- Vinyl
- Label: DJM
- ASIN: B0045Z55DS
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
With every single Elton John album I find myself reaching the same conclusion, to wit: his best songs are never his big hits. "Daniel" (#2 on the Billboard singles chart) and "Crocodile Rock" (#1) are certainly okay, but "Elderberry Wine," "Blues For Baby and Me," "High Flying Bird," and "Have Mercy on the Criminal" are all better songs. This would help to explain why this 1973 release was the second Elton John album to reach the top of the Billboard album chart (after "Honkey Chateau"). You can point to this album and his other 1973 release, the double-album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," as defining the year that Elton John became the biggest pop star in the world.
Compared to his earlier efforts this album is clearly an attempt to be more pop oriented, not to mention a showcase for the musical diversity of John. "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" continues to feature the orchestral arrangements of Paul Buckmaster, who functioned in a lesser way for Elton John and Bernie Taupin the way George Martin did for the Beatles. This is a much stronger album that "Honky Chateau" (ironically the one album where I listen to "Rocket Man" and decide it is both the best and most popular song), which came out the same year, and clearly sets the stage for the grandeur of "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road." Behind that and "Madman Across the Water," I would rank this Elton John's third best album.
This CD reissue includes the bonus tracks "Screw You (Young Man's Blues)," "Jack Rabbit," "Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)," and a simple piano version of "Skyline Pigeon." So if you do not yet have this album in your music library then there is no reason not to make a point of making sure that is the version you pick up.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
... this is my fav Elton's album, a very underrated LP in my opinion. Songs like HAVE MERCY ON THE CRIMINAL or HIGH FLYING BIRD is by far two of Elton's high peaks, and don't forget BLUES FOR MY BABY AND ME, or the lovely TEXAN LOVE SONG.
And, yes, there's the two blockbuster CROCODILE ROCK and DANIEL, that is by themself two very good reasons to buy this album.
I don't know if YELLOW BRICK is a superior performance (no, I suppose, but is a personal taste affair, no discussion), or if the first three lps are artistic masterpieces in front a good and well craft piece-of-art. I don't care. For sure, DON'T SHOOT me is an underrated album since the time it was published (a.d. 1973... the time in which I bought my first lps, argh...).
If you like Elton's songs, and aren't familiar with every of his lps, buy this with confience, believe me: you'll find here a bunch of lovely melodies, some very great songs, great fun, and romantics. Great album, really.
And, yes, there's the two blockbuster CROCODILE ROCK and DANIEL, that is by themself two very good reasons to buy this album.
I don't know if YELLOW BRICK is a superior performance (no, I suppose, but is a personal taste affair, no discussion), or if the first three lps are artistic masterpieces in front a good and well craft piece-of-art. I don't care. For sure, DON'T SHOOT me is an underrated album since the time it was published (a.d. 1973... the time in which I bought my first lps, argh...).
If you like Elton's songs, and aren't familiar with every of his lps, buy this with confience, believe me: you'll find here a bunch of lovely melodies, some very great songs, great fun, and romantics. Great album, really.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Some people may now remember this album as the one before Goodbye yellow brick road, but this was an important album that remains one of Elton's best. Four bonus tracks have been added to this re-issue but (unlike some of Elton's other re-issues) none of the bonus tracks were A-side singles. In fact, they were all originally released as B-sides, one of them being a re-recording of Skyline pigeon, originally released on Empty sky. The re-recording features Elton playing piano instead of harpsichord.
As originally released, the main album became the first Elton John album to top the British album charts. It was also the first album to spawn two British top five singles hits. In America, this was Elton's second chart-topping album. The two singles both made the top three there, with Crocodile rock (a look back at the rock'n'roll era) giving Elton his first American number one single hit. The other single, Daniel, was originally written about a Vietnam war veteran but, like many great songs, it can be interpreted to mean a lot of different things.
There are many other excellent songs on this album including Texan love song, which the writer of the liner notes suggests may be some kind of tribute to country singer Merle Haggard (never mind that the Hag is Californian). That's possible - Elton once recorded a duet with Tammy Wynette and later covered Stand by your man, for in her memorial album, so he has shown some interest in country music - but I'm not sure if it's true.
Other excellent songs include Blues for my baby and me, Midnight creeper (with its references to Tina Turner), I'm going to be a teenage idol and High flying bird. This has always been one of my favorite Elton John albums and remains so.
As originally released, the main album became the first Elton John album to top the British album charts. It was also the first album to spawn two British top five singles hits. In America, this was Elton's second chart-topping album. The two singles both made the top three there, with Crocodile rock (a look back at the rock'n'roll era) giving Elton his first American number one single hit. The other single, Daniel, was originally written about a Vietnam war veteran but, like many great songs, it can be interpreted to mean a lot of different things.
There are many other excellent songs on this album including Texan love song, which the writer of the liner notes suggests may be some kind of tribute to country singer Merle Haggard (never mind that the Hag is Californian). That's possible - Elton once recorded a duet with Tammy Wynette and later covered Stand by your man, for in her memorial album, so he has shown some interest in country music - but I'm not sure if it's true.
Other excellent songs include Blues for my baby and me, Midnight creeper (with its references to Tina Turner), I'm going to be a teenage idol and High flying bird. This has always been one of my favorite Elton John albums and remains so.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ah 'tis good!
There's not a lot more to be said that others haven't said. But I want my say!
There's not a bad track on this album. I'm of the opinion that it's his best ever. Read more
There's not a bad track on this album. I'm of the opinion that it's his best ever. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Peter Franklin
good ole time Elton!!!!
for all die hard Elton fans - some brill tunes to bring back memories from his past yrs a must to your collection
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Julia M. James-tarn
Memories
I had this on vinyl when I was 'a lot' younger, and as with all things was going to treat myself to it on CD when I moved on from vinyl but never did. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr Softy
Rediscover Elton
I as at secondary school in 1972 when this came out and even then, Elton wasn't really cool in the UK, compared with David Bowie and Roxy Music. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Yossarian
He could do much better than this.
This album pales into insignificance when compared with 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', released in the same year. Read more
Published 21 months ago by MR K J DOWNING
don't shoot me i'm only the piano player
My review would entail how good was the album, the records, were they good or bad? Would it be enjoyable for everybody not just Elton John fans. Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2009 by Mr. J. Curwen
Not Elton's best
As a lover of guitar rock, I never thought much of Elton's up-tempo numbers apart from the timeless classic "Crocodile rock" (included here) and the faster tracks on this album... Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2008 by D. Hanson
An early Elton John classic!
After nearly forty years it is more than reasonable to declare this album of Elton John's an all-time rock/pop classic. Read more
Published on 25 April 2008 by alextorres
Very good
This 1972/73 album captures Elton John at the beginning of his untouchable period as the biggest star on the planet, which he would hold onto for a couple of years. Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2007 by S J Buck
the elton john's 1972 album
I like Elton John, he's my favourite pop star singing 'Crocodile Rock', not Phil Barron actor he does 'Teddy Ruxpin' with his remind voice, but, he's worst than Paul McCartney.
Published on 2 April 2006 by Paul
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