Singer Elton John's global Goodbye Yellow Brick Road farewell tour has officially come to an end, concluding an adventurous chapter in his career that began as a starry-eyed seventeen-year-old kid back in 1969.
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"I've had the most wonderful career, beyond belief," Elton John told the crowd during his performance on July 8 in Stockholm, Sweden. "52 years of pure joy playing music -- how lucky am I to play music? But you know, I wouldn't be sitting here and talking to you, if it wasn't for you. You bought the singles, the albums, the CDs, the cassettes. But most importantly you bought the tickets to the shows, and you know how much I love to play live. It's been my lifeblood to play for you guys and you've been absolutely magnificent. Thank you."
After 330 shows in 663 days, John's incredible run has indeed come to an end. Before closing his 23-song set with "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," John added, "I will never be touring again, but I may do something in the future -- a one-off thing, but that's miles away. I want to appreciate my family, my sons, my husband... I've earned it and I don't regret it tonight... I will miss you guys so much, but I will see you much quicker than you think."
"I've been touring since I was 17 in the back of a van. I've had the most incredible life," Elton told CBS Mornings last year after returning to the road following post-COVID lockdowns. "I've been so lucky, and I've loved every single minute of it," he continued, "but I've had enough of that applause... I want to do something different with the rest of my life."
Take a look at Elton's final setlist below.
Elton John - July 8, 2023 at Tele2 Arena - Stockholm, Sweden
"Bennie and the Jets"
"Philadelphia Freedom"
"I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues"
"Border Song”
"Tiny Dancer"
"Have Mercy on the Criminal"
"Rocket Man"
"Take Me to the Pilot"
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
"Levon"
"Candle in the Wind"
"Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding"
"Burn Down the Mission"
"Sad Songs (Say So Much)"
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
"The Bitch is Back"
"I'm Still Standing"
"Crocodile Rock"
"Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
"Cold Heart"
"Your Song"
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Coldplay, who were also in Sweden performing that night, took time out of their set to videophone their friend Elton to thank him for all of the music and memories he's given fans over the years. Take a look at the touching video above.
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