And he was true to his word as he performed a rip-roaring set in front of a star-studded audience at the London Palladium on Wednesday to celebrate his new album with Brandi Carlile.
Yet before the show, the pop legend told the crowd - which included musicians Ronnie Wood and Sam Fender, actor Jason Momoa and DJ Zoe Ball - that he does not consider his musical achievements to be his greatest legacy.
Speaking movingly about sons Zachary, 14, and 12-year-old Elijah, who he has with husband David Furnish, he said: "On my tombstone, I want nothing to do with Crocodile f***ing Rock. I just want it to say: 'He was a great dad'."
At a Q&A, he also revealed that music had been the last thing on his mind recently, as he had grown so disillusioned with the world that he almost quit recording his new album.
He said: "Brandi came down to the breakfast table and I was reading about Israel and Gaza and I was really down anyway, and I was like 'why am I making a record when this is going on?' It doesn't seem right."
Brandi, who joined him in the Q&A with the audience, added: "We had these mornings together hanging around in our pyjamas.
"On this particular morning, I went around to Elton's, and there were newspapers, and crumbs everywhere, and he was in an awful state about the goings on. He said: 'I don't think now is the right time to make an album." Tracks from the album, Who Believes in Angels?, were played at the concert -billed An Evening With Elton John and Brandi Carlile.
Elton, who celebrated his 78th birthday on Tuesday, told the host of the evening, Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy, that the first few days of recording were "tumultuous".
He said: "I was getting really wound up. I wasn't feeling very well,
"I was shattered after the tour, but I couldn't walk away from three other people that were committed to this."
"My main thing was me stepping up to the mark and once I got the song down that I really thought was great and I got the lyrics - the lyrics were always great - I settled down."
The pair played new songs from the album including Swing for the Fences and You Without Me.
Elton also treated fans to hits like Tiny Dancer, Bennie and the Jets, and Your Song, ending the nig...
Yet before the show, the pop legend told the crowd - which included musicians Ronnie Wood and Sam Fender, actor Jason Momoa and DJ Zoe Ball - that he does not consider his musical achievements to be his greatest legacy.
Speaking movingly about sons Zachary, 14, and 12-year-old Elijah, who he has with husband David Furnish, he said: "On my tombstone, I want nothing to do with Crocodile f***ing Rock. I just want it to say: 'He was a great dad'."
At a Q&A, he also revealed that music had been the last thing on his mind recently, as he had grown so disillusioned with the world that he almost quit recording his new album.
He said: "Brandi came down to the breakfast table and I was reading about Israel and Gaza and I was really down anyway, and I was like 'why am I making a record when this is going on?' It doesn't seem right."
Brandi, who joined him in the Q&A with the audience, added: "We had these mornings together hanging around in our pyjamas.
"On this particular morning, I went around to Elton's, and there were newspapers, and crumbs everywhere, and he was in an awful state about the goings on. He said: 'I don't think now is the right time to make an album." Tracks from the album, Who Believes in Angels?, were played at the concert -billed An Evening With Elton John and Brandi Carlile.
Elton, who celebrated his 78th birthday on Tuesday, told the host of the evening, Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy, that the first few days of recording were "tumultuous".
He said: "I was getting really wound up. I wasn't feeling very well,
"I was shattered after the tour, but I couldn't walk away from three other people that were committed to this."
"My main thing was me stepping up to the mark and once I got the song down that I really thought was great and I got the lyrics - the lyrics were always great - I settled down."
The pair played new songs from the album including Swing for the Fences and You Without Me.
Elton also treated fans to hits like Tiny Dancer, Bennie and the Jets, and Your Song, ending the nig...
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Daily Record (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 28, 2025