Shortly before his father's death in a 1973 plane crash, Croce's family moved west to San Diego, California, where his mother, Ingrid, raised him.
At the age of four, Croce was completely blinded, as the result of a brain tumor. Between the ages of four and ten, Croce gradually regained vision in his left eye. It was during this difficult time in Croce's life that he began to play the piano. "I learned to play music by listening and playing along to the radio and to records..." Croce says, "At some point I was given the music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder as inspiration, which it was, and has been ever since."
Croce's first paying gig was at the age of 12, when he was paid $20 to perform at a Bat-Mitzvah party. By the age of 16, Croce was performing regularly at San Diego nightclubs, as a sideman and band leader. Croce reflects, "I was into every kind of music... you might say I was unfocused, but I consider an eclectic taste in music to be the foundation of versatility." Croce's house burned down when he was age 15.
Ron Goldstein and Peter Bauman of Private Music signed Croce to his first record deal at age 19. He recorded two CDs for Private Music: his self-titled debut, "A.J. Croce," produced by T-Bone Burnett and John Simon, and "That's Me In The Bar," produced by Jim Keltner, and featuring artists such as Ry Cooder, David Hidalgo, and Keltner himself.
Croce's third release, "Fit To Serve," was recorded in Memphis, and produced by Jim Gaines, who had previously produced Van Morrison, Santana, and The Steve Miller Band. Croce then took a musical turn with the release of his album Transit. He explained, "I had been playing blues-based music for a long time, and I was ready to try something new." Transit was compared by critics to the work of John Lennon, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison. Glen Starkey of New Times labeled Croce "a song crafter of the first order."
A fifth CD, titled "Adrian James Croce" was released in the summer of 2004, and a sixth CD, Cantos, in 2006.
Croce has performed as an opening act for artists such as Carlos Santana, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, James Brown, Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, Earth, Wind and Fire and Ray Charles. He has also performed on such national venues as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Austin City Limits.
Don't Let Me Down
A.J. Croce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who wanted something more than make-up and dresses
She wouldn't care about hair styles, nail files
It just might take a while
But I've got all the time to wait
I'm not afraid of being alone for awhile
'Cause I don't need no alibis, pretty lies
I want you, believe me
I need you, deceive me
I'm fading, don't leave me
I'm begging, don't let me down
Don't let me down, don't let me down
Then I saw you in the street
And I just knew I had to make your acquaintance
Something like an old friend, start to end
I could feel my heart start to mend
Last night I dreamt that I had drowned
Beneath the water on the floor of the ocean
As I lay among the shells and sand
Your hand pulled me up to dry land
I want you, believe me
I need you, deceive me
I'm fading, don't leave me
I'm begging, don't let me down
Don't let me down, don't let me down
Don't let me down
It?s almost funny when you're all alone for too long
You start to feeling that there's something that you've done wrong
When you find the one in all the worlds corrected
You never plan it out it?s when you least expect it
Now you're protected, even respected
I want you, believe me
I need you, deceive me
I'm fading, don't leave me
I'm begging, don't let me down
Don't let me down, don't let me down
Don't let me down
The lyrics of A.J. Croce's song Don't Let Me Down expresses the longing for genuine connection and the fear of being let down. The singer has been looking for a girl who wants something more than just superficial things like makeup and dresses. The singer wants someone who doesn't care about appearances and is willing to wait for that person. The singer doesn't need any pretenses or lies but instead seeks authenticity and a true connection.
The singer's desire for connection deepens when they meet someone who feels like an old friend. Despite feeling alone for too long, the singer finds comfort in the thought of being protected and respected in the presence of this person. This person becomes the singer's support system and brings them up from a low point where they felt like they were drowning.
The chorus of the song serves as a plea to this person not to let them down. The singer is afraid of losing this connection and begs for reassurance that they won't be left behind. The repetition of "don't let me down" emphasizes the importance of this connection to the singer.
Overall, the lyrics of Don't Let Me Down express the human desire for authentic connection and the fear of rejection. The singer seeks someone who is willing to see past superficial things and embraces authenticity in their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I've been looking for a girl
I've been searching for a special person
Who wanted something more than make-up and dresses
Someone who's not superficial
She wouldn't care about hair styles, nail files
A woman who isn't obsessed with her appearance
It just might take a while
I won't find this person easily
But I've got all the time to wait
I am patient and willing to dedicate time to find the right person
I'm not afraid of being alone for awhile
I'm okay with being alone for a little longer if it means finding the right person
'Cause I don't need no alibis, pretty lies
I don't want fake excuses or promises
I have no need for compromise
I'm not willing to settle for less
I want you, believe me
I strongly desire you
I need you, deceive me
I depend on you, even if you deceive me
I'm fading, don't leave me
I'm struggling, please don't abandon me
I'm begging, don't let me down
I'm pleading with you to not disappoint me
Then I saw you in the street
I finally found you
And I just knew I had to make your acquaintance
I felt a strong connection with you
Something like an old friend, start to end
I felt comfortable with you from the beginning
I could feel my heart start to mend
You brought healing to my heart
Last night I dreamt that I had drowned
I had a terrifying dream
Beneath the water on the floor of the ocean
In a deep and scary place
As I lay among the shells and sand
Feeling weak and helpless
Your hand pulled me up to dry land
You saved me from danger
It's almost funny when you're all alone for too long
Being alone for a long time can make you feel strange
You start to feeling that there's something that you've done wrong
You can start to feel guilty for things that aren't really your fault
When you find the one in all the worlds corrected
When you find the right person, everything else falls into place
You never plan it out it's when you least expect it
You can't plan when you'll meet the right person
Now you're protected, even respected
Now that I have you, I feel secure and valued
Don't let me down, don't let me down
I'm imploring you to not disappoint me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ADRIAN JAMES CROCE, STEVEN POLTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind