Early life
Croce was born in South Philadelphia. He graduated from Upper Darby High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania in 1960 where in 1976, he was the first former student to be added to the high school's Wall of Fame. Then, while attending Villanova University (1965 graduate), Croce became interested in becoming a professional musician and met his future wife, Ingrid, at a hootenanny at Convention Hall in Philadelphia, where he was a judge for the contest.
Early career
During the early 1960s, Croce formed a number of college bands and performed at coffee houses and universities, and later with his wife Ingrid as a duo in the mid-1960s to early 1970s. At first their performances included songs by Ian and Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, and Woody Guthrie, but in time they began writing their own music, such as "Age", "Hey Tomorrow", and "Spin, Spin Spin" which later led to Croce's hit songs in the early seventies.
At the same time, Croce got his first long-term gig at a rural bar and steak house in Lima, Pennsylvania, called the Riddle Paddock. There, over the next few years, Croce developed a very engaging rapport with tough audiences and built his musical repertoire to over 3,000 songs. His set list included every genre from blues to country, rock 'n roll to folk, with tender love songs and traditional Bawdy Ballads, always introduced with a story and an impish grin.
In 1968, Jim and Ingrid Croce were encouraged to move to New York City to record their first album with Capitol Records. For the next two years, they drove over 300,000 miles playing small clubs and concerts on the college concert circuit promoting their album Jim & Ingrid Croce.
Then, disillusioned by the music business and New York City, Croce sold all but one guitar to pay the rent, and they returned to the Pennsylvania countryside where Croce got a job driving trucks and doing construction to pay the bills. He called this his "Character Development Period" and spent a lot of his time sitting in the cab of a truck, composing songs about his buddies and the folks he enjoyed meeting at the local bars and truck stops.
Success
In 1970, Croce met classically trained pianist/guitarist, singer-songwriter Maury Muehleisen from Trenton, New Jersey. Initially, Croce backed Muehleisen on guitar at his gigs. But in time, their musical strengths led them each to new heights. Muehleisen's ethereal and inspired guitar leads became the perfect accompaniment to Croce's down-to-earth music.
In 1972, Croce signed to a three record deal with ABC Records releasing You Don't Mess Around with Jim and Life & Times in the same year. The singles "You Don't Mess Around with Jim", "Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)" and "Time In A Bottle" (written for his newborn son, A. J. Croce) helped the former album reach #1 on the charts in 1974. Croce's biggest single "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", hit number 1 on the US charts in the summer of 1973, selling two million copies.
Sudden death
Croce, 30, and Muehleisen, 24, died in a small commercial plane crash on September 20, 1973 in Natchitoches, Louisiana one day before releasing his third ABC album, I Got a Name. The posthumous release included three hits, "I Got A Name", "Workin' At The Car Wash Blues" and "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song."
Musical legacy
In 1990, Croce was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In the late 1990s, Ingrid Croce, Croce's widow, and their son, A.J. Croce obtained the publishing rights for Croce's entire catalog of songs. Since then they have released Jim Croce Home Recordings, Facets, Jim Croce: Classic Hits, and the first-ever DVD of Jim's television performances on "Have You Heard – Jim Croce Live", with their most recent release in January 2006 of a CD of the same title. They also co-produced a PBS special, with archive footage from the Croce family collection, along with excerpts of their DVD Have You Heard – Jim Croce Live.
In 1985, Ingrid Croce opened "Croce's Restaurant & Jazz Bar", located in the historic Gaslamp District in San Diego, California, partially as a tribute to her late husband.
Quotes
His personal motto: "If you dig it, do it. If you really dig it, do it twice."
On his roots: "I never really thought of my neighborhood in South Philly as being a neighborhood, it was more a state of mind. For people who aren't familiar with those kind of places, it's a whole different thing. Like 42nd Street in New York City is a state of mind."
Old Man River
Jim Croce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He must know something, but he don't say nothing
That ol' man river, he just keep rollin' along
He don't plant 'taters, he don't plant cotton
'Cause them that plants them is soon forgotten
And ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
Body all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge, lift that bale
Get a little drunk and you land in jail
But I get weary and sick of tryin'
'Cause I'm tired of livin' but I'm scared of dyin'
That ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
You and me, we sweat and strain
Body all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge, lift that bale
Get a little drunk and you land in jail
But I get weary and sick of tryin'
'Cause I'm tired of livin' but I'm scared of dyin'
That ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
The song "Ol' Man River" by Jim Croce is a tribute to the Mississippi River, personified in a classic human figure of an old man. The song reflects on the struggles of life and hard work the people who depend on the river endure, juxtaposed against the eternal, constant nature of the river. Croce sings that the river must know something but it doesn't reveal it, hinting at the mysteriousness of the river that is so huge and constant that it is hard for people to understand.
Croce also points out that the river doesn't plant crops or do anything that would make him remarkable. He is just there, going on and on, while everyone else is struggling to survive. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the monotony of hard work that goes unrewarded, whereas the river goes on being cherished despite contributing nothing.
In conclusion, the song symbolizes the struggles and hardships of people in the American South, who depend on the river for their livelihood. It conveys the idea that people cling to the river because it is the most dependable constant in their lives, one that they don't need to question or understand.
Line by Line Meaning
Ol' man river, that ol' man river
The river has been around for a long time and seems to have its own intelligence.
He must know something, but he don't say nothing
The river appears to have knowledge and experiences to share but does not speak of them.
That ol' man river, he just keep rollin' along
The river continues to flow and go on despite anything around it or happening within it.
He don't plant 'taters, he don't plant cotton
The river does not need or desire to plant crops in order to exist.
'Cause them that plants them is soon forgotten
Those who do farm may be forgotten in time, but the river remains constant and remembered.
And ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
The river keeps going even as people come and go through different eras.
'Cause you and me, we sweat and strain
People must work hard to maintain their lifestyles and survival along the river.
Body all achin' and wracked with pain
The physical tolls of labor on the river can cause people to suffer greatly.
Tote that barge, lift that bale
Manual labor such as carrying cargo and lifting objects is necessary along the river.
Get a little drunk and you land in jail
People may turn to alcohol and drugs to relieve the stress of working hard, but it can lead to criminal activity and punishment.
But I get weary and sick of tryin'
The singer personally feels exhausted from their work and efforts along the river.
'Cause I'm tired of livin' but I'm scared of dyin'
The artist is afraid of the deaths that can occur along the river as well as the alternative of living without purpose or connection to the river.
That ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
The river continues on even as the singer struggles.
You and me, we sweat and strain
Again, the singer emphasizes the hard work required to survive on the river.
Body all achin' and wracked with pain
The physical tolls of working hard continue to affect the singer's body.
Tote that barge, lift that bale
The work is repetitive and exhausting, but necessary for survival.
Get a little drunk and you land in jail
The temptations that come with living and working on the river can lead to criminal behavior and punishment.
But I get weary and sick of tryin'
The singer is tired of struggling and striving to maintain life on the river.
'Cause I'm tired of livin' but I'm scared of dyin'
Again, the singer is torn between the fear of death and the fear of living without purpose.
That ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
The river continues to flow even as the artist struggles and contemplates life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TobinHolz
Everything about this kid is sad... I feel better about my own sad self the more I listen <3 Makes me feel good to be alive still!!!
@teresatrimm2454
This man's voice is truly missed.
@butimar68
Each time I listen to this song I feel like crying. Amazing lyrics, amazing music, and Jim... he's perfect description to the word "amazing" anyway. Love you so dearly Jim.... my sweet daddy.
@jasonc1270
Just beautiful. Not one of Jim Croce's big hits...but ....goddamn, gotta love it, huh? Only someone with soul finds this song, imo
@whyisthecatoutofthebox4858
I'm 11 and I love this guy's music I don't care it's not a top hit it's great 😊😇
@andrewgonzalez8679
Kate Sagan it’s a cover
@butimar68
@@andrewgonzalez8679 did I say anything about song being his own? showboat, yeah.
@andrewgonzalez8679
@@butimar68 wtf bitch its been two years💀 leave me alone
@robinleebraun7739
I learned this song from this version. James Taylor has a great cover too. Oscar Hammerstein was a master of lyrics.
@lauramalek3128
Tears. Just tears. 😢 So evocative. This was always one of my favorites from the Faces I've Been double album.