A.J. Croce, the son of Jim Croce, tells the story behind the song 'Time In A Bottle' by his father. A short documentary by Top 2000 a gogo from 2012 (Dutch Public Television).
The father sang the song for his child whom he never got to spend much time with and in return the child sang the song back to the father whom he never got to spend enough time with. Very deep and touching story.
Just this moment I know the sad story of this song is all about. As guitarist also your story Jim is so inspiring which is continued by your son AJ. Now I’m working on the mastery of your song Leroy Brown. Hoping I can fully imitate this during this time of World Quarantine.🙏
Up to now Jim Croce is not inducted in the Rock n Roll Hall of fame, he deserves it for the longest time, instead other mediocre singers are inducted every year.
And we never got to see this song played live by Jim. But now we have this very touching, deeply moving version sung by that very same son! What a gift! Thank you AJ.
Yessir! I recall it was said Jim knew over 700 songs by heart; all the chords and lyrics. A great number of them he wrote himself. Amazing man and missed greatly still. Like Harry Chapin, there's no one who can ever fill the void they left.
@@foxbat00 You better be talking tears of joy of her memories, or you're doing her wrong. Every minute you had together was a blessing from GOD to be cherished & thankful for all the times you had. She wouldn't want you crying sadly...do her right and be happy! If it brings memories, dang it, BE HAPPY! [God might not have put you together at all...got it?]
@@THE-HammerMan I tell everyone, do not feel sorry for me because I lost her, be happy for me that I had her. I'm just trying to fill that half of my soul I lost when she was gone. Thank you sir.
@@karenrogers2826 I remember as a very young kid asking my mom what "Baddest man in the whole damned town" meant, and she said, "Oh, he's saying 'Baddest man in the whole downtown'" (trying to shield my young ears from that terrible word! LOL) and for YEARS and YEARS afterward that's what I heard in the lyrics... Still one of the best sing-along-songs ever written: Easy to learn and catchy lyrics (and an interesting story too). A similar song, also from Jim, is "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" which also has an interesting twist at the end.
His music was poetry. He was up there with Lennon as a songwriter. If he had lived longer there is no telling how many more great songs he would have written.
I agree with you 100% Can you imagine what awesome songs Jim would have done, had he lived? Hypothetical situation: Which artists from the 70's,80's and 90's Do you think Jim would have collaborated with? I had this Crazy Idea that Jim and Freddie Mercury could have made something work as crazy as that sounds. :)
Wow, he sounds so much like his dad singing Time in a bottle. Always loved Jim's music and it's so sad that he left us way too soon. I was little when that song came out and I remember it like it was yesterday.
Not sure if i believed it when it happened. I just couldn't believe someone like that could be gone. Same when John Lennon died. It was hard for me to even process it. Like a light gone out...
I wrote the lyrics to this song out and put it in a letter to my fiancé when he was away at school. My mother eventually hid his letters and didn’t let me know he had phoned so we both thought the other didn’t care anymore. He found me through the internet 30 odd years later. We had married other people- good people. So we would e-mail and occasionally talk on the phone about what was happening in our lives. He came down with cancer last year and died January 14, 2021. Valentines Day was the anniversary of our first date. I still love him, always will.
Ahh hell, such a sad story. Always loved Jim's songs: Operator is still one of my favorite songs of all time. All the best to you AJ, your day would sure be proud.
"Something in my eyes You know it happens every time I think about a love that I thought would save me..." A perfect marriage of word, music, and emotion.
It's a sad story but also a good one. Jim Croce used his music to talk to his son years, even decades after he died. I'm sure when he wrote "TIAB," he probably never thought of it as an enduring message to AJ -- he figured he'd have 40-50 more years to do that, he could write him more songs or just tell him face to face. Jim probably thought of "TIAB" as a nice song that could also be taken as a man-woman love song so it could be a big hit on its own (as it was). So it ended up that Jim died and "TIAB" stands as a father's final message to his son. And it turned out to be as good as anything he would have written to him 50 years later.
I had the privilege of speaking for hour with Jim Croce's widow at her club / bar / restaurant in San Diego in the late 90's while in San Diego for Sea Trials of an ROV system we built for the Navy. Such a warm wonderful and welcoming woman sharing so many stories of her life and adventures with Jim and all their friends. All of us that were there that night were blessed by her presence and hospitality. I still think of her every time I hear one of Jim's songs.
Jim!He was truly ( one of a Kind) I met him singing in a small Pub in DelcoPa; his song words/lyrics came from his Soul! AJ with your voice&soul your DaD never left Us.God bless U !!,&Thank U....
AJ Croce I sent u the u tube response 1 week ago your Dad was (One of a kind singer/ song writer) on my granddaughter I pad , I Am 79 Years Old. Your Dad sang at a Pub (The Riddle Paddock)Delaware cty ,Pa. your Mom&Dad we’re livening in Chester cty when u were born .I am a veteran USArmy. Worked in a sport/Ski Shop & Sold Jim a pair of hiking boots ! he is wearing them on his album cover(The Definitive collection,Time in a bottle 1972 )My daughter lives in SanDeigo. My wife&I would like to say Hello to your Mom & U if possible, and have dinner at her restaurant in California,please let me know if you will be touring in Pa,Nj,orCa.Thanks so much, Jim& Bonnie
I was 1 when Jim Croce died, yet to this day his music touches my soul. Something no other musician has ever done. Not even John Lennon. Jim Croce had more talent in his little finger than any act nowadays. He was one of a kind, and he's missed
so true... music/lyrics that touch one deeply are moving and the connection doesn't lessen with time... at all... Jim's music still touches many people to this day... we were blessed to experience him in real time... it was special...TY for posting..
My god this story is just so heartbreakingly life affirming. Thank you for this lovely profile. I remember Jim's music as an anthem of sorts to my life. Who can't remember "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" and think of Jim, or "Carwash Blues"...... As Dan Fogelberg would say, AJ is a living legacy to the leader of the band. Thank you for such a beautiful story.
Watching Johnny Carson with my wife one night after working the second shift. Carson announced that this was a young man making his national debut ...Jim Croce. He sang "Operator" and when he was finished I turned to my wife and said" wow, that boy is going to be a star." And he truly was. We all miss you Jim...
I was a working guitarist/singer during the time of Jim Croce. I covered all his songs and loved his style. Being Italian-American and a musician, I always felt a strong connection with him. His early death left me numb. All you have to do is play one of his albums...he's here again...good bye jim...I'll be sure to catch one of your concerts when I get to Heaven...t cross
I loved Jim when i was young. Time in a bottle is one of my all time favorites. So sad when he died. So happy his son is carrying on and doing it so well.
Thought when I was 6 that this was the most beautiful song I'd ever heard and decided it would be my favorite. I'm 52 now and it still is both of these things to me.
One of music's greatest tragedies. I was born in the 80s, grew up listening to Jim Croce, because of my dad. Timeless music. He had so much more to give.
I was devastated when Jim Croce died. I was 13 and my mom told me when I got home from school because she knew how much I loved him and his music. One of my grandfathers also died in 1973, so that was a tough year for me.
Your dad would have tears in his eyes over this. We saw him as an old friend, a guy who lived a hard life, but seem to find the humor, and beauty in it all. I don't know what his personal life was like, but you could here the love in his music for those who were trusted to be there.
Ingrid's talk about that last letter.....it's always the first things we remember about that soulmate and the last things too. My DH died at 48 yrs old in 2002....17 yrs and 16 days ago. The last thing he said to me was " You know, I've always loved the way you smile, the way you are." He hugged me and within 30 minutes he was DEAD because an ER physician wouldn't believe me about his seizures that were hard to control. Even the coroner said that my DH, my soulmate shouldn't have died that day....... These last 17 yrs have been difficult. I've tried to move on, I can't. When you've been given love like that, you can never replace it, and who would want to?
@holiday 2406 How sad for you. But by this telling your story reaches others of like minded love-stories. My sweet soulmate dies weeks short of five years, now. I miss him more each day, instead of less. I recall the way I knew he was THE ONE when I suggested we needed a song, and he casually told me we had one: ‘Color My World’ by the greatest of all time, Chicago. By that I knew that he was telling me how he felt, as did I. He loved the amazing Terry Kath, who was also taken from us much too soon! Luck and love to all who listen to the very best music of all time. I’ll never stop listening, until I no longer am able! And I wish healed hearts to all who miss THE one, who is irreplaceable!
never, in my life, have I felt so full of all kinds of emotions, as I did whenever I listen to this song. It definitely makes me really cry sad and happy tears, deep down.
Time in a bottle was played at the funeral of a very dear friend and it was an instrumental version which I will always remember forever. Listening to the original version makes it my favourite tunes of all time! Thank you for the wonderful music 🙌🙌🙌🙌
AJ, this was so touching. Your parents obviously loved each other so very much. Please enjoy your father's gift to you. Time in a Bottle has always been a favorite of mine.
My late husband and I chose "Time In Bottle" as our song, it was played at our wedding and often after the event. I still sing it today, and it means even more now that I understand the rest of the story. Thank you.
'You never know the minute ... ' Boy, is that saying so true in this case. That letter he wrote to her before boarding the plane is just so .... heartbreaking.
Losing Jim Croce was one of the saddest most tragic losses in popular music.. The world needed another 30 or 60 years from him. How very blessed we are to have the gift of his music that he left us.
So sad, I've always loved Jim and am a huge fan of his songs. He was from pennsylvania as am I so he's a hometown boy. I know he's singing in heaven and I'm glad his son is doing so well.
The 70's where settling down after the 60's. Jim Croce was a big part and a big reason for that. We were all in it together. That's how he made me feel. His songs bring back so many amazing memories for me as a teenager. Tears of joy all because of him. Be blessed. :-)
I’ve always loved Jim Croce. So much talent and warmth. He was so talented and gone to soon. So glad to see his son and wife keep his memory and music alive.
This song tears at my heart. I worked with pediatric cancer patients and grew quite close to one patient in particular. After knowing her for 2 plus years she lost her battle just before her 7th birthday. I heard this song shortly after receiving the news. I still cry when hearing this song and she passed away 26 yrs ago.
One of the BEST songs ever written. His rendition is magic. It broke my heart when I heard of your Dad's death. I was a young man of 30. I was a fan. I was a singer/musician. Continue your Dad's legacy. 👍
I remember the first time I heard this song. I drove to nurse’s training at Indiana Central College in Indianapolis in 1973. The song came on the radio and even though I was late for class I sat and listened in my car til the end. The announcer said, “That was ‘Time In A Bottle,” by the late Jim Croce ... Wait! What?!! Later I told my husband about it and he knew who Jim Croce was. “I cried and I said to my husband, “I’m grieving for someone I’ve never even met.” That was many years ago now and this song still touches my heart especially since my husband died suddenly at age 53. Thank you for sharing this. Music delves into the lives of us all, I believe. I love you was the last thing my husband said to me as well on the phone. Life is funny
I had a son die young, and the inverse of this - a father who holds his son in his heart when he can't hold his son in his arms... I'm glad AJ is finally singing his father's stuff. It warms my heart.
Time In A Bottle has always been my favorite Jim Croce song, and this is a great story to go along with the history of the song. Who on earth, could vote this THUMBS DOWN? Folks with no compassion or taste.
What a powerful video. I was lucky enough to be see Jim host the Midnight Special back in June of 73 and remember his humbleness. He was so funny, laidback and kind. I was sitting on the floor probably about 4 rows in and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I can so appreciate Time in a Bottle more now at 62 than I could at 16. RIP Jim, Thank you for the music you left us. ❤️
It’s really nice to see AJ all grown up, and that he too is a musician. I really loved Jim’s music; I was in jr high/high school when his songs were popular. I still love them all to this day. “If words could make wishes come true,” Jim would have lived to see his son grow into a man and continued with his wonderful music. God bless you AJ, and your beautiful mother.
I still remember learning about Jim's plane crash when I was in college and it really saddened me a lot. I played many of his songs when I played coffee houses back in the day! A great songwriter but a better man was he!
Don't know why but that song has always brought tears to my eyes since I was like 8 years old. I'm 51 now and the tears are rolling once again. Thank you for touching my heart. With my love to you and yours. Will
For some people it was Lennon or The Dead. For me it was Jim Croce. I remember coming home and telling my Dad. He was the first person I told. He used to listen to Rapid Roy with me. And then I sat down and cried.
I was just talking about Jim... God I miss him,, his music.... when he died, I had every peice of his work! Even the Ingrid and Jim album. He would have truly changed music, changed times maybe, he changed my life with his music. Like they say, " If there's a Rock n Roll Heaven, I know they got a hell of a band" Gone, but never forgotten, rest in peace, Jim, you are so missed. I jope his son carries on. God bless
I saw AJ at a show he did last week in Madisonville, KY. He was awesome! That man ROCKS on the piano! His energy was so incredible. It was a great show and I highly recommend seeing him if you get a chance to.
I had this live CD of Jim about 10 yrs ago. It was recorded in a small club and I absolutely loved it. I really felt a connection with each song and Jim gave life to those bcz they were little stories. Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Dont mess Around with Jim, Operator, I've Got a Name, Time in a Bottle, Walkin Back to Georgia. Those songs are masterpieces.
WOW, AJ, so touching! I loved your Dad's music and was crushed when I heard that he was killed in a small plane crash. I even remember where I was when I heard the news. Still chokes me up. Very sweet that your Mom and Dad were singing Gordon Lightfoot's song, "Song For A Winter's Night". That's another GREAT song, like "Time in a Bottle".
When I seen that picture at the beginning of his son I though wow Jim looks great today still. I never knew he died in a plane crash quite a few years ago. It's so sad when artist die young who have such an amazing craft, he left us with such beautiful songs that well last forever. The nicest tribute is his son carrying on his fathers genius. Just like time in a bottle happening all over again.
As a very young child in 1973 I purchased "I Got A Name", which was the third single I purchased by Jim in less than a year. Money was tough to come by and it was rare that I purchased more than one single by the same artist, let alone three. Shortly thereafter, I heard Jim had passed and for the first time in my life I experienced death. I had a tough time dealing with it, but then "Time In A Bottle" was released. It spoke to me and left me in a peaceful state. I still feel the pain of Jim's death as music was an important part of my childhood and his music made such a difference in my life. But the families of those who perished in the plane crash have been in my prayers as they are the ones who truly know pain. God bless them and especially you, AJ, as you have been on my mind for 45 years.
Jim's death was the first of any musician's to hurt me. For some reason, even at the age of 11, his lyrics made an impression in my mind and in my heart. Listening to his songs now instantly takes me back to my youth and the sad regrets of long lost love- may you R.I.P. Jim...Thank You for your songs and the memories!
I remember hearing the whole story to this and it had to do with that last trip being a “make it or break it” deal. He had just finished his album but it hadn’t been released yet, and said if it didn’t do well, he’d go and get a “real” job. The album did well, only to actually go off the charts. He never got to see it’s full success. It’s heart breaking. The album that has Adrian in his dad’s cowboy boots and hat, is truly haunting. He surely has been blessed with his parents voice and musical abilities. ‘Love Jim Croce! ❤️✌️
Wow that was so touching. Even as a kid in the '70's for some reason I really liked this song. So magical to see Jim with his family on film, and loving them. What a legacy he left his son. That letter Mrs. Groce read was hauting. He was talking about the first 60 yrs., yet he didn't get to see 50. We can make plans and promises, but the truth is, none of us are promised tomorrow. It' s wise to say, " If it be the LORD'S will." Amen.
My Late Twin Brother's Favorite Performer! I remember how hard he took Jim Croce's death. This is a wonderful behind the scenes story! Thanks for sharing! Cheers Everyone
