Bernie Taupin Remembers Calming Brandi Carlile After Elton John Walked Out of the Studio: “I Can’t Do This”

With a career spanning over six decades, Elton John produced classic hits like “Tiny Dancer”, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, and “Bennie and the Jets.” Just a sample of his amazing discography that helped him sell over 300 million albums, the singer knew how to make a hit song. And with John teaming up with his writing partner Bernie Taupin, the two solidified themselves as top names in the music industry. But with years of experience, apparently, John was known for having the occasional tantrum when it came to working on new music. And when working with Brandi Carlile on Who Believes In Angels?, Taupin had to reassure her when John stormed out of the studio. 

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Sitting down for a panel in New York City, Taupin, Carlile, and John talked about the process of bringing the album to life. Having spent decades with John, Taupin knew how to handle the situation, “I was just the guy on the sidelines that was going, ‘Yeah, I’ve seen this before.’ I’ve seen the tantrums. I’ve seen the things that go down.”

Recalling the moment Carlile learned about John’s emotions, Taupin said, “We’d gone through the first day and we came back the second day, and Andrew [Watt] played some stuff. Elton just basically… I could see this look in his eye that was like, ‘I don’t know if I can get through this.’ He just sort of went, ‘No, I can’t do this,’ and walked out of the studio.”

[RELATED: Watch Music Video for Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s Rocking New ‘Who Believes in Angels?’ Song “Little Richard’s Bible”]

Brandi Carlile Admits There Was “No Filter” To Elton John

With Taupin seeing the concern in Carlile’s face after John walked out, the songwriter made sure to claim her nerves. “I just looked at her and said, ‘Don’t worry, he’s done that before.’ And she went, ‘Really?’ And I went, ‘Yeah, it’s gonna be okay.’ “

Just like Taupin said, John eventually returned and the group finished the album. Working with John throughout the process, Carlile admitted how his raw emotions helped him become the icon fans loved. “His heart is right on his sleeve and what he thinks comes out of his mouth. There’s no filter. And the thing that is so musical about that is so does the music. The music comes out of his brain and through his hands. Because nothing stops it, because he hasn’t censored himself, that’s why there’s an Elton John.”

While John wasn’t afraid to show his emotion, Carlile insisted it was the secret ingredient to his stardom. “That’s why you have these songs for the last 50 years.”

(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)