Elton John released “Candle in the Wind 1997” on September 13, 1997. The song, which John had performed at the funeral of Princess Diana, was a re-written version of a song that had been originally released on 1973’s “Goodbye Yellowbrick Road” as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. When asked by John to write something similar to the original “Candle in the Wind,” lyricist Bernie Taupin re-wrote the lyrics to the 1973 tune. The heartfelt track sold 4.86 million copies in the U.K. and remained at the top of the charts for five weeks. Despite its popularity, however, John only performed the song live at Princess Di’s funeral, refusing ever to play it again unless asked by her sons.