From Joni Mitchell to Metallica

Even on a day when a lot of America hoped to see the solar exit, there’s nonetheless an ongoing want to listen to somebody sing “Don’t Let the Solar Go Down on Me.” That, amongst many different issues, is what’s provided in tonight’s PBS broadcast of a tribute particular for Elton John and Bernie Taupin, two of the worthiest abilities ever to be awarded the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize. Should you’re a fan — and who isn’t?, as they are saying — the two-hour present will present a complete eclipse of all of your different most urgent leisure wants.

Three phrases: “Joni Mitchell” and “Metallica.” If this salute by no means moved out of the M’s, it might be worthy sufficient simply based mostly on these two highlights alone, neither of whom in all probability appeared just like the likeliest Elton interpreter. However there they’re, on the exact same bingo card. That’s to not slight very high quality performances from Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox and the like — or Elton himself, who closes out this system with a mini-set — however typically it’s the novelties that follow you when masters stack up in opposition to masters.

In essentially the most memorable second of the evening, Mitchell covers “I’m Nonetheless Standing,” which is as acceptable because it sounds, given her bodily restoration lately. It’s additionally a lot funnier than you’re anticipating. Carlile (who assists on vocals, together with Lennox) introduces Mitchell’s cowl model by saying that “it is a tune that holds particular that means for her” and that “she was given the inexperienced gentle by Elton and Bernie to alter a number of the lyrics to suit her, which is actually essentially the most Joni Mitchell factor I believe I’ve ever heard of.” From that, you would possibly anticipate that Mitchell can have rewritten the lyrics to make them extra inspirational someway — as a result of that is a kind of songs that everybody remembers for its uplifting refrain however nobody remembers has sort of vituperative verses. However no; Joni’s rewrite doesn’t change the that means of the tune in any respect; it simply makes these verses sound much more vengeful, in a plain-spoken type of manner. When Mitchell will get to the brand new traces “My coronary heart’s not damaged and my path is evident / You had been just a bit bumpy detour, pricey” (with a pregnant pause earlier than the “…pricey” completes the rhyme), the digital camera cuts to David Furnish LOL-ing, and I used to be proper there with him.

However in fact it is inspirational, as a result of Mitchell is de facto up and bopping, trying like she’s feeling like slightly child as a lot as she’s ever more likely to. On the finish of the tune, she takes that omnipresent cane of hers and waves it within the air, as a present of power (or perhaps simply to warn whoever did her incorrect to vacate the premises). It’s a lot enjoyable, and it sounds nice as a result of Blake Mills — a frequent presence within the public Joni Jams which have gone down — supplies a lot of the accompaniment with an electrical guitar half that turns the tune right into a jaunty blues. Come the top of 2024, this may in all probability nonetheless stand as one in every of my favourite covers of the yr.

Until it’s supplanted by Metallica’s tackle “Funeral for a Good friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” wherein no quarter is taken and no less than slightly blood is drawn. For higher or worse, the opening all-instrumental part isn’t instantly recognizable in Metallica’s transformation, however it actually is by the point it will get to the primary course, at which level chances are you’ll be pondering: Does it go in opposition to the legal guidelines of nature for Metallica to be enjoying in a significant key? Anyway, it really works, to have Elton’s most hard-rocking tune ever go slightly more durable. The tech staff is even handed with the response pictures, however certainly there may be a whole lot of rattling of jewellery happening within the balcony of Washington’s DAR Revolution Corridor, the place a number of the visiting politicos sit, and it’d be good to suppose a few of them had been impressed to deface the loos afterward.

Every part else in these two hours was slightly extra more likely to present up in your bingo card for a John/Taupin tribute. After Joni acquired the Gershwin Prize final yr, the Library of Congress rapidly moved on to Carlile’s different well-established hero-BFF, and so it’s little shock, and never the slightest bit unwelcome, to see her present up repeatedly right here. Leaving her previous live performance cowl of “Rocket Man” behind (really, nobody does that right here), Carlile’s first number of the evening is “Madman Throughout the Water,” which is cool sufficient, all the best way right down to an prolonged coda wherein the singer doesn’t have something to do however fortunately stroll forwards and backwards between Sista Strings on one facet of the stage and guitarist Davey Johnstone on the opposite, as they do their respective issues. (Kudos for the frequent use of the two-woman Sista Strings part on the whole, a pleasant, minimalist callback to the bigger mastery of string arranger Paul Buckmaster’s traditional work.)

However the extra beautiful of Carlile’s two tune selections is “Skyline Pigeon,” and never simply because it’s under-covered and nice. Context counts for nearly all the pieces with this one, as her rendition caps a section dedicated to the lengthy historical past of John’s AIDS Basis, and particularly to the HIV-stricken boy that received Elton’s and the world’s coronary heart within the ’80s, Ryan White. White’s sister reads an open letter that John wrote to his late pal 20 years after his 1990 passing, speaking about how the demise of an “harmless” helped change hearts and minds, although, in Elton’s phrases, “You reminded America that every one victims of AIDS are harmless.” It’s a precious historical past lesson squeezed into a decent house, even for these of us who want reminders, and the greenback determine cited for what the AIDS Basis has raised — $600 million — is its personal testomony to John’s legacy, other than the music. John is weeping via this section, and it is going to be Cry Alongside With Elton evening for elements of the viewers, too.

Talking of his AIDS Basis, John hosted his annual Oscar-viewing profit in Beverly Hills once more this yr, and the dwell entertainer that evening was Jacob Lusk, lead singer of the British group Gabriels… which certainly had many individuals studying the invitation on the time asking: Who? Fortunately for these of us who didn’t make it to that fundraiser, the “who” is answered in a really public manner on this particular with Lusk’s studying of “Bennie and the Jets” — and it’s magnificent.

Not that you simply’d ever need to guess in opposition to Elton’s tastemaker instincts, however every protege has to show himself, and Lusk actually does it right here by doing one thing unique with “Bennie.” That mid-’70s oldie is a superb however nearly un-coverable tune, which nobody might presumably make sound weirder than the unique, and which solely suffers from any try and straighten it out. However Lusk has the voice of an angel — a really loud angel — and the quasi-gospel remedy lastly solutions the long-simmering query of whether or not “Bennie” ought to simply be left alone as a canopy alternative or not. Really, his contribution right here is simply as must-see as Mitchell’s and Metallica’s.

The opposite contributions all fall someplace the serviceable-to-spectacular spectrum. Charlie Puth might be one of many few pop stars round certified to recreate Elton’s piano half on “Don’t Let the Solar Go Down on Me,” even in case you would possibly want a tune that emotionally intense had been given to somebody with a extra anguished-sounding voice. Lennox, who doesn’t lack for vocal edge, exhibits why the world remains to be hungering for each crumb she often throws out within the tributes she sometimes seems at as of late together with her wall-flattening “Border Music.”

Billy Porter, the present’s host, traverses the aisles with precisely the tune you already know he’s going to do, “The Bitch Is Again.” (It comes with a reminder that “in 2024 I don’t need you to be offended by the phrase ‘bitch.’ The queer group makes use of it as a love letter.” Had been we actually frightened about this? Nicely, it’s PBS, so OK.) His fringe-y gown and leggy look is probably going an homage to Tina Turner, who used to duet with John on the rocker earlier than that they had a falling out. Maren Morris, who has a pleasant historical past of protecting Elton, activates the AC with “I Guess That’s Why They Name It the Blues.” Garth Brooks, a Gershwin honoree of some years again himself, will get double-duty with “Sorry Appears to Be the Hardest Phrase” and “Daniel,” each reminders that, amongst all the opposite issues we neglect to recollect about Garth, he can capably sing absolutely anything from the nice Anglo-American songbook that crosses his thoughts.

Video tributes roll in between songs from the likes of Carole King, who has particular data of what transpires when the music author and lyricist aren’t the identical individual, and Paul McCartney, who says he has all the time been slightly jealous of John being handed a sheet of paper with all of the phrases on it after which spinning gold out of that. (He rapidly hastens so as to add that he doesn’t imply Elton has any much less powerful a process.) That does get to the everlasting thriller of the John/Taupin collaboration, and in speaking about it, John all the time sounds as mystified as anybody else. His potential to take typically unwieldy phrases of Taupin’s and instantaneously flip them into classics nonetheless feels slightly spooky, as he describes it, as if it had been a sort of computerized writing, melodically. So long as he’s sustaining even he can’t logically clarify it, it’s not ours to determine.

However it’s ours to have fun, and it’s a delight to see these two being given their due as a staff, whose respect and appreciation for one another has grown over 55 years, by the accounts given. This present can also be implicitly a tribute to the Elton John Band, who carry out behind a majority of the singers earlier than backing a salmon-coated Elton himself for the ultimate three songs, “Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters,” “Saturday Night time’s Alright for Combating” and “Your Music.” If we feared we’d seen the final of them as a selected ensemble at Dodger Stadium in November 2022, Johnstone’s look on this collection as musical director in addition to guitarist is a pleasant assurance that revivals of the previous gang can and can happen.

Producer Ken Ehrlich, of a long time of Grammy fame, has been characteristically canny with the alternatives of tribute-payers right here. However with two honorees this yr as a substitute of 1, he additionally is aware of that the perfect tributes that may be paid are those that the composer and lyricist are capable of pay one another. That comes via of their mutual testimonials about one another, however it actually comes via with the closing rendition of “Your Music,” wherein we get a sight we’ve in all probability by no means seen earlier than, between these two sometimes long-distance collaborators: Taupin, leaning on John’s pink piano, taking all of it in as stoic, appreciative glances are exchanged. It’s unexpectedly touching to see these two on stage, alone collectively, for the size of a chunk of music. Gracious is unquestionably not the toughest phrase.