Elton John: Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

The bad news for Elton's hard rock fans in 1973 was that the guy who made "Madman Across The Water" less than two years before had left the building. In his place was a pop craftsman with a keen interest in making music for the masses. The good news, of course, was Elton's arrival as a full-fledged pop star came with some terrific music, still very enjoyable more than a quarter century later. Actually, his pop leanings were in evidence in 1972 with the release of "Honky Chateau," but this time the gloves are off, and his aim is clearly Casey Kasem country. The result was his first two top-five singles in the U.S., the chart-topping "Crocodile Rock" and #2 hit, "Daniel." "Don't Shoot Me" reached the top of the charts, too, just as "Honky Chateau" did. If you like "Honky Chateau," chances are good you will like "Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player," which in many ways feels like a sequel. The title, for instance, sounds like something the singer in "Honky Cat" might have said if offered an extra chorus. "Crocodile Rock" deals with a faithless girlfriend named Susie, while someone with the same name and inclinations also appears in a song named after her on "Honky Chateau." The two hits on "Don't Shoot Me," painful as it is to say, aren't as enduring as the hits on "Honky Chateau." Frankly, both "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock" suffer from radio overplay in a way "Honky Cat" and "Rocket Man" don't. That's not to say they aren't great songs, just less enduring. Elton works in some interesting keyboard tones with "Daniel" and plays to the '50s nostalgia craze (quoting Pat Boone, ye gads!) with "Croc Rock," a song I grooved to as a youngster when it first came out and dearly love today. Yet when it comes on my stereo, my focus sometimes wanders a bit. What makes "Don't Shoot Me" a vital chunk of Eltonia is the rest of the album. People deride pop music, and often for the right reasons, but this is pop of an especially high order. "Teacher I Need You," "Elderberry Wine," and "Blues For My Baby And Me" all sound like how-to clinics on making enduring post-Beatles pop, clever and engaging and affecting, each in a different way. If they played these tunes on the radio as much as "Crocodile," I'd probably tire of them, too, but they don't and I'm grateful for that when I get to groove to them today. The rest of the album showcases Elton's diversity. "I'm Gonna Be A Teenage Idol" has fun with the notion Elton was becoming just that, working off a charming melodic underpinning and a solid rhythmic undertow which Elton was indeed becoming a star by using to great effect while other singer-songwriters of his day faded off into obscurity with their bell-bottom Birkenstock blues about the polluted environment or not having a date for the prom. "High Flying Bird" shows Elton's winning sentimental side, while "Have Mercy On The Criminal" revisits "Madman" waters with a better result than most of the songs off that earlier album. Many people rag on "Texas Love Song," but to me it shows lyricist Bernie Taupin was aware of his overromanticizing the South and Western regions of the U.S. and wanted to acknowledge what one of the more narrow-minded denizens of those parts might think of him if they ever met. Sure, the protagonist comes off like Michael Rooker in "Mississippi Burning," but where does it say pop music narrators all have to be nice and sweet? It's a challenging song lyrically, while the music is suitably low-key and rather more authentic-feeling than most of Elton's (otherwise brilliant) country-rock excursions. Especially cool is the inclusion in the remastered CD of four bonus B-sides, three of which ("Screw You," "Jack Rabbit," and "Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)" being every bit as good as the "Don't Shoot Me" album cuts, and forcing me to give this a solid five-star rating despite not being crazy about "Midnight Creeper." Really, if you like anything Elton ever recorded for public consumption, you will like this solid gem of a record even better on CD.

Item is as described, quickly shipped & delivered without issue. Very pleased with this transaction.

As indicated by the marquee bearing the album’s title on its cover, this album has all the elements of a feature film. It contains the ramifications of war, the longing for fame, the restless, reminiscent memories of youth, the stereotypes of the West, the high chase of a fugitive, and suicide. The common element is passion that ties these scenes together with a steady performance that is both sweet and dramatic. The star of this epic is Elton John, and he begins with “Daniel,” a blind war veteran escaping his homeland in search of peace. He is both idolized and missed by his younger brother, and while John claimed the song is often misunderstood on account of his omitting the last verse, the pain and sentiment comes through loud and clear. This is followed by reminiscent upbeat tunes about a school boy crush and better days of marital bliss and drinking wine. This leads to the heart of the album in “Blues for My Baby and Me.” Its description and buildup transcend to the release of youthful tension and an innocent escape. It’s a song that stirs up a listener’s own restlessness with a lingering, feel-good melody, and it remains one of my favorite deep cuts from any Elton John album. But if “Don’t Shoot Me” were an actual movie, “Have Mercy on the Criminal” would be the scene winning John the academy award. It’s gut-wrenching passion lives up to its introduction and is powerful enough to make you feel sympathy for an unlikely character – one on the other side of the law with a story of his own worth telling. Another exemplary scene is depicted in “Texan Love Song.” How two young Englishmen (John/Taupin) were able to vividly portray the thoughts of a stereotypical American redneck on the western landscape is commendable, as is the unforgettable number one hit “Crocodile Rock,” the first American #1 for John that has now taken its place among all his other hits to follow. Its youthful image and energy are timeless. In contrast to its upbeat moments, the album ends on a sad note with “High Flying Bird.” One can get lost in its imagery and smooth melody masking the effects of suicide. It’s about a troubled young girl and her friend or lover’s inability to save her. So the album begins with a young man saying goodbye to his older brother and ends with a young man saying goodbye to his girlfriend – neither of whom could stay in his world. If that’s not enough to make this a blockbuster album, the bonus tracks contain the piano version of “Skyline Pigeon,” which is more poignant than its harpsicord original. The entire album is deeply moving, but also undeniably enjoyable.

My high-flying bird. Needed to beef up my Elton collection and this was one that I had on vinyl but not on CD. Might have been my first Elton album I bought at Kmart as a kid. That and Caribou. Everything is stellar here but the last song on the second side is one of those overlooked gems that I keep going to first whenever I pop this into the carousel.

Two big hits and some great songs on this album. Recommended!

I was fortunate to see Elton John perform at the American School in London's gymnasium when this was first released (mumble) years ago. The songs stuck and the shear fun was infectious. I played the album back then ... over, and over, and over. Whenever I hear it now it seems to still be an essential part of pop music. Humorous: My current nostalgia for this regards a album dripping in nostalgia. And the warm regards for this also mirrors the album's usually warm regards for it's subjects. Crocodile Rock as about music from 10-15 years before the record was recorded. Teenage Idol is about the 2 year rise of T-Rex (another Brit band) to a top pop act with a very young audience. Teacher is about ... schools days. And so forth.

My all time favorite EJ album. Had the vinyl when I was a kid, with the huge booklet crammed with tons of photos and the fabulous Bernie lyrics. Which I still hold on to as a collector's item. I think the songs on this cd in particular are so great, his best piece of work. He was at his height of fame in America, at the release of this album and also the many great ones to come afterward.

Good price and a repurchase. I am a big fan and am repurchasing some of my older EJ cd's. If you would like a review for content, you may want to read some others. I can tell you that I think this is one of my favorites and I really love Elton John. I wish we were not all getting older, but Mother Nature say's differently. I am just about the same age and really remember these on what we used to call "Album" and are called vinyl. Anyway, great purchase and you cannot go wrong with price.

non conosco l'originale ma m sembra un'ottima registrazione il disco è ovviamente splendido

Great Playing cd. Perfect quality.

TRES BIEN

Muy bueno

Ein wichtiger Kult- Klassiker von Elton John. Mit diesem Album fing seine Karriere an.