Elton John wrote 'Song for Guy' himself, without his usual writing partner Bernie Taupin. The track is mainly instrumental but contains one line near the end of the track, which is repeated several times: 'Life isn't everything'. Elton later commented: 'As I was writing this song one Sunday, I imagined myself floating into space and looking down at my own body. I was imagining myself dying. Morbidly obsessed with these thoughts, I wrote this song about death. The next day I was told that Guy (Burchett), our 17 year-old messenger boy, had been tragically killed on his motorcycle the day before. Guy died on the day I wrote this song.'
The single version of 'Song for Guy' is one and a half minutes shorter than the album version. The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1768
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 20, 1992
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Song for Guy' / 'Lovesick'
Unbelivable how much those cracks and scratches took me back together with this beautiful music to my good old times... Perfect music with wonderfully imperfect quality of sound. Thanks God, vinyl still exists somewhere...
ReplyDeleteThnaks for sharing and reminding!