First time listening to Jim Croce (Operator (That's not the way it feels) reaction/review)

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

Before you tell me it’s pronounced crow-chee, I’ve already been told

[@edcastillo9342]

Jim Croce was one of the best storytellers ever. He had zero bad songs. Gone too soon.

[@mattjohn4731]

It's got a goosebumpy beauty I think. Especially when he sings You can keep the dime. He was great. He died young but is widely beloved still.

[@ORagnar]

Jim Croce was a musical genius. He wrote the music, lyrics and performed and did all of these things at a high level and produced hit after hit before dying young in a small plane crash, along with his talented backup guitarist, Maurice T. Muehleisen. 2/11/23

[@BOOMNERD51]

Sad Droll point girlfriend left"with my best old ex friend Ray"

[@polyrhythmia]

Time in a Bottle, Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Left the world way too young, but left us with some great songs. Both guys lost their lives in plane crash.

[@sparkle8400]

Jim Croce was a mega-talented poet/guitarist/singer with an everyman vibe. Love & miss him 🤍✨🤍

[@krkhns]

The song isn't about his girlfriend. In a documentary from the 70s he talks about this song. When Croce was in the army, he would take a bus home every night. There was a pay phone next to it. The song is about all the guys he would hear calling home after finding out their girl had left them while they were away. Its about them realizing that they didn't want to talk them after all. For anyone who has ever been in the military, they'll understand. The song is about "Jodie". The friend your girl runs off with while you're deployed.

[@charliecochran3035]

Thanks for posting that explanation. I didn't know it. What an artist.

[@krkhns]

@@charliecochran3035 Yes he was. He had some great influences. There was a period in the late 1960s where he and his wife shared a farm in New York with with James Taylor and Carole King. Its easy to assume the song is first-person. He wrote a lot of his songs like that on purpose. They can fit anyone. Time in a Bottle was one of the most requested songs for a wedding. But, its about the birth of his son, not his wife.

[@stonehawk61]

This may be one of the most complete love songs ever written. Jim was an artist in the true sense of the word. His words and melodies were his paintbrush and our souls his canvas.

[@danielmurphy4429]

Congratulations on discovering the wonderful singer - songwriter, Jim Croce. Dive in to his catalog of hits, you will be happy you did.

[@dougwill8850]

Way back when we had to use pay phones and use an operator to make long distance calls and put money in the phone. Lol. What a great time.

[@monkmchorning]

And businesses like bars, restaurants, hotels, bodegas, and bowling alleys used to hand out matchbooks like business cards. Because back then just about everybody smoked something.

[@billwalker7556]

and we made it through the 70's without having a damn cell phone.

[@jonsher7682]

Love that you are doing requests from your Dad! A couple of suggestions: At the listener end, the playback level is quite low, so you might want to check that. Also, Croce is one of the greatest songwriters of his time, his songs are often short because he gets to the point, so you will appreciate the songwriting more if you listen from start to finish, than react after you hear the whole song. That way, you can more easily focus on the lyrics and get lost in the music. Best of luck with your channel!!

[@nutmeg59]

Love this song, and your take on it. His name is pronounced like, Crow-chee. But that's not a dig at you. I'm 63 years old and this song was new when I was a girl. Lol Good music just doesn't age (except for payphones and calls costing a dime). If you want to hear a sad story, Goggle him. His life was cut short. Keep up your musical education and keep listening to your parents, and maybe even your grandparents. ❤️

[@bkm2797]

Lol, I was thinking the same about the dime and a payphone, I'm 67 and I sometimes forget there is a generation that hasn't been around them. Cheers

[@cindipossidento5688]

I’ve always loved that song …….. Great voice and guitar !!!! 😘

[@johnm8096]

Welcome to the world of the singer/songwriter genre of the early 1970s. Nothing nowadays comes close. Dad gets it.

[@andrewkeen3129]

Cool reaction to an incredible song. Took me a few listens to realize how special it really is but I think you had a very decent first take.

[@hal1740]

You have to listen to the story of the song, its about his wife/girlfriend leaving with his ex best friend Ray to get the feeling of the story he's telling. Plus you have to understand that back in the seventies you could only make operator assisted long distance calls. Jim Croce died in a plane crash after playing a concert at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. about 70 miles from where I live. I will never it, he was in his prime and was one of my favorites at the time. I used to stare at the album cover while the record was playing. It had a picture of himself, wife and child.

[@krkhns]

That's not what the song is about. There is a documentary from the 70s where he talks about the song. When he was in the army, the bus stop he would wait at to go home sat next to a pay phone. The song is about all the guys he would hear calling home after finding out their girlfriend had left them while they were away. After he left the army, they shared a country house in New York with James Taylor and Carly Simon before Taylor signed with Apple.

[@eloisapompa5048]

I saw/heard Jim Croce tell the story about the pay phone(which cost a dime for 3 mins) when he was in the army. Had nothing to do with his girl. The guy singing/playing behind him died with him. Nobody seems to say that. Both very talented and sang well together.

[@krkhns]

@@eloisapompa5048 Yep. "I got the idea for writing 'Operator' by standing outside of the PX waiting to use one of the outdoor phones. There wasn't a phone booth; it was just stuck up on the side of the building and there were about 200 guys in each line waiting to make a phone call back home to see if their 'Dear John' letter was true, and with their raincoat over their heads covering the telephone and everything, and it really seemed that so many people were going through the same experience, going through the same kind of change, and to see this happen especially on something like the telephone and talking to a long-distance operator-this kinda registered".

[@gerberbernstein7360]

When Jim would play at a small coffee shop, the payphone was directly behind the stage and he heard all these conversations. Brilliant talent.

[@kmwwrench]

Hard to believe this was 50 years ago. He was hugely popular. So many good songs, that I see other folks have recommended for you. Gone far too soon. The fellow with him is Maury Muelheisen, his co-writer, who also died in the plane crash.

[@beckiramsey9561]

Jim has some really great songs, a great voice!❤❤ I just joined! You should do some more! Bad, Bad Leroy Brown! Great Reaction!❤❤

[@MoMoMyPup10]

Gotta do the studio version for these songs. They're great to watch for us who know the songs but the studio is so much clearer and also how we first heard them. The full sound is just missing.

[@kennethcelorio4937]

Yes, a phone call on a payphone was a dime in the 70s. Ahh, good times.

[@garrymoore2161]

I knew and lived every new release as it came out and was crushed when he died far too young in a plane crash. He left a widower and a pre-school son.

[@60sbaby456]

The baby went blind at 4 also sad on top of sad

[@edalder2000]

What gets me about "Operator" is that it's in a major key. The lyrics and phrasing just intensify the heartbreak. Croce was able to tell a story in a straightforward way where no one was to blame. As I have grown older, I realize that bad things "just happen" even if I do everything just "right." Jim Croce had that sense of world weariness that made him seem like he was talking just to you.

[@SandraMarkham-mq7hs]

Jim Crow-Chee! He wrote that after finding out his wife was pregnant He passed away a year later in a plane crash at 30 yrs old. Love his music soooo much!❤😢

[@mesaeddie]

I was lucky enough to see Jim in Balboa Park just a few months before he passed.Still makes me sad.

[@robertbrucefan2673]

Jim Croce was great. He was headed to the top when he was killed as his plane was taking off on 9/20/73 right after a concert at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. The pilot had a heart attack. A real talent. You Don't Mess Around With Jim, Life and Times, and I Got A Name are the 3 main albums.

[@denisemiller5654]

Such a loss - so sad his life ended so early at the prime of his life....love and miss his music very much.

[@queenslanddiva]

a wonderful artist who was taken far too young. Time in a Bottle is a wonderful song by him. Also Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong with Jim.

[@baronbink1594]

Enjoyed you video. Always loved Jim's music. You really need to do Time in a Bottle. It is amazing!

[@LittleBigWelsh]

Immediately subscribed. Like your sense of humor!

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

Thanks :)

[@becksullivan4796]

I’ll pick up on what others said-glad you are taking suggestions from your Dad…and your sound on the music portion needs a little help. Good comments. As a lady who grew up classic rock and Motown I like to hear younger views of an amazing time in music. One more suggestion. You might want to have the lyrics available. Jim, like Paul Simon, John Denver, James Taylor and others, are true story tellers. The lyrics are is important as the music. Anyway that may be more than you want to hear. I’ll be back to get your views on other songs. Thanks!

[@michaelasay8587]

He just had so many great songs in his short life....can u image of he was still around ...the music he would shared...same with the no. 1 Karen Carpenter.

[@normanspurgeon5324]

Spectacular tune- not dinner/background music. Great lyric and message-

[@boneyrone]

I enjoyed your commentary... Have loved the song since I first heard in 72.. I think.. CRO CHIE

[@sharonstark1014]

OTHER great SONGS BY Jim Croce are "Alabama Rain" and "Time in a Bottle." Thanks for posting. Sadly he died in a plane crash. His son A.J. Croce is a singer and sings a lot of his fathers songs.

[@lilamuzik3385]

Beautiful...timeless...a great choice.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Pronounced "Cro-chee." You nailed it "venting to the operator." Jim could make you laugh out loud with one song, and turn around make you cry on the next. I just cannot explain it all here. Both gentlemen, and five others died in plane crash Sept 20,1973. Tragic. Hardly dinner Music, this song was big hit on Billboard , went to #17. People used t listen to slow, fast and medium tempo songs, with meaningful lyrics. Most music from past decades is now erroneously placed in the MUZAK or dinner music category because the nature of pop music so fleeting, like "what's the next bid thing" or "oh my god it's my parents' music, turn it down or off" attitude lol. Just like when I was young.

[@valeriebrown57]

Such a wonderful singer song writer. We lost him way too early.

[@Zoonjse]

Thank you for thinking aboud Russian people. Im from Iceland anyway. I liove you. But we s should love each other.

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

Honestly facts, just because a country’s government makes poor decisions doesn’t mean that the people under that government are bad

[@marvinabigby5509]

I loved this song I found a his album along with abbey road in an apt we moved in I was 8 I think

[@garymcaleer6112]

Just signed on. You have given honor to the 5th Commandment of the Ten. Nine more to go, bro! (:^D

[@jorgelopez-pr6dr]

Losing your lover and best friend at the same time isn't a betrayal that you don't go over so easily, it's just don't.

[@georgefisher1995]

A great storyteller, taken from us so early. Listen to more of him.

[@greymattervandal]

Just now starting to realize that Jim had the most unique vibrato..

[@billfelsher5159]

Matchbooks, dimes, operators. Things in the lyrics that don’t exist today.

[@bkm2797]

This is my personal favorite of Jim's music, sadly he passed way too young, but you should take a listen to some of his other tunes.

[@roberta7727]

Love, Love, Love,Jim Croce 😅

[@brianbrekke9500]

Another great story teller and song is Harry Chapin singing Cats in the Cradle. Listen to this one with your Dad.

[@thewizard6077]

I stumbled onto your channel and enjoyed your reaction. I love Jim Croce. Are you familiar at all with Led Zeppelin? If not, you should check them out. I would stick to the audio recordings (as opposed to the live videos) as the studio recordings are some of the greatest achievements in audio recording history, and will give you a truer picture of the magic within their songs. I would start with the song "Stairway to Heaven" off of Led Zeppelin IV, and then the song "Since I've Been Loving You" off of the album Led Zeppelin III. I subscribed. Peace

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

I LOVE LED ZEPPELIN!! I’ve heard stairway (obviously) but I don’t think I’ve heard the second one you said, I’ll have to check it out

[@boogiebored6842]

One of my favourites

[@benmiddleton9984]

Croce is incredible

[@nancywyant6091]

Well done young man!!!

[@GaylaMoog]

There was a limit on song length for radio play I think 3 1/2 min at that time

[@edscott4729]

It's a dadgum 10 out of 10.

[@hectorp8055]

Too short is actually a very insightful take. It is brilliant as to what's there, but you know there could be another sort of bridge and resolution. Constraints of radio.

[@StevesFunhouse]

His last name is pronounced, Crow-Chee, but tell your dad he did a wonderful thing, introducing you to this awesome storyteller. However, you need to go back and really think about what he is saying. Jim wrote this when he was in the military. They didn't have cell phones back then, or even phones in their barracks, so the guys could only call home when they were off. The problem is, they only had access to a few payphones, so the lines were really long, and they'd only get a few minutes to talk each week. However, the worst part was, a lot of the guys would get the equivalent of a "Dear John" letter from their wives or girlfriends meaning, when they got ahold of them, they'd be told that their wives/girlfriends had found someone else ... and, even though it never happened to Jim, he always imagined what phone call like that would be like. This song is the result of that.

[@thedave5748]

I think one of things about this song is that it shows music USED TO make you FEEL something and BE ABOUT something. I dont know if everybody under 20 or 30 realizes that..

[@Bob-pi1yp]

The lyrics are exceptional. Please take the time to think about them.

[@sweetjunegirl]

Listen to his other great songs. Roller derby queen etc.

[@charchar4907]

He wrote many, many songs and never wrote a bad one to boot

[@oberaberg5283]

Sad there aren't any talents singing and playing guitar so pure anymore.

[@THEPATRIOT1000]

ABBA...JOURNEY...BEE GEES...QUEEN

[@kelseycurtis1546]

You almost get it. The guitar work is Called FILLS. No one ever did it as well as Maury and Jim .

[@randysake5031]

No auto-tune here real voices and instruments before 2000.

[@cjshardcorepunkmusicvault8474]

If you like these storytelling song try Taxi by Harry Chapin. Man drives Taxi old flame gets in and the story that ensues...

[@randysake5031]

We used to use Bic lighters....LOL!!!!

[@michaelligue3842]

It is pronounced Crow - chee , great song .

[@ta2gypsy]

New subscriber: Have you reacted to Jim Croce- Time In A Bottle yet?

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

Haven’t reacted to it because I’ve already heard it. I have checked out bad bad Leroy brown though and plan to do more Croce and more artists like him.

[@spencerrode215]

Yes he vents to the operator, but only because he can't pull himself together enough to make that call to his ex-love and "best friend". One of the most beautifully tragic songs ever written in my opinion.

[@swoesteban5570]

You can't go wrong with Jim Cro-chē.

[@williamjones6031]

Lost too soon. 😢😇

[@donnarupert4926]

Maury was a talent in his own right!! 😔

[@gailvolm3862]

Ah, the 1970's stache!

[@joannerichards1750]

Jim CROW-chee is the correct pronunciation.

[@monkmchorning]

Cro-chee. And I think you're missing the abject sadness, and wistful optimism, or the whole story. Losing a love he thought would save him. But everything is fine. But that's not the way it feels. But recognition is the first step toward recovery. And the obliqueness of the narrative, spilling out to a silent, anonymous telephone operator.

[@myownchannel247]

Pronounced crow chee 👍

[@marilynleveque2497]

Two syllables in Crow-She.

[@brendastanford9545]

Back then we had phone booths and you had to put money into them

[@marilynleveque2497]

Croce is Crow She. Not Croch.

[@1234larry1]

Both he and his guitarist died in the plane crash

[@LewisBuckles]

Dude, on writing ability alone this song is a ten. Never mind the guitar skills are also ten.

[@adolfojuarez3654]

Yes it is nice😢

[@brendastanford9545]

Jim Croce Try at bad bad Leroy Brown

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

Done! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hneTqaONppWpa5osi=6AQxpsteFHg-KNqa Thanks so much for the request:)

[@ronhendrickson4921]

Jim Croce is actually pronounced “Jim Crowshe”.

[@michaelangelofalco9819]

Pronounced," CrowChee"

[@thetomatoadvocate8465]

Thanks 😂

[@jonsher7682]

"E" in Italian is either pronounced "Eh" like in "era" or "Ay" like in "Vedi" but never "EE". When asked once by Dick Cavett to pronounce his name, Jim said CrowChay, but so many people said CrowChee that it appears Jim gave up correcting them. My wife, who was born in Italy before coming to Canada, had a lot of people mispronounce her name too.

[@mikeguerrero72]

First thing to do is go tell your dad that you liked the song. Really, that's first thing...

[@schuberttim]

The record sounds better than this live version. This is too fast. The song fits the slightly slower time signature of the single. Jim sounds like he's rushing here.

[@deloresdunbar1464]

Just like all the rest of the great singer songwriters they die to soon.

[@jackmorelock6906]

Try Tax

[@edscott4729]

Does this dude even know what an operator is?

[@chrisf1202]

A dime, writing tel number in a matchbook,

[@williamterrenzio6695]

No he's a dummy

[@geraldgerrity8550]

Such a great singer. Gone way to soon. I always wonder how many more great songs he could have made had he not passed so soon.

[@joemummerth8340]

croce , is pronounced , crowchee

[@karenwalsh1143]

I don't think you really listened to it?

[@aaron2709]

Wrong guy in your thumbnail.

[@stephenmills6969]

This guy has no understanding of the time when long-distance calls, required an operator and coin phonebooths were a necessary thing.

[@janechapman6448]

Cro chee is correct.

[@randieandjodistrom854]

"That was a pretty good song." And I guess George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were "pretty good presidents." Forgive me, but it's difficult for me to listen to non-contemporaries of singer/songwriters such as the late Mr. Jim Croce to have the audacity to think they're qualified to critique their work. It's perfectly fine to say whether you like the song or not, that's a personal preference, but don't presume you know what is or is not a "good" song. And, no, you didn't pronounce his name correctly. Cheers.

[@chrisf1202]

😅

[@shadetreemech290]

You don't get it.

[@williamterrenzio6695]

10 out of 10 dummy your too young to know a great song LOL ❤❤