Even on a day when a lot of America hoped to see the solar exit, there’s nonetheless an ongoing want to listen to somebody sing “Don’t Let the Solar Go Down on Me.” That, amongst many different issues, is what’s provided in tonight’s PBS broadcast of a tribute particular for Elton John and Bernie Taupin, two of the worthiest abilities ever to be awarded the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize. When you’re a fan — and who isn’t?, as they are saying — the two-hour present will present a complete eclipse of all of your different most urgent leisure wants.
Three phrases: “Joni Mitchell” and “Metallica.” If this salute by no means moved out of the M’s, it might be worthy sufficient simply primarily based on these two highlights alone, neither of whom in all probability appeared just like the likeliest Elton interpreter. However there they’re, on the exact same bingo card. That’s to not slight very superb performances from Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox and the like — or Elton himself, who closes out this system with a mini-set — however generally it’s the novelties that persist with you when masters stack up in opposition to masters.
In essentially the most memorable second of the night time, Mitchell covers “I’m Nonetheless Standing,” which is as acceptable because it sounds, given her bodily restoration lately. It’s additionally a lot funnier than you’re anticipating. Carlile (who assists on vocals, together with Lennox) introduces Mitchell’s cowl model by saying that “this can be a music that holds particular that means for her” and that “she was given the inexperienced gentle by Elton and Bernie to alter a number of the lyrics to suit her, which is actually essentially the most Joni Mitchell factor I believe I’ve ever heard of.” From that, you would possibly count on that Mitchell could have rewritten the lyrics to make them extra inspirational one way or the other — as a result of that is a kind of songs that everybody remembers for its uplifting refrain however nobody remembers has form of vituperative verses. However no; Joni’s rewrite doesn’t change the that means of the music in any respect; it simply makes these verses sound much more vengeful, in a plain-spoken type of manner. When Mitchell will get to the brand new traces “My coronary heart’s not damaged and my path is evident / You had been just a bit bumpy detour, pricey” (with a pregnant pause earlier than the “…pricey” completes the rhyme), the digital camera cuts to David Furnish LOL-ing, and I used to be proper there with him.
However in fact it is inspirational, as a result of Mitchell is admittedly up and bopping, wanting like she’s feeling like somewhat child as a lot as she’s ever prone to. On the finish of the tune, she takes that omnipresent cane of hers and waves it within the air, as a present of power (or possibly simply to warn whoever did her unsuitable to vacate the premises). It’s a lot enjoyable, and it sounds nice as a result of Blake Mills — a frequent presence within the public Joni Jams which have gone down — offers many of the accompaniment with an electrical guitar half that turns the tune right into a jaunty blues. Come the top of 2024, this may in all probability nonetheless stand as one among my favourite covers of the 12 months.
Until it’s supplanted by Metallica’s tackle “Funeral for a Pal/Love Lies Bleeding,” through which no quarter is taken and no less than somewhat blood is drawn. For higher or worse, the opening all-instrumental part isn’t instantly recognizable in Metallica’s transformation, however it actually is by the point it will get to the primary course, at which level chances are you’ll be pondering: Does it go in opposition to the legal guidelines of nature for Metallica to be enjoying in a serious key? Anyway, it really works, to have Elton’s most hard-rocking music ever go somewhat tougher. The tech group is considered with the response pictures, however absolutely there may be quite a lot of rattling of jewellery happening within the balcony of Washington’s DAR Revolution Corridor, the place a number of the visiting politicos sit, and it’d be good to assume a few of them had been impressed to deface the bogs afterward.
The whole lot else in these two hours was somewhat extra prone to present up in your bingo card for a John/Taupin tribute. After Joni bought the Gershwin Prize final 12 months, the Library of Congress shortly moved on to Carlile’s different well-established hero-BFF, and so it’s little shock, and never the slightest bit unwelcome, to see her present up repeatedly right here. Leaving her outdated live performance cowl of “Rocket Man” behind (truly, nobody does that right here), Carlile’s first collection of the night time is “Madman Throughout the Water,” which is cool sufficient, all the best way all the way down to an prolonged coda through which the singer doesn’t have something to do however fortunately stroll backwards and forwards between Sista Strings on one facet of the stage and guitarist Davey Johnstone on the opposite, as they do their respective issues. (Kudos for the frequent use of the two-woman Sista Strings part usually, a pleasant, minimalist callback to the bigger mastery of string arranger Paul Buckmaster’s basic work.)
However the extra beautiful of Carlile’s two music decisions is “Skyline Pigeon,” and never simply because it’s under-covered and nice. Context counts for nearly the whole lot with this one, as her rendition caps a phase dedicated to the lengthy historical past of John’s AIDS Basis, and particularly to the HIV-stricken boy that received Elton’s and the world’s coronary heart within the ’80s, Ryan White. White’s sister reads an open letter that John wrote to his late pal 20 years after his 1990 passing, speaking about how the loss of life of an “harmless” helped change hearts and minds, though, in Elton’s phrases, “You reminded America that each one victims of AIDS are harmless.” It’s a worthwhile historical past lesson squeezed into a good house, even for these of us who want reminders, and the greenback determine cited for what the AIDS Basis has raised — $600 million — is its personal testomony to John’s legacy, aside from the music. John is weeping by means of this phase, and it will likely be Cry Alongside With Elton night time for elements of the viewers, too.
Talking of his AIDS Basis, John hosted his annual Oscar-viewing profit in Beverly Hills once more this 12 months, and the reside entertainer that night time was Jacob Lusk, lead singer of the British group Gabriels… which absolutely had many individuals studying the invitation on the time asking: Who? Fortunately for these of us who didn’t make it to that fundraiser, the “who” is answered in a really public manner on this particular with Lusk’s studying of “Bennie and the Jets” — and it’s magnificent.
Not that you simply’d ever wish to wager in opposition to Elton’s tastemaker instincts, however every protege has to show himself, and Lusk actually does it right here by doing one thing unique with “Bennie.” That mid-’70s oldie is a superb however just about un-coverable music, which nobody might probably make sound weirder than the unique, and which solely suffers from any try to straighten it out. However Lusk has the voice of an angel — a really loud angel — and the quasi-gospel therapy lastly solutions the long-simmering query of whether or not “Bennie” ought to simply be left alone as a canopy selection or not. Really, his contribution right here is simply as must-see as Mitchell’s and Metallica’s.
The opposite contributions all fall someplace the serviceable-to-spectacular spectrum. Charlie Puth might be one of many few pop stars round certified to recreate Elton’s piano half on “Don’t Let the Solar Go Down on Me,” even should you would possibly want a music that emotionally intense had been given to somebody with a extra anguished-sounding voice. Lennox, who doesn’t lack for vocal edge, reveals why the world continues to be hungering for each crumb she sometimes throws out within the tributes she occasionally seems at as of late along with her wall-flattening “Border Music.”
Billy Porter, the present’s host, traverses the aisles with precisely the music he’s going to do, “The Bitch Is Again.” (It comes with a reminder that “in 2024 I don’t need you to be offended by the phrase ‘bitch.’ The queer neighborhood makes use of it as a love letter.” Have been we actually apprehensive about this? Effectively, it’s PBS, so OK.) His fringe-y gown and leggy look is probably going an homage to Tina Turner, who used to duet with John on the rocker earlier than they’d a falling out. Maren Morris, who has a pleasant historical past of masking Elton, activates the AC with “I Guess That’s Why They Name It the Blues.” Garth Brooks, a Gershwin honoree of some years again himself, will get double-duty with “Sorry Appears to Be the Hardest Phrase” and “Daniel,” each reminders that, amongst all the opposite issues we overlook to recollect about Garth, he can capably sing absolutely anything from the nice Anglo-American songbook that crosses his thoughts.
Video tributes roll in between songs from the likes of Carole King, who has particular information of what transpires when the music author and lyricist are usually not the identical particular person, and Paul McCartney, who says he has all the time been somewhat jealous of John being handed a sheet of paper with all of the phrases on it after which spinning gold out of that. (He shortly hastens so as to add that he doesn’t imply Elton has any much less powerful a process.) That does get to the everlasting thriller of the John/Taupin collaboration, and in speaking about it, John all the time sounds as mystified as anybody else. His skill to take generally unwieldy phrases of Taupin’s and instantaneously flip them into classics nonetheless feels somewhat spooky, as he describes it, as if it had been a form of automated writing, melodically. So long as he’s sustaining even he can’t logically clarify it, it’s not ours to determine.
However it’s ours to have fun, and it’s a delight to see these two being given their due as a group, whose respect and appreciation for one another has grown over 55 years, by the accounts given. This present can be implicitly a tribute to the Elton John Band, who carry out behind a majority of the singers earlier than backing a salmon-coated Elton himself for the ultimate three songs, “Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters,” “Saturday Night time’s Alright for Combating” and “Your Music.” If we feared we’d seen the final of them as a selected ensemble at Dodger Stadium in November 2022, Johnstone’s look on this collection as musical director in addition to guitarist is a pleasant assurance that revivals of the outdated gang can and can happen.
Producer Ken Ehrlich, of many years of Grammy fame, has been characteristically canny with the alternatives of tribute-payers right here. However with two honorees this 12 months as an alternative of 1, he additionally is aware of that the perfect tributes that may be paid are those that the composer and lyricist are in a position to pay one another. That comes by means of of their mutual testimonials about one another, however it actually comes by means of with the closing rendition of “Your Music,” through which we get a sight we’ve in all probability by no means seen earlier than, between these two sometimes long-distance collaborators: Taupin, leaning on John’s pink piano, taking all of it in as stoic, appreciative glances are exchanged. It’s unexpectedly touching to see these two on stage, alone collectively, for the size of a chunk of music. Gracious is unquestionably not the toughest phrase.
