Have Mercy on the Criminal
"Have Mercy on the Criminal" | |
---|---|
Song by Elton John | |
from the album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player | |
Released | 22 January 1973 (UK) 26 January 1973 (USA) |
Recorded | June 1972 |
Genre | Blues rock |
Length | 5:58 |
Label | DJM Records MCA Records (US/Canada-1975) |
Songwriter(s) | Elton John, Bernie Taupin |
Producer(s) | Gus Dudgeon |
"Have Mercy on the Criminal" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It is the most frequent live-track on the album besides the two dominating singles, "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock".
Musical structure
The song is one of only two songs from the album that features
Author Mary Anne Cassata praises the song as a "breakthrough stunner," particularly praising Buckmaster's "tense" arrangement and John's "desperate" vocals.[2] Elton John biographer David Buckley believes the song's guitar riff was influenced by that of Derek and the Dominos' "Layla".[3]
Lyrical meaning
The lyrics describe what life is like for an escaped prisoner.
Performances
Bootleg sources prove that it was performed months before the album's release, with the earliest recording being from November 1972. It was performed at practically each show on his 1973 tours, occasionally in 1975. For his 1980 tour, it was a staple, being played during the latter half of every show. It was performed on and off in 1984 as well, and in 1986, with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. A live performance was included on the 1987 album Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.[1][2][4] As with other songs performed at those shows, it also received performances during his 1988–89 World Tour. It was performed in 1995 in the Netherlands, and on his 2002 tour as a staple. It made a brief return in the summer of 2004 during his second orchestral tour. He sparsely performed the song in the 2010's. During the 2022 leg of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, the song was brought back and played regularly at every show.[6]
Personnel
- Elton John – vocals, piano
- Dee Murray – bass
- Nigel Olsson – drums
- Davey Johnstone – electric guitar
- Paul Buckmaster – orchestral arrangement
References
- ^ a b c d Guarisco, D.A. "Have Mercy on the Criminal". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8065-2322-4.
- ISBN 978-1-55652-713-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8230-8893-5.
- ISBN 978-0-671-79729-4.
- ^ "Have Mercy on the Criminal by Elton John song statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 11 February 2022.