# Elton John welcomed John Lennon to Madison Square Garden in Nov, 1974. I've got a question or two **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215 "2025-03-27T19:49:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/1 "2025-03-27T19:49:05Z")
Stumbled across a few of the videos. The resolution is understandably poor. Seems there is a woman on stage playing bass. Does anyone know who this is? And, for that matter, does anyone have a list of the entire band for the evening? Pretty special stuff to watch and hear !! The opening number was [Whatever Gets You Through The Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CPPm76oVjM) and it’s a thing to behold. Partially because of how Yoko Ono held her gaze for so long with nary an expression… Anyone here know details. Hell, was anyone here THERE that night!? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/2 "2025-03-27T19:53:47Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Seems there is a woman on stage playing bass. Does anyone know who this is? [Dee Murray](https://eltonjohnallsongslist.blogspot.com/2008/01/unforgettable-people-iii-dee-murray.html) had lovely hair…for a man. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/3 "2025-03-27T19:59:44Z")
My fave from that concert is John singing lead (for the first time?) on [“I Saw Her Standing There”](https://youtu.be/8WgG6bTX6k0?si=rU7DABiz4g-zo12o) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/4 "2025-03-27T20:06:22Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > > > Seems there is a woman on stage playing bass. Does anyone know who this is? > > [Dee Murray](https://eltonjohnallsongslist.blogspot.com/2008/01/unforgettable-people-iii-dee-murray.html) had lovely hair…for a man. Thank you. Ignorance fought !!! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/5 "2025-03-27T20:07:25Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > My fave from that concert is John singing lead (for the first time?) on [“I Saw Her Standing There”](https://youtu.be/8WgG6bTX6k0?si=rU7DABiz4g-zo12o) Agreed. He looked like he was having fun, despite having gotten sick offstage just before coming on because of nerves. A little gift, those three songs are. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/6 "2025-03-27T20:41:41Z")
A number of comments on the OP’s YouTube video are claiming that it is footage from the 1985 movie _John and Yoko: A Love Story_, not from the actual 1974 concert. ---
**Author:** ![Kelby2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kelby2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelby2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/7 "2025-03-27T20:49:25Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > > > Seems there is a woman on stage playing bass. Does anyone know who this is? > > [Dee Murray](https://eltonjohnallsongslist.blogspot.com/2008/01/unforgettable-people-iii-dee-murray.html) had lovely hair…for a man. The saxophonist sounds like he (or she) just stepped off the stage from playing Saturday Night Live. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/8 "2025-03-27T20:57:25Z")
I think they used parts of the Concert in a couple films about John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/9 "2025-03-27T21:17:55Z")
> [@Kelby2](#): > > The saxophonist sounds like he (or she) just stepped off the stage from playing Saturday Night Live. I’m sure you know this, but yeah, Lenny Pickett’s resume includes both Elton John’s touring band and his lengthy (and current) tenure on SNL. ---
**Author:** ![Kelby2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kelby2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelby2)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/10 "2025-03-27T21:38:15Z")
I did not! He seems to have a very distinctive style to me. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/11 "2025-03-27T21:41:45Z")
Sorry. I was triggered by the ‘Johns’ in the thread title. Elton John Lennon Sisters of Mercy. There. I’ve gotten it out of my system. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/12 "2025-03-27T21:55:05Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > the 1985 movie _John and Yoko: A Love Story_ Featuring Peter Capaldi as George Harrison! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/13 "2025-03-28T17:36:53Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > A number of comments on the OP’s YouTube video are claiming that it is footage from the 1985 movie _John and Yoko: A Love Story_, not from the actual 1974 concert. Agreed it definitely isn’t real footage or even them. The crowd shots and the pan to Yoko is a dead giveaway. In the movie the concert is a pivotal point where he gets back together with Yoko after splitting up for a couple of years. The poster made the video fuzzy so it’s harder to see its actors. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/14 "2025-06-04T22:29:31Z")
Oooooh dammit. I got duped. My apologies, I honestly thought that was then when I OP’d this. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/15 "2025-06-04T23:50:44Z")
Boy George Michael Jackson Browne ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elton-john-welcomed-john-lennon-to-madison-square-garden-in-nov-1974-ive-got-a-question-or-two/1016215/16 "2025-06-05T00:14:04Z")
🤣