"Empty Garden" was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and is the seventh track off of John's 1982 release...Jump Up. The song, which peaked at No. 13 on the US charts, is a tribute to John Lennon, who had been shot and murdered by Mark David Chapman one and a half years earlier. Lennon and John were good friends, and in 1974, Lennon appeared on John's single cover of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (written by Lennon).
Unfortunately inspired by Lennon's murder, "Empty Garden" has been rarely performed live after John's 1982 tour because it brings back many painful memories. After Lennon's death, John was concerned that a tribute song to the late Beatle would be "clumsy" and not proper. That was until he saw Bernie Taupin's lyrics. The song is titled "Empty Garden", as Lennon's last live performance was at Madison Square Garden (with John in 1974). A direct reference to Madison Square Garden sort of mourning Lennon as well, thus the empty venue. The line "Can't you come out to play" is a reference to Lennon's song Dear Prudence (the opening line of which is "Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play"). The opening lines..."What happened here ,As the New York sunset disappeared"...sight the murder right from the start. We all know what happened there outside of the Dakota in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The only reference to Mark David Chapman is found in the line..."It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain". Comparing Chapman to an insect is rather kind but it fits in well with the gardening theme of the song. "Empty Garden" promotes along its sad and painful course and ends with the same empty feeling that its title hints at..."And I've been knocking,But no one answers, And I've been knocking, Most all the day ,Oh and I've been calling, Oh hey hey Johnny ,Can't you come out to play". The constant repetition of the songs last line..."Johnny, can't you come out to play in your empty garden"...is the only time in the song where Lennon is paralleled to the empty garden. This version of "Empty Garden" can be found on Elton John's 2007 Live DVD, Elton 60 Live at Madison Square Garden. I purposely left the vocal intro in the song where John explains where he will only play this song. In the venue and city Lennon loved...New York City. Enjoy.
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