Elton John — Live at Wembley 1977
Recorded November 3, 1977
Wembley Empire Pool · London · 
England
Featuring Kiki Dee, Stevie Wonder
Setlist
No song timestamps yet. Know the times?
Album featured at the showBlue Moves1976Five tracks from the album are in the performance, including Tonight, One Horse Town and the closing Bite Your Lip.“To see the night Elton announces his first retirement from the stage, at Wembley's Empire Pool.”
Context
On November 3, 1977, a benefit night at Wembley takes on the weight of a farewell. Elton had cut back his performances that year and arrives at the Empire Pool with Blue Moves still recent. The date brings together a solo opening, backing from the band China and guests who come on in the final stretch.
Elton starts at the piano with Better Off Dead, Daniel and Roy Rogers. After Tonight, China takes the stage: Davey Johnstone and Jo Partridge on guitars, James Newton Howard on keyboards, Cooker LoPresti on bass and Dennis Conway on drums. Before Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, the singer announces that this will be his last show.
The farewell does not end his stage career: Elton performs again in 1978. The recording follows another path. The BBC first airs a fifty-minute selection; decades later, archive footage expands the broadcast to about two hours. The finale preserves Stevie Wonder taking over the piano on Bite Your Lip, a farewell that still finds room for another musician.
- Kiki Dee shares Don't Go Breaking My Heart; Stevie Wonder takes over the piano at the finale.
Lineup at this show
The lineup of this performance — not necessarily the current one.
- Elton JohnVocals and piano
- Davey JohnstoneGuitar
- Jo PartridgeGuitar
- John “Cooker” LoPrestiBass
- James Newton HowardKeyboards
- Dennis ConwayDrums
- Ray CooperPercussion
- Kiki DeeguestVocals on Don't Go Breaking My Heart
- Stevie WonderguestPiano and percussion on Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)
Trivia
Elton announces his retirement from the stage before Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, but resumes performing the following year.
Stevie Wonder begins his part in the finale with handclaps and tambourine, then takes over Elton's piano.
According to setlist.fm records, Shine on Through, One Horse Town and Bite Your Lip debut live on this night.
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