On This Day in 1974: John Lennon Joins Elton John on Stage at Madison Square Garden for One of His Final Concert Appearances
Bob Gruen; Distributed by Capitol Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
A Surprise Reunion in New York
On November 28, 1974, music history was made when John Lennon made a surprise appearance on stage with Elton John at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The concert came after a bet: if the single Whatever Gets You Thru the Night reached #1 on the charts, Lennon promised to join Elton on stage.
That bet paid off when the song hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. On that Thanksgiving night, Lennon performed three songs: “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” plus Beatles classics “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” and “I Saw Her Standing There.”
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A Night Filled With Energy and Emotion
The moment shocked and thrilled the crowd. Lennon, holding a black Fender Telecaster guitar, said he was nervous — but stepping on stage he saw fans screaming, recalling the height of Beatlemania. He later admitted the sensation hit him like “What is this?” — it felt familiar, yet strange.
Elton had added the track to his 1974 album Walls and Bridges, and their performance became one of the most talked-about musical events of the decade.
Why This Concert Mattered Deeply
For Lennon, this night stood out — it turned out to be the last time he ever performed live with a major audience. Many remember this show as his final major concert appearance.
Though the live show was recorded, the original 1976 release of Elton’s album Here and There did not include Lennon’s guest performance. The recordings later surfaced in reissues during the mid-1990s.
A Brief Return to the Spotlight
Lennon himself admitted that live shows no longer appealed to him. After the concert, he told waiting journalists: “It was good fun, but I wouldn’t like to do it for a living.” He said he didn’t have a band or a full stage show ready.
He added that although Elton initially suggested he might perform “Imagine,” he preferred something different. Instead they opted for “I Saw Her Standing There,” inspired by an old Beatles favorite and chosen to keep the mood light and fun.
A Moment That Echoes Through Time
That night at Madison Square Garden remains one of the most memorable collaborations in rock history — a moment when two musical legends shared the stage, fulfilling a bet and giving fans a rare show. The performance marked a closing chapter for Lennon’s live appearances at major venues.
