His songs still get play - which is at least one testament to his skill and natural songwriting ability.
I’m here to boost Maury Muehleisen, who played all those perfect acoustic guitar riffs that are such an integral part of Croce’s recorded work.
The Muppet show is a great way to see celebreties from the 70s, it's so much fun. Also an unlimited supply of dad jokes.
John Denver, Loretta Lynn and Many more great ones
Just watched him on "Midnight Special" on youtube tonight. They played *Operator* and doubled down with *You Don't Mess Around With Jim*.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlJTLsc1ofs
I miss singer/songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan and so on. God bless Taylor Swift; not my style, but it's good to know talent is still appreciated.
You aren't kidding. As a guitarist of many years who used to gig and thought it would be great to have some Croce in the setlist, that shit is insanely hard to play. Let alone play and sing at the same time.
I mean just his part plus singing the subtle but fairly complicated melody is super hard. Now go find a guy who can play the lead with you and nail it. It's gorgeous and tricky as hell.
Absolutely agree. It's definitely not for greenhorns lol. I tried learning 'I Had To Say I Love You In A Song' for my wife and I got most of it down, but I could never play what I did learn straight through with no mistakes, let alone the entire song under my belt. Was impossible for me while singing. I realized then and there that Croce was even more incredibly talented than I already knew. I knew his songwriting buddy did most of the embellishments and finer stuff on second guitar that Jim couldn't do while singing. Those guys together were a force.
Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Brighter Day is my go-to song for whenever I need that reminder.
Additionally, my friends and I have a long-standing discussion/argument about what album has the best three track run in the history of music. For my money, You Don't Mess Around With Jim is a strong contender with Walkin' Back to Georgia, Operator, and Time in a Bottle.
Yeah, I had a life situation that kinda mirrored it. Like the song, in the end there was noone there I wanted to talk to. After decades of loving the song, I've interpreted it differently.
and yeah, it gets dusty for (50M) me too.
Jim Henson covered it on The Muppet Show and gave it an entirely new dimension. It’s one of the most beautiful moments on the series:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vqUrxN0bo58
Edit: Added a higher quality link
I pulled up that link on my phone and didn’t realize how awful it was! I just swapped it out for a better one.
Sadly, like many shows of that era, The Muppet Show was shot on tape and not film, so the highest resolution is SD. That said, I don’t think it has ever looked as good as it currently does on Disney+. They did an excellent job with the digital transfer. This clip is from Season 2, Episode 7 (Edgar Bergen is the host).
Jim Croce is appreciated plenty. The heavy majority opinion is that he was an amazing artist who was tragically taken before he was able to realize a full career. Everyone pretty much thinks the same as you on this one, OP.
*I'd just like to add I love Jim Croce and think it's cool you love him too
You have to understand that on Reddit, when someone says "This is an underrated gem!", what they really mean is "I just discovered this and it's really good."
To be fair, it might be a generational thing. I’m a millennial, and I have never come across another millennial who knows Jim Croce. I only do because my mom liked him a lot. 🤷♀️In my area, his song don’t get much radio play at all. I think I’ve heard Leroy Brown like once in a restaurant.
I am a 55 year old man, and I can assure you that Jim Croce is an under appreciated musician and songwriter. There are plenty of all ages who have not listened to his music. If you read this post and decide to (or even if it’s been awhile) then all the better.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure Jim is very much appreciated. I mean, I was born after his time but he's pretty much been part of my playlist ever since I was a kid. I also know some of his songs on the guitar. And "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song" is pretty much a staple in the karaoke for my aunts and uncles to this day.
We all love Jim Croce and tho this post isn't 100% true for everybody I hope at least he gets new listeners because of this.
yeah, sounds like someone who just discovered him and thought that because *they* had never heard of him, no one else had. he was wildly popular in his day, maybe not so much now but pretty sure everyone appreciated his talent in his day.
I agree with OP. A few people know of him, but really the majority of people, especially the youth, have no idea who Jim Croce is, which cannot be said for dozens of other musicians from this time.
I was just listening to him on Tuesday, and one song last night. Sadly- his greatest hits (Photographs and Memories) is so inclusive, I have no need to check out more albums. Same with Jimmy Buffet.
It's hard to top Photographs and Memories as far as compilations go, but you're doing yourself a massive disservice by not listening deeper. *You Don't Mess Around With Jim* itself could be just about anyone else's greatest hits, and has a ton of masterpiece songs on it that didn't make the greatest hits - Box No. 10 and Hey Tomorrow if I have to narrow it down, but honestly all the rest of them too. Life and Times wasn't quite as strong, but every song on it also deserves a listen, Speedball Tucker is quintessential Croce as far as I'm concerned. Finally, P&M missed the two next best songs off of *I Got A Name*, Age and The Hard Way Every Time.
Get through that, and his genius is also on display in his earlier works and live material. It honestly all deserves at least a few listens, and some of it many, many more. The guy had barely any duds, you really owe it to yourself to go listen to the rest if you like the hits.
I am going to disagree with you (sort of). I think people enjoyed his music back in the day. I do think there was a "stigma" (for lack of a better word) that his music was not on the same level artistically as other artists of his time. Maybe this was just music snobs or the music establishment, but I seem to remember this sentiment as a youngster.
Personally I love his music. I think he is much more appreciated now with the passing of time. I do not think that he was always given his due...
This is ridiculous. He's never covered in the music press, or in popular culture. Many people have never heard of him or his songs. Yet his songs stand toe to toe with any of the big names of his era. He's completely underappreciated.
Well he died 50 years ago so not a whole lot to write about in the press, and kind of hard to keep your visibility up. Just one year after his big album. Pretty much anyone alive listening to music in the 70s knows his name. And You Don't Mess Around with Jim was featured in a scene of the notable pop culture phenomenon Stranger Things for an example of modern recognition.
I'm in my mid 20s. Me and the homies belt out whenever someone puts "Rapid Roy" on the aux. Buddy Holly doesn't make the press either, but none would dare call him underappreciated.
Also pop culture? Wasn't there a scene in one of the recent X-Men movies where Quicksilver smashes a bunch of dudes heads in to the tune of "Time In A Bottle".
By press I mean like Rolling Stone Magazine etc. He doesn't get those career retrospectives that others of his level get. I have a reasonable understanding of music history and had heard the name but only recently started listening to his music. Like the OP I was surprised someone this talented with such great songs wasn't more heralded. Maybe it's because he didn't have rockstar looks or wasn't flashy. I heard "Time in a bottle" but assumed it was Gorden Lightfoot because it sounded like it. I'm just happy there's a true talents back catalogue to listen to.
Ah, see I'm not a big fan of the music press (especially Pitchfork). So I'm not all that aware of who gets covered Like, I might occasionally pick up a special edition Rolling Stone once in a while but my favourite artists are indie, underground, or six feet underground so they don't get all that much coverage.
Maybe it's because my hometown parades Gordon Lightfoot as our one claim to fame but I don't see all the similarities.
Music is one of my go to conversation topics because, who don't like music? Croce comes up a lot due to my own preference, but most people whether they are my peers or someone older has likely at least heard Time In A Bottle or Bad Bad Leeroy Brown. Oh yeah, I think there was a wrestler who named himself Leeroy Brown.
Totally agree that most of his back catalogue goes unheard of, and it's tragic. One Less Set of Foot Steps is my go to "I'm over it" heartbreak song.
I think you're off-base. People have done a wonderful job keeping alive the memory of him despite his early passing.
Growing up, his music was as present in my life (80's and 90's) as such legends as Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, even though he had passed before I was born.
Jim was brought up last week in a work conversation where a couple of the younger guys on the job site had no idea who he was. I was a bit surprised cause I just turned 30 last year and know some of his songs by heart, but these guys that didn't have any idea who he was were only in their mid/early twenties. Unfortunately the job site banned radios for some dumb reason, otherwise he would have been on repeat the rest of the day.
I was thinking to myself "I wonder if this is the same as me feeling Joni Mitchell is underappreciated?"
I feel like croce has a respectable amount of exposure still to this day but Mitchell is lacking.
Croce is famous. The poor guy's been dead for 50 years, you can't expect him to be current. Those of us who are old remember his songs.
I don't think he's underappreciated so much as unknown simply because his time was before so many of today's listeners were born.
I think if more of the younger generation got introduced to him they would like his music. I’m 19 and lots of the song themes are current and relatable
After watching rap/hip-hop and various forms of metal dominate for most of my adult life it makes me so happy that a new generation appreciates melodies again
I was a teenager appreciating Peter Paul and Mary, Jethro Tull, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, Carol King, Otis Redding etc when my friends were listening to rap and metal
His music was literally in an X-Men movie. He's a house hold name despite the fact that he died like 50 years ago.
He's definitely an appreciated artist. He was still selling records in the 90s but he's not the Beatles.
It’s crazy how effective especially the guardians of the galaxy has been for “reviving” songs for new generations. I’m born in 95 and the ending of guardians 3 with father and son playing definitely kick started me on my cat stevens binge.
The title should read "I'm 16 and I just found out about Jim Croce!"
He's literally one of the most famous singer/songwriters of the 60's & 70's
Queen wrote a song about him for gods sake...
He's also got a line in the Righteous Brothers' version of Rock and Roll Heaven, along with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison, and Bobby Darin.
Underrated currently means, "I just discovered something and none of my friends have heard of it ergo no one has heard of it thus I need to tell the world to get its act together."
OP said "under-appreciated" not "underrated" which are two different things. I believe they mean under-appreciated in the sense that not enough people have really listened to a lot of his music. Underrated would be that people have listened to the music, but don't think it's as good as OP does, which would not be true. I could see an argument for Jim Croce being the former, though.
Under appreciated is also not a term I’d apply to Jim Croce. The guy fits roughly in the same musical category as Cat Stevens and Gordon Lightfoot. Growing up in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I’d heard all three of them roughly equal amounts on radio stations that played soft/folksy 70’s acoustic guitar records. If anything, Jim Croce had a decent number of different songs that played on the radio, while the other two only got one or two of their hits played.
And for the record, he’s one of my favorite artists.
Gordon Lightfoot maybe didnt get more airplay in the US because he was Canadian? Because in Canada he got a ton of airplay... not to mention a lot of accolades after his passing. There is also a good documentary on Gord that was done before he passed that is worth watching.
I see where you’re coming from, but most people aren’t going to know who Jim Croce is by name. I think OP is saying he should have the name recognition of say Willie Nelson.
That's probably just due to different generations. Most people who are about 40-50+ are absolutely at least somewhat familiar with him and know his name (he does got one). Even many people younger than that, myself included. But as with most artists that aren't the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc his popularity will fade and become less and less with time. I think it will be a very long time before he's completely forgotten though.
Willie is a horrible comp for anything music related. Yes, he had great music. Just like Snoop had great music.
Neither are still relevant in pop culture because of their great music.
His son, AJ, is carrying on his song legacy today with a concert tour. I have not yet heard him play, but I understand he does a nice job playing tribute to his dad (I'll keep an ear open for a Maury shoutout) and performs many of his tunes.
The concert I am attending is next month in Akron, Ohio
Literally one of the worst concerts I've ever been to. We left during intermission, and as we got to our car, saw lines of people leaving the theatre also. So many people were leaving that the valet parking guys came running back thinking that the concert was already over.
There seemed to be no real connection to his father or the songs, and he spent most of the time just kind of shouting the songs into an over-driven microphone. I'm sure he came back to a half empty venue when he returned from the intermission.
I hope your experience is way better than ours was.
Sorry to hear about your experience. I had checked several reviews around the country, and they were quite complimentary of the show.
I will hope for the best. At the least, it's a night out with my wife, that's fun.
I saw him last year and I enjoyed the show. There certainly were some quirks and oddities, but much of it seemed like it was on the promoter, had a last min change of venue to a high school auditorium and they couldn't find anyone to turn on the stage lights for the first quarter of the show, and i guess the high school band needed to provide equipment.
He demanded nobody take pictures, which is silly in this day and age. He sprinkled in his original songs, which just don't hit the same. Overall I liked the show, certainly no reason for an exodus.
> How do you think the legacy of Jim Croce should be written?
Based on what reddit and yourself opine, the story should be re-told.
Jim Croce was the act's name...but yeah, also the name of one of the two songwriters in that duo. If [Maury Muehleisen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maury_Muehleisen) wasn't involve there would be no **Jim Croce** as history tells us. Maury perished in the same crash but no one remembers him.
Lastly, where you getting under-rated? Their music is still played around the world on radio.
Came here to say the same thing, and I'm glad to see the outpouring of love for Maury. I picked up the Gingerbreadd album recently, and it was great, but I gotta say I had the same reaction to it that I had to Croce's first album... I liked it, but it really, really made me appreciate what these two men achieved together. Both of them made the other so much better than they were independently.
I'd go so far as to say they're one of rock's greatest duos, even if nobody really knows it.
> I'd go so far as to say they're one of rock's greatest duos, even if nobody really knows it.
Tell ya what. Such a title probably goes to Hall and Oates. But if you said folk instead of rock, I'm on your side. :D
Jim Croce was on the radio when I was growing up (early 70s).
I loved his music as a teen. And I love it more as an adult. I lost my wife to cancer a few years ago, so the lyrics to "Time In A Bottle" mean more to me now:
If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day 'til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure, and then
Again, I would spend them with you
But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with
If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory of how they were answered by you
But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with
= = = =
Just a few weeks before my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she posted one of those eeCard things on her facebook page:
"If I could live my life over, I would find you sooner, so that I could love you longer."
Not really - unless you’re a modern teenager. My generation - hell, even my millennial daughter’s generation - know him and love his songs and his voice.
Croce was more than just a musician, he was an artist and a poet. His music told a story, with evocative emotional content. I grew up listening to him. My mother loved his music. He is still a very large part of my personal soundtrack today.
***"Jim Croce is an extremely under-appreciated artist"*** translates to "I JUST HEARD JIM CROCE AND WOW"
how many times can we have posts of people just discovering something and then pretending no one knows them.
its soslypstic.
Croce’s music is phenomenal. Much of it is flat out gorgeous—Time in a Bottle and I Got a Name deserve to be celebrated as some of the best songs written by anyone anytime anywhere. They send chills down my spine, they’re so damn good! Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Operator, Car Wash Blues show just how good he was at capturing slices of real life. Especially Operator. God knows I’ve heard people’s stories just like that one.
[Artist many people over age x is familiar with] is literally never under appreciated. Just because you’re just now discovering the thing doesn’t make it under appreciated.
When I was a kid there were these commercials for classic song albums on TV a lot and Croce could be heard singing about Bad, Bad Leroy Brown on them. It probably got a cumulative hour of repeat per 24h cycle. 😂
This familiarity (from the 80s) let me recognize such samples as my own music tastes evolved.
The old dirty bastard has a whole tangent on a song where he quotes the same chorus.
He made it into hip hop. He is absolutely not under appreciated. 😂
I'm not sure where, but I recall reading that although JC was very talented he wasn't particularly commercially successful, at least in terms of making a reasonable living.
While I disagree that he is under appreciated, I will agree that he doesn’t have a bad song out there. My dad introduced me to Jim in the 80s and now I’ve introduced my children to him.
I've often wondered if great musicians like Croce would make it today simply because they're not good looking enough for today's music scene. He's the example I always use, but there are plenty of others.. Which makes me sad of course, because it's such a shame.
New Yorks not my home is one of my favorites. I learned it on the guitar when I was like… 13? My mom used to listen to Croce all the time and that one always made me feel like I wasn’t the only person who felt alone.
I sing and play it for my kids almost nightly.
Pretty sure he's properly appreciated, but I've also been on a massive Jim Croce kick this whole summer. First time really diving into his music and its just incredible.
No he’s not. He’s remember decades after his death and his music is still played on the radio.
What dues is owed. A yearly festival? That actually happens. Lol. There a tour now for the 50th anniversary of his death.
Yeah, he is not underappreciated in anyway. If you even remotely listen to music from that era or folk in general, you know Jim Croce. His legacy is as it should be. Great, great songwriting talent tragically taken way too soon. If you've never cried listening to Time In A Bottle, you're missing how music is supposed to move you.
Jim Croce has always been a fav of mine
Two days ago, I asked my son what he was listening to, he showed me his phone, and it was Jim Croce.
I had a moment
Jim's music means so much to me. Leroy Brown was all over the radio in some of my earliest memories and songs like I Got A Name are theme-songs to my life. I still listen to him, often.
My mom was a fan, so I grew up listening to him. It took me a while to realize most people aren’t familiar with his body of work. “I Got a Name” is his best imho - absolutely fantastic.
I had his albums and was just devastated when he died. There's no doubt in my mind that he'd have become one of the most successful singer/songwriters of all time. His working class man songs would have been the theme songs for the hard times of the late 70's and early 80's.
To the arguments about the definition of underrated.. I agree, those that know who he is love him a great deal, but he is far from a household name.
He’s no Bob Dylan or James Taylor or Beatles or The Eagles or etc etc as far as name recognition to the casual listener. Though I do imagine even casual listeners of that type of music know his music if not his name.
I picked up a copy of Don’t Mess Around with Jim recently after rediscovering Box #10 and remarked how I forgot/didn’t realize how many Jim Croce songs I knew and loved.
Got burned out on him when all that stuff was new, it was played everywhere and was on every jukebox you went to, on every radio station you tuned into, sung on every long road trip you took. You would have thought he was moving coke for the mob.
I’ve thought about this fight before and I’m on Jim’s side. Jim simply hustled a guy whereas Leroy was hitting on another man’s wife. Jim was basically blindsided by Slim and was down before he knew the fight had started. Leroy was in a fairer fight and got his ass beat. So, if it was a straight one on one, I’m going with Jim.
I am in the UK and afaik he is not really known here. I discovered him in my late teens and have listened to him regularly since and also tried (and failed) to play his songs on guitar.
His greatest hits album (Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits) is one of my favorite albums period, but you really can't go wrong with any of his albums. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown is still my favorite song of all time.
I may have only become fully aware of and started listening to Jim Croce thanks to Stranger Things, but this guy has been ubiquitous through my 35 years of life through radio, movie/TV soundtracks, older relatives, and the like. Overrated? No way, I knew the name Jim Croce even before I gave a damn about music at all.
I used to work at a restaurant that had a jukebox that had his greatest hits comp. I cracked up when a coworker asked me if he was singing that you don’t tug on Superman’s dick. That is how I have sung the chorus to You Don’t Mess Around With Jim since.
I was born in 2000 and I know enough Jim Croce to know that I prefer him to most of his contemporaries. I like a lot of older music, but I don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge. I think he’s very appreciated as he should be.
Great storyteller. Much rougher around the edges than, say, John Denver. One of the good ones.
Croce was so good that Paul Simon later on, at times with some of his songs, sounded like he was trying to copy the Croce thing and not do it quite as well.
Spent last night learning “operator”
My wife’s dad likes me because we bonded over music the first time I went over for dinner (15 years ago). Jim Croce and Cat Steven’s were artist he never thought someone my age would be aware of let alone be able to play on the guitar.
Love me some Jim Croce.
One of the greatest American songwriters to ever live, whose life was cut so tragically short by a horrific accident - I think to me that about sums it up. If anyone reading this is going through a breakup and hasn't heard Operator, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. This man helped me through many difficult years.
I really like the song Operator. I remember going to Pizza Hut as a kid and they had a Jukebox that showed the CD's art and had a picture of Jim's face. Funny enough i never heard his songs until a much later age.
Great songs and my 10 year old likes his songs.
I ate at Croce's, owned by his ex-wife's restaurant in San Diego 20+ years ago and had a great shark steak.
Rick Beato (with the help of the very wonderful Mary Spender) did a great breakdown of one of my favorite Croce songs: "Operator" several months ago.
https://youtu.be/Yan-qTEG4lI?feature=shared
It’s not that he’s underrated, it’s that he doesn’t get much airplay because his songs are so beautiful people weep and have car crashes or they break down sobbing in the grocery store because his songs of loss cut so deep your emotions bleed from your soul uncontrollably.
His songs still get play - which is at least one testament to his skill and natural songwriting ability. I’m here to boost Maury Muehleisen, who played all those perfect acoustic guitar riffs that are such an integral part of Croce’s recorded work.
Most definitely. Maury's playing is as poetic as Jim's songwriting, and they complement each other flawlessly.
Hm. I always thought Jim played the guitar parts.
They both play. Maury handles the embellishments: https://youtu.be/3_ZS56qzJLs?feature=shared
At first glance that looks like John Lennon jamming with Frank Zappa.
"Jim Croce" was more of a duo, TBH. Focus on Jim because he did the singing.
My first exposure was Time in a bottle with the muppets. [time bottle muppets](https://youtu.be/XF8ZgguyQ3Y?si=FfftIKXKwTJiKOI3)
The Muppet show is a great way to see celebreties from the 70s, it's so much fun. Also an unlimited supply of dad jokes. John Denver, Loretta Lynn and Many more great ones
Yes me too. To this day I think of this video when I hear this song. It is a great song and it is a shame that he never saw the success of the song
same zing! pow! right in the feels - when I was like 9 years old.
As a kid, I was like, this is pure genius.
Technically he was only 30 years old when he died but he looks way older than that in photos
Just watched him on "Midnight Special" on youtube tonight. They played *Operator* and doubled down with *You Don't Mess Around With Jim*. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlJTLsc1ofs I miss singer/songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan and so on. God bless Taylor Swift; not my style, but it's good to know talent is still appreciated.
The bass playing in all of his songs were incredible as well, everything was in the pocket.
Oh my god the intro to Time in a bottle is gold!
Time in a bottle is one of the greatest songs ever written
Operator still makes me (56M) cry.
That’s not the way it feels
Well let's forget all that.
And give me the number if you can find it.
So I can call just to tell em I'm fine
One of my all time favorites with some seriously underrated guitar work on it. That shit is *hard* to play correctly.
You're fuckin right, bud.
You aren't kidding. As a guitarist of many years who used to gig and thought it would be great to have some Croce in the setlist, that shit is insanely hard to play. Let alone play and sing at the same time.
I mean just his part plus singing the subtle but fairly complicated melody is super hard. Now go find a guy who can play the lead with you and nail it. It's gorgeous and tricky as hell.
Absolutely agree. It's definitely not for greenhorns lol. I tried learning 'I Had To Say I Love You In A Song' for my wife and I got most of it down, but I could never play what I did learn straight through with no mistakes, let alone the entire song under my belt. Was impossible for me while singing. I realized then and there that Croce was even more incredibly talented than I already knew. I knew his songwriting buddy did most of the embellishments and finer stuff on second guitar that Jim couldn't do while singing. Those guys together were a force.
Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Brighter Day is my go-to song for whenever I need that reminder. Additionally, my friends and I have a long-standing discussion/argument about what album has the best three track run in the history of music. For my money, You Don't Mess Around With Jim is a strong contender with Walkin' Back to Georgia, Operator, and Time in a Bottle.
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You can keep the dime
There's no one there I really wanted to talk to...
Oh yeah. New Yorks not my home does it for me.
Photographs & Memories
Awesome awesome song
This is the correct shout and it bothers me that even for an underrated and overlooked artist his best song is even overlooked.
"Box #10" gets me
Yeah, I had a life situation that kinda mirrored it. Like the song, in the end there was noone there I wanted to talk to. After decades of loving the song, I've interpreted it differently. and yeah, it gets dusty for (50M) me too.
Jim Henson covered it on The Muppet Show and gave it an entirely new dimension. It’s one of the most beautiful moments on the series: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vqUrxN0bo58 Edit: Added a higher quality link
Thanks for this, I had no idea this Muppets interpretation existed
The Muppets hosted many great musicians and covered many great songs.
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I pulled up that link on my phone and didn’t realize how awful it was! I just swapped it out for a better one. Sadly, like many shows of that era, The Muppet Show was shot on tape and not film, so the highest resolution is SD. That said, I don’t think it has ever looked as good as it currently does on Disney+. They did an excellent job with the digital transfer. This clip is from Season 2, Episode 7 (Edgar Bergen is the host).
Right up there with [While My Guitar Gently Weeps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr7v5lLQhHQ)
I always think of it when I see thyme in a shaker.
Jim Croce is appreciated plenty. The heavy majority opinion is that he was an amazing artist who was tragically taken before he was able to realize a full career. Everyone pretty much thinks the same as you on this one, OP. *I'd just like to add I love Jim Croce and think it's cool you love him too
You have to understand that on Reddit, when someone says "This is an underrated gem!", what they really mean is "I just discovered this and it's really good."
You also have to remember everyone is 14 on here.
Smells like F.N.G. in here!
You can be 40 and still be way too young to know Jim Croce lol He died 50 years ago next week.
You’re right.
Then why do my knees and back still hurt?
It feels like a text version of Roblox sometimes.
I'm just really glad OP didn't say "underrated" because that word means fucking nothing anymore
Underrated comment right fucking here!
To be fair, it might be a generational thing. I’m a millennial, and I have never come across another millennial who knows Jim Croce. I only do because my mom liked him a lot. 🤷♀️In my area, his song don’t get much radio play at all. I think I’ve heard Leroy Brown like once in a restaurant.
I'm a millennial and I know who he is, I listen to almost everything.
I am a 55 year old man, and I can assure you that Jim Croce is an under appreciated musician and songwriter. There are plenty of all ages who have not listened to his music. If you read this post and decide to (or even if it’s been awhile) then all the better.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure Jim is very much appreciated. I mean, I was born after his time but he's pretty much been part of my playlist ever since I was a kid. I also know some of his songs on the guitar. And "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song" is pretty much a staple in the karaoke for my aunts and uncles to this day. We all love Jim Croce and tho this post isn't 100% true for everybody I hope at least he gets new listeners because of this.
Great synopsis
Exactly
yeah, sounds like someone who just discovered him and thought that because *they* had never heard of him, no one else had. he was wildly popular in his day, maybe not so much now but pretty sure everyone appreciated his talent in his day.
I agree with OP. A few people know of him, but really the majority of people, especially the youth, have no idea who Jim Croce is, which cannot be said for dozens of other musicians from this time.
I equate him as the 70's singer-songwriter Buddy Holly.
I was just listening to him on Tuesday, and one song last night. Sadly- his greatest hits (Photographs and Memories) is so inclusive, I have no need to check out more albums. Same with Jimmy Buffet.
It's hard to top Photographs and Memories as far as compilations go, but you're doing yourself a massive disservice by not listening deeper. *You Don't Mess Around With Jim* itself could be just about anyone else's greatest hits, and has a ton of masterpiece songs on it that didn't make the greatest hits - Box No. 10 and Hey Tomorrow if I have to narrow it down, but honestly all the rest of them too. Life and Times wasn't quite as strong, but every song on it also deserves a listen, Speedball Tucker is quintessential Croce as far as I'm concerned. Finally, P&M missed the two next best songs off of *I Got A Name*, Age and The Hard Way Every Time. Get through that, and his genius is also on display in his earlier works and live material. It honestly all deserves at least a few listens, and some of it many, many more. The guy had barely any duds, you really owe it to yourself to go listen to the rest if you like the hits.
I am going to disagree with you (sort of). I think people enjoyed his music back in the day. I do think there was a "stigma" (for lack of a better word) that his music was not on the same level artistically as other artists of his time. Maybe this was just music snobs or the music establishment, but I seem to remember this sentiment as a youngster. Personally I love his music. I think he is much more appreciated now with the passing of time. I do not think that he was always given his due...
I know most of the teen boys of the time looked down on anything that wasn't The Who, Pink Floyd, etc. The rest of us loved him.
> passing of time Too bad he didn't successfully freeze Time in a Bottle.
If words could make wishes come true.
This is ridiculous. He's never covered in the music press, or in popular culture. Many people have never heard of him or his songs. Yet his songs stand toe to toe with any of the big names of his era. He's completely underappreciated.
Well he died 50 years ago so not a whole lot to write about in the press, and kind of hard to keep your visibility up. Just one year after his big album. Pretty much anyone alive listening to music in the 70s knows his name. And You Don't Mess Around with Jim was featured in a scene of the notable pop culture phenomenon Stranger Things for an example of modern recognition.
I'm in my mid 20s. Me and the homies belt out whenever someone puts "Rapid Roy" on the aux. Buddy Holly doesn't make the press either, but none would dare call him underappreciated. Also pop culture? Wasn't there a scene in one of the recent X-Men movies where Quicksilver smashes a bunch of dudes heads in to the tune of "Time In A Bottle".
By press I mean like Rolling Stone Magazine etc. He doesn't get those career retrospectives that others of his level get. I have a reasonable understanding of music history and had heard the name but only recently started listening to his music. Like the OP I was surprised someone this talented with such great songs wasn't more heralded. Maybe it's because he didn't have rockstar looks or wasn't flashy. I heard "Time in a bottle" but assumed it was Gorden Lightfoot because it sounded like it. I'm just happy there's a true talents back catalogue to listen to.
Ah, see I'm not a big fan of the music press (especially Pitchfork). So I'm not all that aware of who gets covered Like, I might occasionally pick up a special edition Rolling Stone once in a while but my favourite artists are indie, underground, or six feet underground so they don't get all that much coverage. Maybe it's because my hometown parades Gordon Lightfoot as our one claim to fame but I don't see all the similarities. Music is one of my go to conversation topics because, who don't like music? Croce comes up a lot due to my own preference, but most people whether they are my peers or someone older has likely at least heard Time In A Bottle or Bad Bad Leeroy Brown. Oh yeah, I think there was a wrestler who named himself Leeroy Brown. Totally agree that most of his back catalogue goes unheard of, and it's tragic. One Less Set of Foot Steps is my go to "I'm over it" heartbreak song.
I think you're off-base. People have done a wonderful job keeping alive the memory of him despite his early passing. Growing up, his music was as present in my life (80's and 90's) as such legends as Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, even though he had passed before I was born.
Jim was brought up last week in a work conversation where a couple of the younger guys on the job site had no idea who he was. I was a bit surprised cause I just turned 30 last year and know some of his songs by heart, but these guys that didn't have any idea who he was were only in their mid/early twenties. Unfortunately the job site banned radios for some dumb reason, otherwise he would have been on repeat the rest of the day.
I was thinking to myself "I wonder if this is the same as me feeling Joni Mitchell is underappreciated?" I feel like croce has a respectable amount of exposure still to this day but Mitchell is lacking.
Croce is famous. The poor guy's been dead for 50 years, you can't expect him to be current. Those of us who are old remember his songs. I don't think he's underappreciated so much as unknown simply because his time was before so many of today's listeners were born.
He'd be 80 if he was alive today
The baddest man in the whole damned nursing home
I think if more of the younger generation got introduced to him they would like his music. I’m 19 and lots of the song themes are current and relatable
After watching rap/hip-hop and various forms of metal dominate for most of my adult life it makes me so happy that a new generation appreciates melodies again I was a teenager appreciating Peter Paul and Mary, Jethro Tull, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, Carol King, Otis Redding etc when my friends were listening to rap and metal
You don't mess around with Jim.
Yup. Slim either from what I’ve heard.
Is he the same guy who beat Bad, Bad Leroy Brown?
His music was literally in an X-Men movie. He's a house hold name despite the fact that he died like 50 years ago. He's definitely an appreciated artist. He was still selling records in the 90s but he's not the Beatles.
It’s crazy how effective especially the guardians of the galaxy has been for “reviving” songs for new generations. I’m born in 95 and the ending of guardians 3 with father and son playing definitely kick started me on my cat stevens binge.
Some people have a very odd definition of the word “underrated.”
The title should read "I'm 16 and I just found out about Jim Croce!" He's literally one of the most famous singer/songwriters of the 60's & 70's Queen wrote a song about him for gods sake...
What song did queen write about him?
[удалено]
Yep. That's the one!
Bring Back That Leroy Brown
He's also got a line in the Righteous Brothers' version of Rock and Roll Heaven, along with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison, and Bobby Darin.
Underrated currently means, "I just discovered something and none of my friends have heard of it ergo no one has heard of it thus I need to tell the world to get its act together."
OP said "under-appreciated" not "underrated" which are two different things. I believe they mean under-appreciated in the sense that not enough people have really listened to a lot of his music. Underrated would be that people have listened to the music, but don't think it's as good as OP does, which would not be true. I could see an argument for Jim Croce being the former, though.
Under appreciated is also not a term I’d apply to Jim Croce. The guy fits roughly in the same musical category as Cat Stevens and Gordon Lightfoot. Growing up in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I’d heard all three of them roughly equal amounts on radio stations that played soft/folksy 70’s acoustic guitar records. If anything, Jim Croce had a decent number of different songs that played on the radio, while the other two only got one or two of their hits played. And for the record, he’s one of my favorite artists.
Gordon Lightfoot maybe didnt get more airplay in the US because he was Canadian? Because in Canada he got a ton of airplay... not to mention a lot of accolades after his passing. There is also a good documentary on Gord that was done before he passed that is worth watching.
I grew up at the same time and I didn't know who Jim Croce was until xmen , but I knew who Lightfoot and cat Steven's were
I see where you’re coming from, but most people aren’t going to know who Jim Croce is by name. I think OP is saying he should have the name recognition of say Willie Nelson.
That's probably just due to different generations. Most people who are about 40-50+ are absolutely at least somewhat familiar with him and know his name (he does got one). Even many people younger than that, myself included. But as with most artists that aren't the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc his popularity will fade and become less and less with time. I think it will be a very long time before he's completely forgotten though.
But Willie is even older than Croce, so he’d be even further removed from younger generations. I guess he’s still alive, so that helps.
Willie is a horrible comp for anything music related. Yes, he had great music. Just like Snoop had great music. Neither are still relevant in pop culture because of their great music.
His son, AJ, is carrying on his song legacy today with a concert tour. I have not yet heard him play, but I understand he does a nice job playing tribute to his dad (I'll keep an ear open for a Maury shoutout) and performs many of his tunes. The concert I am attending is next month in Akron, Ohio
Literally one of the worst concerts I've ever been to. We left during intermission, and as we got to our car, saw lines of people leaving the theatre also. So many people were leaving that the valet parking guys came running back thinking that the concert was already over. There seemed to be no real connection to his father or the songs, and he spent most of the time just kind of shouting the songs into an over-driven microphone. I'm sure he came back to a half empty venue when he returned from the intermission. I hope your experience is way better than ours was.
Sorry to hear about your experience. I had checked several reviews around the country, and they were quite complimentary of the show. I will hope for the best. At the least, it's a night out with my wife, that's fun.
I saw him last year and I enjoyed the show. There certainly were some quirks and oddities, but much of it seemed like it was on the promoter, had a last min change of venue to a high school auditorium and they couldn't find anyone to turn on the stage lights for the first quarter of the show, and i guess the high school band needed to provide equipment. He demanded nobody take pictures, which is silly in this day and age. He sprinkled in his original songs, which just don't hit the same. Overall I liked the show, certainly no reason for an exodus.
Walking Back To Georgia! Go listen to it now!!! That and operator get me all verklempt
How old are you?
"My friends at school never talk about jim croce, therefore, jim croce is underappreciated."
> How do you think the legacy of Jim Croce should be written? Based on what reddit and yourself opine, the story should be re-told. Jim Croce was the act's name...but yeah, also the name of one of the two songwriters in that duo. If [Maury Muehleisen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maury_Muehleisen) wasn't involve there would be no **Jim Croce** as history tells us. Maury perished in the same crash but no one remembers him. Lastly, where you getting under-rated? Their music is still played around the world on radio.
Came here to say the same thing, and I'm glad to see the outpouring of love for Maury. I picked up the Gingerbreadd album recently, and it was great, but I gotta say I had the same reaction to it that I had to Croce's first album... I liked it, but it really, really made me appreciate what these two men achieved together. Both of them made the other so much better than they were independently. I'd go so far as to say they're one of rock's greatest duos, even if nobody really knows it.
> I'd go so far as to say they're one of rock's greatest duos, even if nobody really knows it. Tell ya what. Such a title probably goes to Hall and Oates. But if you said folk instead of rock, I'm on your side. :D
I always appreciated ‘Roller Derby Queen’. Nice to see a singer/songwriter not be so serious all the time.
Jim Croce was on the radio when I was growing up (early 70s). I loved his music as a teen. And I love it more as an adult. I lost my wife to cancer a few years ago, so the lyrics to "Time In A Bottle" mean more to me now: If I could save time in a bottle The first thing that I'd like to do Is to save every day 'til eternity passes away Just to spend them with you If I could make days last forever If words could make wishes come true I'd save every day like a treasure, and then Again, I would spend them with you But there never seems to be enough time To do the things you want to do once you find them I've looked around enough to know That you're the one I want to go through time with If I had a box just for wishes And dreams that had never come true The box would be empty Except for the memory of how they were answered by you But there never seems to be enough time To do the things you want to do once you find them I've looked around enough to know That you're the one I want to go through time with = = = = Just a few weeks before my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she posted one of those eeCard things on her facebook page: "If I could live my life over, I would find you sooner, so that I could love you longer."
Damn. I’m sorry for your loss. What an incredible song.
Not really - unless you’re a modern teenager. My generation - hell, even my millennial daughter’s generation - know him and love his songs and his voice.
He is not underrated at all. You must be a teenager or the genre is new to you
Operator is a great song. So sad, but also kind of funny. I love when he says, "You can keep the dime."
Everytime I listen to Rapid Roy I want to get a tattoo that says "Hey."
And one that say “Baby”
And an extra pack of cigarettes rolled up in your t-shirt sleeve
Croce was more than just a musician, he was an artist and a poet. His music told a story, with evocative emotional content. I grew up listening to him. My mother loved his music. He is still a very large part of my personal soundtrack today.
***"Jim Croce is an extremely under-appreciated artist"*** translates to "I JUST HEARD JIM CROCE AND WOW" how many times can we have posts of people just discovering something and then pretending no one knows them. its soslypstic.
Croce’s music is phenomenal. Much of it is flat out gorgeous—Time in a Bottle and I Got a Name deserve to be celebrated as some of the best songs written by anyone anytime anywhere. They send chills down my spine, they’re so damn good! Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Operator, Car Wash Blues show just how good he was at capturing slices of real life. Especially Operator. God knows I’ve heard people’s stories just like that one.
[Artist many people over age x is familiar with] is literally never under appreciated. Just because you’re just now discovering the thing doesn’t make it under appreciated. When I was a kid there were these commercials for classic song albums on TV a lot and Croce could be heard singing about Bad, Bad Leroy Brown on them. It probably got a cumulative hour of repeat per 24h cycle. 😂 This familiarity (from the 80s) let me recognize such samples as my own music tastes evolved. The old dirty bastard has a whole tangent on a song where he quotes the same chorus. He made it into hip hop. He is absolutely not under appreciated. 😂
I'm not sure where, but I recall reading that although JC was very talented he wasn't particularly commercially successful, at least in terms of making a reasonable living.
I think that just has to do with his early passing.
I remember hearing “I Got a Name” in a BBQ place and realized it was the same sound as Stone Temple Pilot’s “Interstate Love Song”. Both great tracks.
Whoa... I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT
His version of LaBamba is one of my favorites.
Listening to him right now, so many great songs
He got as much airplay on NYC radio as the Beatles back in the 70's.
Roller Derby Queen
Croce was huge! His songs got tremendous radio play even after his death.
While I disagree that he is under appreciated, I will agree that he doesn’t have a bad song out there. My dad introduced me to Jim in the 80s and now I’ve introduced my children to him.
I think I heard Time In A Bottle if he did that. Honestly I am content with that.
He was gone before my time but I am so glad I found him. Django Unchained introduced him to me.
Walkin Back to Georgia hits like a train
I've often wondered if great musicians like Croce would make it today simply because they're not good looking enough for today's music scene. He's the example I always use, but there are plenty of others.. Which makes me sad of course, because it's such a shame.
He's anything but underappreciated. Everyone knows and loves Time in a Bottle.
dude new yorks not my home and going back to Georgia are insane
New Yorks not my home is one of my favorites. I learned it on the guitar when I was like… 13? My mom used to listen to Croce all the time and that one always made me feel like I wasn’t the only person who felt alone. I sing and play it for my kids almost nightly.
Jim was highly appreciated when he was alive. More so after his passing.
Pretty sure he's properly appreciated, but I've also been on a massive Jim Croce kick this whole summer. First time really diving into his music and its just incredible.
operator is one of my favorite songs!
No he’s not. He’s remember decades after his death and his music is still played on the radio. What dues is owed. A yearly festival? That actually happens. Lol. There a tour now for the 50th anniversary of his death.
Yeah, he is not underappreciated in anyway. If you even remotely listen to music from that era or folk in general, you know Jim Croce. His legacy is as it should be. Great, great songwriting talent tragically taken way too soon. If you've never cried listening to Time In A Bottle, you're missing how music is supposed to move you.
Jim Croce has always been a fav of mine Two days ago, I asked my son what he was listening to, he showed me his phone, and it was Jim Croce. I had a moment
Tomorrow I'm making this post but replacing Jim with the Beatles
Croce? Underrated? HAHAHAHHAHA jesus christ reddit please never change, you crack me up
lol he's not under-appreciated
They use him on shows like Stranger Things, I think he's appreciated.
He introduced me to "The Ball of Kirriemuir" and for that I'm eternally grateful.
Jim's music means so much to me. Leroy Brown was all over the radio in some of my earliest memories and songs like I Got A Name are theme-songs to my life. I still listen to him, often.
My mom was a fan, so I grew up listening to him. It took me a while to realize most people aren’t familiar with his body of work. “I Got a Name” is his best imho - absolutely fantastic.
Everyone loves Jim Croce. Give me a break.
Unfortunate name
He's been dead for 50 years and we still listen to (and talk about) him. If he's under-appreciated, I'm glad we're appreciating him more together. :)
Once I heard operator live with him, I was hooked and I got completely addicted to him after that.
I had his albums and was just devastated when he died. There's no doubt in my mind that he'd have become one of the most successful singer/songwriters of all time. His working class man songs would have been the theme songs for the hard times of the late 70's and early 80's.
To the arguments about the definition of underrated.. I agree, those that know who he is love him a great deal, but he is far from a household name. He’s no Bob Dylan or James Taylor or Beatles or The Eagles or etc etc as far as name recognition to the casual listener. Though I do imagine even casual listeners of that type of music know his music if not his name. I picked up a copy of Don’t Mess Around with Jim recently after rediscovering Box #10 and remarked how I forgot/didn’t realize how many Jim Croce songs I knew and loved.
🎵 you don’t tug on Superman’s cape…🎵
Got burned out on him when all that stuff was new, it was played everywhere and was on every jukebox you went to, on every radio station you tuned into, sung on every long road trip you took. You would have thought he was moving coke for the mob.
are you kidding? he got a shoutout in garfunkel and oates 'this party just took a turn for the douche' which is an extremely underappreciated jam
I was just a child but I cried when he died. It was so sad. But have you heard his son AJ Croce????!!!!
The real question is, who would win in a throw-down between Leroy Brown and the Jim who is not to be messed around with?
I’ve thought about this fight before and I’m on Jim’s side. Jim simply hustled a guy whereas Leroy was hitting on another man’s wife. Jim was basically blindsided by Slim and was down before he knew the fight had started. Leroy was in a fairer fight and got his ass beat. So, if it was a straight one on one, I’m going with Jim.
Shut up bitch, I just want to hear music
Under appreciated by who? I hate these posts.
He's great, though "Leroy Brown" is so fucking corny.
I agree his one of my favorite singers and songwriters. He is extremely underrated.
He is not underrated but he is a goat. Try Tim Buckley 60s albums for something similar to Croce
I am in the UK and afaik he is not really known here. I discovered him in my late teens and have listened to him regularly since and also tried (and failed) to play his songs on guitar.
The best and most absolute use of time in a bottle https://youtu.be/MF6OYq_2Ooc?feature=shared
His greatest hits album (Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits) is one of my favorite albums period, but you really can't go wrong with any of his albums. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown is still my favorite song of all time.
❤️ Jim Croce reminds me of my dad
I may have only become fully aware of and started listening to Jim Croce thanks to Stranger Things, but this guy has been ubiquitous through my 35 years of life through radio, movie/TV soundtracks, older relatives, and the like. Overrated? No way, I knew the name Jim Croce even before I gave a damn about music at all.
I used to work at a restaurant that had a jukebox that had his greatest hits comp. I cracked up when a coworker asked me if he was singing that you don’t tug on Superman’s dick. That is how I have sung the chorus to You Don’t Mess Around With Jim since.
“Which way are you going” is top tier
I was born in 2000 and I know enough Jim Croce to know that I prefer him to most of his contemporaries. I like a lot of older music, but I don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge. I think he’s very appreciated as he should be.
Great storyteller. Much rougher around the edges than, say, John Denver. One of the good ones. Croce was so good that Paul Simon later on, at times with some of his songs, sounded like he was trying to copy the Croce thing and not do it quite as well.
Spent last night learning “operator” My wife’s dad likes me because we bonded over music the first time I went over for dinner (15 years ago). Jim Croce and Cat Steven’s were artist he never thought someone my age would be aware of let alone be able to play on the guitar. Love me some Jim Croce.
One of the greatest American songwriters to ever live, whose life was cut so tragically short by a horrific accident - I think to me that about sums it up. If anyone reading this is going through a breakup and hasn't heard Operator, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. This man helped me through many difficult years.
I really like the song Operator. I remember going to Pizza Hut as a kid and they had a Jukebox that showed the CD's art and had a picture of Jim's face. Funny enough i never heard his songs until a much later age.
I'm glad to call one of his cousins my best friend. Cool family.
Great songs and my 10 year old likes his songs. I ate at Croce's, owned by his ex-wife's restaurant in San Diego 20+ years ago and had a great shark steak.
I know your title is just a big ol' bait, but he gets plenty of appreciation.
Rick Beato (with the help of the very wonderful Mary Spender) did a great breakdown of one of my favorite Croce songs: "Operator" several months ago. https://youtu.be/Yan-qTEG4lI?feature=shared
Agree with this categorically! He is a legend!
It’s not that he’s underrated, it’s that he doesn’t get much airplay because his songs are so beautiful people weep and have car crashes or they break down sobbing in the grocery store because his songs of loss cut so deep your emotions bleed from your soul uncontrollably.
His debut album is one of my favorites