Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)
Encyclopedia
"Empty Garden" is a hit ballad from British
pop-rock performer Elton John
's 1982 album Jump Up!
. It reached number 13 in the US singles chart. He dedicated the song in memory of the late Beatle
, John Lennon
, who had been murdered by an obsessed fan
in front of his New York City apartment on December 8, 1980. Lennon and John were good friends, having performed a duet on Lennon's 1974 hit "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
", which the pair performed live at one of John's concerts in the same year (Lennon's last stage performance), along with two other songs. As part of his 1982 "Jump Up!" tour, he performed the song live at Madison Square Garden
, with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono
and their son Sean
in the audience. (Elton is Sean's godfather.) He again performed it on his first appearance as a musical guest on the April 17, 1982 episode of Saturday Night Live
hosted by Johnny Cash
.
John rarely performs the song live, as he has said it brings back many painful memories of Lennon's death, though he does add it to set lists from time to time, often when playing Madison Square Garden.
The "Empty Garden" referred to in the song is Madison Square Garden
, where Lennon performed a duet with John in 1974. John has since performed the song several times at Madison Square Garden. The music video for the song features John sitting at a piano with a mock-up of the Dakota building's drive-up entrance door where Lennon's murder took place.
John wrote and recorded an earlier instrumental tribute to Lennon, "The Man Who Never Died," and in the book accompanying the "To Be Continued ..." box set said he was concerned that songs about Lennon would be no more than "clumsy" or "cheesy," until he saw Taupin's lyrics for "Empty Garden." ("The Man Who Never Died (Remix)" was included as a bonus track on the remastered reissue of "Ice On Fire.")
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop-rock performer Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's 1982 album Jump Up!
Jump Up!
Jump Up! is the 16th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1982 on Rocket Records except in the US and Canada, where it was released on Geffen Records. It features such songs as "Empty Garden ", a tribute to John Lennon...
. It reached number 13 in the US singles chart. He dedicated the song in memory of the late Beatle
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, who had been murdered by an obsessed fan
Mark David Chapman
Mark David Chapman is an American prison inmate who murdered former Beatles member John Lennon on December 8, 1980. He committed the crime as Lennon and Yoko Ono were outside of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. Chapman aimed five shots at Lennon, hitting him four times in his back...
in front of his New York City apartment on December 8, 1980. Lennon and John were good friends, having performed a duet on Lennon's 1974 hit "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
Whatever Gets You thru the Night
"Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1974 on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 1874 in the United States and Apple R5998 in the United Kingdom. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #36 on the British singles chart...
", which the pair performed live at one of John's concerts in the same year (Lennon's last stage performance), along with two other songs. As part of his 1982 "Jump Up!" tour, he performed the song live at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
and their son Sean
Sean Lennon
is an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist and actor. He is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. His godfather is Sir Elton John.-Early life and education:...
in the audience. (Elton is Sean's godfather.) He again performed it on his first appearance as a musical guest on the April 17, 1982 episode of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
hosted by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
.
John rarely performs the song live, as he has said it brings back many painful memories of Lennon's death, though he does add it to set lists from time to time, often when playing Madison Square Garden.
The "Empty Garden" referred to in the song is Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, where Lennon performed a duet with John in 1974. John has since performed the song several times at Madison Square Garden. The music video for the song features John sitting at a piano with a mock-up of the Dakota building's drive-up entrance door where Lennon's murder took place.
John wrote and recorded an earlier instrumental tribute to Lennon, "The Man Who Never Died," and in the book accompanying the "To Be Continued ..." box set said he was concerned that songs about Lennon would be no more than "clumsy" or "cheesy," until he saw Taupin's lyrics for "Empty Garden." ("The Man Who Never Died (Remix)" was included as a bonus track on the remastered reissue of "Ice On Fire.")
- Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
- Yamaha electric pianoElectric grand pianoAn electric grand piano is a particular type of piano manufactured and marketed by Yamaha, Kawai and Helpinstill during the 1970s and 1980s, although experimental instruments of similar type were made as early as the late 1920s...
, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Richie ZitoRichie ZitoRichie Zito is a session guitarist and record producer from Los Angeles.He has worked with Poison, Neil Sedaka, Yvonne Elliman, Eric Carmen, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Marc Tanner, Elton John, the Motels, as well as The Cult, White Lion, Eddie Money, Heart, and Bad English...
- guitars - Dee MurrayDee MurrayDee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - James Newton-Howard - synthesizers
- Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
External links
- Empty Garden's Lyrics at Letras.Mus.Br