Candle in the Wind 1997
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" | ||||
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Single by Elton John | ||||
A-side |
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B-side | "You Can Make History (Young Again)" | |||
Released | 13 September 1997 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
Elton John singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
"Candle in the Wind 1997", also known as "Goodbye England's Rose" and "Candle in the Wind '97", is a song by English musician
After being released, "Candle in the Wind 1997" entered at number one in the
The 1997 version won John the
Background
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris, France. The news shocked John, as he and the Princess were very good friends. A month earlier, he had also lost another good friend, fashion designer Gianni Versace. Pictures depicting Diana appearing to console a distraught John at Versace's funeral were featured prominently in news coverage throughout the world.[9][10]
I thought it was very important to project it from a nation's standpoint. I wanted to make it sound like a country singing it. From the first couple of lines I wrote [which began "Goodbye England's Rose"], the rest sort of fell into place
Bernie Taupin on writing the lyrics for "Candle in the Wind 1997"[11]
To cope with the grief, John wanted to pay a tribute to Diana.
John publicly performed "Candle in the Wind 1997" only once, at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in Westminster Abbey on 6 September 1997.[12] He continues to sing the original version of the song at his concerts but has repeatedly turned down requests to perform the revised version,[12] even for the memorial Concert for Diana in July 2007, having vowed never to perform it again unless asked by Diana's sons.[13] The song has never been released (or re-released) on any of his other albums or compilations, not even his 1997 album The Big Picture, nor the 1997 Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute album (an official 2-CD release sanctioned by Diana's family that included other artists such as Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Queen, Celine Dion, and Rod Stewart).[14] The song was included on Diana, Princess of Wales: The BBC Recording of the Funeral Service. The soundtrack was released on 30 September 1997.[15]
Chart performance
"Candle in the Wind 1997" became the fastest-selling single in the UK, selling 658,000 copies on its first day of release and over 1.5 million in its first week.
The chart success in the US was similar.
On the
"Candle in the wind" had 150,000 preorders in Netherlands, 2 million in Germany and 250,000 in France.[28] In Australia it had 400,000 preorders and in Germany it had 2 million preorders ahead of its September 13 issue. In France the single was released September 11, and following day it reached a platinum status with 500,000 sales.[29]
It is estimated that at the peak of sales, almost six copies of the single were sold per second.
All time sales ranking
The song has sold over 33 million copies worldwide.[6][8] Some have pointed out, the sales (of over 30 million) were "shipped"; achieved in about 37 days.[30][31]
"Candle in the Wind 1997" is either the best-selling or the
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
|
Certifications and sales
‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[100] | 14× Platinum | 980,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[101] | 6× Platinum | 300,000* |
Belgium (BEA)[102] | 9× Platinum | 450,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[103] | Platinum | 60,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[104] | 19× Platinum | 1,900,000^ |
Czech Republic ( IFPI Czech)[105]
|
7× Platinum | 28,000[105] |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[106] | Platinum | 54,225[106] |
France ( SNEP)[108]
|
Diamond | 2,000,000[107] |
Germany (BVMI)[109] | 9× Platinum | 4,500,000^ |
Italy | — | 300,000[110] |
Japan (RIAJ)[111] | 2× Platinum | 800,000[112] |
Netherlands (NVPI)[114] | 6× Platinum | 600,000[113] |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[115] | 8× Platinum | |
Poland (ZPAV)[116] | Platinum | 20,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[117] | 4× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[118] | 7× Platinum | 210,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[119] | 9× Platinum | 450,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[120] | 9× Platinum | 5,400,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[121] | 11× Platinum | 11,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 33,000,000[6][8] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Cover versions
In 1997 La Bouche covered "Candle in the Wind 1997" as a bonus track on their album A Moment of Love.[122]
See also
- Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
- List of best-selling singles
- List of best-selling singles in Australia
- List of best-selling singles in Canada
- List of best-selling singles in Finland
- List of best-selling singles in France
- List of best-selling singles in Germany
- List of best-selling singles in Japan
- List of best-selling singles in Spain
- List of best-selling singles in the United Kingdom
- List of best-selling singles in the United States
- List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 1997
References
- ^ a b Copsey, Rob (19 September 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". The Official Charts Company.
- ^ a b Entertainment BBC | Entertainment: Elton's candle burns in Canada BBC News "In the UK the song, which Sir Elton performed at the Diana's funeral on 6 September 1997, became the fastest-selling record of all time"
- ^ a b Billboard 3 Apr 1999 Billboard Retrieved 24 February 2011
- ^ Guinness Book of Records, 2007 Edition, page 187 Archived 15 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-1-904994-37-4. See also: Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.)
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'Candle in the Wind 1997' soon surpassed Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' to become the best-selling single of all time.
(certified sales) - ^ a b Elton John: Biography | Rolling Stone Music Rolling Stone "Candle in the Wind 1997," easily became the all-time highest-certified single".
- ^ a b c d e Barry Miles Massive Music Moments p.207. Anova Books, 2008
- ^ The Advocate 14 Oct 1997. Retrieved 25 December 2010
- ^ Billboard Books, 1997
- ^ ISBN 9780898795196.]
I thought it was very important to project it from a nation's standpoint. I wanted to make it sound like a country singing it. From the first couple of lines I wrote [which began "Goodbye England's Rose"], the rest sort of fell into place.
[permanent dead link - ^ a b c Katherine White Elton John pp.11–12. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2003
- ^ a b c d e Doyle, Jack (26 April 2008). "Candle in the Wind, 1973 & 1997". PopHistoryDig.com. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ Last FM: Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute page. Retrieved 15 January 2011
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Jones, Alan (20 September 1997). "The Official UK Charts" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
...topping the chart [...] a day after the single was released.
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- ^ UK Top 10 Best Selling Singles ukcharts.20m.com
- ^ Sandiford-Waller, Theda (20 September 1997). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 38. p. 89.
On Sept. 23, 'Candle In The Wind 1997' will be made available to retail as the B-side to 'Something About The Way You Look Tonight.'
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- ^ The first is the list of the best-selling foreign singles of all time in Finland, the second is that of the domestic singles:
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- ISBN 9780767402170. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ISBN 9781135939618. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-904994-37-4. See also: Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.)
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link - ^ Guinness Book of Records, 2007 Edition, page 187[dead link]
- ISBN 978-1-904994-37-4. See also: Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 and 169 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.)
{{cite web}}
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In Italia il singolo venduto 300 mila copie ed e stabile primo posto in classifica
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