ANNOUNCER: Tonight from DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, a grateful nation salutes the legendary composing team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

With performances by Garth Brooks Brandi Carlile Annie Lennox Jacob Lusk of Gabriels Metallica Joni Mitchell Maren Morris Charlie Puth Special appearances by Emilio and Gloria Estefan Carole King Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

Special performances by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

And hosted by Billy Porter!

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome the host of tonight’s show, actor, singer, Tony, GRAMMY, Emmy, and GLAAD Media Award winner... Billy Porter!

♪ ELTON: Till touchdown brings me round again to find ♪ ♪ I'm not the man they think I am at all... ♪ ♪ PORTER: Well, Elton and Bernie, we're definitely not at touchdown yet, and the guided missile the two of you have been on since 1967 shows no sign of crashing and burning, but rather continuing to soar ever higher into the stratosphere and keep our musical star field bright and sparkling with its singular luminescence and glorious musical brilliance.

Tonight, we're all fortunate to share one more rocket ride with you courtesy of the Library of Congress which has wisely decided to bring only its third writing team and second and third Brits into the vaunted airspace of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

(audience applause) And you've been gracious enough to invite us along to an evening that not only looks back at this remarkable partnership but allows some of your musical friends to come along and salute you in the way they know best, through their most personal versions of your words and music.

Let’s start with an artist who has often expressed her respect for both Elton and Bernie, and who last year performed on this stage in celebration of the 2023 Gershwin Prize honoree, Joni Mitchell.

A multi-GRAMMY, Academy Award, and Golden Globe-winning composer and performer, please welcome... Annie Lennox!

(audience applause).

(audience applause).

("Border Song" plays).

♪ LENNOX: Holy Moses.

♪ ♪ I have been removed.

♪ ♪ I have seen the specter.

♪ ♪ He has been here too.

♪ ♪ Distant cousin from down the line.

♪ ♪ Brand of people who ain't my kind.

♪ ♪ Holy Moses, I have been removed.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Holy Moses.

♪ ♪ I have been deceived.

♪ ♪ Now the wind has changed direction ♪ ♪ And I have to leave.

♪ ♪ Won't you please excuse my frankness?

♪ ♪ But it ain't my cup of tea.

♪ ♪ Holy Moses, I have been deceived.

♪ ♪ I'm going back to the border where my affairs.

♪ ♪ My affairs ain't abused.

♪ ♪ I can't drink any more bad water.

♪ ♪ Been poisoned from my head down to my shoes.

♪ ♪ Whoah-oh-ho.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh.

♪ ♪ (Ooh), ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh.

♪ ♪ (scatting rhythmically).

♪ ♪ Won't you please excuse my friend, yeah.

♪ ♪ Excuse my friend, let's go!

♪ ♪ Holy Moses, I have been deceived.

♪ ♪ Holy Moses, let us live in peace.

♪ ♪ (Ahh).

♪ ♪ Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease.

♪ ♪ (Ahh).

♪ ♪ There's a man over there ♪ ♪ What's his color?

♪ ♪ I don't care ♪ ♪ He's my brother, let us live in peace.

♪ ♪ He's my brother, let us live in peace.

♪ ♪ He's my brother.

♪ ♪ Let us live.

♪ ♪ Let us live.

♪ ♪ In peace.

♪ ♪ Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo.

♪ ♪ Let us live in peace, peace, peace, peace, peace.

♪♪ Yes!

(audience applause).

♪ ELTON: Walk me down to... ♪♪ TAUPIN: I think the music, the foundation of our relationship has always been the music.

But it had also had been about our friendship.

Um, two individuals, very much sort of, adrift in the world at a young age.

Um, Elton coming from a rather, um, difficult family background.

Uh, being at odds with his father, being dominated by his father, yet being encouraged by his mother.

But, as a whole, not having a tremendously, um, childlike childhood, a happy childhood.

Where I came from a pretty idyllic childhood where my parents never ever, uh, crushed my dreams or told me I couldn't do what I wanted to do.

They never ever stopped me from going forward.

ELTON: He was, kind of, the brother I never had and he was moving down to London.

He was from the sticks in Lincolnshire and we became best friends.

We went to the cinema together, we went to concerts together, we wrote together, we read together, we listened to music together.

It was the start of an amazing collaboration and an enduring friendship, which is even stronger than it was then.

When I get the written word, I'm inspired to write a melody to the written word and it's just, it's wonderful because I've never gotten tired of the process because you never know what kind of lyric you're going to get.

So you don't know what kind of melody you're going to get.

JOHNSTONE: When I, when I, you know, first started working with Elton and Bernie and felt how powerful their songwriting was, not only musically but lyrically, the whole thing.

It was a joint situation.

It had to happen that way.

I think that's why lots of other musicians, songwriters, bands started coming along to watch Elton, to watch the, to watch us because it became evident that we were doing it in a way that was, you know, we'd nailed how to do this.

It was almost like, "Okay, this is the way this should be done."

ELTON: We write songs that we hope will last and our songs have lasted.

And so have the Gershwin's, you know?

Um, the Rogers and Hammerstein, all those wonderful people.

Um, the Cole Porters of this world.

They wrote classic songs and once you had a classic that people love, it never ever goes away.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome previous Library of Congress Gershwin Prize honoree, 7-time CMA Entertainer of the Year... Garth Brooks!

(audience applause).

♪ ("Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word").

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ BROOKS: What do I gotta do to make you love me?

♪ ♪ What do I gotta do to make you care?

♪ ♪ What'll I do when lightning strikes me?

♪ ♪ And I wake to find that you're not there?

♪ ♪ What do I gotta do to make you want me?

♪ ♪ What do I gotta do to be heard?

♪ ♪ What do I say when it's all over?

♪ ♪ Oh, sorry seems to be the hardest word.

♪ ♪ And it's sad.

♪ ♪ (So sad).

♪ ♪ It's so sad.

♪ ♪ It's a sad, sad situation.

♪ ♪ And it's gettin' more and more absurd.

♪ ♪ And it's sad.

♪ ♪ (So sad).

♪ ♪ It's so sad.

♪ ♪ Why can't we talk it over?

♪ ♪ Oh, it seems to me.

♪ ♪ That sorry seems to be the hardest word.

♪ ♪ (accordion solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And it's sad.

♪ ♪ (So sad).

♪ ♪ It's so sad.

♪ ♪ It's a sad, sad situation.

♪ ♪ And it's gettin' more and more absurd.

♪ ♪ It's so sad.

♪ ♪ (So sad).

♪ ♪ It's so sad.

♪ ♪ Why can't we talk it over?

♪ ♪ Oh, it seems to me.

♪ ♪ That sorry seems to be the hardest word.

♪ ♪ What do I gotta do to make you love me?

♪ ♪ Oh, what have I gotta do to be heard?

♪ ♪ What'll I do when lightning strikes me?

♪ ♪ What have I gotta do?

♪ ♪ What have I gotta do?

♪ ♪ Yeah, when sorry seems to be ♪ ♪ The hardest word?

♪♪ (audience applause).

(audience applause).

JOHNSTONE: I've got to say, and this is all in retrospect, because I, when I first met Elton, um, in the studio, at Trident Studios when we were doing, "Madman Across the Water", uh, it was immediately apparent to me what a great musician this guy was, what a brilliant singer this guy was, um, but here's the thing...

Without a great song like, "Madman Across the Water" uh, like "Rotten Peaches" you know, like "Tiny Dancer" or like, "Levon" which were all on this album and I was fortunate enough to be playing on this, this amazing collection of songs.

It just struck me that this is what, they had found, they found something very magical and very special.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome 11-time GRAMMY Award winner, Brandi Carlile!

(audience applause).

CARLILE: Thank you.

There is not one thing in the world that could have kept me away from this evening.

So saying yes was not hard at all.

But choosing just one song that holds special meaning for me was nearly impossible.

The honest-to-God truth is that I may have never written a song or even played a musical instrument without Elton John and Bernie Taupin's music.

(audience applause).

It's true.

When I discovered them it was around 1993.

It was the first thing I ever found in my life that was just mine.

My parents didn't like 'em.

Sorry guys.

They do now.

Uh, but I was 11 and Elton was wild and outrageously, dangerously fabulous.

And he sang the most beautiful stories I had ever heard.

They set my hands to keys and strings and they filled my whole life with words and-and world view.

I'll never stop thanking them for the wonderful life their music allowed me to dream into existence.

It took me some time but I did choose a song from an album of the same name, an absolute masterpiece because the music is free but formidable and the lyric compels us to question what madness even is?

Who do we laugh at and who do we worship?

Elton John and Bernie Taupin are deep complexity hidden inside of gorgeous and free-spirited rock and roll.

What an absolute honor to be with you both tonight.

This is, "Madman Across The Water."

♪ ("Madman Across the Water") ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can see.

♪ ♪ Very well.

♪ ♪ There's a boat on the reef with a broken back.

♪ ♪ And I can see it very well.

♪ ♪ There's a joke and I know it very well.

♪ ♪ It's one of those that I told you long ago.

♪ ♪ Take my word, I'm a madman, don't you know.

♪ ♪ Once a fool had a good part in the play.

♪ ♪ If it's so would I still be here today?

♪ ♪ It's quite peculiar in a funny sort of way.

♪ ♪ They think it's very funny everything I say.

♪ ♪ Get a load of him, he's so insane.

♪ ♪ You better get your coat, dear, it looks like rain.

♪ ♪ We'll come again next Thursday afternoon.

♪ ♪ The in-laws hope they'll see you very soon.

♪ ♪ But is it in your conscience that you're after.

♪ ♪ Another glimpse of the madman across the water?

♪ ♪ Yeah!

♪ ♪ (Guitar solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can see.

♪ ♪ Very well.

♪ ♪ There's a boat on the reef with a broken back.

♪ ♪ And I can see it very well.

♪ ♪ There's a joke and I know it very well.

♪ ♪ It's one of those that I told you long ago.

♪ ♪ Take my word, I'm a madman, don't you know.

♪ ♪ The ground's a long way down but I need more.

♪ ♪ Is the nightmare really black or are the windows painted?

♪ ♪ And will they come again next week, ♪ ♪ Can my mind really take it?

♪ ♪ No, no!

♪ ♪ We'll come again next Thursday afternoon.

♪ ♪ The in-laws hope they'll see you very soon.

♪ ♪ But is it in your conscience that you're after.

♪ ♪ Another glimpse of the madman across the water?

♪ ♪ Yeah!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (music ends) (audience applause).

McCARTNEY: Congratulations, Bernie, Elton.

Wow, what a great honor.

Um, since the '60s when we first knew each other, um, I've always admired the collaboration of the two of you.

And I've always been slightly jealous because me and John worked together, both played the instruments, both did words and music.

But then, later on, I thought, well, that's kind of interesting the way Elton, kind of, gets a little piece of paper with words on it, and then he puts it into a beautiful song.

I've been slightly jealous of that.

Um, I've always worked at it.

Not saying you haven't, Elton.

But anyway, um, I think it's great.

I think that you're a fantastic partnership and it really is fabulous that you're getting this award.

You more than deserve it.

You've written some of the greatest songs of the last 50 years or so.

So, well done, congratulations both, I love ya.

PORTER: One of the most endearing aspects of Elton John's musical personality is his eternal desire to discover, nurture, and expose young artists who he can help by giving them the encouragement, as well as the opportunities, to find new audiences.

Just ask Ed Sheeran or Billie Eilish, or Brandi Carlile y’all, come on!

Wow.

So, for this show, he asked producers if they'd consider booking a young artist who blew away 200,000 fans a couple of years ago when they performed together at Britain's famed Glastonbury Festival.

I'm a fan, and I think you will be too as we can honestly say, "Elton John presents, from Gabriels, Jacob Lusk!"

♪ (piano plays) ♪ LUSK: Good evening saints and friends, we are gathered here tonight in the good ole church of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

We gather tonight to celebrate, to consecrate, and to elucidate their incredible contributions to our heritage.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin... two masters of the popular music genre who have meant so much to our musical world and to our lives.

All right now, let's get into one of their greatest collaborations, from the book of the Jets... Let’s get to know a hero of biblical proportions.

And his name is Bennie!

♪ (Scatting).

♪ ♪ Hey kids, shake it loose together.

♪ ♪ The spotlight's hitting something.

♪ ♪ That's been known to change the weather.

♪ ♪ (Scatting).

♪ ♪ We'll kill the fatted calf tonight.

♪ ♪ So, so, so, stick around.

♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ You're gonna hear electric music, ♪ ♪ Solid walls of sound.

♪ ♪ Say Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?

♪ ♪ Oh, but they're so spaced out.

♪ ♪ B-B-B-B-B- Bennie and the Jets.

♪ ♪ Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful.

♪ ♪ Oh, Bennie, she's really keen.

♪ ♪ She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.

♪ ♪ You know I read it in a magazine, oh!

♪ ♪ B-B-B-B-B- Bennie and the Jets.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey kids, plug into the faithless.

♪ ♪ Maybe they're blinded, ♪ ♪ But Bennie makes them ageless.

♪ ♪ We shall survive, let us take ourselves along.

♪ ♪ Where we fight our parents out in the streets.

♪ ♪ To find who's right and who's wrong.

♪ ♪ Say Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?

♪ ♪ Oh, but they're so spaced out.

♪ ♪ B-B-B-B-B- Bennie and the Jets.

♪ ♪ Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful.

♪ ♪ Oh, Bennie, she's really keen.

♪ ♪ She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.

♪ ♪ You know I read it in a magazine, oh!

♪ ♪ B-B-B-B-B- Bennie and the Jets.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Say Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?

♪ ♪ Oh, but they're so spaced out.

♪ ♪ B-B-B-B-B- Bennie and the Jets.

♪ ♪ Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful.

♪ ♪ Oh, Bennie, she's really keen.

♪ ♪ She's got electric boots, a mohair suit.

♪ ♪ You know I read it in a magazine, oh!

♪ ♪ B-B-B-B-B- Bennie and the Jets.

♪ ♪ Bennie, Bennie and the Jets, yes!

♪ ♪ Come on, y'all.

♪ ♪ Help me out!

♪ ♪ I said, Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie.

♪ ♪ (Bennie and the Jets) ♪♪ ♪ Hey!

♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie and the Jets!

♪ ♪ Oh, Bennie, (Bennie) ♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets!

♪ ♪ I said Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie, (Bennie).

♪ ♪ Bennie and the Jets!

♪ ♪ Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ Oh!

♪♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

Love you, Elton.

Love you.

(audience applause).

TAUPIN: I mean, "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" is definitely, definitely one of our finest songs, there’s no doubt about that.

And if it has any, sort of, reference to the great American songbook has to be a song that you can strip everything off of it and just leave piano and vocals on, and if it still sounds good and there's a great melody there.

I mean, it's a simple song, but it's uh, it's a beautiful song.

But it was definitely written on the Island of Montserrat and I suppose it's kind of a love letter home.

ANNOUNCER: To perform another Elton and Bernie classic, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues,” please welcome, Maren Morris!

♪ ("I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues") ♪ ♪ MORRIS: Don't wish it away.

♪ ♪ Don't look at it like it's forever.

♪ ♪ Between you and me, I could honestly say.

♪ ♪ That things can only get better.

♪ ♪ And while I'm away.

♪ ♪ Dust out the demons inside.

♪ ♪ And it won't be long ♪ ♪ Before you and me run ♪ ♪ To the place in our hearts where we hide.

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ Time on my hands could be time spent with you.

♪ ♪ Laughin' like children, livin' like lovers.

♪ ♪ Rollin' like thunder under the covers.

♪ ♪ (Ahh).

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ Just stare into space.

♪ ♪ Picture my face in your hands.

♪ ♪ (Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo).

♪ ♪ Live for each second without hesitation.

♪ ♪ And never forget I'm your man.

♪ ♪ (Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo).

♪ ♪ Wait on me girl.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ Cry in the night if it helps.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ But more than ever.

♪ ♪ I simply love you, ♪ ♪ More than I love life itself.

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ Time on my hands could be time spent with you.

♪ ♪ Laughin' like children, livin' like lovers.

♪ ♪ Rollin' like thunder under the covers.

♪ ♪ (Ahh).

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ Hey, hey, yeah.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo).

♪ ♪ (Hey, hey).

♪ ♪ Hey, yeah.

♪ ♪ (Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo).

♪ ♪ Wait on me girl.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ Cry in the night if it helps.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ But more than ever.

♪ ♪ I simply love you, ♪ ♪ More than I love life itself.

♪ ♪ Hey.

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ Time on my hands could be time spent with you.

♪ ♪ Laughin' like children, livin' like lovers.

♪ ♪ Rollin' like thunder under the covers.

♪ ♪ (Ahh).

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ (Laughing like children).

♪ ♪ Hey, hey.

♪ ♪ (Living like lovers).

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ (Laughing like children).

♪ ♪ (Living like lovers).

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it the blues.

♪ ♪ And I guess that's why they call it.

♪ ♪ The blues... ♪♪ Elton, Bernie, I love you so much!

Thank you for having me again.

(audience applause).

Woo!

(audience applause).

♪ ("Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On").

♪ ELTON: I was studying piano at the Royal Academy of Music, but I knew I wasn't going to be a classical pianist because all I wanted to do was play like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.

It was exciting, it was moving, it was energetic, and it was the most incredible time to be alive.

When I saw Jerry Lee Lewis, you know, jump on the piano, you weren’t supposed to do that, uh and then Little Richard was standing up playing the piano, Fats Domino used to push the piano, the grand piano, across the stage with his stomach.

This had never happened before, and it appealed to me.

JOHNSTONE: When I was a kid, five years old, growing up in Scotland, Edinburgh in Scotland, um, my big sisters, who were both 10 and 12 years older than me, they had a little record player and they were playing “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley, “All Shook Up”, they also had “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard, um, so here’s the thing, jumping on ahead to meeting somebody like Elton who, I wasn’t aware until I started working with him, how great he was as a Rock and Roll piano player.

Suddenly it was like, “Jesus Christ, this guy is Jerry Lee Lewis, he is Little Richard, he is all these guys that I’ve heard and you know what?

He’s actually better,” it was terrifying.

TAUPIN: Elton and I have a great nostalgic bond about those early years because it was him and me against the world, you know, each other was all we have, and I don’t think we’ve ever forgotten that.

And it was a bond forged on brotherly love and the love for music.

PORTER: Put your hands together.

Get up on your feet.

(vocalizing).

♪ Oh.

♪ ♪ I was justified when I was five, raising Cain, ♪ ♪ And spit in your eye.

♪ ♪ Times have changed, now the fools get fat, ♪ ♪ But the fever’s gonna get you when the bitch gets back.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ Ah-ya.

♪ ♪ Eat meat on a Friday, that’s alright, ♪ ♪ Even lick the dinner on another night.

♪ ♪ If I could be the best at your social do’s, ♪ ♪ I get high in the evening sniffing pots of glue.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Yeah-yeah.

♪ ♪ Bitch, bitch, bitch is back.

♪ ♪ Stone-cold sober as a matter of fact.

♪ ♪ I can bitch, I can bitch ‘cause I’m better than you, ♪ ♪ It’s the way that I move, the thing that I do, oh yeah.

♪ ♪ Hey.

♪ ♪ Oh yeah.

♪ ♪ I entertain by picking brains.

♪ ♪ Chose my soul by dropping names.

♪ ♪ I don’t like those, my God, what’s that?

♪ ♪ ‘Cause the fever’s gonna get ya when the bitch gets back.

♪ ♪ Oh-yeah.

♪ ♪ I’m a bitch, I’m a bitch and the bitch is back.

♪ ♪ Stone-cold sober as a matter of fact.

♪ ♪ I can bitch, I can bitch ‘cause I’m better than you, ♪ ♪ It’s the way that I move, ♪ ♪ The things that I do, oh yeah.

♪ ♪ (guitar solo) ♪ ♪ Hey-yeah!

♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on!

♪♪ Listen, it’s 2024, I don’t want you to be offended by the word “bitch”.

The queer community uses it as a love letter.

♪ ‘Cause I’m a bitch, bitch, bitch is back.

♪ ♪ Stone-cold sober as a matter of fact.

♪ ♪ I can bitch, bitch, ‘cause I’m better than you, ♪ ♪ It’s the way that I do, ♪ ♪ The things that I do, oh-yeah.

♪ ♪ Hey, oh, the bitch is back.

♪ ♪ ‘Cause I’m a bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Hey, the bitch is back.

♪ ♪ (Oh yeah, the bitch is back).

♪ ♪ Oh, I’m a bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Hey, the bitch is back.

♪ ♪ (Oh yeah).

♪ ♪ Come on, help me, somebody.

♪ I’m a bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Bitch is back.

♪ ♪ (Oh yeah).

♪ ♪ (vocalizing).

♪ ♪ (Bitch, bitch, bitch is back).

♪ ♪ Woo.

♪ ♪ Hey.

♪ ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ Come on play it, David.

♪ ♪ Oh, I’m a bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Hey, bitch is back.

♪ ♪ (Oh yeah, bitch is back).

♪ ♪ Oh, I’m a bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Bitch.

(Bitch).

♪ ♪ Hey, bitch is back.

♪ ♪ (audience applause).

JOHNSTONE: You know the way that, that Elton writes is, is, you know 90% of the time is in the studio, that's what he does he walks in there with a lyric, which he's probably never seen before, maybe he glanced at it, but he'll sit down at the piano and immediately start doing it.

And within half-hour, and that's on the long side, within a half-hour, you've got a song.

That happened also in the case of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" uh, when Elton was writing that, you know, in Caribou Ranch, when we were recording "Don't Let The Sun..." we all had um, uh, log cabins and Elton did write the song, in the log cabin and then went over across the, into the studio to record it, and when Nigel heard that, coming down the stairs, he immediately went, "That's a number one."

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome the amazing, Charlie Puth.

(audience applause).

PUTH: Can I just say something before we begin, um, I dreamed about this moment for all of my life, this is the uh, one of the first Elton John songs I’ve ever heard, I know that’s hard to believe but um, I never thought um, this dream would ever come true and to just be here with all of you tonight, especially in front of you and Bernie, just to be playing this, this song, uh, it’s uh, to be playing this song for the two who have meant such, so much to my musical life and, in fact, my personal life uh, I guess sometimes dreams do come true everybody.

(audience applause).

Um, I love this song, I love these fellows and if you’ll let me, I just need to take this in for a moment before I play the C chord.

Wow.

(audience applause).

♪ (“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”).

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I can’t light, ♪ ♪ No more of your darkness.

♪ ♪ All my pictures seem to fade to black and white.

♪ ♪ I’m growing tired ♪ ♪ And time stands still before me.

♪ ♪ Frozen here, on the ladder of my life.

♪ ♪ It’s too late, ♪ ♪ To save myself from falling.

♪ ♪ I took a chance, ♪ ♪ And changed your way of life.

♪ ♪ But you misread, ♪ ♪ My meaning when I met you.

♪ ♪ Closed the door ♪ ♪ And left me blinded by the light.

♪ ♪ Don’t let the sun go down on me.

♪ ♪ (Don’t let the sun).

♪ ♪ Although I search myself, ♪ ♪ There’s always someone else I see.

♪ ♪ I’d just allow a fragment of your life, ♪ ♪ To wander free.

♪ ♪ ‘Cause losing everything, ♪ ♪ Is like the sun going down on me.

♪ ♪ (piano solo).

♪ ♪ I can’t find, ♪ ♪ Oh, the right romantic line.

♪ ♪ But see me once, ♪ ♪ And see the way I feel, yeah.

♪ ♪ Don’t discard me, ♪ ♪ Just because you think I mean you harm.

♪ ♪ But these cuts I have, ♪ ♪ They need love to help them heal.

♪ ♪ Oh.

♪ ♪ Don’t let the sun go down on me.

♪ ♪ (Don’t let the sun).

♪ ♪ Although I search myself, ♪ ♪ There’s always someone else I see.

♪ ♪ I’d just allow a fragment of your life, ♪ ♪ To wander free.

♪ ♪ ‘Cause losing everything, ♪ ♪ Is like the sun going down on me.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don’t let the sun go down on me.

♪ ♪ Although I search myself, ♪ ♪ There’s always someone else I see.

♪ ♪ I’d just allow a fragment of your life, ♪ ♪ To wander free.

♪ ♪ ‘Cause losing everything, ♪ ♪ Is like the sun going down on me.

♪♪ We love you, Elton and Bernie.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

(audience applause).

WONDER: Elton, Bernie, I’m so very honored that I was asked to be a part of celebrating the two of you.

Well the fact that I’ve loved and cherished the songs that you’ve written together, Elton your melodies and the way you sang the songs, and Bernie your lyrics, it’s as if you’re twins writing songs that will last beyond our lifetime.

Well, that’s what I expect for greatness, to be able to last forever and I just wanted to play a little somethin’ that made me think about all this and me being a part of that celebration, very simply this.

♪ Congratulations Elton and Bernie on your receiving ♪ ♪ The Gershwin Prize.

♪♪ God bless you.

PORTER: This next band has opened its show many times with an anthemic song called “Creeping Death”, so maybe it’s fitting that tonight they’re here to celebrate one of Elton’s most performed opening numbers, a song that millions have come to know and love because it combines Elton’s love of classical themes and one of Bernie’s richest lyrics.

To perform “Funeral for a Friend” and “Love Lies Bleeding”, here’s true rock royalty, and huge Elton and Bernie fans, Metallica!

(“Funeral for a Friend”) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (“Love Lies Bleeding”) ♪ HETFIELD: Alright.

♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The roses in the window box tilted to one side.

♪ ♪ Everything about this house got to grow and die.

♪ ♪ Oh, it doesn’t seem a year ago to this very day, ♪ ♪ You said, “I’m sorry, honey if I don’t change the pace, ♪ ♪ Can’t stand another day.

♪ ♪ ‘Cause love lives bleeding in my hands.

♪ ♪ It kills me to think of you with another man.

♪ ♪ I was playin’ rock and roll, you were just a fan.

♪ ♪ Guitar couldn’t hold you so I split the band.

♪ ♪ Yeah, love lies bleedin’ in my hand.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I wonder if those changes, they left a scar on you.

♪ ♪ All the burnin’ hoops of fire you and I passed through.

♪ ♪ You’re a bluebird on a line, hope you’re happy now.

♪ ♪ And if the winds of change comes down your way, ♪ ♪ You’ll make it back somehow.

♪ ♪ Your love lies bleedin’ in my hands.

♪ ♪ It kills me to think of you with another man.

♪ ♪ I was playin’ rock and roll you were just a fan, ♪ ♪ My guitar couldn’t hold you so I split the band.

♪ ♪ Yeah, love lies bleedin’ in my hands.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah.

♪ ♪ (guitar solo).

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And love lies bleedin’ in my hands.

♪ ♪ It kills me to think of you with another man.

♪ ♪ I was playin’ rock and roll you were just a fan.

♪ ♪ My guitar couldn’t hold you so I split the band.

♪ ♪ Yeah, love lies bleeding in my hands.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oooh-oooh-ooh-ooh.

♪ ♪ Yeah, love lies bleeding in my hands.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Love lies bleeding in my hands.

♪ ♪ Love lies bleeding in my hands.

♪ ♪ Ooh yeah.

♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (guitar solo).

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

KING: Hey Bernie and Elton, the first time I heard your songs was when Elton played the Troubadour in, I had to look this up, 1970.

It was a great set and the song, “Your Song” was perfection.

Elton, your gift of channeling music as a songwriter and performer has inspired so many of us.

And Bernie, I know when a lyric on a page calls for just the right music, and Elton has always delivered that.

You’re both so deserving of the Gershwin Prize.

Welcome and congratulations.

PORTER: From the beginning of their partnership, both Elton and Bernie knew that giving back was important, and their record of charitable giving over the years has set a high bar for artists who followed.

But there was one organization, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, that was started in 1992, which became a lifelong passion for both artists.

And with the recent Academy Awards event in Los Angeles, the Foundation has now raised over $600 million to further its work in the fight against HIV/AIDS in America and all around the world.

(audience applause).

And though the story of Elton’s commitment to the cause is well-known, there is another side of Elton that exemplifies his passion for this fight, and it’s not a song.

It’s a letter he wrote 20 years after the death of young Ryan White, a death attributed to a transfusion.

Ryan became a close friend of Elton’s early on in his struggle with HIV and AIDS.

Tonight, to read a portion of this letter, we are honored by the presence of a dear friend of Elton John's AIDS Foundation and Elton and Bernie personally, Ryan’s sister, Andrea White.

WHITE: In 2020, the Library of Congress became home to the National AIDS Memorial Quilt Archive, comprising of over 200,000 AIDS-related items submitted by those who created the panels for the National AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Tonight, we have an actual section of the Quilt here to honor all AIDS victims here in America and around the world.

(audience applause).

Elton and Bernie, thank you for inviting me to share this amazing evening with you.

I know Ryan would have loved to have been here, but the next best thing I can do is to share an excerpt from your letter to Ryan.

“Dear Ryan, 20 years ago this month, you died of AIDS.

I would gladly give my fame and fortune if only I could have one more conversation with you, the friend who changed my life, as well as the lives of millions living with HIV.

Instead, I have written you this letter.

I remember so well when we first met.

A young boy with a terminal disease, you were the epitome of grace.

You never blamed anyone for the illness that ravaged your body or the torment and stigma that you endured.

When students, parents, and teachers in your community shunned you, threatened you, and expelled you from school, you responded not with words of hate but with understanding beyond your years.

You said they were simply afraid of what they did not know.

When the media heralded you as an “innocent victim” because you had contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion, you rejected that label and stood in solidarity with thousands of other HIV-positive men and women.

You reminded America that all victims of AIDS are innocent.

Ryan, I wish you could know how much the world has changed, and how much you changed it.

Young boys and girls with HIV attend school, take medicine that allows them to lead normal lives.

Children in America are seldom born with the virus, and they no longer contract it through transfusions.

The insults and injustices you suffered are not tolerated by society.

Most important, Ryan, you inspired awareness which helped lead to life-saving treatments.

In 1990, four months after you died, Congress passed the Ryan White CARE Act, which now provides more than $2 billion each year for AIDS medicine and treatment for half a million Americans.

Today... (audience applause).

Today, countless people with HIV live long, productive lives.

It breaks my heart that you are not one of them.

You were 18 when you died and you would be 38 this year, if only the current treatments existed when you were sick.

I think about this every day because America needs your message of compassion as never before.

I miss you so very much, Ryan, I was by your side when you died at Riley Hospital.

You’ve been with me every day since.

You inspired me to change my life and carry on your work.

Because of you, I’m still in the struggle against AIDS, 20 years later.

(audience applause).

I pledge not to rest until we achieve the compassion for which you so bravely and beautifully fought.

Your friend, Elton.” (audience applause).

(“Skyline Pigeon”).

♪ CARLILE: Turn me loose, from your hands.

♪ ♪ Let me fly, to distant lands.

♪ ♪ Over green fields, trees, and mountains, ♪ ♪ Flowers and forest fountains.

♪ ♪ Home along the lanes of the skyway, ♪ ♪ For a dark and lonely room, ♪ ♪ Projects a shadow cast in gloom.

♪ ♪ And my eyes are mirrors of the world outside ♪ ♪ Thinking of the way that the wind can turn the tide.

♪ ♪ And these shadows turn from purple into grey, ♪ ♪ For just a skyline pigeon, dreaming of the open waiting ♪ ♪ For the day, ♪ ♪ He can spread his wings and fly away again.

♪ ♪ Fly, skyline pigeon, fly ♪ ♪ Towards the dreams, you’ve left so very far behind.

♪ ♪ Fly away, skyline pigeon fly, ♪ ♪ Towards the dreams, you left so very far behind.

♪ ♪ Let me wake up in the morning to the smell of new-mown hay.

♪ ♪ To laugh and cry, ♪ ♪ To live and die in the brightness of my day.

♪ ♪ I wanna hear the pealing bells of distant churches sing.

♪ ♪ But most of all, ♪ ♪ Please free me from this aching metal ring.

♪ ♪ And open out the cage towards the sun, ♪ ♪ For just this skyline pigeon, ♪ ♪ Dreaming of the open, ♪ ♪ Waiting for the day, ♪ ♪ He can spread his wings and fly away again.

♪ ♪ Fly high, skyline pigeon, fly.

♪ ♪ Towards the dreams, you left so very far behind.

♪ ♪ Fly away, skyline pigeon fly, ♪ ♪ Toward the dreams you left so very, ♪ ♪ So very far, ♪ ♪ Behind.

♪♪ ♪ ♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

♪ ELTON: Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane.

♪♪ TAUPIN: "Daniel" is, again, one of those songs that has a bit of, sort of, urban mythology about it.

And definitely one of the songs that people constantly ask about.

Yes, it is about departure, but the kernel of the song came from an article in...

I think it was Time Magazine that I was reading on a flight in the '70s, and it was about the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War.

It was at the time when vets were coming back from Vietnam and, it, depending on the locale that they were going to, they would either be regarded as pariahs, as baby killers, as torchers of villages, or they would be regarded as heroes, and uh, feted and celebrated.

So I, I just imagined this character who said, "I can't take this anymore, I gotta go somewhere where I've been before and that I love, and I just wanna get away from it, I just wanna get away from all this adulation."

And it's that happening through the eyes of his younger brother.

♪ (“Daniel”).

♪ BROOKS: Yeah!

♪ Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane.

♪ ♪ I can see the red tail lights ♪ ♪ Heading for Spain.

♪ ♪ Oh, and I can see Daniel waving goodbye.

♪ ♪ God, it looks like Daniel, ♪ ♪ Must be the clouds in my eyes.

♪ ♪ They say Spain is pretty though I've never been.

♪ ♪ And Daniel says it's the best place that ♪ ♪ He's ever seen, oh and.

♪ ♪ He oughta know, he's been there enough.

♪ ♪ God, I miss Daniel, ♪ ♪ Yeah, I miss him so much.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Daniel my brother you are older than me.

♪ ♪ Do you still feel the pain ♪ ♪ Of the scars that won't heal?

♪ ♪ Your eyes have died.

♪ ♪ But you see more than I.

♪ ♪ Daniel, you're a star ♪ ♪ In the face of the sky.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Daniel my brother you are older than me.

♪ ♪ Do you still feel the pain ♪ ♪ Of the scars that won't heal?

♪ ♪ Your eyes have died.

♪ ♪ But you see more than I.

♪ ♪ Daniel, you're a star ♪ ♪ In the face of the sky.

♪ ♪ Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane.

♪ ♪ And I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain.

♪ ♪ Oh, and I can see Daniel waving goodbye.

♪ ♪ God, it looks like Daniel.

♪ ♪ Must be the clouds in my eyes.

♪ ♪ Oh God, it looks like Daniel.

♪ ♪ Must be the clouds in my eyes.

♪♪ ♪ ♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

(audience applause).

GLORIA: Sir Elton John, and Bernie Taupin.

One of the most incredible partnerships in the world, besides ours.

Your music changed my life, I went over every lyric, every musical nuance of every one of your albums, and you were a real inspiration to me.

Congratulations on this incredible award.

EMILIO: Congratulations, you are an inspiration for so many writers, and congratulations, you deserve, and wish you the best.

TAUPIN: It was a fantastic night.

Um, he, I don’t think people knew what to expect.

I think half of the people probably in here, hadn’t even heard the, the record, the Black Album.

You know, they saw that album cover and thought he was gonna be probably a very introspective, sort of Randy Newman type of artist.

And the fact that he ended up sort of kicking over his piano stool and pretty much standing on the piano and blowing the roof off the place, uh, with a, literally with a, well three-piece band including him.

No, you know, I think people were flummoxed by the fact that we didn’t have a guitarist at the time when guitarists were the dominant factor in bands.

Um, everything about us was different, and I think that’s what drew the crowd to their feet.

But it didn’t translate and, and plus we got that incredible review from Robert Hilburn.

Which, you know, obviously uh, filled the seats for the rest of the week.

HILBURN: The thing about the music as you listened to it that night at the Troubadour was, this was something different.

He walks onstage, he’s not a singer-songwriter with a guitar.

That’s unheard of, okay.

So, what’s going on here?

The first song is “Your Song”, then he does “Sixty Years On”.

Then he does “Country Comfort”.

What a range.

This was a break from the ‘60s, there wasn’t the screaming guitar, there wasn’t the undying youth orientation of the music.

This was something different, it was just like, this was a change.

After the turmoil of the ‘60s, we were going into a new style.

They didn’t just sound good the first time you heard them, 50 years later, they sound fresh.

That’s what it had, it had some, it had a lasting quality, and that’s the precious thing of songwriting.

When you get a song that’s appealing and timeless, then you’ve got greatness.

JOHNSTONE: When that all went down at the Troubadour I was a young, I was a 19-year-old bohemian, living in London, and um, the Bible at the time, the musical Bible, was the Melody Maker.

But I remember seeing the center page, thing, double fold-out, with the pictures of Elton, you know, kicking out, putting his hands down on the piano.

And this amazing review, they basically re-printed the whole review that, that Robert Hilburn did.

Every musician, if regardless if you were a folk musician, jazz, rock, you would see this.

So it made a huge impact to people in London, especially me because I didn’t really know who he was.

CARLILE: I honestly don't understand how I got so lucky.

But last year about this time I got to stand on this stage with my idol and dear friend, Joni Mitchell, as she received her Gershwin Prize.

Yeah, Joni!

(audience applause).

And this year, I'm back on this stage honoring another pair of my musical idols and icons who have had as much of an impact on my life as Joni has, Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

(audience applause).

Here is last year's Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize Honoree, performing a song that holds a special meaning for her... so much so that she was given the green light by Elton and Bernie to change some of the lyrics to fit her, which is, honestly, the most Joni Mitchell thing I think I've ever heard of.

Let's give it up for the one and only, Joni Mitchell!

(audience applause).

(audience applause).

♪ (“I’m Still Standing”).

♪ ♪ (music, snapping).

♪ ♪ You’ll never know what.

♪ ♪ Love is like.

♪ ♪ You’re too self-centered and you’re too uptight.

♪ ♪ You’re cold and distant, and you don’t care.

♪ ♪ I’ve seen the ugly side you hide behind that.

♪ ♪ Mask you wear.

♪ ♪ You’re not happy till you make me cry.

♪ ♪ That’s not gonna happen, look my eyes are dry.

♪ ♪ And my heart’s not broken and my path is clear.

♪ ♪ And you were just a bumpy little.

♪ ♪ Detour, dear.

♪ ♪ And I’m still standin' better than I ever did.

♪ ♪ Lookin' like a true survivor.

♪ ♪ Feelin' like a little kid.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ I'm still standin' after all this time.

♪ ♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life without you on my mind.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ You think you won.

♪ ♪ You think I lost ♪ ♪ You get the sunshine ♪ ♪ I get the frost.

♪ ♪ My life gets better for me every day.

♪ ♪ And I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ While you just.

♪ ♪ Fade away.

♪ ♪ I'm still standin' better than I ever did.

♪ ♪ Lookin' like a true survivor.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ Feelin' like a little kid.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ I'm still standin' after all this time.

♪ ♪ Pickin' up the pieces of my life without you on my mind.

♪ ♪ (Ooh).

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪ ♪ (Yeah, yeah, yeah).

♪ ♪ I’m still standing.

♪♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

(laughing).

(audience applause).

ELTON: There’ve been so many great songwriting teams in history, and they’ve all been slightly different.

And Bernie and I have been a team, and... the dynamic, I’ve never questioned why it works, it’s very strange.

Um, but I can only seem to write to the written word.

And we have never really been in the same room when we’ve written a song together, ever.

There have been a couple of times when I’ve suggested a lyric, like “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” or “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word”, but that’s about it.

It’s always come from the written word.

We’ve always lived, kind of, separate lives when we’re songwriting, but it’s deemed to magically have worked.

And we’ve never questioned it.

TAUPIN: We are, sort of, two peas in a pod.

But at the same time, two very different peas, which made us be able to exist for as long as we have.

I’ve always been very solitary in my writing, probably more so than Elton.

Because Elton can seem to write in pretty much any location with any amount of people present.

I think he sort of, has this magical way of tuning everybody out when he puts fingers to piano, and adapts my lyrics to his melodies.

But I, at the same time, as I say, I’m very solitary in what I do.

And it’s always been a unique relationship in that way, I’m left to, uh, create in my own environment, and he is the same way in his own environment.

ELTON: We’ve gotten through things within our career that, I knew that he would have to write with someone else, because I, I, you can’t hold someone and say, “You must only write with me”.

So, he went off and wrote very successfully with other people, I did too, and that little gap was very necessary for us coming back stronger together.

If you love somebody set them free, and that’s what we did.

And as I say, our relationship is stronger than it’s ever been, which is extraordinary because the pressures you face, in this business, as songwriting teams, not many teams lasted.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome, Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden!

(audience applause).

(audience applause).

HAYDEN: Thank, thank you.

And thank you, Joni.

You definitely, you definitely got us standing.

Wow!

This has been such a memorable evening.

And as you’ve heard tonight, Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives.

The Library of Congress Prize is named for the legendary songwriting team, George and Ira Gershwin, whose papers are held by the Library.

And both Bernie and Elton truly epitomize their legacy.

(audience applause).

More than 50 years ago, they came across the pond to win over Americans and audiences worldwide with their beautiful songs and rock anthems.

Elton's music and Bernie's words are so embedded in our collective songbook, it instantly takes you over.

First, you hear Elton in the opening crescendo of the piano.

Then you hear Bernie's writing in the opening lyrics.

"I remember when rock was young..." And before you know it, you are on your feet singing the famous "La" chorus for "Crocodile Rock."

And you know that feeling, I'm getting it now.

So, I think it's time that we soar like a "Rocketman".

It is my extreme honor to present, and uh... hold on, I can't do this... there is only way I can do this... (audience applause).

It is my extreme honor to present one, one, of the 2024 Gershwin Prize honorees, to perform a selection of their legendary songbook.

Elton John!

(audience applause).

♪ (“Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”).

♪ ♪ ELTON: And now I know.

♪ ♪ Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say.

♪ ♪ I thought I knew.

♪ ♪ But now I know that rose trees never grow.

♪ ♪ In New York City.

♪ ♪ Until you've seen this trash can dream come true.

♪ ♪ You stand at the edge while people run you through.

♪ ♪ And I thank the Lord.

♪ ♪ There's people out there like you.

♪ ♪ I thank the Lord there's people out there like you.

♪ ♪ While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.

♪ ♪ Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers.

♪ ♪ Turn around and say "good morning" to the night.

♪ ♪ For unless they see the sky.

♪ ♪ But they can't and that is why.

♪ ♪ They know not if it's dark outside or light.

♪ ♪ This Broadway's got.

♪ ♪ It's got a lot of songs to sing.

♪ ♪ If I knew the tunes I might join in.

♪ ♪ I'll go my way alone.

♪ ♪ I'll grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown, ♪ ♪ In New York City.

♪ ♪ Subway's no way for a good man to go down.

♪ ♪ Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown.

♪ ♪ And I thank the Lord for the people I have found.

♪ ♪ I thank the Lord for the people I have found.

♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪ While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.

♪ ♪ Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers.

♪ ♪ Turn around and say ♪ ♪ "Good morning" to the night.

♪ ♪ For unless they see the sky.

♪ ♪ But they can't and that is why.

♪ ♪ They know not if it's dark outside or light.

♪ ♪ And now I know.

♪ ♪ Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say.

♪ ♪ I thought I knew.

♪ ♪ But now I know that rose trees never grow.

♪ ♪ In New York City.

♪ ♪ Until you've seen this trash can dream come true.

♪ ♪ You stand at the edge while people run you through.

♪ ♪ And I thank the Lord.

♪ ♪ There's people out there like you.

♪ ♪ I thank the Lord there's people out there like you.

♪ ♪ While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.

♪ ♪ Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers.

♪ ♪ Turn around and say, ♪ ♪ "Good morning" to the night.

♪ ♪ For unless they see the sky.

♪ ♪ But they can't and that is why.

♪ ♪ They know not if it's dark outside or light.

♪ ♪ For unless they see the sky.

♪ ♪ But they can't and that is why.

♪ ♪ They know not if it's dark outside or light.

♪♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

Thank you, can I have a bit more of this, please?

This has been, like an acid trip for me tonight, um, to see all these people on stage singing our songs so beautifully, incredibly.

Um, I want to thank all the artists that have sung tonight, it's...

I'm a huge fan of every single artist that came here tonight, and gave their all, and it's something I will never forget.

It's, it's such a compliment for these amazing people to come here and interpret our songs.

Um, you know I, it's, it's great seeing, you know, people play your songs, because you're so used to singing them yourself, and you then, like, you listen to Metallica and you think, "Christ, that's not easy, and they're playing it so well".

(audience laughter and applause).

Incredible, incredible feeling to be here.

Thank you, first of all, um, to Ken Ehrlich and his team, they’ve been brilliant, and they’ve helped us, and they’ve organized this so well.

It's so good of them.

(audience applause).

Our backing singers... SistaStrings.

(audience applause).

And this is the first time in my life where I’ve ever sat, I have sat in the audience and listened to my band.

(laughter).

I know they’re good, but they’re amazing.

They’re amazing.

(audience applause).

It’s a complete privilege to listen to them play, and uh, I’ve never seen Kim Bullard play the accordion before, um, but thank you.

It’s, uh, it’s an incredible evening.

Thank you all for coming, we’re gonna liven things up a little bit here, okay?

(audience applause).

♪ ("Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting").

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's getting late have you seen my mates?

♪ ♪ Ma tell me when the boys get here.

♪ ♪ It's seven o'clock and I want to rock.

♪ ♪ Want to get a belly full of beer.

♪ ♪ My old man's drunker than a barrel full of monkeys.

♪ ♪ And my old lady she don't care.

♪ ♪ My sister looks cute in her braces and boots.

♪ ♪ Handful of grease in her hair.

♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh, don't give us none of your aggravation.

♪ ♪ We had it with your discipline.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright for fighting.

♪ ♪ Get a little action in.

♪ ♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train.

♪ ♪ Gonna set this dance alight.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's the night I like.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright.

Alright, alright.

♪ ♪ Ooh.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, they're packed pretty tight in here tonight.

♪ ♪ I'm looking for somebody to see me right.

♪ ♪ I may use a little muscle to get what I need.

♪ ♪ I may sink a little drink and shout out "She's with me".

♪ ♪ A couple of the sounds that I really like.

♪ ♪ Are the sounds of a switchblade and a motorbike.

♪ ♪ I'm a juvenile product of the working class.

♪ ♪ Whose best friend floats in the bottom of a glass, yeah.

♪ ♪ Oh, don't give us none of your aggravation.

♪ ♪ We had it with your discipline.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright for fighting.

♪ ♪ Get a little action in.

♪ ♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train.

♪ ♪ Gonna set this dance alight.

♪ ♪ 'Cause Saturday night's the night I like.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright.

Alright, alright.

♪ ♪ Ooh.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, don't give us no aggravation.

♪ ♪ We had it with your discipline.

♪ ♪ Cause Saturday night's alright for fighting.

♪ ♪ Get a little action in.

♪ ♪ Get about as oiled as a diesel train.

♪ ♪ Gonna set this dance alight.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's the night I like.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright.

Alright, alright.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪ Sing it!

♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, ♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday night's alright.

♪ ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Davey ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, ♪ ♪ Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, ♪ ♪ Saturday.

♪ ♪ Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday!

♪♪ (song ends) (audience applause).

(audience applause).

ANNOUNCER: To help present the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, please welcome Senator Patty Murray, President Pro Tempore.

Please welcome, Representative Steve Scalise, Majority Leader.

Please welcome, Senator Chuck Schumer, Majority Leader.

Please welcome, Representative Mark Amodei, Chairman, Committee on House Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.

Please welcome, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

Please welcome, Representative Bryan Steil, Chairman, Committee on House Administration.

(audience applause).

Please welcome the chairman of the Library of Congress James Madison Council, Mr. David M. Rubenstein.

(audience applause).

And once again, the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden.

(audience applause).

HAYDEN: Well, I think you’ll agree that no one is ‘fighting’ tonight.

Because the Gershwin Prize has been called “bi-partisan karaoke.” (audience laughter).

And tonight, you’ve heard the incredible impact of the musical powerhouse combo of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

(audience applause).

Their megawatt sound uplifts us like a ‘Skyline Pigeon,’ singing along with ‘Bennie,’ and even ‘rock to a friend’s funeral.’ Their music has touched the nation and has become part of the American songbook.

They gave us “Your Song”, and now, we give them the nation’s highest award for influence, impact, and achievement in popular music, the Gershwin Prize.

(audience applause).

On behalf of the Library of Congress, Members of Congress, and most importantly, a grateful nation, it is my honor to award the 2024 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to the legendary songwriting team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin!

(audience applause).

(audience applause).

ELTON: When I grew up as a little boy in suburban London, I grew up listening to Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy May and his Orchestra, all those wonderful people in the '50s.

And then suddenly I heard "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley and my whole world changed.

Um, and thank God it did because, I remember my mother bringing the 78 home, and that's all I wanted to do was to play rock and roll, after hearing that.

And then of course, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, all great piano players, came along and then they changed my life too.

Um, thank you, America for the music you've given us, all over the world.

It's an incredible legacy that you have, uh, all the wonderful blues, the jazz, the classical music, all the songs that the Gershwin Brothers wrote, it's just incredible.

We went through the Library of Congress last night, I just saw so many wonderful things.

Um, I'm so proud to be British, and to be here, in America to receive this award because all my heroes were American.

(audience applause).

And I got to meet most of them, too.

Um, what can I say?

Um, I'm very humbled by tonight, especially everyone who sang, performed.

Um, our life is pretty amazing, Bernie and I have been together for over 50-something years, and we're closer than we've ever been.

And I think that's pretty remarkable in this day and age, for two people in the business to be closer than they were when they started.

Um, I'm thrilled to be here with him because if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here.

He gives me the lyrics, and then I write the song.

Without the lyrics, I'd be working in any record store in the world, and come up with something that I haven't got, and that's the magic of music.

Every sort of music that I heard tonight is, fills my soul with fantastic feeling, and emotion.

There's something about rock and roll, blues, R&B, gospel, country, um, jazz, that fills your soul with emotion.

It pounds your soul.

Um, and we've been fortunate enough in the last few years, or the last 50-something years, to be a part of that.

And it kind of feels surreal, but it's a, it's wonderful being able to share it with somebody.

Being able to share success with somebody is the greatest thing you can ever have.

And he is some special person.

I love him so much.

I love what he's become, how happy he is, I love what I've become, and how happy I am.

We've both been through hell, and we've come through the other side, and it feels good.

(audience applause).

As I look at Davey, Heather, Georgie, um, they're our families.

And that's what is so important now.

Yes, our career is important, but nothing is more important than our children, our other halves, um, that's what life is all about at the end of the day.

Um, and it's an honor to be here in this incredible...

I saw Keith Jarrett here in the '70s, in the '80s rather, um, and it was one of the most memorable things that I've ever seen.

It's a wonderful building, it's a wonderful city, it's a wonderful country.

It's been responsible for everything that I love in my musical life.

Thank you so much for giving us so much music to love and adore, and it's more to come.

Thank you for this incredible honor!

(audience applause).

TAUPIN: Thank you so much.

I, I, basically he said most of everything that needs to be said.

But, um, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank all these wonderful, wonderful artists who have performed here tonight.

Along with, might I add the greatest band on the planet, next to Metallica, of course.

(audience applause).

Now, Elton said it all, I'm just, it's... beyond belief to be here tonight amongst so many of our, these extraordinary artists.

Uh, I'd just like to say that, quite honestly from, beside from some of the songs in the earliest, earliest of days of our writing, pretty much everything that I've written emanates from this country.

Uh, whether it's the heartland, whether it's the urban jungle, it's all been a palette for everything I've written, um...

I've lived here, I don't know how many of you know this, I've lived here most of my life.

Uh, pretty much from 1970 on.

And I have an American heart, an American soul, I am America, I have an American family, I have an American wife, I have American children... (audience laughter).

I am America, believe me.

(audience applause).

And everything, everything I have written emanates from the American songbook, which is The Fountainhead, thank you.

(audience applause).

ELTON: But he drives a Volvo, um... (audience laughter).

I wanna thank the incredible librarian Carla Hayden, what an incredible woman.

(audience applause).

And her beautiful mother down there!

One of the greatest gifts this week has given me, is meeting for the second or third time, Carla.

She’s extraordinary.

Thank you for, President Obama, for making her the librarian, of the Library of Congress.

(audience applause).

Bless you.

HAYDEN: Thank you.

Well, thank you so much.

It has been a truly wonderful evening.

And, since you said all those nice things, I have one personal request.

We all know that, “This is your song, and this one’s for you,” but would honor us by singing it for all of us?

(audience applause).

♪ (“Your Song”).

♪ ♪ (piano solo) ♪ ♪ It's a little bit funny.

♪ ♪ This feeling inside.

♪ ♪ I'm not one of those who can.

♪ ♪ Easily hide.

♪ ♪ I don't have much money.

♪ ♪ But if I did.

♪ ♪ I'd buy a big house where.

♪ ♪ We both could live.

♪ ♪ If I was a sculptor.

♪ ♪ But then again, no.

♪ ♪ Or a man who makes potions in a.

♪ ♪ Traveling show.

♪ ♪ I know it's not much but it's the best I can do.

♪ ♪ My gift is my song and.

♪ ♪ This one's for you.

♪ ♪ And you can tell everybody.

♪ ♪ This is your song.

♪ ♪ It may be quite simple but.

♪ ♪ Now that it's done.

♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind.

♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind.

♪ ♪ That I put down in words.

♪ ♪ How wonderful life is.

♪ ♪ While you're in the world.

♪ ♪ (piano solo) ♪ ♪ I sat on the roof.

♪ ♪ And kicked off the moss.

♪ ♪ Well, a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross.

♪ ♪ But the sun's been quite kind.

♪ ♪ While I wrote this song.

♪ ♪ It's for people like you that.

♪ ♪ Keep it turned on.

♪ ♪ So excuse me forgetting.

♪ ♪ But these things I do.

♪ ♪ You see I've forgotten.

♪ ♪ If they're green or they're blue.

♪ ♪ Anyway, the thing is what I really mean.

♪ ♪ Yours are the sweetest eyes.

♪ ♪ I've ever seen.

♪ ♪ And you can tell everybody.

♪ ♪ This is your song.

♪ ♪ It may be quite simple but.

♪ ♪ Now that it's done.

♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind.

♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind.

♪ ♪ That I put down in words.

♪ ♪ How wonderful life is.

♪ ♪ While you're in the world.

♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind.

♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind.

♪ ♪ That I put down in words.

♪ ♪ How wonderful life is.

♪ ♪ While you're in the world.

♪♪ (song ends) "Your Song"!

Thank you, Mr. T!

(audience applause).

(music plays through credits).

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Learn more about the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize and past recipients by visiting pbs.org/gershwinprize.

Join the conversation with #GershwinPrizePBS and stream the Gershwin Prize with the PBS App.

♪ ♪