Sir Elton John and John Lennon 'played dead' to avoid Andy Warhol

John Lennon makes a surprise appearance at Elton John's concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, November 28, 1974. Photo / Getty Images

Sir Elton John and the late John Lennon once "played dead" to avoid Andy Warhol.

The Candle in the Wind hitmaker recalled how he and the Beatles legend were enjoying a drug-fuelled evening when they were interrupted by the late artist, but they didn't want to let him into their room so simply ignored his knocking until he went away again.

Elton laughed: "He didn't even get in the hotel room.

"I was so stoned - you know how paranoid you get on coke - it took me 10 minutes to go to the door where you look through the eyehole, and I mouthed to John, 'It's Andy Warhol.'

"We played dead for about 15 minutes until he went away."

The 73-year-old singer admitted the "greatest night" of his career came when Lennon - who was shot dead in 1980 - agreed to appear on stage with him at New York's Madison Square Garden in return for Elton having appeared on his friend's track Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.

Elton recalled: "It was probably the greatest night of my professional career because I remember how the audience reacted because he hadn't been on stage in New York since Shea Stadium.

"It was kismet, the stars were aligned, and we came on stage, and it was wonderful.

"We all cried when he came on. He came on to the greatest reception, the loudest roar I've ever heard at Madison Square Garden … I think it really touched him because it showed him how much New Yorkers loved him."

The pair were close for some time until John reconciled with Yoko Ono and the couple had their son Sean, and Elton regrets not telling his friend how much he meant to him.

He said: "Then the tragedy happened and I never really told him how much I loved him—you don't, do you? And I still miss him."

If the Imagine hitmaker was still alive today, Elton believes he'd have received recognition for more than just his music.

He said: "I'm sure John would've got the Nobel Peace Prize by now because that was his big thing with Yoko, peace."