Released: January 26, 1973
Songwriter: Bernie Taupin Elton John
Producer: Gus Dudgeon
[Verse 1]
Have you heard the dogs at night
Somewhere on the hill
Chasing some poor criminal
And I guess they're out to kill
Oh there must be shackles on his feet
And mother in his eyes
Stumbling through the devil-dark
With the hound pack in full cry
[Chorus]
Have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him any more?
Praying "Lord, you gotta help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend"
[Verse 2]
Now have you ever seen the white teeth gleam
While you lie on a cold damp ground
You're taking in the face of a rifle butt
While the wardens hold you down
And you've never seen a friend in years
Oh, it turns your heart to stone
You jump the walls and the dogs run free
And the grave's gonna be your home
[Chorus]
Oh, have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him any more?
Praying "Lord, you gotta help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Ooh, sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend"
[Chorus]
Oh, have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him any more?
Praying "Lord, you gotta help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend"
Have you heard the dogs at night
Somewhere on the hill
Chasing some poor criminal
And I guess they're out to kill
Oh there must be shackles on his feet
And mother in his eyes
Stumbling through the devil-dark
With the hound pack in full cry
[Chorus]
Have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him any more?
Praying "Lord, you gotta help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend"
[Verse 2]
Now have you ever seen the white teeth gleam
While you lie on a cold damp ground
You're taking in the face of a rifle butt
While the wardens hold you down
And you've never seen a friend in years
Oh, it turns your heart to stone
You jump the walls and the dogs run free
And the grave's gonna be your home
[Chorus]
Oh, have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him any more?
Praying "Lord, you gotta help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Ooh, sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend"
[Chorus]
Oh, have mercy on the criminal
Who is running from the law
Are you blind to the winds of change?
Don't you hear him any more?
Praying "Lord, you gotta help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus, I'll be your friend"
more tracks from the album
Elton: Jewel Box
- Mr. Lightning Strikerman (Piano Demo)
- Reminds Me Of You (Piano Demo)
- I Can’t Go On Living Without You (Arranged Band Version)
- And The Clock Goes Round (Piano Demo)
- When I Was Tealby Abbey (Piano Demo)
- I’ll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me (Piano Demo)
- Trying To Hold On To A Love That’s Dying (Piano Demo)
- Sitting Doing Nothing (Band Version)
- Regimental Sgt. Zippo (Band Version)
- Cry Willow Cry (Band Demo)
- There Is Still A Little Love (Band Demo)
- If I Asked You (Band Demo)
- Skyline Pigeon (Piano Demo)
- Two Of A Kind (Arranged Band Version)
- The Girl On Angel Pavement (Arranged Band Version)
- Smokestack Children (Arranged Band Version)
- Baby I Miss You (Band Demo)
- Turn To Me (Arranged Band Version)
- 71-75 New Oxford Street (Band Demo)
- Countryside Love Affair (Piano Demo)
- I Could Never Fall In Love With Anybody Else (Piano Demo)
- I Get A Little Bit Lonely (Piano Demo)
- The Witch’s House (Piano Demo)
- Get Out Of This Town (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
- Year Of The Teddy Bear (Piano Demo)
- Where It’s At (Piano/Percussion Demo)
- Who’s Gonna Love You (Piano/Percussion Demo)
- Nina (Band Version)
- Angel Tree (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)
- Here’s To The Next Time (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
- Thank You For All Your Loving (Band Version)
- Watching The Planes Go By (Band Version)
- When The First Tear Shows (Arranged Band Version)
- Tartan Coloured Lady (Arranged Band Version)
- Hourglass (Band Version)
- All Across The Havens (Piano/Guitar Demo)
- Bonnie’s Gone Away (Piano/Guitar Demo)
- Madman Across The Water (Piano Demo)
- Holiday Inn (Piano Demo)
- All The Nasties (Piano Demo)
- Tortured*
- Where Have All The Good Times Gone? (Alternate Mix)
- Choc Ice Goes Mental
- A Simple Man
- Highlander
- Billy and the Kids
- Lord of the Flies
- God Never Came Here
- So Sad The Renegade
- The Little Peace
- Keep It a Mystery
- How’s Tomorrow
- Peter’s Song
- Razor Face (Piano Demo)
- Burn Down The Mission (Piano Demo)
- Just An Ordinary Man (Piano Demo)
- There’s Still Time For Me (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)
- The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca (Piano Demo)
- Dick Barton Theme (Devil’s Gallop) (Bread And Beer Band)
- Breakdown Blues (Bread And Beer Band)
- Taking The Sun From My Eyes (Arranged Band Version)
- It’s Me That You Need (Band Demo)
- Sing Me No Sad Songs (Band Demo)
- The Flowers Will Never Die (Piano Demo)
- In The Morning (Band Demo)
- Open Your Eyes To The Sun (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
- One Time, Sometime or Never (Band Demo)
- Slow Fade To Blue (Piano/Guitar Demo)
- Rolling Western Union (Piano Demo)
- My Father’s Gun (Piano Demo)
- Amoreena (Piano Demo)
- Things Only Get Better With Love
- Philadelphia Freedom
- Elton’s Song
- Cold as Christmas (in the Middle of the Year)
- Too Low for Zero
- Crystal
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Hoop Of Fire
- Shoot Down The Moon
- I Fall Apart
- Stone’s Throw from Hurtin’
- Amazes Me
- The North
- The Power
- Understanding Women
- The Last Song
- House
- The Emperor’s New Clothes
- Sartorial Eloquence
- Ticking
- Border Song
- Empty Sky
- My Father’s Gun
- Where to Now St. Peter?
- Mellow
- I Think I’m Going to Kill Myself
- Blues for My Baby and Me
- Have Mercy on the Criminal
- All the Nasties
- The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934)
- Tell Me When the Whistle Blows
- (Gotta Get a) Meal Ticket
- We All Fall in Love Sometimes
- Street Kids
- Chameleon
- Boogie Pilgrim
- American Triangle
- Freaks In Love
- Tactics
- I Know Why I’m in Love
- Love So Cold
- Take Me Down to the Ocean
- Medicine Man
- The Retreat
- Snow Queen
- Big Man in a Little Suit
- Hey Papa Legba
- Conquer the Sun
- The North Star
- Did Anybody Sleep with Joan of Arc?
- (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again
- Scarecrow (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
- A Dandelion Dies In The Wind (Piano Demo)
- Velvet Fountain (Piano Demo)
- Steal Away Child
- Les Aveux
- All That I’m Allowed (I’m Thankful)
- Gone to Shiloh
- Monkey Suit
- Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody)
- My Quicksand
- The New Fever Waltz
- The Bridge
- Song for Guy
- Lady Samantha
- Lonely Boy
- Can’t Get Over Getting Over Losing You
- Cartier
- Rope Around a Fool
- White Man Danger
- Fools in Fashion
- Je Veux De La Tendresse
- A Little Love Goes A Long Way (Piano Demo)
From the albums
- Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player (1973)
- Elton: Jewel Box (2020)
Elton John popular songs
- Your Song
- Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
- Tiny Dancer
- Bennie and the Jets
- I’m Still Standing
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title)
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
- Candle in the Wind
- Daniel
- Saturday Night’s Alright (for Fighting)
- Crocodile Rock
- I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
- Candle in the Wind 1997
- Sacrifice
- Levon
- Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
- Someone Saved My Life Tonight
- Border Song
- Honky Cat
- The One
- The Bitch is Back
- Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
- Electricity (Billy Elliot)