Elton John - Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding

[annalhollis]

in the 70 and 80 people were different then it was a very cool era i think there was more love and caring about each other than it is in this era and talk about good time that was what that era was glad and thankful that i was able to live and experence such a time also,thank you elton john for thr beautiful music and songs then and now

[Eltonizer]

Wish I had been alive for this!

[horseycore]

i was 4, but i know what love is, and i'm watching it here...

[mommamaxx]

So great to see this! I was there every night in '76 - we waited in line all night for tickets and got 2nd and 3rd row for three nights. I still have about 20 minutes of Super-8 I took there and in Philly, mostly Elton antics since it is silent. I would love to make a montage to Saturday Night if only I knew how...

[technocrash09]

During this period, EJ used to do hand-stands on the keyboard and kick his piano bench into the crowds. In Philly, he got on top of the piano and launched about 30 tennis balls into the audience with a tennis racket! The good ol' days, I tell ya!

peace

[coolhandlukeer]

to the quacker your an assehole.Leon Russell was a excellent musician,Elton was heavily influenced by his style and performing. We all help each other that's what it's all about right ,right donkey breath

[Loshia2002]

Damn I nearly forgot just how incredible he was at his prime...."Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is one of the greatest classic albums in music, and when I say music I mean the entire genre....an absolute masterpiece.

[jamesdewer]

What's amazing is the rest of the album is just as good.

[calamagrostis88]

I'm sorry honey if you don't change the pace, I can't face another day

[technocrash09]

@calamagrostis88 Correction......"last" not "face" (lasting another day is in reference to the flower that shares the name of the song)............just sayin.

BTW, I saw the YBR concert back in the day (now I'm telling my age). It was and still is the best show I ever attended.........and there have been hundreds since!

peace.............long live EJ

[mizofan]

Still going strong after all these years with a superb new album The Union, with Leon Russell- getting plenty of rave reviews

[ChiroQuacker]

@mizofan

his leon cd sucks balls..not one of the tracks would have made it onto a elton album in the 70's..funeral for a friend is like beethoven or mozart compared to the shitty crap three chord no melody songs he and leon wrote fot their new awful bland cd...it sucks mule balls

nothing more then charity for a down and out has been ailing leon..which was nice on eltons part..and i hope they win al those worthless grammys to make elton happy..i love the guy...but his current stuff sucks...

[txdrifter38]

@ChiroQuacker ah i love how bitter some folks are for no apparent reason. leon russell and elton john both are way older than in their heyday. recognize that, and enjoy the music. no one stays the same forever.

[ChiroQuacker]

@txdrifter38

i am not bitter..i made an honest observation...the new cd is awful and the sound and mix is horrible...but these days the rock press tell me how brilliant lady gaga, katy perry, lil wayne are...

lmfao...pure garbage

[TheDuaneBrewer]

one heck of an artist if only he knew dick's are for chick's

[buttafli5881]

Thank you so much for posting this awesome and amazing video for someone who would have never had the chance to see it in person since I was born in 1981. Thank you so much. I wish I could have been there. That was a great jam session at the end.

[derek6678421]

@buttafli5881

seen Elton Ywice and he always opens with this song

[ranchoboyeros]

Elton 101

[waiter1971]

what kind of piano is he playing.looks like a UFO.

[cueball6101989]

This is one of the best openings for a concert. I love this song.

[SkunkDroppings]

i was there for one of the 7 nights..and it was..the greatest tour...three hour show..billy connelly opened...will never forget..everyone just about filed out...i stayed on sitting in my seat...a few rows from us..some chick took her clothes off and was sitting there naked..security didnt know what to do with her...funny..shes somebodies grandmother now...haha.....

[oreowesty]

this is by far my favorite song when he performs it in concert nowadays

[Hummel901546156]

not even a song of the last 10 years gets close to this

[Hummel901546156]

Well..

I love Elton.

[Billyjk72]

Wow. What a great version! -- BTW, anyone have the "Pinball Wizard" from this show? It used to be on YT but it appears not to be on here anymore.

I remember Ray Cooper knocking over his setup near the end of the song and it was a wicked version if I remember correctly.

Let me know.

[waiter1971]

e.j's piano looks like a ufo.whats the story behind it?

[technocrash09]

@waiter1971 During this period, EJ's pianos were always elaborate. Some different colors, some covered in glitter, some made to look extremely huge. Just something they did in those days.

peace

[christophercredit]

Elton rocks well. He's an extremely talented and unique individual. He's been one of my favorites since about 1971-72.

[stupididiotkid09]

I am now 45, my mother gave birth to me when she was 14, and she played this album" every sat. afternoon, and i LOVED it, then she was accidently killed in 77, I absolutely love this, its art for real. of course I am biased since I am her daughter, but I know real talent, ....

[ePhilosopher9]

Rest in Peace, My Love! Yet we are not dead, as we bleed our pumps, and put elton on the watchlist for death's fragile grace, remind yourself that Jesus wat not gay, my talented bogart, Bernie Taupin was, the Mock Turtle replied, counting off the subjects on his flappers.

[SuperFishman22]

This what live music is all about. Musicians singing and playing their own instruments.

Amazing.

[heykyleinsf]

elton just played on alice in chains record, you name it,

lady gaga the other day... the dude is legendary and contemporary. Of course the glory is in 70s, but tell me

how many of those dudes are still around doing what

elton is?

bashers blow

[Starlitblond]

I still have this album.... god it is so great!

[psichicathy]

howd he think that monster rock song up elton you rock i hope i see you in heaven

[moose0drool]

Um....Elton John is not dead...you can see him on tour.

[shamson78]

Simmons!

[stmf2]

Billy!

[jttigers]

billy simmons

[axxsmith]

Simmons!

[lourounick]

I liked his much voice better in the 70s. His voice changed during the 80s, it got too deep, he's since been a crooner. A fat Dean Martin with a bad wig.

[lourounick]

Jeez, I must have dyslexia or I'm just drunk. I meant I liked his voice much better in the 70s.

[Brabs03]

SIMMONS!!

[flyersucker7]

He can still bring with this song.

[mcul2112]

my god....PRIME......

[lenarita1]

never understood the line "love lies bleeding in my hand" until i started gardening. it's a plant. amaranth.

[nigelguliver22]

@lenarita1 Hi, what you said sounded interesting to me. Can yopu explain it better. Thanks!

[lenarita1]

@nigelguliver22 yeah, it's a plant that has a tassel floral form. i just never knew what the line meant. i visualized a bleeding heart in the hand, y'know?

[lenarita1]

@nigelguliver22 check out a pic of the plant. look up: amaranthus "love lies bleeding". it's a pretty sexy looking plant!

[sbcruiser2]

Greatest rocker of all time!!!

[drewgboi]

One of the best songs of all time, brilliant composing!

[tmws1]

Saw this tour at the Chicago Stadium in July, 1976 -- one of my most vivid concert memories still. It's just so great to see footage from that tour on YouTube.

[sbcruiser]

Rest in peace Claudia my love. I will see you again someday.

[eltonj4ever]

fantastic!!

[sbcruiser]

From 7:31-7:37 is amazing. He never missed a beat!

[sdingeswho]

I remember EJ doing this on the "Jump Up!" tour, several years later --- as the synth-riff unreels, he came walking out through thick fog in a white admiral's uniform! :-D The crowd went totally nuts, me included, and for a few seconds, we were louder than the music from the stage! :-D

[glueforall]

Wow....Captain Fantastic in the pre plug days....Elton rocks with or without bangs (plugs)...awesome

[aaronfromhastings]

Amazing - must have been filmed on Super 8!

[princev11]

33 years later still rockin and rollin!

[romelovesdan]

This is what this site and forum are for! Incredible, original, rare footage for posterity.Thumbs WAY UP !

[wpollock1]

1976 sold out at the Olympia (now torn down) in Detroit.  Great show!

[HumanBozoBoy]

august 1976...seven sold out shows at madison square garden...billy connelly the comedian opened with some crap...then elton and band played from 9pm till midnight. the show ends..the arena empties out.. a few linger in their seats...the place is virtually empty, the house light are on...there's a chick sitting in her seat..buck naked..refusing to leave..security guards dont know what to do. Where is that chick today?

[HURLEYP]

Hey settle down! Ease up on Billy - he is to comedy what Elton is to Music.

[HumanBozoBoy]

you must be on drugs u asshole...

[Bullring1]

you must be an asshole on drugs, dickweed.

[fvigliarolo]

omg! my first rock concert- elton at madison sq garden summer of '76!!!!!! i was there- i swear that's me screaming-lol!!!! this is great-thanks!!!!!!!!!!

[princev11]

my first rock concert was elton john in summer of '08! haha =)

and im seeing him nov 08 again for my bday

greatest gift im ever getting =)

[bjoelfan98]

Amazing!

[carlynutt]

I saw Elton and the band on this tour in Seattle at the Coliseum. Absolutely one of the best concerts I've ever been to. They were amazing.

[balz2dewalz]

I saw him live, absolutely the best concert I have seen in my life , totally awesome!

[briversity]

This song shakes my soul at it's core.

[jlsav66]

This is incredibly rare...what a time to see them it must have been, the core band before they all went there on way except Davey.

[spoddie]

he has more hair now! LOLz

[bobdole9696]

lol...seriously! and, actually, for 60 years he looks very fit and healthy. no wonder he keeps rocking the world and his fans.

[isaiahsmommy]

Hair plugs!

[jackcrumlee]

this is one of elton's best songs, both musically and lyrically. He is truly a musical genius and deserves all the status he recieves for being as such. ROCK ON REG!!!!!

[CASsvn]

EJ and Bernie Taupin, greatness at work! They wrote all the EJ songs!!

[BrianGriffin88]

you're wrong

[Matteino85]

no, i'm sorry...in one period Elton worked with others writers

[darkred60]

Me gusta la voz de castrati, que

tiene Elton en este tema.

[hammers1965]

this is 20th century opera

[nandi33034]

AWSOME!

[n2motocross]

44 years old a I miss this timeless music. It was so real in these days!!

[enginedog]

A rock god....go Elton!

[JDPackard]

bet he never dreamed he be a knight!give'em hell REGGIE!!!

[flipgyore]

I meant to give this a "thumbs up" but hit wrong button!! I totally agree and although EJ attributed his decrease in popularity to the fact that he "came out" in Playboy magazine that year, we all know it was because of the disbanding of those incredibly talented bandmates!

[thedps1998]

They were not nearly as good at this point as EJ had canned Nigel and Dee, which he would regret greatly.

[cyrus4256]

agreed! the intro is fabulous!

[Downstryke]

Yes, and who ever recorded this didn't start recording until the intro was almost over.

[ignoxious]

Bwahaha yup.

[847802]

Makes me wanna go to a wedding!...

steve cryder

[Squab1972]

Fabulous!

[mrnack]

this song's gotta have the best intro to any song ever.

[crspyl8er]

the king

[bobdole9696]

this just has to be the greatest rock song ever. Ozzy Osbourne, sit back and watch...Sir Elton John's on the stage.

[bkhistoryguy]

interesting how you combined two shows into one.

[johnlemmon]

remarkable work for it's time...

well done Reg...

[theovenwall29]

MY FAVORITE

[drknots]

Funeral for a friend really ROCKS! thanks for the memories of the seventies!

[Namvet46]

This song is Beautiful...A Classical tune by EJ

[Silver26J]

Awesome, elton in the 70s is rare.

Some idiot in the audience says at 0:34 'what the f### all this?'

[xcjaxx]

my favorite part sounds almost like my favorite part in fire on high

[brockula]

where do u get this stuff?? tell me!! awesome

[bobquem]

bootleg...audience recording...team effort.

[g2no2000]

Thanks for the post I was lucky to go to all of Elton's 1976 MSG shows,

as well as his 7/4/76 Bi Centennial Concert in Foxboro, Ma.

You are right the1976 & the 1974 tours were the best