Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium (2022) - full transcript

Hello, and welcome to Elton John Live,
Farewell from Dodger Stadium.

I'm Kirsten Watson,
and I'm so happy you have joined us

for what will be,
a historic and emotional night

as Elton John plays his last show
of his last ever American tour.

And what better place
to end it all than right here

at Dodger Stadium
in Los Angeles.

A venue with such rich history for Elton.

Forty-seven years ago, back in 1975,
he played two sold-out shows here

that are still remembered today
with legendary status.

It was a defining moment for Elton.

And in just under 20 minutes,



Elton John will be back
on that stage right here.

And he has a magical night
planned for us all.

Along with his legendary band,

his longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin,
will be making an appearance

and Elton will be joined
by some phenomenal musical guests.

We're going to see performances
by Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile

and Kiki Dee who sang the chart-topping
duet, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

We caught up
with these incredibly special guests

and Elton himself
in rehearsals earlier today.

When you duet with people,
you get something from it.

When you record with someone
you haven't met before or worked with before,

you learn something because it's so much fun,
you bounce off each other.

♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪

Kiki Dee was at Dodger Stadium
the first time



and"Don't Go Breaking My Heart"
was a huge hit for us.

I wanted her to be there
for the last show.

I'm so excited to be back here.

It was such a magical time.

I was in my mid-20s,
getting to play these amazing places.

And working with one
of the funniest people I've ever met,

Elton John.

Elton John means everything to me.
He's my greatest hero of all time

since I was 11 years old.

He was my gateway drug to rock 'n roll,

my gateway to doing music, writing songs.

He's everything to me.
He's my favorite of all time.

Elton John is...

is my musical hero.

And when I get up on stage
and I get to sing the song that we…

we did together, it really is…

you know, a massive moment for me.

♪ When are you gonna come down? ♪

Bernie Taupin and Elton John,

I think, are one of the most miraculous
partnerships of all time.

and they're the only ones like them
that ever existed,

and I think they're the only ones
like them that ever will exist.

Bernie's lyrics are so cinematic.

You see them, you taste them,
you feel them.

He's the greatest lyricist of all time.

♪ Singin' the blues ♪

The last time we played
Dodger Stadium in 1975,

it was certainly ground-breaking

because people weren't playing
stadiums back then, you know.

But there's much more
significance to it now, I think.

So it's really…

a huge, huge situation
to be back here again.

I think it's going to be
quite an emotional show.

Elton has left such a mark,
musically, on the world.

And to get to see it come to life
for, you know, the last time

here at Dodger Stadium in LA,
it's going to be emotional.

It's going to be emotional.

I try and record with younger artists
because I'm 76,

and I'm still feeling
I have so much more to learn.

Not just through music,
but through every facet of my life.

And I love that. It keeps me going.
It's just wonderful.

It gives me energy,

and it really, really makes me feel happy.

My dear friend and eternal brother Elton,

as you celebrate
this historic milestone in your life,

I just wanted to give you a huge shout-out

for all that you've achieved and all the gifts

that you've given us
over the past 50 years, man.

There will never be
another one like you, Elton,

and I know the next 50
will be just as impactful as the last.

So keep on keeping on, my brother.

I love you. Forever.

We just wanted to send you a message because

as you head into your last show
in the US,

what an incredible, incredible career.

And to have performed at the highest level
like you have for so long

and still have the passion
that you do is really incredible.

We are so proud
that we can call you our friend,

the godfather of our children, as well.

And you have inspired us in so many ways.
We've known you for so many years.

And we love you so, so much.

And so many amazing memories of summers
that we spent together,

shows that we've been to.

I mean, it's quite incredible.
We are so proud of you,

and I'm sure tonight
is gonna be a super

emotional night, but I'm also sure that you are so excited

at the prospect of spending more time

with your incredible husband
and your amazing children.

It's amazing what you've given
to the world and given to us.

I hope you're okay.

I don't really believe
that it's your last concert, but...

congratulations, if it is. And...

I hope you feel as great
as you make everybody else feel.

Bye.

If anyone can take us to Mars,

it's the rocket man yourself.

Thank you so much for all the magic

you have given to the world,

for all the light and love
that you have spread

through your music,

through your authenticity.

I love you so much.

All right, Elton, congratulations

and good luck
with your final show tonight.

I've made this video a couple of times.

I've known you for many, many decades,

and the first time we met
was in Los Angeles at the Forum.

And you were wearing

a Minnie Mouse dress.

And you looked gorgeous, as you still do.

I love you, my friend. Congratulations.

Elton John,

you cannot say
farewell to anybody,

but congratulations on your farewell tour.

Oh, my God, I can't believe
this is your farewell tour.

Thank you so much for all you've done
for so many people, including myself.

Much love. Love you.

Do you remember in the early '70s
when you and Cher and I

did her first television special
all by herself

and we played old people in a rest home?

I never thought the day would come.
Sometimes, I do feel like that.

Oh, my goodness, what a career you've had.

Full of laughter,
full of fun, full of music,

full of great costumes. What a…

And full of generosity.

In fact, I am wearing

a necklace that you gave me over 50 years ago.

You are the bomb, baby.

So, Elton, tonight,

tonight, of all nights,

sit back,

relax, enjoy this ride,

because...

I can't believe I'm going to say this.
I mean, you say this

is the last show of the touring, but...

all I can say to you is,
I love you, man, enjoy this night.

I'm sorry I can't be there with you, but...

kill it!

We are getting ready for Elton walking
on that stage in just a few minutes.

And you can feel the excitement in here.

But it's not just a big night for Elton.

We'll be making some television history
of our own.

As you are joining us
for the first-ever global live stream

on Disney Plus.

Well, let me tell you,
this atmosphere has been building

in the stadium all week.

We got a chance to catch up
with some of Elton's most loyal fans.

We drove from Utah for 12 hours.

I flew from Switzerland.

All the way from New York tonight.

The fact he loves Elton John so much

really just kind of hypes me up even more.

As somebody that's in the LGBTQ community,
he is everything to me.

This was a momentous occasion for me

but also to close out the place
that made him a legend.

He's such a huge part of our lives.

And that 1975 photograph

of him playing at Dodger Stadium,

I want to revisit that.

ALL: Cheers, Elton!

The bees is back!

(hooting)

Last time I was here at Dodger Stadium

was October 25, 1975,

where I was a backup singer
for Elton John,

when we did the two dates
at Dodger Stadium.

It was absolutely other-worldly.

It was like everybody was in that moment

at the same time.

And, uh, I get chills
just thinking about it,

and I got chills that night.

I was 13 when I came to see Elton John,

my first ever rock concert.

And I just fell in love with him.

And to know that this is the last time

and to be at the place
where I first saw him

is like so special.

It's like, it's a dream. It's a dream.

It's my first concert
and Elton's last concert,

so I'm really excited.

When Elton John takes the stage tonight,
I'm going to be real excited.

I'm going to come up and start singing.

I've been a fan of Elton John
for a couple years,

since I was eight or nine.

My favorite Elton John song
is"Tiny Dancer."

"Rocket Man." I love that song.

I really, really hope
he plays "Crocodile Rock."

♪ B-b-b-Bennie and the jets ♪

(mumbling)

I've learned a lot from Elton
being a piano player myself.

I'm glued to his hands most of the show.

And when they show his hands
on the screen, I'm just glued to that,

'cause I want to see what he's doing.
For me, that's…

It's like having a piano
lesson in a stadium full of 55,000 people.

I'm going to cry. I know I'm going to cry.

I got my bubble head T-shirt,
my VIP pass, my glasses.

Cheers to Elton. (smooches)

I love you!

We're both originally from Mexico.

So this is a bucket list. (chuckles)

Like, he's one of those people
that's lasted generations.

We could not miss this concert
for the life of us,

I actually went last week in Phoenix
and saw him in concert.

And saw him back now
because I'm such an Elton John fan.

Love it.

I love Elton John because he is the best.

We're just super excited.
Like the circle of life, right?

This is his final show.

This is a religious experience
in many ways.

And as such, we need to wear Sunday best.

Every one of his hits is a hit.

To be back here tonight is an honor,
a privilege

and I think I'm probably going to cry.

Elton, congratulations
on this very special moment in your life.

We are all so grateful for your music.

Thank you for being
the soundtrack to our lives.

Thank you for doing all the work
you've done to fight AIDS

and to make so many lives better.

We appreciate you.

Your music will be part
of American life for eons to come

and everywhere else in the world,
of course.

May this show be as formidable
as the thousands that preceded it.

I know it will.

Corny sentence alert.

I know you will feel the love tonight.

Sir Elton John, this is H.E.R.

I just want to say thank you so much
for inspiring artists like me

with your fashion and your music,

your playing, your performing.

We love you and we appreciate you so much.

Thank you. (smooches)

Elton, we wanted to say congratulations,

and we love you so, so much.

We feel so lucky to know you

and just like every audience member
at these shows,

what a privilege that you're doing
these live shows for us one last time.

Congrats. (smooches)

Elton, it is your final night
in the United States of America

performing for the American people.

It is a long way from the troubadour.

I can't believe it's true.

I can't believe that I'm here.
I refuse to believe it.

We know it's gonna be magical
because your songs are so good.

You got so many of them.

It's really not fair to the rest of us,

but we do hope that you have
a great show tonight

and we love you so much.

Knock 'em dead.

I cannot believe
that tonight is your final show.

I want to wish you the best of luck.

It's going to be the best one ever.

You have changed the world,
the music industry forever.

You are a legend.

Thank you for sharing your gift
with everyone,

and have the best show.

We all love you.

Thank you so, so, so much
for your beautiful music

and for bringing my family together
through your wonderful songs.

It was my extraordinary privilege

to portray you in the movie of your life.

And for one final time

at Dodger Stadium,
I would like to say to you,

knock 'em dead, rocket man.

Thank you for being on this earth

and blessing us with your gifts

as a musician and as a human being.

You have been there almost
every single stage of my career

and all the ups and downs
of my personal life as well,

and I'm so happy to you know as a person.

You are like a mentor, a friend
and also my musical hero.

And I'm just very, very proud
to be your friend

and, yeah, hope you have a great gig.

And good luck.

I know it's time for you to retire,
so you say,

but I miss you already. I love you.

You are one of the greatest people
I've ever met. (smooches)

Happy retirement.

You going to have some spare
time on your hands?

Maybe you can come join us
and jam at the house here.

(chuckles) That would be fun. Love you!

(audience cheering)

All right. Well, it's not long
until we see Elton

right up there behind me.

But before that, we wanted to tell you
about another Disney-Elton collaboration

coming soon
from Disney Original Documentary

is a new film from directors
RJ Cutler and David Furnish,

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road:

The Final Elton John Performances
and the Years that Made his Legend.

But now, let's hear from the man himself.

After more than 50 years touring
around the world,

tonight we will witness his last ever
US show on his farewell tour.

So of course, we had to ask Elton
why he felt now was the time

for his touring days to come to an end.

(piano music playing)

Well, I started in Los Angeles,
The Troubadour Club.

That's the first place
I played in America.

It was vital I finish in Los Angeles.

Dodger Stadium has history.

And I have history.

And I want to go out inside of a place
that has atmosphere and aura to it.

I'm revisiting the past
in hopefully a glorious kind of way.

We sat down and conceived
this tour so many years ago,

seven years ago we started this journey,

he said, "I want to go out on a high."
(chuckles)

"I want to go out on a high
and I want to go out in a big way."

And, um, this is bigger

and more all-encompassing
than we ever could have imagined.

And to be doing the last three shows
at Dodger Stadium

with all of that history behind us
is a… is a truly magical thing.

The first, um, Dodger Stadium show
was in 1975 were… hard for me

because I wasn't in a very good place
mentally and physically.

The difference now
is that I have a husband

and someone I've been with for 29 years,

two sons, Zachary and Elijah.

My life is completely different.

I'm sober.
I've been sober and clean for 32 years.

I'm ending
in the happiest time of my life.

I've never been happier.

So compare that to 1975
when I wasn't happy.

It's wonderful.

He's back on top of the charts,
uh, with, you know, hit singles

with Dua Lipa and Britney Spears

which is where he was in '75,

but I think, most importantly,

he's really happy
as a father and as a family person

because our relationship is wonderful

and we have two
of the most beautiful sons.

I always explain to the audience
why I'm stopping.

And so I may bring the kids on.

I haven't decided yet

because I want them
to see why I'm stopping,

see how much I love them.

That is what Elton is most excited about

and we're most excited about as a family

is the opportunity to spend time together,

um, off the road
because Elton is always touring.

INTERVIEWER:
What are you going to miss about touring?

Nothing.

Nothing.

I've done it since I was 17
in the back of a van with my first band.

I can't imagine
how many miles I've covered in that time

between then and now.

I love music. I like playing live,
but I've played enough concerts,

and I can't really do a better concert
than I'm doing now

with a better stage
or a better production.

I'll certainly miss the joy
that doing live shows brings Elton.

Selfishly, I'll miss seeing him
perform live myself.

I love going to an Elton show.

He's a brilliant entertainer
and playing and singing better than ever.

But…

As he says on stage, he says,
"I've had more than enough applause

and more than enough love
from an audience in my life."

And he's really looking forward
to the stage where he can, you know,

put that beautiful chapter
of his life behind him

and move on to the next one.

The audiences on this tour
have been so loving and so kind

they're dressed up and they're wearing
glittery glasses and outfits

from so many different albums,

uh, Dodger Stadium outfits.

It's just astonishing holding up placards
to say how many shows they've been to.

It's like, "Wow."

It's like, "You are spending
all your money just to see me."

And it makes me feel good.

There was a time in my life
when I didn't think about that so much,

but I certainly do now.

And especially on this tour.
It's the most gratifying thing.

You want your music to be heard
by every generation.

They are as old as me
and seven or eight kids in the front rows

little boys, little girls singing
all the words to all the songs.

I'll be going,
"How the hell do you know the words?"

When you see an eight-year-old kid singing
your song, you are just like, yeah.

He's created music that he hopes
will survive and stand the test of time.

And I know, for him, personally,
he can't think of a better compliment

than the fact his music still resonates
as strongly today

as it did in the day that it was created.

It's really hit home how lucky I've been,
how great my fans are.

It's a lovefest between me
and them and them and me,

and it's just so exciting.

Thank you, everyone.

Elton, we love you.

-Hi, Elton.
-Hi, Elton.

-We just want to say congratulations.
-Congratulations.

And that we are just so proud of you.

We're so grateful that we were able
to see you on your farewell tour also.

Um, and thank you for…

Thank you for entertaining everybody
for so many decades.

Thank you for being the friend
that you were for my mom.

Thank you for being our friend,
thank you for being friends with our kids,

and thank you for entertaining people
right around the world.

Um, even though this is officially
your retirement,

uh, this will not be your last gig,
we know that.

Um, but we love you.

And congratulations
on an incredible career.

You are simply
one of the greatest of all times.

Not because your iconic song
but because your absolute courage.

You turn pain into purpose

and your advocacy
has literally saved millions of lives.

Elton, as you close this chapter
of our story,

I hope you know
that your legacy has no end.

From the timeless songs
that have given voice

to our joys and sorrows,

to how you've inspired countless people

to stand up and speak out,

you will always be here on our playlists
and in our hearts.

On behalf of the American people,

thank you for moving the soul
of our nation.

Thank you. Thank you.

(audience cheering)

Honestly,
I don't know how I can follow that,

so let's get on with it.

The time has come
for Elton John's last ever American show

on his farewell tour.

On the stage that made him a legend.

Live from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles,

please welcome Elton John.

(audience cheering)

(muffled upbeat music playing)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

("Bennie And The Jets" playing)

(cheering continues)

♪ Hey, kids, shake it loose together ♪

♪ The spotlight's hitting something ♪

♪ That's been known
to change the weather ♪

♪ We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
so stick around ♪

♪ You're gonna hear electric music
solid walls of sound ♪

♪ Say, Candy and Ronnie
have you seen them yet? ♪

♪ Oh, but they're so spaced out ♪

♪ B-B-B-Bennie and the jets ♪

♪ Oh, but they're weird
and they're wonderful ♪

♪ Oh, Bennie she's really keen ♪

♪ She's got electric boots ♪

♪ A mohair suit ♪

♪ I read it in a magazine, oh-oh ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

(audience cheering)

♪ Hey, kids
why don't you plug into the faithless? ♪

♪ Maybe they're blinded
but Bennie makes them ageless ♪

♪ We shall survive
let us take ourselves along ♪

♪ Where we fight our parents out
in the streets ♪

♪ To find who's right and who's wrong ♪

♪ Candy and Ronnie
have you seen them yet? ♪

♪ Oh, but they're so spaced out ♪

♪ B-B-B-Bennie and the jets ♪

♪ Oh, but they're weird
and they're wonderful ♪

♪ Oh, Bennie, she's really keen ♪

♪ She's got electric boots ♪

♪ A mohair suit ♪

♪ I read it in a magazine, oh ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

(instrumental)

♪ Say, Candy and Ronnie
have you seen them yet? ♪

♪ Oh, but they're so spaced out ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

♪ Oh, but they're weird
and they're wonderful ♪

♪ Oh, Bennie, she's a really keen ♪

♪ She's got electric boots ♪

♪ A mohair suit ♪

♪ I read it in a magazine, oh ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

♪ Bennie, Bennie, Bennie ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

♪ Bennie, Bennie, Bennie ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

♪ Bennie, Bennie, Bennie ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

(instrumental)

♪ Ooh, yeah ♪

♪ Bennie and the jets ♪

(audience cheering)

(cheering continues)

("Philadelphia Freedom" playing)

♪ I used to be a rolling stone, you know ♪

♪ If the cause was right ♪

♪ I'd leave to find the answers
on the road ♪

♪ I used to be a heartbeat for somebody ♪

♪ Oh, but the times have changed ♪

♪ The less I say
the more my work gets done ♪

♪ I live and breathe
this Philadelphia freedom, yeah ♪

♪ From the day that I was born
I've waved the flag ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom
took me knee-high to a man ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Gave me peace of mind
my daddy never had ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom, shine on me ♪

♪ I love you, shine a light ♪

♪ Through the eyes
of the ones left behind ♪

♪ Shine a light, shine that light ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, shine a light shine a light ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom ♪

♪ I love you ♪

♪ Yes, I do ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ If you choose to
you can live your life alone ♪

-♪ Some people choose the city ♪
-♪ Some people choose the city ♪

♪ Some others choose
the good old family home ♪

♪ Some others choose
the good old family home ♪

♪ I like living easy without family ties ♪

♪ 'Til the whippoorwill of freedom
zapped me ♪

♪ Right between the eyes ♪

♪ I live and breathe
this Philadelphia freedom ♪

♪ From the day that I was born
I've waved the flag ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom
took me knee-high to a man ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Gave me piece of mind
my daddy never had ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom, shine on me ♪

♪ I love you, shine a light ♪

♪ Through the eyes
of the ones left behind ♪

♪ Shine a light, shine that light ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, shine a light
shine the light ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom ♪

♪ I love you ♪

♪ Yes, I do ♪

♪ Oh, yes, I do, yeah ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom, shine on me ♪

♪ I love you, yeah ♪

♪ Shine a light ♪

♪ Through the eyes
of the ones left behind ♪

♪ Shine a light, shine that light ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, shine a light
shine the light ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom ♪

♪ I love, love you, yeah ♪

♪ Don't you know I love you? ♪

♪ Don't you know I love, love, love you? ♪

♪ Yes, I do ♪

♪ I love you, love you, love you
yes, I do ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom ♪

♪ I love you, love you, love you
yes I do ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom ♪

♪ I love you, love you, love you
yes, I do ♪

♪ Philadelphia freedom ♪

(audience cheering)

ELTON: Tonight is a very special night.

We are creating history tonight.

This is the first ever global stream
on Disney Plus.

And I'm so glad to see you,
Dodger Stadium!

(audience cheering)

ELTON: All right. Let's get on with it.

("I Guess That's Why
They Call It The Blues" playing)

♪ Don't wish it away ♪

♪ Don't look at it like it's forever ♪

♪ Between you and me ♪

♪ I could honestly say
things can only get better ♪

♪ And while I'm away ♪

♪ Dust out the demons inside ♪

♪ And it won't be long
before you and me run ♪

♪ To the place in our hearts
where we hide ♪

♪ And I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Time on my hands
could be time spent with you ♪

♪ Laughing like children
living like lovers ♪

♪ Rolling like thunder under the covers ♪

♪ I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Just stare into space ♪

♪ Picture my face in your hands ♪

♪ Pray for each second
without hesitation ♪

♪ And never forget I'm your man ♪

♪ Wait on me, girl ♪

♪ Cry in the night if it helps ♪

♪ But more than ever I simply love you ♪

♪ More than I love life itself ♪

♪ And I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Time on my hands
could be time spent with you ♪

♪ Laughing like children
living like lovers ♪

♪ Rolling like thunder under the covers ♪

♪ I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

(instrumental)

♪ Wait on me, girl ♪

♪ Cry in the night if it helps ♪

♪ But more than ever I simply love you ♪

♪ More than I love life itself ♪

♪ And I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Time on my hands
could be time spent with you ♪

♪ Laughing like children
living like lovers ♪

♪ Rolling like thunder under the covers ♪

♪ I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Laughing like children
living like lovers ♪

♪ I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Laughing like children
living like lovers ♪

♪ I guess that's why
they call it the blues ♪

♪ Guess that's why they call it ♪

♪ That's why they call it the blues ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

(audience cheering)

(cheering continues)

All right.
This is a very special night for me.

A very emotional night for me.

And, uh… (clears throat)

it's been a long journey and, uh…

(audience cheering)

I first came here to America in 1970

to the City of Angels, Los Angeles.

And I played at a club called
The Troubadour Club,

which thankfully is still there.

And it helped me.

It accelerated my career in America
with a review I got

from Robert Hilburn from the LA Times.

And I'm so… I'll never forget that.

And I had an album out at the time
called Elton John.

My first single from that album
was called "Border Song."

When we put our single out,

Aretha Franklin covered the song
and put her version out.

And so, Bernie and I,
being young English kids

and young songwriters,

we're so knocked out,

so flabbergasted that the Queen of Soul
had recorded one of our songs,

that it was probably one
of the most exciting things

that had happened to us
up to that point in our career.

And in the years that followed,
I got to meet her and thank her for it.

And I sang with her and I recorded
with her and I played with her.

And I hung with her.

And it was just a surreal experience
to be in the company of such genius.

And her last ever show
was in New York City,

at St. John the Divine Cathedral
for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

And she was really, really sick.
It was six months before she passed away.

She was this thin.

And before the show began,
I went backstage and said,

"Aretha, let me do it. You're so frail.
I'll do it, it's not a problem."

And she said, "Honey, two years ago,
I was supposed to be here,

and I let you down.

I'm not letting you down again."

And she came out and sat at a piano
like this one with an incredible band.

And for an hour and 20 minutes
she blew the roof off the cathedral.

And those of us that were lucky
enough to be there, 1500 people,

were in tears
because it was an incredible performance

under the circumstances.

And I think she was inspired
by her surroundings,

but it was phenomenal.

And so I want to dedicate this song

to the lasting genius
and legacy of Aretha Franklin.

("Border Song" playing)

♪ Holy Moses, I've been removed ♪

♪ I've seen the specter
he has been here, too ♪

♪ Distant calling from down the line ♪

♪ Ran with people who ain't my kind ♪

♪ Holy Moses, I've been removed ♪

♪ Holy Moses, I have been deceived ♪

♪ Now the wind has changed direction
I think I have to leave ♪

♪ Won't you please excuse my frankness
but it's not my cup of tea ♪

♪ Holy Moses, I have been deceived ♪

♪ I'm going back to the border
where my affairs ♪

♪ My affairs ain't abused ♪

♪ I can't take any more bad water ♪

♪ Been poisoned from my head
down to my shoes ♪

♪ Oh ♪

(instrumental)

♪ Holy Moses, I have been deceived ♪

♪ Holy Moses, let us live in peace ♪

♪ Let us strive to find a way ♪

♪ To make our hatred cease ♪

♪ Never mind over there ♪

♪ What's his color, I don't care ♪

♪ He's my brother let us live in peace ♪

♪ He's my brother let us live in peace ♪

♪ He's my brother, I said let us ♪

♪ Let us live in peace ♪

(audience cheering)

("Tiny Dancer" playing)

♪ Blue jean baby, LA lady ♪

♪ Seamstress for the band ♪

♪ Pretty eyed, pirate smile ♪

♪ You'll marry a music man ♪

♪ Ballerina, you must have seen her ♪

♪ Dancing in the sand ♪

♪ And now she's in me always with me ♪

♪ Tiny dancer in my hand ♪

♪ Jesus freaks out on the street ♪

♪ Handing tickets out for God ♪

♪ Turning back, she just laughs ♪

♪ The boulevard is not that bad ♪

♪ Piano man, he makes his stand ♪

♪ In the auditorium ♪

♪ Looking on, she sings the songs ♪

♪ The words, she knows
the tune, she hums ♪

♪ But oh, how real it feels
lying here, with no one near ♪

♪ Only you and you can hear me ♪

♪ When I say softly, slowly ♪

♪ Hold me closer, tiny dancer ♪

♪ And count the headlights
on the highway ♪

♪ Lay me down in sheets of linen ♪

♪ You had a busy day today ♪

♪ Hold me closer, tiny dancer ♪

♪ And count the headlights
on the highway ♪

♪ Lay me down in sheets of linen ♪

♪ You had a busy day today ♪

♪ Blue jean baby, LA Lady ♪

♪ Seamstress for the band ♪

♪ Pretty eyed, a pirate smile ♪

♪ You'll marry a music man ♪

♪ Ballerina, oh, you must have seen her ♪

♪ She was dancing in the sand ♪

♪ And now she's in me always with me ♪

♪ Tiny dancer in my hand ♪

♪ But, oh, how real it feels
lying here, with no one near ♪

♪ Only you and you can hear me ♪

♪ When I say softly, slowly ♪

♪ Hold me closer tiny dancer ♪

♪ And count the headlights
on the highway ♪

♪ Lay me down in sheets of linen ♪

♪ You had a busy day today ♪

♪ Hold me closer, tiny dancer ♪

♪ And count the headlights
on the highway ♪

♪ Lay me down in sheets of linen ♪

♪ You had a busy day today ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

(audience cheering)

All right. We're going to do a song now

that we haven't done live
for quite some time

from the album Don't Shoot Me,

I'm on the piano
for the half of the early '70s.

This features our guitarist, David Johnson

and it's called,
"Have Mercy on the Criminal."

("Have Mercy on the Criminal" playing)

♪ Have you heard in the darks of night ♪

♪ Somewhere on the hill ♪

♪ Chasing some poor criminal ♪

♪ And I guess they're out to kill ♪

♪ Oh, there must be shackles on his feet ♪

♪ And mother in his eyes ♪

♪ Stumbling through the devil-dark ♪

♪ With the hound pack in full cry ♪

♪ Have mercy on the criminal ♪

♪ Who is running from the law ♪

♪ Are you blind to the winds of change? ♪

♪ Don't you hear him anymore? ♪

♪ Saying, "Lord, you got to help me ♪

♪ I am never gonna sin again ♪

♪ Just take these chains
from around my legs ♪

♪ Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend" ♪

♪ Now have you ever seen
all the white teeth gleam ♪

♪ While you lie on a cold, damp ground ♪

♪ You're taking in the face
of a rifle butt ♪

♪ While the wardens hold you down ♪

♪ And you've never seen
a friend in years ♪

♪ Oh, it turns your heart to stone ♪

♪ You jump the walls
and the dogs run free ♪

♪ And the grave's gonna be your home ♪

♪ Have mercy on the criminal ♪

♪ Who is running from the law ♪

♪ Are you blind to the winds of change? ♪

♪ Don't you hear him anymore? ♪

♪ Saying, "Lord, You got to help me"♪

♪ I am never gonna sin again ♪

♪ Just take these chains
from around my legs ♪

♪ Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend" ♪

(instrumental)

♪ Oh, have mercy on the criminal ♪

♪ Who is running from the law ♪

♪ Are you blind to the winds of change? ♪

♪ Don't you hear him anymore? ♪

♪ Saying, "Lord, you got to help me ♪

♪ I am never gonna sin again ♪

♪ Just take these chains
from around my legs ♪

♪ Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend" ♪

(audience cheering)

(cheering continues)

(inaudible)

(man speaking indistinctly on radio)

Five, four, three, two, one.

(rumbling sounds)

♪ She packed my bags
last night, preflight ♪

♪ Zero hour, 9:00 AM ♪

♪ And I'm gonna be high
as a kite by then ♪

♪ I miss the Earth so much
I miss my wife ♪

♪ It's lonely out in space ♪

♪ On such a timeless flight ♪

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Til touch down brings me
'round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man
they think I am at home ♪

♪ Oh, I'm a rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Burning out his fuse up here alone ♪

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Til touchdown brings me
'round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man
they think I am at home ♪

♪ I'm a rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Burning out his fuse up here alone ♪

♪ Mars ain't the kind of place ♪

♪ To raise your kids ♪

♪ In fact it's cold as hell ♪

♪ And there's no one there to raise them ♪

♪ If you did ♪

♪ And all this science ♪

♪ I don't understand ♪

♪ It's just my job five days a week ♪

♪ A rocket man ♪

♪ A rocket man ♪

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Til touchdown brings me
'round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man they think
I am at home ♪

♪ I'm a rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Burning out his fuse up here alone ♪

♪ And I think it's gonna be
along, long time ♪

♪ 'Til touchdown brings me
'round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man they think
I am at home ♪

♪ I'm a rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Burning out his fuse up here alone ♪

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ It's gonna be a long, long time ♪

♪ It's gonna be a long, long time ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

(audience cheering)

(instrumental)

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(audience whistling)

(instrumental continues)

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh ♪

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Rocket man ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(audience cheering)

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

(instrumental continues)

(instrumental continues)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

(cheering continues)

("Take Me to the Pilot" playing)

♪ If you feel that it's real ♪

♪ I'm on trial ♪

♪ And I'm here in your prison ♪

♪ Like a coin in your mint ♪

♪ I am dented ♪

♪ And I'm spent with high treason ♪

♪ Through a glass eye, your throne ♪

♪ Is the one danger zone ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot for control ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot of your soul ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Lead me through the chamber ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ I am but a stranger ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Lead me through the chamber ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ I am but a stranger ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Well, I know he's not old ♪

♪ And I'm told ♪

♪ And I'm told he's a virgin ♪

♪ Oh, he may be she ♪

♪ What I'm told ♪

♪ Is never, never for certain ♪

♪ Through a glass eye, your throne ♪

♪ Is the one danger zone ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot for control ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot of your soul ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Lead me through the chamber ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ I am but a stranger ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Lead me through the chamber ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ I am but a stranger ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Trough a glass eye, your throne ♪

♪ Is the one danger zone ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot for control ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot of your soul ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Lead me through the chamber ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ I am but a stranger ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Lead me through the chamber ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ I am but a stranger ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na ♪

♪ Na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ Yeah, take me ♪

♪ Take me ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

♪ Take me ♪

♪ Take me ♪

♪ Take me to the pilot ♪

(instrumental)

♪ Yeah ♪

(audience continues)

One of my favorite albums that we recorded

was called Captain Fantastic
and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.

(audience cheering)

And one of my favorite songs
I ever wrote came from that album.

It's called
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight".

("Someone Saved My Life Tonight" playing)

♪ When I think of those East End lights ♪

♪ Muggy nights ♪

♪ The curtains drawn
in the little room downstairs ♪

♪ Prima Donna, Lord
you really should've been there ♪

♪ Sittin' like a princess perched
in her electric chair ♪

♪ And it's one more beer ♪

♪ And I don't hear you anymore ♪

♪ We've all gone crazy lately ♪

♪ My friend's out there
rollin' 'round the basement floor ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ And someone saved my life tonight ♪

-♪ Sugar bear ♪
-♪ Sugar bear ♪

♪ You almost had your hooks in me
didn't you, dear? ♪

♪ You nearly had me roped and tied ♪

♪ Altar-bound, hypnotized
sweet freedom whispered in my ear ♪

♪ You're a butterfly ♪

♪ And butterflies are free to fly ♪

♪ Fly away ♪

♪ High away ♪

♪ Bye-bye ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ I never realized the passin' hours
of evening showers ♪

♪ A slip noose hanging
in my darkest dreams ♪

♪ I'm strangled
by your haunted social scene ♪

♪ Just a pawn out-played
by a dominating queen ♪

♪ It's four o'clock in the morning ♪

♪ Damn it, listen to me good ♪

♪ I'm sleeping with myself tonight ♪

♪ Saved in time
thank God my music's still alive ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ And someone saved my life tonight ♪

-♪ Sugar bear ♪
-♪ Sugar bear ♪

♪ You almost had your hooks in me
didn't you, dear? ♪

♪ You nearly had me roped and tied ♪

♪ Altar-bound, hypnotized ♪

♪ Sweet freedom whispered in my ear ♪

♪ You're a butterfly ♪

♪ And butterflies are free to fly ♪

♪ Fly away ♪

♪ High away ♪

♪ Bye-bye ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ And I would've walked head on ♪

♪ Into the deep end of the river ♪

♪ Clinging to your stocks and bonds ♪

♪ Paying your HP demands forever ♪

♪ They're coming in the morning ♪

♪ With a truck to take me home ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ So save your strength ♪

♪ And run the field you play alone ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

-♪ Sugar bear ♪
-♪ Sugar bear ♪

♪ You almost had your hooks in me
didn't you, dear? ♪

♪ You nearly had me roped and tied ♪

♪ Altar-bound, hypnotized ♪

♪ Sweet freedom whispered in my ear ♪

♪ You're a butterfly ♪

♪ Butterflies are free to fly ♪

♪ Fly away ♪

♪ High away ♪

♪ Bye-bye ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved, someone saved ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Someone saved my life tonight ♪

♪ Hey ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

(inaudible)

("Levon" playing)

♪ Levon wears his war wound like a crown ♪

♪ He calls his child Jesus ♪

♪ 'Cause he likes the name ♪

♪ And he sends him
to the finest school in town ♪

♪ Levon, Levon likes his money ♪

♪ He makes a lot, they say ♪

♪ Spends his days counting ♪

♪ In a garage by the motorway ♪

♪ He was born a pauper to a pawn
on a Christmas Day ♪

♪ When the New York Times said ♪

♪ "God is dead and the war's begun" ♪

♪ Oh, Alvin Tostig has a son today ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be a good man ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ In tradition with the family plan ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be a good man ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ Levon sells cartoon balloons in town ♪

♪ His family business thrives ♪

♪ Jesus, he blows up balloons all day ♪

♪ Sits on the porch swing
watching them fly ♪

♪ Jesus, he wants to go to Venus ♪

♪ Leave Levon far behind ♪

♪ Take a balloon and go sailing ♪

♪ While Levon, Levon slowly dies ♪

♪ He was born a pauper to a pawn
on a Christmas Day ♪

♪ When the New York Times said ♪

♪ "God is dead and the war's begun" ♪

♪ Oh, Alvin Tostig has a son today, yeah ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be a good man ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ In tradition with the family plan ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be a good man ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be a good man ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ In tradition with the family plan ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ And he shall be a good man ♪

♪ And he shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall be Levon, yeah ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon, yeah ♪

♪ Okay, okay ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall, he shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon ♪

♪ He shall, He shall be ♪

♪ He shall be Levon, yeah ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

(inaudible)

("Candle in the Wind" playing)

♪ 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 ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ Loneliness was tough ♪

♪ The toughest role you ever played ♪

♪ Hollywood created a superstar ♪

♪ And pain was the price you paid ♪

♪ Even when you died ♪

♪ Oh, the press still hounded you ♪

♪ All the papers had to say ♪

♪ Was that Marilyn was found in the nude ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ 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 twenty second row ♪

♪ Who sees you
as something more than sexual ♪

♪ More than just our Marilyn Monroe ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ And I would've liked to know you ♪

♪ But I was just a kid ♪

♪ Your candle burned out long before ♪

♪ Your legend ever did ♪

ELTON: Oh, yeah.

(audience cheers, applause)

(indistinct chattering, cheering)

(wind whooshing)

(thunder rumbling)

(audience cheering)

(thunder rumbling)

(audience cheering)

(thunder rumbling)

(audience cheering)

(instrumentals playing)

(audience cheering)

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

("Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"
playing)

♪ The roses in the window box
have tilted to one side ♪

♪ Everything about this house
is gonna grow and die ♪

♪ Oh, it doesn't seem
a year ago to this very day ♪

♪ You said I'm sorry honey
if I don't change the pace ♪

♪ I can't last another day ♪

♪ And love lies bleeding in my hand ♪

♪ Oh, it kills me to think of you
with another man ♪

♪ I was playing rock and roll
and you were just a fan ♪

♪ But my guitar couldn't hold you
so, I split the band ♪

♪ Love lies bleeding in my hands ♪

♪ I wonder if those changes
have left a scar on you ♪

(vocalizing)

♪ All the burning hoops of fire
that you and I passed through ♪

♪ You're a bluebird on a telegraph line
I hope you're happy now ♪

♪ If the wind of change
comes down your way girl ♪

♪ You'll make it back somehow ♪

♪ And love lies bleeding in my hand ♪

♪ Oh, it kills me to think of you
with another man ♪

♪ I was playing rock and roll
and you were just a fan ♪

♪ But my guitar couldn't hold you
so, I split the band ♪

♪ Love lies bleeding in my hands ♪

(cheering)

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ And love lies bleeding in my hand ♪

♪ Oh, it kills me to think of you
with another man ♪

♪ I was playing rock and roll
and you were just a fan ♪

♪ But my guitar couldn't hold you
so, I split the band ♪

♪ Love lies bleeding in my hands ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Ho-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Ho-oh-oh-oh-oh-ho-oh ♪

♪ Ho-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Love lies bleeding in my hands ♪

♪ Ho-oh-oh ♪

♪ Ho-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Ho-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

(inaudible)

That was
"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"

from the album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

And now, here's a song from the album

Tumbleweed Connection
called"Burn Down the Mission"

("Burn Down the Mission" playing)

(audience cheers, applause)

♪ You tell me there's an angel
in your tree ♪

♪ Did he say he'd come to call on me ♪

♪ For things are getting desperate
in our home ♪

♪ Living in the parish
of the restless folks I know ♪

♪ Everybody now bring your family down
to the riverside ♪

♪ Look to the east to see
where the fat stock hide ♪

♪ Behind four walls of stone
the rich man sleeps ♪

♪ It's time we put the flame torch
to their keep ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Burn down the mission ♪

♪ Oh, if we're gonna stay alive ♪

♪ Watch the black smoke fly to heaven ♪

♪ See the red flame light the sky ♪

♪ Burn down the mission ♪

♪ Burn it down to stay alive ♪

♪ It's our only chance of living ♪

♪ Take all you need ♪

♪ To live inside ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

(audience cheering)

♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh ♪

♪ Deep in the woods
the squirrels are out today ♪

♪ My wife cried when they came
to take me away ♪

♪ What more could I do
just to keep her warm ♪

♪ Than burn, burn, burn, burn down
the mission walls ♪

♪ Everybody now bring your family down
to the riverside ♪

♪ Look to the east to see
Where the fat stock hide ♪

♪ Behind four walls of stone
the rich man sleeps ♪

♪ It's time we put the flame torch
to their keep ♪

♪ Burn down the mission ♪

♪ Oh, if we're gonna stay alive ♪

♪ Watch the black smoke fly to heaven ♪

♪ The red flame light the sky ♪

♪ Burn down the mission ♪

♪ Burn it down to stay alive ♪

♪ It's our only chance of living ♪

♪ Take all you need ♪

♪ To live inside ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

♪ Burn, burn, burn ♪

♪ Burn it down ♪

-(audience cheers, applause)
-(inaudible)

(audience cheers, applause)

ELTON: Okay, it's time to dance.
Here we go.

("Sad Songs (Say So Much)" playing)

(audience cheers, applause)

♪ Guess there are times
when we all need to share a little pain ♪

♪ And ironing out the rough spots ♪

♪ Is the hardest part
when memories remain ♪

♪ And it's times like these ♪

♪ When we all need to hear the radio ♪

♪ 'Cause from the lips
of some old singer ♪

♪ We can share the troubles
we already know ♪

♪ Turn 'em on, turn 'em on ♪

♪ Turn on those sad songs ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Tune in and turn them on ♪

♪ They reach into your room, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Feel their gentle touch ♪

♪ Gentle touch ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much ♪

♪ If someone else is suffering enough ♪

♪ Oh, to write it down ♪

♪ When every single word makes sense ♪

♪ Then it's easier
to have those songs around ♪

♪ The kick inside is in the line ♪

♪ That finally gets to you ♪

♪ Feels so good to hurt so bad ♪

♪ Suffer just enough to sing the blues ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Turn 'em on, turn 'em on ♪

♪ Turn on those sad songs ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Tune in and turn them on ♪

♪ You know they reach into your room
oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Feel their gentle touch

♪ Gentle touch ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much ♪

♪ Sad songs, they say ♪

♪ Sad songs, they say ♪

♪ Sad songs, they say, yeah ♪

♪ Sad songs, they say so much, yeah ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

♪ Turn 'em on, turn 'em on ♪

♪ Turn on those sad songs ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Tune in and turn them on ♪

♪ You know they reach into your room
oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Feel their gentle touch ♪

♪ Gentle touch ♪

♪ All hope is gone ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much ♪

♪ You know all hope is gone ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much ♪

♪ When all hope is gone ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much, yeah ♪

♪ Sad songs say so much, yeah ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

ELTON: Okay. We're going to change
the mood a little bit here,

and do a song
for all you lovers out there.

(audience hooting)

("Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
playing)

♪ What have I got to do
to make you love me ♪

♪ What have I got to do to make you care ♪

♪ What I do when lightning strikes me ♪

♪ And I wake to find
that you're not there ♪

♪ What have I got to do
to make you want me ♪

♪ What have I got to do to be heard ♪

♪ What do I say when it's all over ♪

♪ And sorry seems to be the hardest word ♪

♪ It's sad so sad
it's a sad, sad situation ♪

♪ And it's getting more and more absurd ♪

♪ It's sad so sad
why can't we talk it over ♪

♪ Oh, it seems to me ♪

♪ Sorry, it seems to me the hardest word ♪

♪ It's sad so sad
it's a sad, sad situation ♪

♪ And it's getting more and more absurd ♪

♪ It's sad so sad
why can't we talk it over ♪

♪ Oh, it seems to me ♪

♪ That sorry seems to be
the hardest word ♪

♪ What have I got to do
to make you love me ♪

♪ What have I got to do to be heard ♪

♪ What I do when lightning strikes me ♪

♪ What have I got to do
what have I got to do ♪

♪ When sorry seems to be
The hardest word ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ When sorry seems to be
the hardest word ♪

(cheers, applause)

All right.

Okay.

Thank you.

ELTON: Okay.

This is the time of the evening where
I introduce the musicians and singers.

That is the band.

Now, I've had a lot of bands
in my time starting off in 1969

with the late, great Dee Murray
on bass guitar and vocals,

and Nigel also in drums and vocals.

And since then,
many musicians and many singers

have played with me on stage.

And I can honestly say
they've all been great,

and I've learned a lot
from each and every one of them.

So I've been inspired
all through my career by great musicians.

But this band I have now, I say,
is probably the best one.

Save for the first one.

Because every night
I come on stage, they play so well,

and they inspire me to play well.

And they are just fantastic,
fantastic musicians and people.

So I'm going to introduce them one by one.

And you're going to give them
a final Dodger Stadium roar, okay?

I want to hear you.

On the right-hand side of the stage,
on percussion and vocals, John Mayhorn.

(audience cheers, applause)

On keyboards,
our keyboard wizard Kim Ballard.

(audience cheering, applauding)

And bass guitar and vocals,
Matt Bissonette.

(audience cheering, applauding)

One of the greatest musicians
I've ever played with,

and one of the most interesting people
I've ever met,

who has been in and out
of the band since 1973.

I'm so grateful that he's
on the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.

Because he adds so much to this musically.

In 1979, he and I went around the world
and played 120 shows just the two of us.

And it was an extraordinary
musical experience for me.

So I'm grateful to him for that.

He's played with everybody there is
to play with,

basically, on stage and record.

On percussion, Ray Cooper!

(audience cheering, applauding)

He was playing drums in 1969,

and he was singing in 1969
and he still is, 53 years later,

Nigel Olson.

(audience cheering and applauding)

(inaudible)

Of the madman across the board,
I wanted to add another texture

to the band and I wanted to add

a guitar to the bass
and the drums and the piano.

And Davey Johnstone have played
acoustic guitar on the Madman Record.

So I asked him to join
the band for Honky Château.

And we all went to France, to the hotel,
to the Château,

the Real, and Paris,

and Davey walked into the studio,
and picked up an electric guitar

for the very first time.

And as you can hear,
he has never looked back.

He's my band leader that gets
everybody together here in Los Angeles,

and rehearses them,
so that when I come over,

I have very little work to do.
So thank you, Davey.

Um, and he's from Edinburgh in Scotland.

And he's fantastic.

On guitars and vocals, Davey Johnstone!

(audience cheering, applauding)

During my lifetime on stage,
I've lost four great musicians.

First of all,
Dee Murray on bass and vocals.

Roger Pope on drums,

Guy Babylon on keyboards,

and Bob Birch on bass guitar and vocals,

and they were such great members
of the band on stage and on record.

So I would like to dedicate this song
to the memory of those great guys.

("Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
playing)

♪ I can't light ♪

♪ No more of your darkness ♪

♪ All my pictures seem to fade ♪

♪ To black and white ♪

♪ I'm growing tired ♪

♪ And time stands still before me ♪

♪ Frozen here on the ladder of my life ♪

Ladies and gentlemen, Brandi Carlile!

♪ It's much too late to save myself ♪

♪ From falling ♪

♪ I took a chance
and changed your way of life ♪

♪ But you misread my meaning ♪

♪ When I met you ♪

♪ Closed the door ♪

♪ And left me blinded by the light ♪

♪ Oh ♪

BOTH: ♪ Don't let the sun go down on me ♪

♪ Although I search myself ♪

♪ It's always someone else I see ♪

♪ I'd just allow a fragment of your life ♪

♪ To wander free ♪

♪ But losing everything is like the sun ♪

♪ Going down on me ♪

(audience cheering)

♪ I can't find ♪

♪ Oh, the right romantic line ♪

-♪ But see me once ♪
-♪ See my once ♪

BOTH: ♪ And see the way I feel ♪

-♪ Don't discard me ♪
-♪ Baby, no ♪

♪ Just because you think I mean you harm ♪

♪ Just because you think I mean you harm ♪

-♪ But these cuts I have ♪
-♪ Oh, these cuts I have ♪

-♪ They need love ♪
-♪ They need love ♪

-♪ They need love ♪
-♪ To help them heal ♪

♪ Oh ♪

BOTH: ♪ Don't let the sun go down on me ♪

♪ Although I search myself ♪

♪ It's always someone else I see ♪

♪ I'd just allow a fragment of your life ♪

-♪ To wander free ♪
-♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ But losing everything ♪

BOTH: ♪ Is like the sun going down on me ♪

♪ Don't let the sun go down on me ♪

♪ Although I search myself ♪

♪ It's always someone else I see ♪

♪ I'd just allow a fragment of your life ♪

♪ To wander free ♪

♪ Baby, oh, oh ♪

BOTH: ♪ Oh, but losing everything
is like the sun ♪

♪ Going down on me ♪

ELTON: ♪ Yeah! ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

(cheers and applause continue)

("The Bitch Is Back" plays)

♪ I was justified when I was five ♪

♪ Raisin' cane I spit in your eye ♪

♪ Times are changin'
now, the poor get fat ♪

♪ But the fever's gonna catch you
when the bitch gets back ♪

♪ Eat meat on a Friday, that's all right ♪

♪ I even like steak on a Saturday night ♪

♪ I can bitch the best
at the social do's ♪

♪ I get high in the evening
sniffing pots of glue ♪

♪ I'm a bitch, I'm a bitch
oh, the bitch is back ♪

♪ Stone cold sober as a matter of fact ♪

♪ I can bitch, I can bitch
'cause I'm better than you ♪

♪ It's the way that I move
The things that I do, oh ♪

♪ I entertain by picking brains ♪

♪ Sell my soul by dropping names ♪

♪ I don't like those my god, what's that ♪

♪ Oh, it's full of nasty habits
when the bitch gets back ♪

♪ I'm a bitch, I'm a bitch
oh, the bitch is back ♪

♪ Stone cold sober as a matter of fact ♪

♪ I can bitch, I can bitch
'cause I'm better than you ♪

♪ It's the way that I move
the things that I do, oh ♪

All right. Bless you.

Oh, yeah!

♪ I'm a bitch, I'm a bitch
oh, the bitch is back ♪

♪ Stone cold sober as a matter of fact ♪

♪ I can bitch, I can bitch
'cause I'm better than you ♪

♪ It's the way that I move
The things that I do, oh ♪

♪ Bitch, bitch, the bitch is back ♪

(vocalizing)

♪ Yeah, bitch, bitch, the bitch is back ♪

♪ I tell you bitch, bitch
the bitch is back ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, bitch, bitch
you know the bitch is back ♪

♪ Hell, yeah, boy!

♪ I say bitch, bitch, the bitch is back ♪

♪ No, tell somebody bitch, bitch
the bitch is back ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

("I'm Still Standing" John plays)

♪ You could never know what it's like ♪

♪ Your blood like winter
freezes just like ice ♪

♪ And there's a cold and lonely light
that shines from you ♪

♪ You'll wind up like the wreck you hide ♪

♪ Behind that mask you use ♪

♪ Did you think
this fool could never win ♪

♪ Well, look at me
I'm a coming back again ♪

♪ I got a taste of love in a simple way ♪

♪ And don't you know I'm still standing
you just fade away ♪

♪ And don't you know I'm still standing
better than I ever did ♪

♪ Like a true survivor
feelin' like a little kid ♪

♪ I'm still standing after all this time ♪

♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life
without you on my mind ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Once I never could hope to win ♪

♪ You're starting down the road
leavin' me again ♪

♪ The threats you made
were meant to cut me down ♪

♪ And if our love was just a circus
you'd be a clown by now ♪

♪ And don't you know I'm still standing
better than I ever did ♪

♪ Lookin' like a true survivor
feelin' like a little kid ♪

♪ I'm still standing after all this time ♪

♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life
without you on my mind ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

Oh, yeah!

♪ And don't you know I'm still standing
better than I ever did ♪

♪ Oh, oh, lookin' like a true survivor ♪

♪ Yeah, feelin' like a little kid ♪

♪ I'm still standing after all this time ♪

♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life
without you on my mind ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

-(cheers and applause continue)
-Yeah!

In 1975, my next guest was here
and sang with me, and we sang this song.

So I thought it would be great
to re-enact this incredible moment,

or that incredible moment.

So I asked her to come over, and she did.

Here is Kiki Dee!

(audience cheers, applause)

("Don't Go Breaking My Heart" plays)

♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪

♪ I couldn't if I tried ♪

♪ Oh, honey, if I get restless ♪

♪ Baby, you're not that kind ♪

♪ Oh, don't go breaking my heart ♪

♪ You take the weight off of me ♪

♪ Oh, honey, when you knock on my door ♪

♪ Oh, I gave you my key ♪

BOTH: ♪ Woo-ooh ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

-♪ But when I was down ♪
-♪ I was your clown ♪

♪ Woo-ooh ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

-♪ Right from the start ♪
-♪ I gave you my heart ♪

♪ Oh, I gave you my heart ♪

♪ Oh, breaking now ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪

♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪

♪ And nobody told us ♪

♪ 'Cause nobody showed us ♪

♪ And now, it's up to us, baby ♪

♪ Woah, I think we can make it ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, so don't misunderstand me ♪

♪ You put the light in my life ♪

♪ Oh, you put the sparks to the flame ♪

♪ I've got your heart in my sights ♪

You have been.

BOTH: ♪ Woo-ooh ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

-♪ But when I was down ♪
-♪ I was your clown ♪

♪ Woo-ooh ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

-♪ Right from the start ♪
-♪ I gave you my heart ♪

♪ Woah-oh ♪

♪ I gave you my heart ♪

♪ So, Kiki, don't go breaking my heart ♪

♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

BOTH: ♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪

ELTON: All right. Come on, everybody.

KIKI: Come on now.

BOTH: ♪ Woo-ooh ♪

♪ Nobody knows it ♪

-♪ But when I was down ♪
-♪ I was your clown ♪

-♪ Right from the start ♪
-♪ I gave you my heart ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ I gave you my heart ♪

Kiki, now.

♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪

♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

-♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪
-♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

-♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪
-♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

♪ Don't go breaking my ♪

-♪ Don't go breaking my heart ♪
-♪ I won't go breaking your heart ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

(audience cheering, applauding)

("Crocodile Rock" plays)

ELTON: Oh, yeah!

♪ I remember when rock was young ♪

♪ Me and Susie had so much fun ♪

♪ Holding hands and skimmin' stones ♪

♪ Had an old gold Chevy
and a place of my own ♪

♪ But the biggest kick I ever got ♪

♪ Was doing a thing called
the Crocodile Rock ♪

♪ While the other kids were rockin'
round the clock ♪

♪ We were hoppin' and boppin'
to the Crocodile Rock ♪

♪ Well, Crocodile Rockin'
is something shockin' ♪

♪ When your feet just can't keep still ♪

♪ I never knew me a better time
and I guess I never will ♪

♪ Oh, lawdy mama, those Friday nights ♪

♪ When Susie wore her dresses tight ♪

♪ And the Crocodile Rockin'
was out of sight ♪

All right!

AUDIENCE: ♪ La, la, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ But the years went by
and rock just died ♪

♪ Susie went and left me
for some foreign guy ♪

♪ Long nights cryin'
by the record machine ♪

♪ Dreamin' of my Chevy
and my old blue jeans ♪

♪ But they'll never kill
the thrills we've got ♪

♪ Burning up to the Crocodile Rock ♪

♪ Learning fast
'till the weeks went past ♪

♪ We really thought
The Crocodile Rock would last ♪

♪ Well, Crocodile Rockin'
is something shockin' ♪

♪ When your feet just can't keep still ♪

♪ I never knew me a better time
and I guess I never will ♪

♪ Oh, lawdy mama, those Friday nights ♪

♪ When Susie wore her dresses tight ♪

♪ And the Crocodile Rockin'
Was out of sight ♪

Ah-ah, all right!

AUDIENCE (clapping):
♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ I remember when rock was young ♪

♪ Me and Susie had so much fun ♪

♪ Holding hands and skimmin' stones ♪

♪ Had an old gold Chevy
and a place of my own ♪

♪ But the biggest kick I ever got ♪

♪ Was doing a thing called
the Crocodile Rock ♪

♪ While the other kids were rockin'
round the clock ♪

♪ We were hoppin' and boppin'
to the Crocodile Rock ♪

♪ Well, Crocodile Rockin'
is something shockin' ♪

♪ When your feet just can't keep still ♪

♪ I never knew me a better time ♪

♪ And I guess I never will ♪

♪ Oh, lawdy mama, those Friday nights ♪

♪ When Susie wore her dresses tight ♪

♪ And the Crocodile Rockin'
was out of sight ♪

♪ Ah-ah, all right! ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ La, la, la, la ♪

♪ Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ La, la, la, la ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

(audience cheers, applause)

ELTON: All right!

("Saturday Night's Alright"
by Elton John plays)

♪ It's getting late
have you seen my mates ♪

♪ Ma, tell me when the boys get here ♪

♪ It's seven o'clock and I wanna rock ♪

♪ Wanna get a belly full of beer ♪

♪ My old man's drunker
than a barrel full of monkeys ♪

♪ And my old lady, she don't care ♪

♪ My sister looks cute
in her braces and boots ♪

♪ A handful of grease in her hair ♪

♪ So don't give us none
of your aggravation ♪

♪ We've had it with your discipline ♪

♪ Saturday night's alright for fightin' ♪

♪ Get a little action in ♪

♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train ♪

♪ Gonna set this dance alight ♪

♪ 'Cause Saturday night's
the night I like ♪

♪ Saturday night's
alright, alright, alright ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Well, they're packed pretty tight
in here tonight ♪

♪ I'm looking for a dolly
to see me right ♪

♪ I may use a little muscle
to get what I need ♪

♪ I may sink a little drink
and shout out she's with me ♪

♪ A couple of the sounds
that I really like ♪

♪ Are the sound of a switchblade
and a motor bike ♪

♪ I'm a juvenile product
of the working class ♪

♪ Whose best friend floats
in the bottom of a glass ♪

♪ Yeah! ♪

♪ Oh, so don't give us none
of your aggravation ♪

♪ We've had it with your discipline ♪

♪ Saturday night's alright for fightin'
get a little action in ♪

♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train ♪

♪ Gonna set this dance alight ♪

♪ 'Cause Saturday night's
the night I like ♪

♪ Saturday night's
alright, alright, alright ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah! ♪

♪ Oh, so don't give us none
of your aggravation ♪

♪ We've had it with your discipline ♪

♪ Saturday night's alright for fightin'
get a little action in ♪

♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train ♪

♪ Gonna set this dance alight ♪

♪ 'Cause Saturday night's
the night I like ♪

♪ Saturday night's
alright, alright, alright ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

Sing it. Come on, sing it.

-♪ Saturday ♪
-♪ Saturday, Saturday ♪

-♪ Saturday ♪
-♪ Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday
Saturday night's all right ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday night's all right ♪

Here we go!

(explosions)

♪ Yeah, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday ♪

♪ Saturday ♪

Oh, yeah!

(audience cheers, applause)

(explosions)

(explosions)

(cheers and applause continue)

(cheers and applause continue)

ELTON: Thank you so much!

Yeah! Oh!

(cheers and applause continue)

Here we go.

("Cold Heart" plays)

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

Here we go!

-Dua Lipa!
-(audience cheers)

♪ It's a human sign when things go wrong ♪

♪ When the scent of her lingers
and temptations strong ♪

♪ Cold, cold heart, hardened by you ♪

♪ Some things lookin' better, baby
just passin' through ♪

Dua Lipa.

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Till touchdown brings me
round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man they think
I am at home ♪

♪ Oh, no, no, no ♪

♪ And this is what I should have said ♪

♪ Well, I thought it but I kept it hid ♪

BOTH:
♪ Cold, cold heart, hardened by you ♪

♪ Oh, some things lookin' better, baby
just passing through ♪

Sing it, baby.

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Till touchdown brings me
round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man
they think I am at home ♪

♪ Oh, no, no, no ♪

♪ Oh, no ♪

-♪ And this is what I should have said ♪
-♪ Have said ♪

♪ Well, I thought it but I kept it hid ♪

♪ Cold, cold heart, hardened by you ♪

♪ Some things lookin' better, baby
just passing through ♪

-Come on, everybody. Sing it!
-Come on. Sing it with us.

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Till touchdown brings me
round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man
they think I am at home ♪

♪ Oh, no, no, no ♪

♪ Oh, no, no, no ♪

♪ And I think it's gonna be
a long, long time ♪

♪ 'Till touchdown brings me
round again to find ♪

♪ I'm not the man
they think I am at home ♪

-♪ Oh, no, no, no ♪
-♪ Oh, shoorah ♪

♪ Shoorah, oh, shoorah ♪

♪ Shoorah-ah-ah ♪

(audience cheering, applauding)

I can't tell you how great it is
that at 75 years of age,

I have the number one record
around the world.

Thanks to PNAU and to Dua Lipa
for making that possible.

And now, Britney Spears is breaking out,
so, I'm really, really happy.

But I'll tell you what.
This is my very first hit 52 years ago.

("Your Song" plays)

(cheers, applause)

♪ It's a little bit funny
this feeling inside ♪

♪ I'm not one of those
who can easily hide ♪

♪ I don't have much money, boy, if I did ♪

♪ I'd buy a big house
where we both could live ♪

♪ If I was a sculptor but then again, no ♪

♪ Or a man who makes potions
in a traveling show ♪

♪ I know it's not much
but it's the best I can do ♪

♪ My gift is my song
and this one's for you ♪

♪ And you can tell everybody
this is your song ♪

♪ It may be quite simple
but, now that it's done ♪

♪ I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind ♪

♪ That I put down in words ♪

♪ How wonderful life is ♪

♪ While you're in the world ♪

♪ I sat on the roof
and kicked off the moss ♪

♪ Well, a few of these verses
oh, they've got me quite cross ♪

♪ But this sun's been quite kind
while I wrote this song ♪

♪ It's for people like you
that keep it turned on ♪

♪ So excuse me forgetting
but these things I do ♪

♪ You see I've forgotten
if they're green or they're blue ♪

♪ Anyway, the thing is
what I really mean ♪

♪ Yours are the sweetest eyes
I've ever seen ♪

♪ And you can tell everybody
this is your song ♪

♪ It may be quite simple
but, now that it's done ♪

♪ I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind ♪

♪ That I put down in words ♪

♪ How wonderful life is ♪

♪ While you're in the world ♪

♪ I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind ♪

♪ That I put down in words ♪

♪ How wonderful life is ♪

♪ While you're in the world ♪

(audience cheering, applauding)

That's your song, Los Angeles!

(cheers, applause)

(cheers and applause continue)

Okay.

It's been 50 years of touring
in the United States,

across all 50 states,

and this is my seventh concert here
in Dodger Stadium.

Uh, my first concert here
on October 25th and 26th in 1975.

And tonight, is the 271st show
of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.

And my 103rd concert
in the Los Angeles area.

So, before we continue,

I would like to thank all our crew,
all the musicians,

everybody involved in this show since, uh,
we were in, uh, New Orleans in January.

We've been in a Covid bubble,
all of us, since then,

and I only see the band
when I come on stage.

Everyone has been magnificent, um…

Oh, I hope they have the best Thanksgiving
and the best Christmas.

Um, and I'd also like
to introduce somebody

who, if it wasn't for him,
I wouldn't be sitting here right now.

Come here. Come on, Mr. Bernie Taupin!

(cheers, applause)

We've been writing together now
since 1967,

and we still are, we still love each other

more than we've ever done before.

He's an amazing guy. I love you.

Thanks for all the gifts.

Hey, is this the greatest band
on the planet?

-Right?
-(cheers)

And as you know, I am stopping touring,

and this will mean my last concert
in America and Canada.

And the reason why I'm touring,
I think you know,

is because I want
to spend time with my family

because I'll be 76
by the time I stop next year.

So, I want to bring them out,
and show you why I am retiring.

David, Zachary and Elijah.

(cheers, applause)

(cheers, applause)

ELTON: Thank you all for dressing up.

It makes me so happy to see you
when you wear the most fantastic costumes,

and you've been to so many shows.
Eighty-seventh.

Hundred and something over there.

Hundred and ninety-fifth show.
Their first show over there.

Um, yeah, baby, '67, '62, uh, 42nd,

and I can't see over there.

A hundred… just 185th? Wow.

Blimey.

Well, you know what,
I became successful first in America,

and you bought the singles
and the albums and the eight tracks,

the cassettes, the CDs,

and, uh, more importantly,
you bought the tickets to the shows

which I love more than anything
is to play live.

Um, so I want to thank you for that
because you made me.

Without America, I wouldn't be here.

So thank you for all the years
of love and generosity and loyalty.

(cheers, applause)

I wish you health and love, prosperity.

Prosperity. Be kind to each other, okay?

And farewell.

("Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" plays)

♪ When are you gonna come down
when are you going to land ♪

♪ I should have stayed on the farm
I should have listened to my old man ♪

♪ You know you can't hold me forever ♪

♪ I didn't sign up with you ♪

♪ I'm not a present
for your friends to open ♪

♪ This boy's too young
to be singing the blues ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ So goodbye yellow brick road ♪

♪ Where the dogs of society howl ♪

♪ You can't plant me in your penthouse ♪

♪ I'm going back to my plough ♪

♪ Back to the howling old owl
in the streets ♪

♪ Hunting the horny back toad ♪

♪ Oh, I've finally decided
my future lies ♪

♪ Beyond the yellow brick road ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ What do you think you'll do then ♪

♪ I bet that'll shoot down your plane ♪

♪ It'll take you a couple
of vodka and tonics ♪

♪ To set you on your feet again ♪

♪ Or maybe you'll get a replacement ♪

♪ There's plenty like me to be found ♪

♪ Mongrels who ain't got a penny ♪

♪ Sniffing for tidbits
like you on the ground ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ So goodbye yellow brick road ♪

♪ Where the dogs of society howl ♪

♪ You can't plant me in your penthouse ♪

♪ I'm going back to my plough ♪

♪ Back to the howling old owl
in the woods ♪

♪ Hunting the horny back toad ♪

♪ Oh, I've finally decided
my future lies ♪

♪ Beyond the yellow brick road ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

(audience cheering, applauding)

(inaudible)

(inaudible)

(audience cheering
and applauding continue)

("Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
instrumental plays)

(magical sound plays)

(instrumental continues)