"Have Mercy on the Criminal" is a song by Elton John

Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...

 released on his 1973 album, "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player is the sixth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John. It was released by DJM Records....

". It is the most frequent live-track on the album besides the two dominating singles, "Daniel

Daniel (song)

"Daniel" was a major hit song by Elton John. It appeared on the 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. It was written by John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. In the United States the song reached #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the adult contemporary charts for two weeks in the spring...

" and "Crocodile Rock

Crocodile Rock

"Crocodile Rock" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in June 1972 at the Strawberry Studios, Château d'Hérouville in France. It was released on 27 October 1972 in the UK and 20 November 1972 in the US, as a pre-release single from his forthcoming 1973 album Don't Shoot...

".

Musical structure

The song is one of only two songs from the album that features orchestration

Orchestration

Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...

. Long-time Elton accomplice, Paul Buckmaster

Paul Buckmaster

Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....

 was responsible for the arrangement. It opens unusually in the middle of a Crescendo

Crescendo

-In music:*Crescendo, a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases, see Dynamics * Crescendo , a Liverpool-based electronic pop band* "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue", one of Duke Ellington's longer-form compositions...

, before ending with a Snare drum

Snare drum

The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...

-hit that segues into a slow-paced dramatic ballad, that lasts for the rest of the song. Featured is also a blistering guitar solo. Upon introducing the song during his orchestral tour

Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a live album by Elton John and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra recorded at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on 14 December 1986. The concert was the last of a series of concerts done throughout the last two months of 1986...

 of Australia in 1986, he stated that "no one did arrangements like this in those days", claiming "that's why Buckmaster was so great". It is believed to be one of Elton's personal favourites, with both staple and occasional performances in most every tour.

Lyrical meaning

The lyrics describe, from the eyes of a criminal, what life is like. The first verses mention "dogs at night chasing some poor criminal", while the last verses mentioning "never seen a friend in years", bookending the theme as being about the escape and recapture of a criminal. The chorus claims "have mercy on the criminal - are you blind to the winds of change - don't you hear them anymore" - describing the problems of being an Ex-con

Ex-Con

"Ex-Con" is a song by Smog, released as his only single from his 1997-album Red Apple Falls. "Duckpond Blues" is an instrumental version of the song "Red Apple Falls" from the Red Apple Falls LP. "Little Girl Shoes" later appeared on the rarities comiplation Accumulation: None.-CD...

.

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. 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, and has not been performed since. It is a more popular album track of John's.

Personnel

• Elton John - Vocals, Piano
  Piano
  The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
  
  
• Dee Murray
  Dee Murray
  Dee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
  
   - Bass
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  
• Nigel Olsson
  Nigel Olsson
  Nigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
  
   - Drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
  
  
• Davey Johnstone
  Davey Johnstone
  Davey Johnstone , is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Elton John.-Career:...
  
   - Electric guitar
  Electric guitar
  An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
  
  
• Paul Buckmaster - Orchestral arrangement