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Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player
Pop · 1973 · 6 tracks

Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player

Elton John

January 26, 1973 · Polydor

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A technicolor, high-gloss confidence bursts from these tracks, capturing a rapid transition into global pop stardom.

The music trades the back-porch grit of the previous record for a polished, versatile studio sheen where brassy horn sections and bright analog tape warmth frame a series of playful, nostalgic genre exercises. It is a grand, inclusive sound designed for massive spaces, yet it retains a sharp, character-driven focus.

Tracklist · 6 Tracks
02
Teacher I Need You
4:11
04
Blues For My Baby And Me
5:43
05
Midnight Creeper
3:54
06
Have Mercy on the Criminal
5:58
07
I’m Going to Be a Teenage Idol
3:56
10
High Flying Bird
4:13
Moments Worth Listening For
06Have Mercy on the CriminalThe tense, blues-infused drama of 'Have Mercy on the Criminal' is driven by a heavy, percussive piano rhythm and soaring, cinematic strings.
02Teacher I Need YouA bouncy, schoolboy charm anchors the driving piano hook and bright vocal harmonies of 'Teacher I Need You'.
Reviews

Also reviewed byAllMusic

Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player sound next to the rest of Elton John's catalogue?

ATMVOCLYRMOOPRO

This album stays in step with the catalogue across the board — no axis departs enough to be worth its own note. Hover the dots to see where each one sits.

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