Elton John’s ex-manager broke his heart, inspired ‘Candle in the Wind’

As Elton John’s prime says, 1973 was the very best year. He was in the middle of a big hit streak and he released his most successful album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Roadwhich introduced the title track and future classic, “Candle in the Wind” to the world.

But the haunting melodies of John’s greatest hits from this era, such as the ode to Marilyn Monroe – which John and his songwriting partner, lyricist Bernie Taupin, turned into an ode to Princess Diana after her death in 1997 – reflected John’s inner turmoil at the time. He was embarking on a stormy five-year relationship with his manager John Reid.

“It was around the same time that John Reid broke my heart. My relationship with him wasn’t everything, it was meant to be,” John, 77, explains in his new documentary. Elton John: Never too latethat premiered December 13 on Disney+.

The relationship, which lasted from 1970 to 1975, had a profound effect on John’s songwriting at the time (he wrote the music for most of the songs he released during this period, while Taupin wrote the lyrics) – and also on his psyche.

“When I wrote those songs, I was deeply unhappy,” he says in the documentary. “That kind of came through in the songwriting. It was very, very moving for me, and it was very, very cathartic.

Reid, 75, was something of a VIP in the ’70s classic rock scene as he also managed Queen in the late ’70s. He has the distinction of having been portrayed in both the 2018 Queen biography Bohemian Rhapsody (by Aiden Gillen) and in the 2019 John biography Rocketman (by Richard Madden). In the documentary, John describes Reid during their relationship as unfaithful and “very rough”.

“I was very naive,” he says. “I didn’t know he was having sex outside the relationship. When I found out, I was devastated.”

“I had a party at the house and we were fighting and he punched me in the face,” John continues. “He made my nose bleed, cut my face. I loved John very much, but I said, ‘I can’t go through this anymore’. And when it fell apart, I kind of fell apart.”

The relationship took a toll on the superstar, especially after it ended. “John left a void in me,” he says. “I thought being alone was a feeling of failure. Why isn’t anyone with me? I’m not good enough. I was chasing relationships. I was chasing love—always looking for love all the time.”

While recording his 1974 album Caribouthe follow-up to Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadJohn was introduced to cocaine, leading to a year-long descent into addiction. “I desperately wanted happiness and went the wrong way,” he says, comparing himself during that period to doomed legends Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.

After they split romantically, Reid would continue to be John’s manager until they split professionally in 1998 after 28 years. In 2014, John married filmmaker David Furnish, 62, after 21 years together. They share sons Zachary, who turns 15 on Christmas Day, and Elijah, 11.

Furnish co-directed the new documentary with RJ Cutler. “He really is so happy,” Furnish told PEOPLE at the premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Elton John: Never too late in September. “So for us to be in this moment right now, after so much hard work and so much anticipation, there’s a lot of heightened emotions.”

Elton John: Never too late now streaming on Disney+.