Released: October 5, 1973
Songwriter: Elton John Bernie Taupin
Producer: Gus Dudgeon
[Verse 1]
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
They crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on the treadmill
And they made you change your name
[Chorus]
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would've liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Verse 2]
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Hollywood created a superstar
And pain was the price you paid
And even when you died
Oh, the press still hounded you
All the papers had to say
Was that Marilyn was found in the nude
[Chorus]
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would've liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Verse 3]
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
From the young man in the 22nd row
Who sees you as something more than sexual
More than just our Marilyn Monroe
[Chorus]
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would've liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Outro]
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
They crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on the treadmill
And they made you change your name
[Chorus]
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would've liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Verse 2]
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Hollywood created a superstar
And pain was the price you paid
And even when you died
Oh, the press still hounded you
All the papers had to say
Was that Marilyn was found in the nude
[Chorus]
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would've liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Verse 3]
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
From the young man in the 22nd row
Who sees you as something more than sexual
More than just our Marilyn Monroe
[Chorus]
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would've liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Outro]
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
Love Songs (UK)
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- Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title)
- Song for Guy
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- Please
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- Sacrifice
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- I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
- Someone Saved My Life Tonight
- Your Song
- Daniel
- Candle in the Wind
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
- Greatest Hits (1974)
- NOW That’s What I Call Music 11 [UK] (1988)
- Very Best of Elton John (1990)
- Love Songs (UK) (1995)
- One Night Only (2000)
- 50 Years Of The Greatest Hit Singles (2002)
- Greatest Hits 1970-2002 (2003)
- Rocket Man - The Definitive Hits (Australian Tour Edition 2011) (2011)
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (40th Anniversary Celebration/Super Deluxe Edition) (2014)
- Diamonds (Deluxe) (2017)
- Your Song
- Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
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- Tiny Dancer
- Bennie and the Jets
- I’m Still Standing
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title)
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
- Candle in the Wind
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- Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting)
- Crocodile Rock
- I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
- Candle in the Wind 1997
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- Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
- Someone Saved My Life Tonight
- Border Song
- Honky Cat
- The One
- The Bitch is Back
- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
- Electricity (Billy Elliot)