Elton John turns it up to 11 in a new performance video showing him prog-rocking out with the one and only Spinal Tap on a version of the fictional band’s song “Stonehenge.” The video appears to be a full segment from the upcoming This Is Spinal Tap sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Stonehenge” was first heard during a hilarious, over-the-top scene in This Is Spinal Tap featuring the band performing the song in concert.
The new clip also begins with Spinal Tap playing “Stonehenge” in front of a large crowd of fans. Guitarist Nigel Tufnel (actor Christpher Guest) recites the tune’s opening monologue, in front of an eerie backdrop showing a full moon over a misty lake. Elton, sitting at a piano and clad in a hooded tunic, suddenly rises from beneath the stage. He then throws off the tunic as the band kicks into the rocking part of the song.
John sings all the lead vocals on the tune. When he gets to the line “we’ll go back in time,” footage of Spinal Tap performing the song in the original film is shown.
The Big Difference Between the Old and New Performances
Besides having Elton sing the song, the big difference between the original performance and the new rendition happens during the tune’s middle spoken-word section and mandolin solo. As Tufnel speaks about Stonehenge’s history, a massive replica of one of the prehistoric structure’s monoliths is lowered onto the stage. A pair of dwarfs dressed in tunics then come out on stage and dance as Tufnel plays the mandolin.
In This Is Spinal Tap, as the band performed the same segment of “Stonehenge,” a tiny prop model of one of Stonehenge’s standing stones was lowered onto the stage and was almost knocked over by a pair of dancing dwarfs. In the film, a miscommunication over the design of the prop resulted in the fake stone statue being 18 inches tall rather than 18 feet tall.
The new performance video ends with a montage of clips from Spinal Tap II, including a glimpse of Paul McCartney.
John took to his social media pages to comment about the new “Stonehenge” video.
“This was a blast, rocking out with [Spinal Tap] for their new movie, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and re-recording their epic ‘Stonehenge,’” he wrote. “[T]his one is best played at volume 11!”
About the Spinal Tap II Soundtrack Album
The “Stonehenge” performance featuring Elton will appear on a soundtrack album for Spinal Tap II, simply titled The End Continues. The album will be released on September 12, the same day the movie premieres.
The 13-track collection also includes new songs mixed with a few updated versions of older Spinal Tap tunes featuring guest appearances by McCartney, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood.
McCartney is featured on a new rendition of “Cups and Cakes,” and Brooks and Yearwood contributed to an updated version of “Big Bottom.” Elton also appears on a new take on Spinal Tap’s psychedelic parody “(Listen to the) Flower People.”
The End Continues can be pre-ordered now. It will be available on CD, as a vinyl LP, on cassette, as a vinyl picture disc, and via digital formats. The cassette and picture disc will be available exclusively at the Spinal Tap online store.
The End Continues Track List:
- “Nigel’s Poem”
- “Let’s Just Rock Again”
- “(Listen to the) Flower People” (with Elton John)
- “Brighton Rock”
- “The Devil’s Just Not Getting Old”
- “Cups and Cakes” (with Paul McCartney)
- “I Kissed a Girl”
- “Angels”
- “Big Bottom” (with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood)
- “Judge and Jury”
- “Rockin’ in the Urn”
- “Blood to Let”
- “Stonehenge” (with Elton John)
(Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage; Courtesy of Bleecker Street & Authorized Spinal Tap LLC)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.