Watch Pro-Filmed Footage Of METALLICA Covering ELTON JOHN’s ‘Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’

Check out pro-shot video footage of METALLICA performing the classic “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” from the Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute concert last month

On March 20, at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., METALLICA paid tribute to Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin at a special concert. The event was held to celebrate John and Taupin receiving the Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize for their significant contributions to music. Hosted by Billy Porter, the invitation-only gathering featured appearances by both John and Taupin.

Kicking off the evening, METALLICA took the stage with a powerful rendition of “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” from John‘s acclaimed 1973 double album, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road“.

On Monday, April 8, METALLICA shared a clip of the performance on social media, including the caption: “Sir Elton John helped cover ‘Nothing Else Matters’ on ‘The Metallica Blacklist’ in 2021, and tonight, you can see us return the favour! Tune in to PBS to catch our rendition of ‘Funeral For A Friend’ / ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ at this year’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Music, celebrating the achievements of Elton John and his writing partner, Bernie Taupin.”

Members of METALLICA would tell the media how much John and Taupin‘s collaborations have meant to them. “They’re an inspiration to us,” frontman James Hetfield said. Guitarist Kirk Hammett added, “They’re responsible for some of the greatest songs of my childhood.”

Ahead of the event, METALLICA said in a statement: “We are beyond excited and proud to have been invited to perform at a very special event honoring the legendary songwriting team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin as they are presented with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

“We are traveling to Washington, DC, next month to join Garth Brooks, Annie Lennox, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and others for the tribute concert and award presentation on March 20. PBS stations nationwide will premiere the concert on Monday, April 8, at 8 PM ET (check local listings),available via broadcast and streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app.

“Elton and Bernie have been collaborating for 56 years and counting, and together, they have penned some of our lifetime’s most memorable and influential songs. We are thrilled to celebrate this honor with them, and we look forward to an incredible evening of unique performances from their remarkable collection of songs.”

The 90-minute special, “Elton John & Bernie Taupin: The Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song,” pays tribute to the enduring legacy of the iconic singer-songwriter duo, as they are bestowed with this year’s prestigious recognition from the Library Of Congress.

Since joining forces in 1967, recording artist Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin have crafted an extraordinary catalog of timeless classics, including “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Their collaborative genius has also produced sensational rock anthems such as “Bennie And The Jets” and “Crocodile Rock,” the latter becoming their inaugural No. 1 single in the U.S. in 1973.

Today, Elton John stands as one of the best-selling solo artists in history, boasting over 70 Top 40 hits spanning six decades, with nine chart-toppers and 28 Top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100. His global record sales exceed 300 million units.

Notably, John holds the distinction for the highest-selling physical single of all time with Taupin‘s revised lyrics for “Candle In The Wind 1997,” which sold over 33 million copies following the untimely death of Princess Diana. In 2018, he was recognized as the most successful male solo artist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Furthermore, John holds the record for the longest duration between Billboard Top 40 hits in the United States, spanning an impressive 50 years.