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."
One Less Set of Footsteps
Jim Croce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somethin' we both know
We've long run out of things to say
And I think I better go
So don't be getting' excited
When you hear that slammin' door
'Cause there'll be one less set of footsteps
And we've been hidin' from somethin'
That should have never gone this far
But after all it's what we've done
That makes us what we are
And you been talkin' in silence
But if it's silence you adore
Oh there'll be one less set of footsteps
On your floor in the mornin'
Well there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor
One less man to walk in
One less pair of jeans upon your door
One less voice a'talkin'
But tomorrow's a dream away
Today has turned to dust
Your silver tongue has turned to clay
And your golden rule to rust
If that's the way that you want it
That's the way I want it more
There'll be one less set of footsteps
On your floor in the mornin'
Well there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor
One less man to walk in
One less pair of jeans upon your door
One less voice a'talkin'
But tomorrow's a dream away
When today has turned to dust
Your silver tongue has turned to clay
And your golden rule to rust
If that's the way that you want it
That's the way I want it more
There'll be one less set of footsteps
On your floor in the mornin'
There'll be one less set of footsteps
On your floor in the mornin'
The lyrics of "One Less Set of Footsteps" by Jim Croce is a story about a relationship that has reached its end. It is clear that both parties know the relationship is over, but neither of them is willing to make the first move to end it. The couple has been running away from something they both know but have run out of things to say to each other. Therefore, he believes it's better for him to go his separate way, and he will do this by slamming the door behind him.
The lyrics describe a couple that has been hiding from something that should have never gone this far. Both have been talking in silence, but she prefers to keep the silence. He lets her know that the morning will look different because there will be one less set of footsteps on her floor, indicating that he'll be gone. The chorus of the song explains that there will be one less man to walk in, one less pair of jeans upon the door, and one less voice talking.
The song is about a breakup, but what differentiates it from others is how it talks about it from a positive and less aggressive point of view. The lyrics show that the man is leaving quietly, but they both know that tomorrow's a dream away, and the relationship has turned to dust. Overall, the song conveys that ending a relationship can be sad but done with maturity.
Line by Line Meaning
We been runnin' away from
We have been avoiding something
Somethin' we both know
Something that we both are aware of
We've long run out of things to say
We have exhausted all our words
And I think I better go
I think I should leave
So don't be getting' excited
Do not get your hopes up
When you hear that slammin' door
When the door slams shut
'Cause there'll be one less set of footsteps
Because there will be one less person present
On your floor in the mornin'
In your house the next morning
And we've been hidin' from somethin'
We have been avoiding something
That should have never gone this far
Something that should have been put to an end earlier
But after all it's what we've done
But what we did is what matters
That makes us what we are
What we did defines us
And you been talkin' in silence
You have been speaking without words
But if it's silence you adore
But if you enjoy silence more
Oh there'll be one less set of footsteps
There will be one less person present
On your floor in the mornin'
In your house the next morning
Well there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor
There will be one less person present in your house
One less man to walk in
One less male figure to visit
One less pair of jeans upon your door
One less pair of jeans hanging on your door
One less voice a'talkin'
One less voice to talk to
But tomorrow's a dream away
Tomorrow is a far-off possibility
Today has turned to dust
Today has ended up being worthless
Your silver tongue has turned to clay
Your once smooth talk has now turned empty and rough
And your golden rule to rust
And your once important rule has now lost its value
If that's the way that you want it
If that's the way you desire it
That's the way I want it more
I also want it that way
There'll be one less set of footsteps
There will be one less person present
On your floor in the mornin'
In your house the next morning
There'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor
There will be one less person present in your house
One less man to walk in
One less male figure to visit
One less pair of jeans upon your door
One less pair of jeans hanging on your door
One less voice a'talkin'
One less voice to talk to
But tomorrow's a dream away
Tomorrow is a far-off possibility
When today has turned to dust
When today has ended up being worthless
Your silver tongue has turned to clay
Your once smooth talk has now turned empty and rough
And your golden rule to rust
And your once important rule has now lost its value
If that's the way that you want it
If that's the way you desire it
That's the way I want it more
I also want it that way
There'll be one less set of footsteps
There will be one less person present
On your floor in the mornin'
In your house the next morning
There'll be one less set of footsteps
There will be one less person present
On your floor in the mornin'
In your house the next morning
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES CROCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
木倉谷哲也
Lyrics:
We’ve been runnin’ away from somethin’ we both know
We’ve long run out of things to say and I think I’d better go
So don’t be gettin’ excited, oh-when you hear that slammin’ door
‘Cause there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the mornin’
And we’ve been hidin’ from somethin’ that should have never gone this far
But after all it’s what we’ve done that makes us what we are
And you’ve been talkin’ in silence, well if it’s silence you adore
Oh there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the mornin’
Oh there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor
One less man to walk in
One less pair of jeans upon your door
One less voice a-talkin’
But tomorrow’s dream away and today has turned to dust
Your silver tongue has turned to clay and your golden rule to rust
If that’s the way that you want it, well that’s the way I want it more
‘Cause there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the mornin’
Oh there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor
One less man to walk in
One less pair of jeans upon your door
One less voice a-talkin’
But tomorrow’s a dream away and today has turned to dust
Your silver tongue has turned to clay and your golden rule to rust
If that’s the way you want it, well that’s the way I want it more
‘Cause there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the mornin’
Oh there’ll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the mornin’
Donna Frost
Today Jim Croce would have turned 75. He was taken from us much too soon. His music lives on and continues to influence and inspire others. He was and is still a big influence on me. He was one of the best storytellers of all.
Jeffrey Crawford
This man was so damn talented. The music coming from those guitars is so unique. I was walking through hall, between classes my freshman year in H.S. when I heard the announcement about his death. Brought tears to my eyes. His lyrics are timeless. Those of us that enjoy his music know he was one of greatest songwriters and performers ALL TIME
Dale Kidd
My hat's off to you!!!😎
Kevin Shannon
I was 6 when he died. To me, he was the guy who sang Leroy Brown. That was the first song I remember hearing on the radio back then. I knew all the words and loved singing along with it.
John Fuentes
I'm with you on that. I was in biology lab during my sophomore year of H. S. when I heard the news that Jim Croce had passed I had just started to get into his music and I think his death hit me hard for mr reason than the deaths of other great musical artists.
William Gause
A hidden gem
Phil.S
Same here i cried and to this day, it feels like a void. I still miss him. I can only hope some day all his fans and media will justify his talent by acknowledging him at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Linda Johnson
Jim Croce died before age 30, but he was such a wise old soul. I am still learning from his songwriting. Amazing artist!
darryl nelson
CERTAIN HE WAS AN ASHKENAZI JEW OF RUSSIAN DESCENT~
stanley davis
omg yes sounds like he lived 200 years in 29