It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.
- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

I remember the story of an inexperienced TV show host who was about to have Elton John as a guest. Somewhat nervous about meeting such a celebrity he asked some TV veterans for advice. “What should I do with him?” he asked. The answer was easy: “Just give the man a piano.” The truth of these words becomes extraordinarily clear when you listen to Elton John live, and when he is only accompanied by his piano. One song in particular, Song for Guy, proves my case.

Song for Guy is, as far as I am aware, Elton John’s only instrumental song that was ever released from one of his albums. Okay, in all truth, he does sing a few words toward the end of the song. The song, released in 1978, has been a live staple in Europe where it is well-known. It was not released in the US until March of 1979 where it barely made the charts (It peaked at #110).

Elton John wrote about the song: “As I was writing this song one Sunday, I imagined myself floating into space and looking down at my own body. I was imagining myself dying. Morbidly obsessed with these thoughts, I wrote this song about death. The next day I was told that Guy (Burchett), our 17 year-old messenger boy, had been tragically killed on his motorcycle the day before. Guy died on the day I wrote this song.”