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.
Lover
A.J. Croce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was just a matter of time
But now I've come to my decision
And it's a-one of the painful kind
'Cause now it seems that you wanted a martyr
Just a regular guy wouldn't do
But baby I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause girl you really tried
But for ev'ry time that we spent laughin'
There were two times that I cried
And you were tryin' to make me your martyr
And that's the one thing I just couldn't do
'Cause baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super guy
Or maybe a super god
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super guy
Or maybe a super god
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
The song "Lover in You" is about a man who has made the decision to end a painful relationship. He acknowledges that it was inevitable, but it still hurts. The woman he was with was trying to change him into her ideal martyr, but he couldn't do it. The man has realized that people change and grow apart, and it's time to move on. He hopes that the woman can find someone else who can give her what he couldn't because he couldn't be a martyr.
The lyrics are poignant and honest, expressing a relatable feeling of wanting to break away from a painful relationship. The metaphor of a "lover's cross" is a powerful one, suggesting that the man was being asked to suffer for his partner's sake. It also describes the pressures of trying to be someone else's ideal, which can be a losing battle that leaves one feeling drained and unfulfilled.
In "Lover in You," A.J. Croce explores themes of self-preservation, letting go, and the inevitability of change. It is a beautifully crafted song that reveals the complexities of trying to navigate romantic relationships while staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Guess that it was bound to happen
The singer knew that the relationship was going to end eventually.
Was just a matter of time
The singer knew that the relationship was going to end eventually.
But now I've come to my decision
The singer has decided to end the relationship.
And it's a-one of the painful kind
Ending the relationship was not an easy decision for the artist.
'Cause now it seems that you wanted a martyr
The artist's partner wanted the artist to sacrifice himself for the relationship.
Just a regular guy wouldn't do
The singer's partner wanted someone special, not just an ordinary person.
But baby I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
The singer cannot sacrifice himself for the sake of the relationship.
Yes, I really got to hand it to you
The artist acknowledges that his partner tried to make the relationship work.
'Cause girl you really tried
The artist acknowledges that his partner tried to make the relationship work.
But for ev'ry time that we spent laughin'
The good moments in the relationship were outweighed by the bad ones.
There were two times that I cried
The bad moments in the relationship affected the singer deeply.
And you were tryin' to make me your martyr
The artist's partner wanted him to sacrifice himself for the relationship.
And that's the one thing I just couldn't do
The singer cannot sacrifice himself for the sake of the relationship.
'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
Things can change unexpectedly.
And people are bound to change
People can change unexpectedly.
And bridges are meant for burnin'
Sometimes relationships cannot be salvaged.
When the people and mem'ries they join aren't the same
When people and their memories no longer align, the relationship is not salvageable.
So I'll hope that you can find
The singer wishes his partner well.
Another who can take what I could not
The singer's partner needs someone who can give her what the singer could not.
He'll have to be a super guy
The artist's partner needs someone exceptional to make the relationship work.
Or maybe a super god
The artist's partner needs someone nearly perfect to make the relationship work.
'Cause I never was much of a martyr before
The artist has never made great sacrifices for love before.
And I ain't 'bout to start nothin' new
The singer is not willing to start sacrificing himself now.
And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
The artist cannot sacrifice himself for the sake of the relationship.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: James Croce
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind