STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN AND HITSVILLE

By Jamie Malanowski

It should come as no surprise that Elton John's tribute to Princess Diana, his reworked Candle in the Wind, is selling extraordinarily well; the surprise is that nobody has come up with a commemorative song for, say, Red Skelton. (A priest has written a tune in honor of Mother Teresa.) Saluting the dearly departed with a pop song has a long and profitable tradition, as these following few examples show. --By Jamie Malanowski

HIT NIGHTSHIFT THE COMMODORES (1985) For MARVIN GAYE and JACKIE WILSON The single hit No. 3; Diana Ross also saluted Gaye with Missing You

HIT THE KING IS GONE RONNIE McDOWELL (1977) For ELVIS PRESLEY Released two days after Presley's death, it sold 2.5 million copies

HIT JOHNNY HAS GONE VARETTA DILLARD (1955) For JOHNNY ACE After this tribute came Why, Johnny, Why and Johnny Ace's Last Letter

HIT I'LL BE MISSING YOU PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS (1997) For NOTORIOUS B.I.G. This variation of the old Police song dominated the summer: 11 weeks at No. 1

HIT ABRAHAM, MARTIN AND JOHN DION (1968) For LINCOLN, KING, J.F.K. and R.F.K. Dion took this sentimental song into the Top 10

HIT MAN ON THE MOON R.E.M. (1993) For comedian ANDY KAUFMAN Andy was not a warm and fuzzy guy; the song never got above No. 30

HIT AMERICAN PIE DON McLEAN (1971) For BUDDY HOLLY et al. "The day the music died" proved a good time for McLean: four weeks at No. 1

HIT SIR DUKE STEVIE WONDER (1977) For DUKE ELLINGTON Three weeks on top; Wonder also memorialized Bob Marley