Elton John Recalls John Lennon Being ‘Physically Sick’ Before Joining Him During ’74 MSG Gig

Elton John recalled how John Lennon was "physically sick" before joining him on stage during a November 1974 show at Madison Square Garden.

In a new BBC radio documentary honoring the 80th birthday of Lennon, Sir Elton said (as transcribed by Music-News.com), "I don't think he’d played since the Peace Concert in Toronto, to be honest with you, and certainly not in New York I don't think since The Beatles, and he was terrified. I can tell you that he was physically sick before the show, absolutely physically sick."

Music-News.com reports Lennon agreed to perform during the show with John after he lost a bet. Despite some awful pre-show nervousness, Lennon didn't disappoint once he was on stage.

John said, "When he came on stage he was fine because the reception that he got at Thanksgiving Madison Square Garden in 1974…I've never heard a noise, a roar like it and…we all get goosebumps thinking about it. A lot of us cried and there were tears running down our faces because here was one of the four people that were the biggest band ever."

The two-part John Lennon at 80 special will air on BBC Radio 2 on October 3 and 4 and features Sean Ono Lennon interviewing John, Paul McCartney and Julian Lennon.