Mott the Hoople formed when Silence, a not-too-successful group from the Welsh borders, was joined by session pianist and rock and roll hopeful Ian Hunter along with musicians Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Pete Overend Watts, and Dale Griffin . They developed from Dylan obsessives to their own character over the course of four albums for Island. They were a very popular live act but only achieved brief commercial success.
In 1971, the band was close to splitting up but continued to record track "All the Young Dudes", a song written for them by up and coming pop star and fan David Bowie. Three more albums and several pop hits later, the group fell apart after Ian Hunter left in 1974. The remaining members mutated into Mott, an 'also-ran' band which released two albums before disbanding in 1976. Original guitarist Ralphs had a massive boost in his fortunes as a member of rockers Bad Company.
Griffin died in his sleep on 17 January 2016 at the age of 67 and Watts died, almost exactly a year later, on 22 January 2017, from throat cancer.
Jerkin' Crocus
Mott the Hoople Lyrics
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Doctor said it was his cruel sick heart didn't go to church on Sunday
Oh your pace is going to knock you dead
Out of the race you got time to spare
Jerkin' Crocus is the cause of the cross you bear
Didn't you wish you were there
I know what she want
Just a lick of your ice cream cone
Pappas in bed well hey hey hey
When he got stuck with a hole in his head she asked to try it my way
Get down low with all that haughty jive you don't know what it's like babe
Oh oh oh it's getting down around here
I got nothing to hide I'm to tired to fear
Jerkin' Crocus didn't kill me but she sure came near
She's a nads puller
I know what she want
A judo hold on a black mans balls
I know what you think
Ease over baby going to rock that thing
Alright!
I know what she want
Just a lick of your ice cream cone
I know what you say
Pappas in bed well hey hey hey
I know what she want
A judo hold on a black mans bones
I know what you think
Ease over baby going to rock that thing
Alright!
C'mon Jerkin'
C'mon Jerkin'
I know
No no no no
Alright!
I know
That's better
No no no no
That's much better
The lyrics of Mott the Hoople's song "Jerkin' Crocus" seem to be about two things: sex and mortality. The first verse introduces the image of Old Man Tyler, who crashed his car on the Fortune Highway and supposedly did so because he didn't go to church on Sunday. In other words, the songwriters take aim at the idea that a good Christian life can protect you from death. The second half of the verse refers to the notion of being "out of the race," which can be interpreted as a metaphor for life. These ideas are then connected to the chorus, which declares that Jerkin' Crocus is the "cause of the cross you bear." This phrase can be seen as a play on words, with "cross" referring to both the car crash and to the burden of existence. The chorus also includes the line "Didn't you wish you were there," which could be construed as a comment on the vicarious thrill of sexual desire.
The second verse continues the sexual theme, with the reference to "all that haughty jive" suggesting the idea of seduction as a kind of performance. Again, mortality is evoked with the line "Jerkin' Crocus didn't kill me but she sure came near," which suggests that sex can be a risky business. The third verse is filled with sexual innuendo, with references to "a judo hold on a black man's balls" and "just a lick of your ice cream cone." The final lines of the song suggest that the sexual energy of Jerkin' Crocus is something that cannot be denied, even as it is wrapped up with the inevitability of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Old man Tyler had a crash in his car down on the fortune highway
Old man Tyler met with an accident on fortune highway
Doctor said it was his cruel sick heart didn't go to church on Sunday
Doctor attributed the cause of his heart ailment to his failure in attending church service on Sundays
Oh your pace is going to knock you dead
Your fast-paced life is going to kill you
Out of the race you got time to spare
You are out of the rat race and have plenty of free time
Jerkin' Crocus is the cause of the cross you bear
Jerkin' Crocus is the root cause of your troubles
Didn't you wish you were there
Don't you wish you were in a better position
I know what she want
I know what she desires
Just a lick of your ice cream cone
She just wants a taste of your pleasure
I know what you say
I know what you are talking about
Pappas in bed well hey hey hey
Papa is sleeping, hey hey hey
When he got stuck with a hole in his head she asked to try it my way
When he was in trouble, she sought my help
Get down low with all that haughty jive you don't know what it's like babe
Stop showing off and behaving arrogantly, you don't know what it's really like
Oh oh oh it's getting down around here
Things are getting worse here
I got nothing to hide I'm to tired to fear
I have nothing to hide, and I'm too tired to feel scared
Jerkin' Crocus didn't kill me but she sure came near
Jerkin' Crocus almost destroyed me
She's a nads puller
She's manipulative
A judo hold on a black mans balls
A controlling grip on the most vulnerable parts of a man
Ease over baby going to rock that thing
Take it slow and enjoy the ride
C'mon Jerkin'
Come on, Jerkin'
I know
I know the deal
No no no no
Don't be like that
That's better
That's more like it
That's much better
That's a big improvement
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN HUNTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind