{"id":39714,"date":"2006-04-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-04-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/reviews\/dont-shoot-me-im-only-the-piano-player\/"},"modified":"2006-04-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2006-04-12T00:00:00","slug":"dont-shoot-me-im-only-the-piano-player","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/reviews\/dont-shoot-me-im-only-the-piano-player\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Believe it or not, it wasn’t until 1973 that Elton
\nJohn completely devoted himself to pop music for an entire album.
\nIn fact, this is something that pisses me off with regards to how
\nElton is perceived. These days, those who are not familiar with the
\nbulk of John’s catalogue deride him as the man who sang “Can You
\nFeel The Love Tonight” or “Candle In The Wind” at Princess Di’s
\nfuneral.<\/p>\n

Back in the day; John was considered a great talent,
\nat the head of the singer\/songwriter movement. And even when his
\nsights were set squarely on the pop landscape, he had the potential
\nto be a master craftsman of the genre. Look no further than
\nDon’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player<\/i> for evidence.<\/p>\n

Right off the bat, we get one of John’s biggest hits,
\n“Daniel.” Definitely one of his most affecting vocals, “Daniel” is
\nthe story of a Vietnam vet leaving for Spain. While the track may
\nsounds too much like a track from the early 70s, that hasn’t
\nchanged the quality of its understated beauty. The mandolin and
\nsynth riffs swirl around the listener, adding to the ethereal
\nnature of the track. It was a risk for John to come out with
\n“Daniel” as the first single, but it paid off.<\/p>\n

Of course, the other huge hit was “Crocodile Rock.”
\nAn ode to the 50s, both lyrically and musically, this was John at
\nhis pop-making, hit-churning best. Featuring an absolutely
\nirresistible chorus and “la la la” hook, it is not difficult to see
\nhow the song rocketed to the top of the charts. Unfortunately, my
\npersonal enthusiasm for the track has diminished due to the extreme
\noverplay the song receives on radio. Thirty years have passed since
\nthe album’s release, and you can hear “Crocodile Rock” on any
\noldies station every day.<\/p>\n

Lost in the shuffle are some tremendous album tracks
\nthat rival the quality of the big hits. “Teacher I Need You,”
\n(which happens to be my dad’s favorite EJ track) is a rollicking
\nlittle ditty, as a student lusts after his teacher, though not
\nquite to Van Halen levels. “Elderberry Wine” owes more to R&B
\nthan pop, with Elton driving the song through sheer force of
\npersonality, and I love the pounding piano chords and sax
\ninterjections. “Blues For My Baby And Me” is one of John’s most
\nunderrated ballads, by far. Starting off relatively simply, the
\ntrack slowly grows more and more complex and layered, as do Elton’s
\nvocals, which gain more and more intensity. Paul Buckmaster helps
\nthe cause greatly with some great orchestral flourishes,
\nreminiscent of something off Elton John<\/i> or Madman Across
\nThe Water<\/i>.<\/p>\n

The second half of the album is where the momentum is
\nslowed and the material weakens. Besides the oddness of the lyrics
\nto “Midnight Creeper,” John fails to hit the right note in finding
\na suitable hook. However, the horn section on this track is better
\nthan anything off of Caribou<\/i>. “I’m Gonna Be A Teenage Idol”
\nfalls victim to the same flaws, though it’s scary how well Bernie
\nTaupin predicted Elton’s future. “Texan Love Song” is hokey, and
\nhas John singing with that country twang he loves ever so much.
\nWhile somewhat capturing a country vibe, it’s hard to get past the
\nsilliness of the lyrics.<\/p>\n

“Have Mercy On The Criminal” is this album’s “Madman Across The
\nWater,” with a dark tone and brilliant manipulation of mood with
\nthe various backing tracks, once again especially the strings.
\n“High Flying Bird” is another underrated effort, with its wide
\nsweeping wall of sound approach. The harmonies from Davey
\nJohnstone, Dee Murray, and Nigel Olsen send shivers down my spine
\nevery time.<\/p>\n

Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player<\/i> is
\nquite close to being one of those must-have Elton John albums, but
\nit falters just enough to keep it from reaching that level. Still,
\nDon’t Shoot Me<\/i> set the table perfectly for what was to come
\nin the immediate future.<\/p>\n

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