Description
Elton John – Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player – Red with Cream Splatter Vinyl Record
Limited Edition
PVC wallet sleeve with flap
Card artwork insert
Elton John’s Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, released on January 26, 1973, is a vibrant and theatrical record that marked a turning point in his meteoric rise to global superstardom. Following the success of 1972’s Honky Château, this was his sixth studio album, and it revealed a more confident, pop-oriented Elton John, delivering catchy melodies and polished arrangements while still anchored in his trademark blend of rock, balladry, and baroque pop.
The album’s title—a cheeky, self-deprecating jab—reportedly came from a comment Elton made to Groucho Marx, and it perfectly matches the album’s tone: playful, showy, and unapologetically stylish. Backed by lyricist Bernie Taupin, Elton took on a more cinematic flair with this record, leaning into lush production and tightly crafted narratives that evoked teenage dreams, nostalgic Americana, and the pain of growing up.
The album opens with “Daniel,” a gentle, melancholy ballad that became one of Elton’s biggest hits. With its layered textures and vague-yet-evocative lyrics about a war veteran leaving home, the song resonated deeply with listeners and climbed to No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Another massive hit followed with “Crocodile Rock,” a joyful, retro-styled anthem built around doo-wop harmonies and a farfisa organ riff that oozes 1950s rock ‘n’ roll energy. It became Elton’s first U.S. No. 1 single, helping to propel the album to commercial success worldwide.
Other standout tracks include “Elderberry Wine,” a raucous and brassy tune about lost love and nostalgia for simpler pleasures, and “Teacher I Need You,” which pairs adolescent yearning with an irresistibly bouncy piano line. Meanwhile, songs like “Blues for Baby and Me” and “High Flying Bird” showcase the more introspective, orchestral side of Elton and Taupin’s songwriting, emphasizing emotional nuance over pop sheen.
Produced by Gus Dudgeon and recorded at Château d’Hérouville in France, the album’s sound is rich, cohesive, and full of character. Strings swell without overwhelming, guitars twang with precision, and Elton’s piano—always front and center—is both playful and expressive. The original Elton John Band lineup (Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, and Nigel Olsson) is in top form here, laying down tight rhythm sections and harmonies that elevate each track.
Commercially, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player was a runaway success, reaching No. 1 in the U.S., U.K., and several other countries, and going multi-platinum. It bridged the gap between Elton’s more musically adventurous earlier work and the radio-friendly superstardom that would follow with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road later that same year.
In retrospect, the album is often viewed as a pop masterpiece with theatrical flair, combining accessible songwriting with smart arrangements and a dash of rock nostalgia. It’s not as thematically deep as Tumbleweed Connection or as expansive as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, but it perfectly captures a moment when Elton John became not just a respected artist, but a bona fide pop phenomenon.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Daniel
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
