Elton John

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player (1973)

1.Daniel
2.Teacher I Need You
3.Elderberry Wine
4.Blues For Baby and Me
5.Midnight Creeper
6.Have Mercy on the Criminal
7.I'm Gonna be a Teenage Idol
8.Texan Love Song
9.Crocodile Rock
10.High Flying Bird
Bonus Tracks:
11.Screw You (Young Man's Blues)
12.Jack Rabbit
13.Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)
14.Skyline Pigeon (Alternate Version)

While many fans enjoy this release as much as other favorites during the golden period of the 1970s, I personally felt a bit empty by this one. I thought it was his least enjoyable release of the heyday between 1970 and 1976. The album is done in much the same fashion as the one before and the one after, but the songs don't match up nearly as well.

Having said that, it must be pointed out that this album does have two magnificent songs that everyone is familiar. Daniel and Crocodile Rock are simply among the very best Elton has ever written and also serve as a great contrast between the softer and harder styles of music that he writes so brilliantly. It's the songs after these two that fall flat.

Again, we get a brass section as on the last release on no less than three compositions. Elderberry Wine is not as bad as some and I'm Going to be a Teenage Idol at least has accurate lyrics for Elton's status at the time. Midnight Creeper is pretty dull, however and isn't really worth mentioning. Other embarrassments include Texan Love Song which is a satire of American Rednecks and Blues for my Baby and Me which features, believe it or not, Davey Johnstone on the Sitar. One fan favorite that I also never cared for is the heavily orchestrated Have Mercy on the Criminal which Elton still performs on occasion. Depressing lyrics are ever present and the tempo is changed unnecessarily making the listening unevern. The closing track High Flying Bird is not too bad, and Teacher I Need You is a fun fifties style rocker.

The album was very well received by most people. Flipping through the booklet included in the package, we see the beginnings of the outrageous costumes and multiple specs. Again, this one went to number one in America and also topped the charts in England for the first time.

Maybe I'm missing someting

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