Sir Elton John called John Lennon "Carol Dakota".
Sir Elton John
The 'Rocket Man' rocker became friends with the late Beatles star in the early 1970s and so Elton bequeathed John a nickname inspired by the drag artists of which he was a huge fan.
Elton gave all his close pals drag monikers, with Sir Rod Stewart becoming known as "Phyllis" and late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury known as "Melina" after Greek actress-and-singer Melina Mercouri, whilst Lennon's John's alter ego was inspired by The Dakota apartment building in New York City where he lived and was ultimately tragically shot and killed outside of in 1980 at the age of 40.
In an article in The Sunday Times newspaper, he revealed: "My relationship with drag has been a lifelong love affair. The first time I ever saw anyone in drag was the early 1970s. My manager, John Reid — also the first person I ever slept with — took me to Danny La Rue’s club in London. I was a very sheltered gay man back then and I didn’t know much about this sort of thing. But schooled on the kind of campness sequestered away on Radio 4, like Kenneth Williams, I was hungry for it all. I had no idea real drag queens existed until that visit started the ball rolling.
"When I came out as gay and met John Reid, he had so many gay friends and employees it felt natural to give each other drag names.
"In a way, designating someone with a drag name was my way of telling them I loved them: drag is a communal sport - I like to get everyone involved.
"I became “Sharon”, because I was so common. Rod Stewart was always “Phyllis”. Freddie Mercury became “Melina” after Melina Mercouri, the Greek actress and singer. He was a real Melina, I can assure you. John Lennon became “Carol Dakota” after his New York building, the Dakota.
"If you can’t think of the correct name, you go to the surname first and work it out from there. Not everyone gets a drag name. But all my dearest friends are bequeathed one."
Elton, 74, admits drag played a part at the start of his friendship with Lennon because they met through their mutual acquaintance, drag performer Tony King.
The music legend remembered: "I’d rented a house in St Tropez on holiday with my friend Tony King, who has looked after me throughout my career.
"The first time I met John Lennon — another of Tony’s designated charges — was on a video shoot for the 'Mind Games' album where Tony was in full drag as the Queen.
"So, Tony and I decided to throw a drag party in St Tropez. The next day I took some of the other people out in drag and had pictures taken privately by the swimming pool on the diving board. Unbeknown to us, there were paparazzi in the bushes and the photos ended up plastered all over Paris Match the next week."
Tagged in The Beatles John Lennon Sir Elton John