Released: October 22, 1991
Songwriter: Bernie Taupin Elton John
Producer: Kate Bush
[Verse 1]
Goodbye Norma Jean
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
[Verse 2]
They crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on a 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 have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
The candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Verse 3]
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Hollywood created a superstar
And pain was the price you paid
[Verse 4]
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
Well I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
The candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Bridge]
Goodbye Norma Jean
Though I never knew you at all
Goodbye Norma Jean
From the young man in the 22nd row
Who sees you as something as more than sexual
More than just 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
Well I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
The candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Outro]
Goodbye Norma Jean
Goodbye Norma Jean
Goodbye
Goodbye Norma Jean
Goodbye Norma Jean
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
[Verse 2]
They crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on a 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 have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
The candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Verse 3]
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Hollywood created a superstar
And pain was the price you paid
[Verse 4]
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
Well I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
The candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Bridge]
Goodbye Norma Jean
Though I never knew you at all
Goodbye Norma Jean
From the young man in the 22nd row
Who sees you as something as more than sexual
More than just 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
Well I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
The candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
[Outro]
Goodbye Norma Jean
Goodbye Norma Jean
Goodbye
Goodbye Norma Jean
more tracks from the album
From the albums
- Rocket Man / Candle in the Wind - Single (1991)
- In Others’ Words (2018)
Kate Bush popular songs
- Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)
- Wuthering Heights
- Babooshka
- This Woman’s Work
- Cloudbusting
- Hounds of Love
- Waking the Witch
- Suspended in Gaffa
- And Dream of Sheep
- Army Dreamers
- Hello Earth
- Jig of Life
- The Sensual World
- Watching You Without Me
- Sat in Your Lap
- Get Out of My House
- The Big Sky
- The Dreaming
- The Man with the Child in His Eyes
- The Morning Fog
- Mother Stands for Comfort
- Breathing
- Pull Out the Pin
- Under Ice