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List Price: $11.98 | | Label: Polygram Records
Salesrank: 278705
Released: October 25, 1990 |
| Our Price: $9.79 |
| Used Price: $2.02 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player Track Listing:
1. Daniel
2. Teacher I Need You
3. Elderberry Wine
4. Blues for My 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
11. Screw You (Young Man's Blues) [*]
12. Jack Rabbit [*]
13. Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again) [*]
14. Skyline Pigeon [Piano Version][*]
Editorial Review:
Japanese-only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD) paper sleeve pressing of this classic album from the British singer/songwriter and entertainer, originally released in 1973. SHM-CDs can be played on any audio player and delivers unbelievably high-quality sound. You won't believe it's the same CD! Includes four bonus tracks. Universal. 2008.
Description of Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player:
One of the best entries from Elton John and Bernie Taupin's remarkably successful mid-'70s run, this album still holds up well over a quarter of a century after its release. Even casual fans will recognize "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 colorful packaging of the original album. --Dan Epstein
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player Reviews:
the one before Goodbye yellow brick road 
2009-12-12 - 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. Other excellent songs include Blues for my baby and me, Midnight creeper , I'm going to be a teenage idol and High flying bird.
A High Flying Bird of a Great Album 
2009-09-25 - Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player - (1973) 14 tracks (4 Bonus) **** (56:25)
The Don't Shoot Me album is another great 70's era Elton John album with many excellent 5 star songs, including Daniel, Blues for My Baby and Me, Have Mercy On the Criminal, and one of my favorites, High Flying Bird, and many other really good tracks you may not have ever heard before. In rating this album it would have scored higher if not for the mixed bag of the bonus tracks on the re-master. Over all, they did not help the album. The piano version of Skyline Pigeon is good, as is Screw You (Young Man's Blues) is also, but Jack Rabbit is a throwaway song and Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again) is mediocre at best. This album contains many very good songs that you probably have never heard on the radio because they are not "hits", but, none the less, are very good songs. In fact, minus the bonus tracks, this album is filled with nothing but 4 and 5 star songs and would easily end up in the top 5 of 70's era Elton John albums. It comes in just behind Captain Fantastic on my list.
THE QUINTESSENTIAL ALBUM THAT MAKES ONE MISS THE 70'S
2009-05-28 - Released between the progressive Honky Chateau and the all-time classic double-LP, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, is the often overlooked and underrated Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. This landmark release encapsules what would be Elton's very first Top 5 singles, including the #2 Daniel and what would be Reggie Dwight's first chart-topper, namely the unforgettable Crocodile Rock.
Besides being a disc that contained what were then Elton's biggest hits, it included some interesting tunes that received their share of airplay on FM radio, including Teacher, I Need You, Elderberry Wine, and High Flying Bird. These songs were intertwined with other tracks that would shed light on an Elton John who was carefree when necessary and yet was somber in the same respect.
I would not say that Don't Shoot Me... is Elton's very best, but if any particular work of art ever showcased an Elton John who seemed to let loose and enjoy life after having heavy burdens lifted, then that was it. Arguably, the energy emanated ideally reflects what many fondly remember about 1973. Not only was that when Don't Shoot Me... was released, but it was also a time when, for millions, several days, months, and years of perpetual worry and stress over domestic and international affairs, including wartime combat, were finally coming to a close.
Again, Don't Shoot Me.. is probably the release that perfectly highlighted Elton's lighthearted and serious sides, with the first part serving as a continuation of the humor nicely put forth in Honky Chateau and the second part, which would pave the way for pensive songs that would come to summarize the first phase of Elton's career and thus complete the first volume of his greatest hits, including Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.
A landmark album for Elton
2009-05-15 - 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.
Great SHM-CD Sound!
2009-02-21 - Since most of us can sing this soundtrack of our youth word-for-word in its entirety, and since others here have detailed the songs with much more detail and authority than I can, I'll just stick to the SHM sound quality. (That's what many of you who are thinking of repurchasing the CD are probably wondering about anyway.)
I own a few of these CD's and am a big fan of them. The sound is crisp and clear, and there's a lot of air in the reproduction. It's true that they are pricey, but to me, it's worth the few extra dollars. I don't think you will be blown away by the technology, but if clean sound and subtle nuances are important to you, then I think you'll be satisfied with this CD. I certainly am.
