The grin on Andy's face when the song ended is why people watch this channel. Then, the look on Alex's face when he is talking about not being able to read the number cause something's in my eyes.... Priceless.
"Time in a Bottle" must be next; a love song that he wrote for his baby boy. Sadly, I think he was only 2 when Jim died, but at least he had that beautiful song from his daddy. After that, something upbeat, of which the best one is (IMO) "You Don't Mess Around With Jim."
"I can't imagine a better way for that song to be written". It's this quote that makes me respect you guys and has me keep coming back. That is so prophetic and mature to respect a song for what it is, regardless of style.
@@centuryrox You don’t spit into the wind, you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t pull the mask off the ole Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with Jim.
I still can't hear that one without getting emotional. In 1980, at the farewell assembly for the seniors at my high school, a beautiful young senior sat in her wheelchair as she knew she was dying from cancer and sang that song for all of us. Absolutely none of us could keep it together by the time she finished.
One of the best things about the 70’s - the Singer / Songwriter. Croce, Harry Chapin, Carole King, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Cat Steven’s etc….. The feelings always come out of their songs when they perform 🎵🎶
Agreed... greatest singer/songwriter time ever. Carole King "It's Too Late" James Taylor "Fire and Rain" or Cat Stevens "Peace Train". If you want to hear a fun Croce song, "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" would suffice, but "Time in a Bottle" has a similar feel to Operator.
Thank you. In September of 1973, I was a freshman in college and my roommate was/is an exceptional guitar player. After classes he rushed into our dorm room and grabbed his Yamaha acoustic guitar and played and sang two or three Jim Croce songs. When he was done he told me that Jim Croce had died. That was a very sad time but sublime as well because my roommate helped me through the tragedy. Music is powerful. I'm crying as I am typing this.
Remember that losing your lover and your best friend at the same time isn't a betrayal that you don't go over so easily, it's just don't. He want to speak about his misery to someone.
This song has not lost it's musical, poetic quality for over decades. It's so easy to get caught up in the story; still touches me. Thanks for playing it.
@@David-iv6je Also "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," and a non-hit-but-so-fun song called "Roller Derby Queen." Always loved "Working At The Car Wash Blues" and "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)," too. That said, the biggest hits were mellowish, and there are many more of them to hear, "Time In a Bottle" and "I Got a Name" being the hugely popular ones.
Teaser: He got a 32 gun in his pocket full a fun He got a razor in his shoe And he's bad, bad Leroy Brown The song has great descriptive lyrics helping listeners mold this character into life in their minds. Note: 'He has a 32 gun (...) full of fun' as to say full of bullets always within reach of a man who enjoys killing. Very smart choices preferring unsophisticated language in all of his story telling. That's an art.
Huge loss when he died, he was already a legend locally here in Philly. This song was written about his time in the National Guard. He saw guys who were lined up at the pay phones, who had just received Dear John letters, trying to call their girls. Check out Time in a Bottle next by Croce. ✌️♥️🎶
Hey Diane, Philly boy here too yo! I can still remember as a kid driving to the Jersey shore or the Poconos sitting in the back seat of my parents 1976 Buick LeSabre with the great stereo and speakers, cassette player AND eight-track it had with my older brother (no seat belts just pillows and blankets!) listening to Jim Croce and all the great music of this era yelling at my Dad to "turn it up please" and singing along to all these great songs.
@@mikek5958 I forget what type of car my Dad drove in the 70’s but definitely remember the rides down the shore with the radio playing. I remember trips with all of us, a dog, the grandparents all crammed in the car with no seat belts lol.
He has been gone 45 years and still amazes new and old listeners. Used to go see him live. He pulled at your heart and made you laugh. He was a delightful human. I cried like a baby when he died.
He wasn't all ballads and love songs. "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" and "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" are real thumpers. "I Got a Name" is my absolute favorite Jim Croce song, and it's more than well worth listening to. Edited to add "One Less Set of Footsteps" is one of the world's best "forget this, I'm out of here" tunes you'll ever listen to.
If Operator is an archetypal breakup song, "Time in a Bottle" is an archetypal love song, and "I've Got a Name" is an archetypal anthem in the folk/rock genre.
"Time in a Bottle" will pretty much level you, because it's both a love and a love-lost song. ...and "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" is just a good time when you're listening to it...as is "You Don't Mess Around with Jim".
If you create a poll that contains "Time In A Bottle", it will most likely win. With that said, my personal favorite Jim Croce song is "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song".
My favorite Croce is 'Kings Song'. About an overworked king that his queen left him for not being there. That song probably hits the hardest for me. It's a pity that it isn't on the big streaming services. You can find it on youtube though.
My favorite. Everybody else says Time in a Bottle, but not for me. It's this one. When he says, "There's something in my eyes," I just tear up. Even all these years later. Because we've all been there.
Croce's story is an interesting one because he held various jobs while he'd play nights because he wanted to marry his girlfriend, who at a certain point began singing with him at places. They married and as a marriage gift, the bride's father gave him money to make an album, hoping that the son-in-law would, once he realized he doesn't sell, focus his life to "regular" jobs and raise a family. However, to their surprise, the Croce couple sold well at their shows. So much so, they made another one (Facets [1966] and Jim & Ingrid Croce [1969]). She got pregnant of their first (and only) child and left the duo; almost at the same time Croce met his future musical partner Maury Muehleisen. Next thing you know Croce's next single "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" is a local, than national success. He's appearing on TV everywhere, he played on the Sony & Cher Show, which was perceived a hip show for its time. And then for the next two years it was one hit after the other. "Time In A Bottle", "Photographs And Memories", "Bad Bad Leroy Brown", "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song". And in the middle of all this success, just like that his plane crashed and he's dead. And about two and a half months later comes out the title track of his new album he had just begun touring for "I Got A Name". A few months after that the compilation album "Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits" that would bring all these great songs back to daily/weekly radio play for the following three or four years; "Time In A Bottle" and "Photographs And Memories" the two most played amongst them. Wow! I've just relived the whole experience writing about it. Croce is a gem that shouldn't be forgotten. You two will probably get why he's so fondly remembered the more songs of his you hear.
Excellent run down, thank you. I lived in Louisiana not far from where his plane crashed in Natchitoches after a concert at Northwestern State university. For years afterwards locals would brag about picking through the wreckage and finding some souvenir. “Hey man my cousin has the curtains from Jim Croce’s plane.” Such a tragedy.
I was gonna do a full run down like you did, thank you by the way. But the more I typed the sadder I got because I was a huge Croce fan, of him and the story of his wife not just the music. Him and Maury had such great harmonies, I actually got married to a friend singing and playing Tme in a Bottle on guitar. What a great talent and human being taken way too f-n young. I agree "You Don't mess Around With Jim" should be next, polar opposite of "Operator" but that's the point :)
Here is an excellent video of Jim and Maury performing this song. Two guys, two guitars: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bS_Fj47-Dp4.html
Time in a bottle is one of the saddest songs imo his best. It's about not being able to spend time with loved ones. Croce then sadly died in a plane crash leaving his wife and young son behind.
All of Croce's songs are sadder given the fact that he died in a plane crash at 30 just when he was achieving peak popularity, leaving behind his beloved wife and a newborn. Yes we do have his wonderful songs as a legacy, this, Time In A Bottle, I Got A Name, I Have To Say I Love You In A Song, etc, but God only knows what he could have done if he had lived.
Others have already said it, but I will, too: This song sounds as hauntingly beautiful today as it did the first time I heard it 49 yrs. ago. Yes to "S"!
My kids couldn't understand songs like this, because: A)Why does he have to have the assistance of a third party (the operator) just to place a phone call? And, B)Why is he paying someone cash money, in coins, for a phone call? Telephone songs are a lost art...
right !! When Croce' sang the words - "keep the dime if you want" - i thought - my g-kids wont know what the heck that is all about - "g-pa what the heck is a phone booth ?"
lol. Twenty years ago, when we'd hear this song, the usual reaction was "Remember when it was a dime?" (it jumped to a quarter sometime in the 80's). Now, it's like, "Remember pay phones?"
You guys are so fun to listen to. I was a little worried because sometimes people who love Rush or The Who wouldn’t like someone like Croce. But you lived up to high expectations, again, by appreciating good music regardless of the genre. Nice work A&A!
Growing up in the early 70's I always listened to the harder rock band's of the time but I would also listen to the singer song writer's of that time, as most of my friends did as well. Just so much good music back then !!!
@@cesarnarro6013 It was a great time for music, as there were no real ‘specialty’ AM radio stations; they all played everything. In any given time frame, you could hear the singer/songwriters, Motown, country, soft and hard rock, the beginnings of prog, etc. I’m thankful for the exposure.
@@sgtBelson Yes! I loved that! I try to explain this to younger people and they can’t appreciate it. I’m thankful for the exposure to all that music too.
Jim Croce is legendary in my book. I can only begin to imagine the amount of legendary songs he would have given to this world had his life been not cut short in such a tragic way. Hope he makes the RRHOF soon.
Another artist who has been a little overlooked...who fits right in, in this category... Harry Chapin. "Taxi" and "Cat's In the Cradle" Like Jim Croce, he's a great songwriter and storyteller.
agreed, but Cat's in the Cradle hits too close to home and I can't listen to it anymore. Too painful, but an amazing classic that will surely live forever.
Croce's one of the best American songwriters ever - he was Guthrie-tier before dying way too young. "Don't Mess Around with Jim" is one of his great "this is a light-hearted, fun song that's actually saying a lot if you listen." "I got a Name" is like, America in 3 minutes, and as southern boys you really ought to check out "New York's Not my Home"
You got your dime back if you just talked with the operator, hence giving it to her as a thank you - I doubt an operator had the mechanism to actually get the money, but it's a great line.
Jim Croce’s Greatest Hits was one of the first albums I ever bought. It came out the year after he died. I was about 12 years old and knew every one of those songs by heart. What an amazing writer. Incredibly, the 14 songs on that album were all written within a span of two or three years. One of music’s most tragic losses. To get an idea of his range, next you should try one of his character songs, like “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim,” or (my personal favorite) “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues.” Or really, just pick any Jim Croce song at random. They’re all so damn good.
Dude, I totally get the chills when he hit's the line, "I've overcome the blow, learned to take it well, only wish my words could convince myself." WHOOOOWEEEEE. So GOOD!!!
Jim Croce was a genius. He got started after the army playing guitar and doing back-up vocals for Maury Muehleisen. Maury's band didn't have much success, but Jim got a chance through his writing to get a record deal. Though he used a fuller band to record, most of his appearances were just him and Maury (who was now Jim's lead guitar and harmony vocalist). Occasionally with a piano player or bass etc. Sadly Jim and Maury and a few other people were all killed in that crash. He was a very prolific writer and I believe would have been held in the kind of esteem as people like James Taylor and Bob Dylan for his writing. He did some really amusing songs but also some of the most beautiful love songs. He was a great story teller through his songs as well. Well worth a deeper dive guys. Really good reaction on this by the way!!
"Time in a Bottle" is a great song by Croce, but he has several more. My personal favorite is "Lover's Cross". It's one of the best breakup songs ever, and show's off Croce's musical genius. Oh, and the amazing thing about Jim is when you check out him singing live...you'd swear he was at the studio!
Spot on, John ! .. "Time In A Bottle" is a great song, and is usually the one most people regard as his best ( along with this one ) .. But like you, "Lovers Cross" is my favourite .. Such a memorable break up song, with brilliant lyrics and melody .. I think Andy and Alex would love it too .. Wayne
I remember being totally frustrated trying to learn the guitar part on his songs…… Then I caught him on The Midnight Special and realized he had another guitarist accompanying him!🤣 Maury Muehliesen played amazing acoustic lead to Croce’s rhythm. It’s so tragic they both died in the same plane crash! Maury was only 24 to Jim’s 30. I found out then that Maury and I share the same birthday.
You guys nailed this one, phenomenal song that has stood the test of time. I can't hear it without tearing up, had to wipe my face twice this time. Alex was right about the extra layer of meaning beneath the lyrics, that's not easy to do which is why you seldom hear it. And it's sung in such an understated manner it would be easy to miss if the listener wasn't paying attention. This was the love he thought would save him, so he's lost, he thanks the Operator as if this might be his last human contact. Real heart-breaker.
last human contact - love that I thought would save me. I hadn't fully put that together before. Thank you! And the absence of a line to end the verse is perfect. Jim is my favorite artist, I think. I typically don't even like lyrics, because it's tough to right a song that resonates.
For me “The Day The Music Died” was the day Jim Croce died. “Workin’ At The Carwash Blues” and “Roller Derby Queen” are extremely well written songs by Croce.
Jim was the real deal. Another guy who fits that category is Harry Chapin. "Taxi" is a masterpiece of lyric storytelling. I'm dying to see A & A's reaction to that. I'm proud you guys aren't too cool to get choked up. A couple of menches.
The often forgotten half of the Jim Croce's music is his accompanying guitarist, and collaborator, Maury Meuhleisen who delivers the amazing guitar work. It is sad that both of them were killed together in the same plane crash. One of the musical tragedies of the 1970's.
It's such a shame he died in that plane crash. He and his wife were just about broke, and Jim was going to give up on the music business. His hits started to flood the radio waves just as his plane went down. Such a warm, talented man. He died in 1973 at only 30 years old. He was inducted into the songwriters hall of fame in 1990.
Time in a Bottle was his most overtly romantic, as is I'll Have to Say I love You In a Song. One Less Set of Footsteps, Lover's Cross, Photographs and Memories and These Dreams, are all in the vein of Operator, end of the relationship songs, and each has a different emotional emphasis. Rapid Roy, Workin' at the Car Wash Blues and Roller Derby Queen are more light hearted bops. Don't Mess Around With Jim, and Bad Leroy Brown, were a couple of his more popular urban tales. I Got a Name is his most notable cover. As he died, truly, before his career could develop, he doesn't have a deep catalog, but, it is all great. Also, it should be noted that he performed as a duet, and the lead lines were mostly played by Maury Muehleisen , also a singer-songwriter who also perished in the crash.
@@thefoss5387 It does yes, you are absolutely right. One of the wonderful things about art and music: The interpretation is always subjective and personal.
I’m so happy you loved this song. I haven’t seen any suggestions of his song “Photographs and Memories.” It’s gorgeous and will also bring a tear or two.
All I can say is pick any random song by him and you'll be sure to rate it S tier. He was that good and had so much more to offer before his life was cut short.
As I sang along with Jim Croce, I was reminded of singing this song along with the radio as a young woman. It feels the same in my heart now, as it did then. Man, I’m one of the lucky ones to have witnessed these great songs at the time they were released.
Jim Croce was amazing. So many of his songs became immediate classics. But as good as his songs were and continue to be, the shining star is also Maury Muehleisen’s back up guitar playing. Without his leads and fills, all of Croce’s songs would not have the depth or intensity. So sad they both died so young…
He was so so special wasn't he, Maury too of course. Nowadays Alabama Rain is my favourite of all his astoundingly brilliant songs - the lyric somehow seems to have written itself, a sign of course of Jim's genius.
But that's the true meaning of music, isn't it? There's a song for every emotion, event, life-changing moment, etc. And it's different songs for all of us but we all understand when someone says something like "this song saved me life."
This song has its origin while Croce was in the Army. He used to listen to guys trying to call girlfriends that just sent them Dear John Letters, from a public phone that was just near or on the base he was stationed at. The main guitar work is being done by Croce's longtime friend, Maury Muelheisen. He died in the same plane crash that killed Croce...Try his tunes, I'll Have To Say I Love You, (In A Song), Photographs and Memories, Lover's Cross, One Less Set Of Footsteps, Working At The Car Wash Blues, Time In A Bottle, I Got A Name.
Croce wrote this song about a soldier in a phone booth. He was waiting to use the phone and overheard the soldier getting dumped by his girlfriend, the song grew out of the hurt of losing someone.............Martin Guitars had a Jim Croce artist model, it had a real dime at the 12th fret.
A very special artist who left us waaaaay too young, just as his star was shining brightly - tragically, for all of about 1-1/2 years. I remember exactly where I was when they announced on the car radio that he died in the plane crash.
There is no possible way to tell the story more succinctly than Jim did. This song takes the idea that "less is more" to heart and makes you feel huge emotions from a very small song. He has the ability to tell so much story in such a short line of dialogue that the ending of "You can keep the dime" being only half a line actually conveys extra feeling because he's NOT saying more. You KNOW that he could have filled that if he wanted to, so it's clear that he is making a point with that intentional emptiness. How many artists have you ever heard of before that can make an impact by NOT saying something?
The catalogue he was able to build in the very short time he was with us is phenomenal. We can only imagine what he would have created if he had lived. So poetic, beautiful and timeless. You must check out 'Time in a Bottle' and 'I've Got a Name'. Thanks guys!
These suggestions will obviously be repeated, but here it goes. “Time in a bottle”, “Leroy Brown”, “I’ve got a name”, “You don’t mess around with Jim”. One of the timeless singer/song writers from the 70’s. A friend of mine got married in the 80’s, and had “Time in a bottle” played at the wedding which was a perfect song for the occasion. Have a great weekend guys! 🎸
Yes, a great catalog to be sure, but for my money, as a long time huge fan, I'd suggest some of his songs that are not necessarily on the front of everyone's brains/lots of other first time reactions to. Sitting is a good example, and Where Do The Children Play, Can't Keep It In, On The Road To Find Out.
either Time in a Bottle or I've Got A Name probably next. both excellent in different ways. Operator is the first Croce tune I ever heard and is still my favorite. I had the original 45 when it came out. The "B" side was "One Less Set of Footsteps", also good.
Great reaction guys, thanks for delving into older ballads. Jim Croce is pronounced “Crow-chee”. Time in a bottle is just timeless. Give it a listen🎶🎶💕💕🦋
Jim Croce was a staple on 70s soft rock/folk radio stations. He had light hearted gems like Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown, and You Don't Mess Around with Jim while at the same time writing timeless classics like Operator, Time in a Bottle, and Photographs and Memories. Once he hit his stride in writing he wrote hit after hit after hit. His library may be small but well worth the time spent. Time in a Bottle was used in X-Men: Days of Future Past so you would have heard part of it there if you are a fan of the series.
Jim Croce, no pitch correction, the emotional content comes through so clearly. When he died, a little piece of America's heart died when we heard the news.
There are different directions to go with Jim Croce. "Time in a Bottle" is another achingly beautiful song just oozing with sentimentality, like "Operator". It is a must hear, and I think if people are still listening to Jim Croce 200 years from now, it is "Time in a Bottle" they will be listening to. But there is a whole other side to Croce, a fun side, and you need to hear that, too. "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" are two really fun songs. And I would also throw in "I Got a Name" as another great one -- a song written to inspire, and it does.
Jim Croce's song "Time in a Bottle," which reached No. 1 after his death, is especially poignant. He wrote it about his 2-year-old son A.J., whom he didn't get to see grow up after all, but it's also a love song to his wife.
Here's something that might make you tear up again. At the age of four AJ Croce was blinded due to horrific abuse by a boyfriend of his mother. He was hospitalized for months - when he was around 10 he regained some sight on one eye. He's a musician now himself.
-I've Got A Name was freshly released right before his tragic accident. It's warmly beautiful. -Big Bad Leroy Brown -Don't Mess Around With Jim Both Croce Classics as well!
Croce got the idea for this song while he was on the army waiting his turn to make a call and listening to the “DEAR JOHN” phone calls his fellow soldiers were getting from home.
I grew up listening to the singer/songwriters in the 70’s. Their music still stands the test of time. Every time I hear a Jim Croce song, I can’t help but wonder what more he had to give us.
I asked for three Jim Croce albums when I was eight. Through all the crazy changes over the last 45-plus years, I still know every word of each song. He's one of the greatest.
Listen to “Time In A Bottle” next. Like everyone else, I thought this was a romantic love song. I didn’t learn until years later that it was written for his young son A.J. (who is now himself a musician). If you review it, you might watch the version with the video of Jim and A.J. It will enhance the emotional impact. Or don’t watch the video because it’s a terrific song without that emotional enhancement.
