The bizarre feud between Elton John and Madonna
Most famous feuds stem from something concrete, whether it’s the organic shift in a relationship leading to bitterness, as seen in the case of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, or legal disputes where one party feels deceived, similar to the division that arose between Daryl Hall and John Oates. However, the animosity Elton John harboured towards fellow music icon Madonna appeared to spring from seemingly nowhere.
According to various sources, the feud officially began in the early 2000s when John labelled Madonna’s Die Another Day soundtrack “the worst Bond tune ever”. While he assured fans that he was a fan of Madonna’s, John stated that the song would have been better suited to either Lulu or Shirley Bassey. A couple of years later, at the Q Awards, Madonna was nominated for ‘Best Live Act’.
Obviously irked by the decision to recognise Madonna for the accolade, John didn’t hesitate to express his distaste. “Since when has lip-syncing been live?” he quipped, “Anyone who lip-syncs in public on stage when you pay £75 to see them should be shot.” Although he later said his comments were a little unfair, John allegedly called Madonna a “miserable cow” at a party after she refused his invitation to perform.
According to the ‘Rocket Man’ singer, the feud worsened when Madonna spoke negatively about Lady Gaga in 2012. “I used to make fun of [Madonna] for lip-syncing on stage, but the problem really started when she ran Gaga down on an American chat show,” John said, referencing her ABC News interview.
In the interview, Madonna called Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ “reductive”, making comparisons to her own hit ‘Express Yourself’. Although similarities can be spotted between both tracks, John found the comments offensive. “I couldn’t see why she was so ungracious and nasty about it, rather than taking it as a compliment… particularly when she claims to be a champion for women,” John wrote in his memoir, Me.
Interestingly, much of the animosity seemed to come from John’s side, with Madonna and her team responding with calmness and dignity every time he appeared to shoot his shot. When she won ‘Best Original Song’ at the Golden Globes in 2012, claiming the esteemed prize over John’s ‘Hello Hello’, his husband David Furnish reportedly posted on Facebook that Madonna delivered an acceptance speech that was “embarrassing in its narcissism”.
However, Madonna responded gracefully, stating: “[John is] brilliant, and I adore him, so he’ll win another award. I don’t feel bad.” Whether her decision to remain measured eclipses her side of the story remains uncertain. Behind the scenes, she may find ways to keep the fire burning, but regardless, John’s incessant need to keep up the fight in the public realm seems strange at best.
