An Elton Memory

Reading up on Elton John's new album. They say it's fabulous.

In a Rolling Stone interview Elton reminisces a bit about his relationship with John Lennon.

He brought John out of retirement. They wrote "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" together, and Elton made Lennon promise that if the song got to Number One, he would have to perform it live with Elton.

The song made it to Number One.

The concert was at Madison Square Garden and John did get up and do it.

I knew this. Did you really think I wouldn't?

What follows is what I didn't know.

As Elton tells it: "He was petrified - he hadn't performed in years - but he came. I've never forgotten, I've never heard an ovation for anybody that was so heartwarming, and it moved him. It was, like, an eight minute standing ovation. He was physically sick before he came on..............."

The human psyche, man. John Lennon is one of the most famous icons in history, a man who achieved success enormously. He had proven himself eternally.

He got sick before going on stage with Elton because he hadn't done it for a while.

And then he gets an eight minute standing ovation.

It is amazing how out of touch we can be with our own reality.

Another interesting twist to the night was John's reunion with Yoko.

They had been separated for eighteen months. That period was legendary for John's hell raising with Ringo, Harry Nilson and Keith Moon. Lennon referred to it as his "Lost Weekend."

Yoko was in the audience at The Garden that night. They talked and decided to re-unite.

Regardless of what you think about Yoko, she was the love of his life.

The next time I puke out of nervousness I refuse to be embarrassed.