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

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 got to help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend

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

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 got to help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs, ooh
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend

Ooh, 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 got to help me
I am never gonna sin again
Just take these chains from around my legs
Sweet Jesus I'll be your friend


Lyrics submitted by archagon

Have Mercy on the Criminal Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Have Mercy on the Criminal song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment

    I don't think this song is really telling the listener to either have mercy or not on the criminal, rather just about how the criminal feels at being hunted, and pretty much knowing he's going to be caught before the night is out. So, if he finds an old house on the moors or something, he would be so desperate and pleading to warrant a song about these feelings (?).

    stemannon February 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I feel that these lyrics are far more meaningful in this decade than before. In the U.S., we have a huge population of prisoners, and many of those are people of color serving exorbitant terms for simple infractions. And it seems we've brought back the old debtors prisons, as well. The U.S. is sliding back into the dark ages one step at a time. So, once again, I do believe Bernie Taupin, genius lyricist, wrote a song that lives beyond the 70s. And Elton brilliantly put it to music (OH what a musician!).

    starrlingon February 02, 2020   Link

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