man... Jim Croce sure was great

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 7:07 am

just listening to some of his stuff at the moment. may not be quite a prolific as Dylan, but i sure would put Jim up there with the likes of him. great storyteller/poet and a great songwriter.

you dont tug on Superman's cape
you don;t spit into the wind
you dont pull the mask off of the Lone Ranger and you don't mess around with Slim

R.I.P, buddy. your art is still appreciated today

.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 7:18 am

see what i mean? i could only dream of putting words together in a song/story like this:

Uptown got it's hustlers
The Bowery got it's bums
And forty-second street got big Jim Walker
He a pool shootin' son of a gun
Yeah, he big and dumb as a man can come
But he stronger than a country hoss
And when the bad folks all get together at night
You know they all call big Jim 'boss'...just because

And they say
'You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim'

Well outta south Alabama come a country boy
He said, 'I'm lookin' for a man named Jim
I am a pool shootin' boy
My name is Willie McCoy
But down home they call me Slim
Yeah I'm looking for the king of Forty Second Street
He drivin' a drop top Cadillac
Last week he took all my money
And it may sound funny
But I come to get my money back'

Chorus:
And ev'rybody say 'Jack, don't you know that
You don't on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim'

Well a hush fell over the pool room
Jimmy come boppin' in off the street
And when the cuttin' were done
The only part that wasn't bloody
Was the soles of the big man's feet
Yeah he were cut in 'bout a hundred places
And he were shot in a couple more
And you better believe
They sung a different kind of story
When big Jim hit the floor

Chorus

Now they say
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Slim'

Yeah, big Jim got his hat
Find out where it's at
And not hustling people strange to you
Even if you do got a two piece custom made pool cue, yeah

Chorus

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Slim

minir · Post by **minir** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 7:21 am

Hi Faust

I too love the man. Great tunes.

Roller Derby Queen, Gotta make you smile

" She knew how to knuckle, She knew how to Scuffle and Fight"

Rapid Roy...Bad, Bad Leroy Brown all Great Stuff.

He did indeed leave too soon.

regards

minir

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 7:30 am

hehe... thanks for relating, Larry (BTW, you can call me Scott if you like. we've been aquaintences for long enough

).

whatever "it" is.... he sure had it. i have always been astounded by artists who can invoke genuine emotion with their craft. too bad now that's a rare trait with more emphasis being on image rather than the content. it;s still around.... just not as common it's with such sincerity.

minir · Post by **minir** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:00 am

Hi Scott

He had the Common mans touch i guess. He could take the things we've all felt at some point and express it in song like few others.

More than once in the Sauce late at night i'd play " Operator " Hahaha

He seemed to be able to get to the Heart of songs with an Honesty that brought the emotions of the moment through loud and clear.

As you state Scott its all pretty much Videos these days it seems, He could Do It Without the Pictures

Nice yakkin with you, Have a Terrific day

regards

larry

kilroy · Post by **kilroy** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:25 am

"Time in a Bottle", another great one.

I was saddened at his passing, too soon, too young.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:35 am

He had the Common mans touch i guess. He could take the things we've all felt at some point and express it in song like few others.

well said, Larry.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:37 am

"Time in a Bottle", another great one.

I was saddened at his passing, too soon, too young.

i agree. seems too often the truly good ones pass so quickly.

64bit · Post by **64bit** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:38 am

One of the greats no doubt!!! If you can't start tappin your feet when You Don't Mess Around With Jim comes on your probably too uptight or dead.....

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:42 am

just reread the lyrics for "Operator". again...... great poetry/storytelling.

Operator oh could you help me place this call
You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded
She's living in L.A.
With my best old ex-friend Ray
A guy she said she knew well and sometimes hated

CHORUS:

Isn't that the way they say it goes
But let's forget all that
Give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell them I'm fine and to show
I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels

Operator oh could you help me place this call
Cause I can't read the number that you just gave me
There's something in my eye's
You know it happens every time
I think about the love that I thought would save me

(Repeat Chorus)

Operator let's forget about this call
There's no one there I really wanted to talk to
Thank you for your time
Oh you've been so much more than kind
And you can keep the dime

(Repeat Chorus)

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:45 am

One of the greats no doubt!!! If you can't start tappin your feat when You Don't Mess Around With Jim comes on your probably too uptight or dead.....

lol.... definitely. it;s not just the lyrics, but the music, too. if someone doesn't have their foot tappin', they just don;t get it. great stuff

Zilog B · Post by **Zilog B** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 9:08 am

I like him also, haven't listened in a long time. Growing up, my dad would play his album frequently.

Annalysa · Post by **Annalysa** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 11:14 am

I really enjoy Croce, We listened to him alot as a child. And Harry Chaphin. I am not sure how to spell his last name.

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 11:32 am

Harry Chapin, another who left us way too soon..............

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 11:37 pm

Agreed that Jim was great....

How about Cat Stevens who is still with us but changed religions and is now in hiding?

Annalysa · Post by **Annalysa** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 11:41 pm

the days of the old school yard.. I have an album of cat stevens but i cant remember what its called.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 12:20 am

Agreed that Jim was great....

How about Cat Stevens who is still with us but changed religions and is now in hiding?

yep. didn't he convert to Muslim (or would that be called converting to Islam?)? or was he muslim and converted to something else? can;t remember now.

downhill · Post by **downhill** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 12:51 am

Originally posted by Faust
yep. didn't he convert to Muslim (or would that be called converting to Islam?)? or was he muslim and converted to something else? can;t remember now.

Yep, he converted to the Muslim faith and quit the music business.

http://catstevens.com/features/ontheroa ... index.html