind 1997 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360 "2018-07-22T02:21:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/1 "2018-07-22T02:21:09Z")
Does this song, with the revised lyrics based on Princess Diana, ever get played on the radio? I would imagine they would almost always play the original version unless it was some day connected to Diana or something. It’s the number one selling single in the history of music charts, was only played live by its performer once, and I’m fairly sure it’s been nearly completely forgotten except as a footnote. It’s an interesting set of circumstances. The best selling single of all time, White Christmas, presumably still gets played a lot every Christmas season. > **[Candle in the Wind 1997](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle_in_the_Wind_1997)** > > "Candle in the Wind 1997", also known as "Goodbye England's Rose" and "Candle in the Wind '97", is a song by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, a re-written and re-recorded version of their 1973 song "Candle in the Wind". It was released on 13 September 1997 as a tribute single to Diana, Princess of Wales, with the global proceeds from the song going towards Diana's charities. In many countries, it was pressed as a double A-side with "Something About the Way You Look Ton... ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/2 "2018-07-22T02:41:24Z")
Not GQ? Good. Can’t answer the question, but goddamn that is one of the worst fucking songs of all time. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/3 "2018-07-22T03:33:43Z")
…edited to delete- maybe I’m wrong…its been a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/4 "2018-07-22T03:49:24Z")
To answer the OP it isn’t played because Elton John didn’t want it to be played. He said he’d never sing it again, and would not sell it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/5 "2018-07-22T03:50:13Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Does this song, with the revised lyrics based on Princess Diana, ever get played on the radio? I would imagine they would almost always play the original version unless it was some day connected to Diana or something. It’s the number one selling single in the history of music charts, was only played live by its performer once, and I’m fairly sure it’s been nearly completely forgotten except as a footnote. It’s an interesting set of circumstances. Can’t say I’ve ever heard it on the radio - they either play the original, or a live version of the original. IIRC, Elton has said he would never play the 1997 version again unless William and Harry were present and gave him the OK. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/6 "2018-07-22T04:23:24Z")
This song is the answer to a great, if convoluted, trivia question: What song was released in three consecutive decades, by the same artist, in three differing versions, becoming more popular with each release, with the last release becoming the biggest song of the year & decade? Also, in my experience, the version you hear depends upon the “decade focus” of the radio station - listening on the local “we play the hits of the 80s and 90s” station, I hear the live version. If I hear it on the classic rock (late 60s and 70s) station, I hear the original. Never hear the Diana version. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candle-in-the-wind-1997/818360/7 "2018-07-22T04:37:49Z")
It was a pretty bad idea, IMHO. It’s bad enough to appropriate the music from a classic song and put different lyrics to it, but to appropriate both music AND lyrics and make some edits to adapt it to someone else is just wrong. And I say this as someone who thinks that Elton John – especially in collaboration with lyricists like Bernie Taupin – is a towering and legendary figure in the annals of music.