"Have Mercy on the Criminal" is a song by Elton John released on his 1973 album, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. It is the most frequent live-track on the album besides the two dominating singles, "Daniel" and "Crocodile Rock".

The song is one of only two songs from the album that features orchestration. Long-time collaborator Paul Buckmaster was responsible for the arrangement. It opens unusually, in the middle of a crescendo, before ending with a snare drum-hit that segues into a slow-paced dramatic ballad that lasts for the rest of the song. Featured is also a guitar solo. Upon introducing the song during his orchestral tour of Australia in 1986, John stated that "no one did arrangements like this in those days," claiming "that's why Buckmaster was so great."

Author Mary Anne Cassata praises the song as a "breakthrough stunner," particularly praising Buckmaster's "tense" arrangement and John's "desperate" vocals. Elton John biographer David Buckley believes the song's guitar riff was influenced by that of Derek and the Dominos' "Layla."

The lyrics describe what life is like for an escaped prisoner. 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," pleading for tolerance for the criminal on the lam. Author Elizabeth Rosenthal believes the song was influenced by the songs of Rosemary Clooney and Jo Stafford. Phillip Norman traces some of the imagery in the song to stories and B-movies that Taupin was exposed to as a child.

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