“They told me Ozzy once called this the most beautiful song he’d ever heard — but he never got to hear us play it.” That’s how James Hetfield opened the most unexpected performance of the night at Ozzy Osbourne’s tribute concert. As the stage lights dimmed, the crowd braced for Metallica’s signature roar — only to hear soft piano chords drift through the arena. It was Elton John’s “Your Song”, but not as anyone knew it

Fans were shocked when they heard what Metallica did to this Elton John classic, and they couldn’t get enough!

Metallica and Elton John are two musical legends you don’t often hear in the same sentence. The metal icons decided to change that with a powerhouse performance of two of The Rocket Man’s most heartfelt tunes at the Gershwin Prize earlier this year. Metallica played “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road at the event, with Elton John sitting front row for the show!

It won’t surprise The Music Man readers to hear that Metallica put their own spin on the medley, giving it a heavy metal workover. Metallica have made no secret of their admiration for Elton John, and they gave a very passionate and rocking performance on the medley. Frontman James Hetfield was in cracking form on the mic, and hearing the classic songs with a fresh arrangement was a real treat!

Metallica played “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC on March 20, 2024. Their take on the medley proved quite popular online, drawing 1.3 million views since its upload on April 12. If you like mid-1990s Metallica, then you’ll probably find a lot to like here, as their version of the John classic could have been a Load B-side.

Metallica has a bit of a history with John, as in 2021 both artists appeared on the Howard Stern Show. Stern was interviewing Metallica when John phoned in and called the band’s hit “Nothing Else Matters” “one of the best songs ever written.” Hetfield was visibly affected hearing this high praise for his songwriting from one of the greats of popular music.

The Library of Congress granted the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to John and his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin at a star-packed event earlier this year. Both John and Taupin attended the event, which featured performances from Joni Mitchell, Garth Brooks, Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Maren Morris, Billy Porter, and Jacob Lusk of Gabriels.

The medley of “Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding” is one of many great songwriting efforts from John and Taupin, who provided the music and lyrics respectively. The Music Man readers may recall that the medley opens John’s 1973 double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

The Rocket Man wrote the instrumental “Funeral for a Friend” while imagining what kind of music he’d like to have played at his own funeral. At over 11 minutes in length, the medley was too long for a single release, but that didn’t stop it from being a radio hit. It also became a firm fan favorite and a John tour staple.