Crocodile Rock
Elton John Lyrics


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I remember when rock was young
Me and Suzie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la

But the years went by and the rock just died
Suzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
But they'll never kill the thrills we've got
Burning up to the Crocodile Rock
Learning fast as the weeks went past
We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la

I remember when rock was young
Me and Suzie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la




La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la

Overall Meaning

Elton John's Crocodile Rock is a fun, nostalgic song that celebrates the joys of youthful rock and roll bingeing. The lyrics reminisce about that golden era in one's life when everything is light, joyous, and free-spirited. The opening line introduces this theme with moving honesty, “I remember when rock was young,” before diving into memories of a past relationship led by the singer and his girlfriend, Suzie.


Narratively, the song's central idea is that even as one grows older and moves on to different interests, they can never really forget the youthful exuberance of that era dominated by joyous rock and roll tunes. Even as the singer moves on and grows older, unable to recapture that early thrill, he still cherishes that era and mourns its passing. Throughout the song, he fondly recalls the "Crocodile Rock," finding solace in the memories of that wild dance.


The song is an upbeat blend of rock n' roll, pop, and country. "Crocodile Rock" starts with a piano melody and a bass line, which form the backbone of the song while the guitar solo is included in the chorus. The song speaks to Elton's early albums and his life in the early 70s, which saw the birth of the disco and punk movements. The song provided a marked break from the heavy rock and roller that defined much of the UK rock scene at the time. The line "Crocodile Rocking is something shocking" has been associated with the style of dance known as the "hand jive."


Line by Line Meaning

I remember when rock was young
The singer reminisces about his youth, a time when rock music was new and popular.


Me and Suzie had so much fun
The singer and his friend Suzie enjoyed each other's company and had a lot of fun together.


Holding hands and skimming stones
The singer and Suzie spent time together enjoying simple yet enjoyable activities like holding hands and skimming stones.


Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
The artist had a car and a home of his own, providing him with a sense of independence and freedom.


But the biggest kick I ever got
The most exciting and enjoyable experience the artist ever had was...


Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
...dancing and enjoying a new style of music called the Crocodile Rock.


While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
While other kids were listening to and dancing to popular rock music, the singer was enjoying and dancing to the unique style of the Crocodile Rock.


We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
The artist and Suzie were dancing energetically and joyfully to the Crocodile Rock.


Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
The artist describes the Crocodile Rock as something very exciting and different from other styles of music and dance.


When your feet just can't keep still
The Crocodile Rock makes it impossible for the artist and others to stand still - it's so fun and catchy!


I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
The singer states that he has never had a better time than when he was dancing and enjoying the Crocodile Rock, implying that he is not likely to have such a good time again.


Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
The artist expresses excitement and enthusiasm for his memories of Friday nights spent dancing and having fun.


When Suzie wore her dresses tight
The singer remembers how Suzie looked when she wore tight dresses on these fun Friday nights.


And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
The singer emphasizes how amazing and enjoyable the Crocodile Rock was on these fun Friday nights.


But the years went by and the rock just died
As the years passed, the popularity of rock music decreased.


Suzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Suzie left the artist and moved away with a man from a different country.


Long nights crying by the record machine
The artist suffered from heartache and sadness, spending long nights listening to music and feeling sorry for himself.


Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
The singer reminisces about his car and favorite clothes, things that used to bring him happiness and freedom.


But they'll never kill the thrills we've got
The singer states that his memories of the fun times he had with Suzie and dancing to the Crocodile Rock will always stay alive and bring him joy.


Burning up to the Crocodile Rock
The artist still feels an intense passion and love for the Crocodile Rock as he remembers it.


Learning fast as the weeks went past
The artist and Suzie were quick to learn and enjoy the new dance style of the Crocodile Rock as they continued to go out and dance.


We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last
The artist and Suzie believed that the Crocodile Rock would stay popular and enjoyable for a long time to come.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Peter Harthen


on Sacrifice

not like todays crap

Peter Harthen


on Sacrifice

Even at 56 years old, this music still sounds so good to me, how music should sound.....

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