Texan Love Song - Elton John (Don't Shoot Me 8 of 10)

[MJVE04]

I LOVE this song.. have for a lot of years. I lived in Texas in the late '70's, a transplant from many other places, not a 'true' Texan, and I use to call the local radio station and request this song. They played it for me a few times, but not for long. Wonder why?

Forget the politics.. just listen to the music.

[Mygrassisblue01]

Brilliant song, Elton and Berni were on a roll, 4 great albums in a row, Tumbleweed Connection, Madman across the Water Honky Chateau and Don't shoot me I am only the piano player.....

[Mr55go]

To Primeholyassasin20: I'm a Tea Party guy who recognizes the satirical nature of this song. It is no love song to or for the violent and bigoted. Just the opposite. I actually was around when the album came out, and even as a teenager understood this. You have a cartoonish, straw man, MSNBC view of the Tea Party. Think for yourself, son.

[BunkerGearGal]

@Mr55go It's not all of the Tea Party (and this is the greatest fraud of all in that regard "Patriots") that worry me, but it is your so-called leaders and spokespeople. Now, this song is from the early 70's, a different era but it has some relevance today. Funny how far right and far left are exactly the same in some ways; they're all for the tyranny of the mjority when they're in the majority and vociferously against it when they're not. Ah, the delicious irony of it all.

[Perfidia4ever]

Qui Elton crea una struggente armonia legata ad uno stato d'animo particolare.Sentimento patriottico, in questo caso in riferimento all'America potente e invincibile resa tale da tanti milioni di fedeli seguaci della....democrazia (!). Ma il suo stile rimane legato alle sue radici pop della madre patria Albione, con queste chitarre country diligentemente suonate dal vecchio Davey Johnstone...bellissima.

[The101stEagle]

I originally thought this was a parody. So now I have to think all songs have to have a politically correct meanings,lol.

[illusiondoptik]

Please , find a live version of Elton john tour 73 = This would be the dream

[primeholyassasin20]

Lol...the lyrics....sounds like a tea-party anthem, even though EJ and Taupin probably meant to parody conservatism with this song....

[taylorrspeaking]

stop trying to over -analyze this. now. god, that's so annoying.

[headstock48]

We're tough and we're Texan with necks good n' red. Nice!!!!!

[MegaAgram]

Was there a better lyricist than Bernie Taupin. If so I can't seem to think on one.

Great songs by Elton and Bernie.

[stevendonelan]

north carolina 1973 place too be , elton and all fun ......love peace goodwishes

too all at mrtle beach....xxx

[beachescr]

since I live in Texas

[Mygrassisblue01]

this was the song that made me learn how to play the mandolin.Thanks Elton and Bernie...until this album came out I only knew how to play the guitar

[timbuellify]

I thought this song was by Michael Jackson!

[spd13062]

Masterpiece album.

[DRpokeme]

Oh..i have missed this one - it was so true. See the year this was recorded and then tell me EJ & BT didnt capture something about the American way of life. I lived in little town in Aust and i saw that place in my own town. God i played this till my mother nearly went crazy...LOL

[rickhenderson13]

My brother used to play this song in bars in Kingsville, Texas in '74. The "cowboys" would hoop and holler while waving their cowboy hats around . They had no idea they were being insulted.

[alcoholofamer]

Thank You Bernie!

[voiceofintelligence]

The funny thing is that I actually agree with most of the things he's mocking here.

[tiffanybean]

Why don't we here this masterpiece on our classic rock stations? Too "politically incorrect"? Screw 'em. Play the song.

[JenR1]

@tiffanybean I AGREE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE 70's AND PERHAPS PEOPLE WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT BUT THIS SONG STILL STANDS UP TO TIME.

[jjacintoful]

There's a good video of Davey Johnstone talking about the making of this song.....here on youtube.

[statman99]

I heard from a friend you've been messing around with that cute little thing I've been dating uptown. I don't know if I like that idea much..... GENIUS!!!!!!

[rosakw]

as someone who grew up in tinytown, redneck USA, I can so relate to this song. it's not to be taken literally. it's brilliant!

[joquarry]

Great song. Has nothing to do with politicians.

This song was not written to make any grand political statements.

[sallysbaby]

This has nothing to do with Bush. It was a song that came out during Vietnam. Think about southerns and that era. Hell, think about the whole damn country and that era. Bernie Taupin was just writing about something that makes people think, like hes good at

.

[GeorgeSPattonIII]

@sallysbaby

I consider myself a well informed fan, and am a high school music teacher for 20 years. Taupin himself describes his writing of those days to be "impressionistic". So, he has succeeded. The two of you interpret the lyrics completely differently. That was his intent. Not, an accident.

[MisterTwister55]

Could somebody please explain to me how this relates to Bush? is it in a good way or bad way? i thought it had to do with racist cowboys in tx who hate mexicans

[pat45068]

Classic, Just Classic. "The minds of our daughters are poisoned by you. With your Communistic Politics and them, negro blues!" What's there to be offended by? Nothing, This song is more about attitudes in a given time period and nothing more. I can imagine this was inspired by treatment Elton John received from being gay. As far as politics go, neither the republicans or democrats care about us, They will leave us hanging in a heartbeat to protect themselves. Traitors all of them!

[Sshelly34213]

Uh, well yea it is offensive, small town southern hicks are offensive and intolerant people.

[SuperFeralcat]

You can be a conservative and a liberal, and still like this song...and today it may seem PIC but there is still a lot of points that stand clear...I was 13 when it came out...I was not offended then...and I am still not...so sue me...take me outside and shoot me!! Peace!

[longuylandboy]

Kids still respected the Presidents name

[MrKnightswhosayni]

have not heard this song in 20+ years-best song on this disc! Definitely relates to the Bush doctrine.

[sbcruiser]

Too easy Rumsfeld...

just sufficed to say...

DON'T TAKE TAMIFLU!

[IrisMG]

This song is almost as old as I am - minus 14 years or so - and yet I always think of Bush when I hear it. Even though it's satirical, there's an eerie relevance to it somehow.

[randi74]

uclrichard - The song is tongue-in-cheek; the only irony lies in the song itself. Neither Bernie nor Elton sympathized with these "red-necked Texans". The song's "nationalism" is the subject of ridicule. Nixon was not a favorite amongst these liberal Brits. :-) I've loved this song since I was a teen but in the early '90s there was no one to share the humor of it with.

617AV - Nice borrowed old joke. Are you too ignorant to make up your own?

[GeorgeSPattonIII]

@randi74 LOL. Do you even know how Taupin describes his style of writing in those days? I do. And guess what....You're wrong.

[molly195957]

30+ years later this song has an entire new meaning. For the drug war that's poisoning the border towns, killing good citizens of each, may this song be dedicated to all of you on the right side of that fight. National pride to all the good citizens and may we defeat all you bastards.

[TinyDancer500]

I well remember the assault of the word "fairies" on my tender ears back then, almost as harsh as "bitch" was on the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album's "Dirty Little Girl", which came along soon after (before he made "The Bitch Is Back" and blew the word right open). I'll take the tongue-in-cheek anger of this song compared to the bleep-filled versions of rage I hear today. And I know that makes me sound old, so be it. I've been a fan for more than 30 years and I'm a better person 'cause of it.

[EssexResident2000]

Has Elton said what songs he's likely to do at the O2 tonight?

[EssexResident2000]

I understand youtube are being forced to take down a load of videos, by artists such as Madonna. Which other artists are affected?

[timmynord]

The simplistic but multiple chord changes and coarse, down to earth lyrics caused me to memorize this song while running auto and equipment parts from my dad's NAPA store in Two Harbors up the north shore on old 61 in my 72 Nova to what was then Reserve Mining in Silver Bay, MN.

They were reequipping and rebuilding per Judge Miles Lord and the EPA in 1978.

Rightly so, I guess.

Anyhow, I didn't care about Elton's sexual preference then and I don't now. Though I prefer to listen and not watch.

[timmynord]

Elton did the new country twenty years before it really happened.(tongue in cheek) with tumbleweed connection. This song was a fortunate leftover for those of us who didn't listen.

[7563645785]

comment me back

SOMEONE TALK TO ME mB

[timmynord]

I heard from a friend you've been messin' around with a cute little thing I've been dating uptown.

[617AV86892]

Homos like fine wine are much better appreciated and much more tastefull when they are stored in quiet closeted cellar!

[uclrichard]

amazing how he tried to appeal to the american market...

imagine a gay englishman deliberately courting rightwing rednecks...that's exactly what elton and bernie were doing in 1972..

there's not much irony here...if there were, why did he not retract this stuff and come out of the closet until he was worth £500 million...

[timmynord]

I think you were attracted to Bernie. He wanted to be honest....

[Sshelly34213]

Are you kidding?

It's called irony...think about it, This song was written in the middle of the Vietnam war.

[JenR1]

@Sshelly34213 WHOA NEVER REALIZED THAT. NOW THAT PUTS A DIFFERENT SPIN ON THIS SONG FOR ME. THANKS FOR GIVING ME A HEADS UP ON IT. I WAS JUST A KID WHEN IT CAME OUT.

[Sshelly34213]

Really? No probs, I mean I wasn't even born, but just thinking about it and considering history and Elton John, it would make complete sense.

Elton John (I'm not exactly knowledgeable about his politics) definitely wouldn't be for conservative social norms, especially during that time. Also taking into account these thoughts a lot of conservatives had during the time and the nature of the song, it shows the exploitation and harm these people end up doing to themselves.

[johnnny49]

This is from like the mid or late 70s, when Elton and Bernie Taupin some of their best stuff.

[eltonator]

1973

[marcusbaptis]

This is a old Elton...