(Nov. 28, 1974)
Elton John: "We did 'I Saw Her Standing There' which was great and I was so glad we did that. Originally I said, 'Let's do two numbers, but you'll have to do another. Why not do Imagine?' He said, 'Oh no, boring. I've done it before. Let's do a rock and roll song.' So I thought of 'I Saw Her Standing There' which was the first track on the first Beatles album. And he never sang it. It was McCartney who sang it. John was so knocked out because he'd never actually sung the lead before.
"For us it was very emotional and one rock paper crucified us. But it was just an emotional night and nobody could believe it. I knew John would be petrified about doing it, but he really enjoyed it. I was more scared than he was, hoping things would go right for him. But the reaction when he walked on stage...
"I wish he could have done more numbers because the reaction was so great. But he wanted to go upstairs and be sick. He told me he used to throw up before he went on stage. He came to Boston to see us before we did New York, and I've never seen anyone so nervous in my life. He was so worried for us."
Set List
1. All The Young Girls Love Alice
2. Bennie And The Jets
3. The Bitch Is Back
4. Burn Down The Mission
5. Candle In The Wind
6 Crocodile Rock
7. Daniel
8. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
9. Funeral For A Friend /Love Lies Bleeding
10. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
11. Grey Seal
12. Grimsby
13. Honky Cat
14. Whatever Gets You Thru The Night
(with John Lennon)
15. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (with John Lennon)
16. I Saw Her Standing There
(with John Lennon)
17. Rocket Man
18. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
19. Take Me To The Pilot
20. You're So Static
21. Your Song
John Lennon: "Well, performing's not my greatest kick. I had fun with Elton, but that's just because it was Elton. He was really more nervous that I was, because he was nervous for me. I think he felt 'Poor old bugger, maybe he'll collapse.' I don't know... It was just a weird feeling being up there alone, but I knew Elton, and I knew the band, and it was just a one off thing.
"Don't expect to see me all over the place. I promised him if 'Whatever Gets You Through The Night' got to number one, I'd go one with him... little thinking that it would. I might do odd TV, or TV specials where I can control the thing... like in the studio. See, I like to see it. I like to HAVE something afterwards. After the concert you don't get anything... you either get cash or a headache. I hate live albums really, even though I've put a couple out."
Lennon had flippantly promised Elton John that he'd appear live at Elton's concert if 'Whatever Gets You Thru the Night' reached number 1.
Both 'Walls and Bridges' and the single 'Whatever Gets You Thru the Night' had simultaneously reached number 1 status in the USA, much to Lennon's surprise.
May Pang tells us that Elton didn't hold Lennon to that promise. He had told Lennon, "You don't have to do it if you don't want to, we were just kidding around".
Lennon felt compelled to keep his word, he insisted, "A promise is a promise"... so John would be performing with Elton at Madison Square Garden.
John wasn't emotionally ready to perform live. May recalls, "John was especially nervous, since he was about to appear live on stage for the first time in three years."
The previous night Lennon had been sick, a mixture of cocaine and champagne was taking effect.
May recalls the night of the performance:
"When John was called, we both stood in the wings. Then Elton announced John, and John walked center stage to an incredible ovation, and I walked on stage and stood near the speakers near Elton's piano, so that John could see me... Occasionally he turned and looked at me... I sang and danced and gave him reassuring smiles... It was an amazing performance, and the audience went wild."
The performance received mixed critical reviews.
Some seasoned music critics described their performance as little more than Elton and Lennon enjoying their own personal jam session. Less serious critics thought the performance to be an exciting experience, witnessing two living legends live on stage together.
One thing is 100% sure...
no-one in the audience demanded their money back.
Photo above: May can be seen standing behind Elton's piano.
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