I CAN SEE THE
RED TAILLIGHTS
HEADIN' FOR SPAIN
Don't Shoot Me
I'm Only the Piano Player
is the sixth
studio album
by British musician
Released on
January,26th 1973
by DJM Records,
it was the first
of two studio albums
he released in 1973
the second was
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,
released
nine months later
and was his
second straight
No. 1 album
on the
US
Billboard 200
and first
No. 1 album
on the
UK
Albums Chart.
The lead single
"Crocodile Rock"
yielded John his first
No. 1 single
in both the
US
and
Canada.
"Daniel"
was also a
major hit
from the album,
giving him his second
Canadian
No. 1 single
on the
RPM
Top Singles Chart
and
No. 2
on the
US
Billboard
Hot 100
and
reaching No. 4
on the
UK
singles chart,
one place higher
than achieved by
"Crocodile Rock".
Background
The album was recorded
in France,
at Château d'Hérouville,
also known at the time as
"Strawberry Studios",
which was how
the studio
was credited
in the album's sleeve;
Honky Château,
the previous
Elton John album, h
ad been
recorded there.
The album featured horns
arranged by producer
Gus Dudgeon on
"Elderberry Wine"
(the B-side to "Crocodile Rock"),
"Midnight Creeper"
and
"I'm Going to Be a Teenage Idol",
the latter
of which was inspired by
John's friend,
T. Rex frontman
Marc Bolan.
The horn players
were the same ones
who were used on
Honky Château.
Paul Buckmaster
returned to add strings on
"Blues for Baby and Me"
and
"Have Mercy on the Criminal".
During his
Australian concerts
with the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
in 1986,
John lauded
Buckmaster's work
on songs such as
"Have Mercy on the Criminal",
calling the
string arrangements
"revolutionary".
It is one of only
three albums
to feature just
the core band
of John
on pianos
and keyboards,
Davey Johnstone
on guitars,
Dee Murray
on bass
and
Nigel Olsson
on drums,
An outtake
of note
was a
re-recording of
"Skyline Pigeon",
which became
the B-side
to the single of
"Daniel".
John toured
Australia during 1971
and was so inspired by
Daddy Cool's hit single
"Eagle Rock" that,
with lyricist
Bernie Taupin,
he wrote
"Crocodile Rock".
The lyrics booklet
of this album has a photo
of Taupin wearing a
"Daddy Who?"
promotional badge.
Other photos
contain shots of the band.
One photo has
Elton wearing a
Donald Duck badge,
making it the first time
Elton wore clothing
featuring
Donald Duck,
the second being
the Bob Mackie
designed costume
during his concert
in Central Park
in September 1980,
and a photo
of the hat used
on the cover
of the
1988 album
Reg Strikes Back.
Don't Shoot Me...
was also,
according to John,
the first album
during which he
felt comfortable
experimenting with
his vocal performances
and style.
TRACKLIST
Teacher I Need You
Elderberry Wine
Blues For Baby And Me
Midnight Creeper
Have Mercy On The Criminal
I'm Going To Be A Teenage Idol
Texan Love Song
Crocodile Rock
High Flying Bird
Screw You
(Young Man's Blues)
Jack Rabbit
Whenever You're Ready
(We'll Go Steady)
Skyline Pigeon
(Piano Version)
Daniel
(Remix)
Crocodile Rock
(Long Remix)
High Flying Bird
(Remix)
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