Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Available to Download Now
 
Buy the MP3 album for £7.49
  
 
 
 
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only [CASSETTE]
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only [CASSETTE] [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Import]

Elton John | Format: Audio Cassette
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


Buy the MP3 album for £7.49 at the Amazon MP3 Downloads store.

Shop on Amazon.co.uk, pay with your currency
Amazon.co.uk Currency Converter
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More.

Amazon's Elton John Store

Music

Image of album by Elton John

Photos

Image of Elton John

Videos

Elton John & Leon Russell - The Union

Biography

A former student of the Royal Academy of Music in London, England, the man born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947 left school and immediately began his path in the music industry. His first band, Bluesology, was formed in 1961. He would later take his stage name from the Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and their charismatic frontman, Long John Baldry. Elton John was introduced to Bernie Taupin in… Read more in Amazon's Elton John Store

›
Visit Amazon's Elton John Store
for 353 albums, photos, videos, discussions, and more.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Product details

  • Audio Cassette (20 Feb 1996)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Import
  • Label: Polygram Records
  • ASIN: B000001EG3
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

One of the best entries from Elton John and Bernie Taupin's remarkably successful mid-1970s run, this album still holds up well over a quarter of a century after its release. Even casual fans will recognise "Daniel", "Elderberry Wine", and "Crocodile Rock", but "Teacher I Need You", "Have Mercy on the Criminal" and "I'm Going to Be a Teenage Idol" are equally good. Elton's backing band at the time (guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson) was easily his best, and producer Gus Dudgeon and orchestral arranger Paul Buckmaster bathed the tracks in a warm and enticing glow. The only complaint is that, due to its size, the CD reissue doesn't remotely do justice to the colourful packaging of the original album. --Dan Epstein

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
 
(29)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Lawrance M. Bernabo HALL OF FAME TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
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.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Peter Durward Harris #1 HALL OF FAME TOP 10 REVIEWER
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.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
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
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
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject





i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback