JIM CROCE Operator | REACTION

[@bobcarn]

I love Jim Croce and used to listen to him when I was a teenager. What a great songwriter!

[@leddygee1896]

A master storyteller, and guitarist. just notice throughout the video his ease of playing, like an afterthought. "Time In A Bottle" is a timeless masterpiece. And I do not jest...

[@jonsher7682]

Jim wrote this song not about himself but about the stories he heard while he was in basic training at Fort Jackson in Georgia, where the enlisted were allowed once a week to place a call at a telephone booth in camp. The trainees would line up to call and Jim wrote a song that borrows elements from some (not one) of the calls -- the soldier--in-training going to make a call after getting a letter from a suddenly ex-girlfriend, what was called "Dear John Letters." Jim spoke openly at his concerts about exactly this origin, including some on KZbin. The writing showcase his ability to empathize with others. At the time, Jim was NOT dealing with a breakup as he had been married already for several years. At that same Fort Jackson, Jim met a man from Chicago who was Jim's inspiration to write Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.

[@EvanDander]

Such a beautiful composition for just two voices and two guitars. His lead guitar player is sooooo damn tasteful

[@londoncab2814]

Maury Muehleisene. After all these years there's still a website dedicated to him.

[@jeffvomero1242]

OK and there it is, Pure talent, no help from autotune just two people playing and singing. Jim Croce was huge for me when I was growing up in the 70's. Glad that you guys are reacting to music like this. This was one of those 70's singers and songwriters. He left this world to early.....

[@larrygilpin385]

Jeff, I have a feeling that you look at Jim Croce the same way I do based on what you wrote. Having said that, I find myself getting sorta testy with some of these reaction videos. Am I the only one that clearly sees that they’re not from that era? I still can’t believe she called it Sleepy! It’s great that they’re listening to this classic music, but it’s not great if they can’t understand why it’s so appreciated, or the fact that they can’t appreciate it. Unbelievable I shake my head in bewilderment!! 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

The two of them play so tight and I love how it goes. I tried to learn it on guitar years ago but I have no talent for being two people at once so I had to give up.

[@gregfagan199]

This one gets me every time. Such a powerful emotional punch. You used to be able to dial 0 on your phone, and they would connect you. And matchbooks used to be prevalent when everyone smoked.

[@Mike80528]

Jim was my first favorite musician many, many years ago. He has a number of classics, this being one of them. Great song.

[@carolynh4428]

Asking for help from the operator to assist with a call when a pay phone cost 10 cents. Not something new generations get, but a very cool song

[@Quirkydude]

It was actually moving a little faster than the original recording. It was a tad hurried.

[@larrygilpin385]

I’m sorry, but I am blown away! You are the first two people that I had ever heard that did not like this timeless classic song! This song is one of the greatest songs ever written and you think it’s sleepy? See the problem is, how old are you two? That really is the problem, the age gap, you can’t feel that music because you weren’t from that era. I mean my God, this artist Jim Croce is one of the greatest storytellers in a song that the world has ever seen. I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like if he wouldn’t of died in a plane crash. He was taking too soon, and U2 were born way the hell too late to understand anything!

[@IslandDigital]

The original studio recording has more feeling and sounds better . It’s such a sad song . The line “something on my eyes “ he’s crying and his tears smudges the number. He cannot get over the fact his best friend and girlfriend left together.

[@Micahmullet]

Smooth operator is the jammmmm!! But this operator is a good one as well 👌🏻

[@christopherhuot2826]

U need to do "Time in a bottle", gets me choked up everytime

[@gregj1295]

Love the sound of his guitar.

[@donnelson6694]

The tempo was a lot faster than the studio recording. Jim wrote stories not lyrics.

[@yar9333]

I read somewhere that when he was in the Army he overheard a soldier on the pay phone trying to get a call put in through to his girlfriend and this was basically how the call went and was the gist of the call. Don’t know if this is true or not but the story supposedly came from his wife.

[@JulioHernandez-chico]

When he says" she is living in LA with best old ex friend ray a guy she knew well and sometimes hated" and also" operator oh could help me place this call cause I can't read the number you just gave me, there is something in my eyes ( tears) you know it happens everytime I think about the love that I thought would save me" that hurts and breaks me everytime.for my experience Can you imagine living a future without the person you planned it with? 🥲I lost that person and a friend as well. Same scenario Jim Croce talks about. 😔.. i hope you guys never go through something like that. Because if you didn't get it through the song. Because you never have gone through it.

[@robshaw2639]

I just realized that freelance professional musicians must know a *huge* range of songs from all genres... except maybe Ska 😁

[@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 just don't.

[@robshaw2639]

Actually... you are the best reactor that I know on KZbin, for reasons previously discussed...😗

[@MoMoMyPup10]

Let me say this - the studio version is unsurpassable but this is absolutely brilliant. What a treasure he was.

[@Steve-mc2fr]

Thanks for the reaction. Most of his hits are slower or sleepy. It seemed like you liked the song a little bit just curious if you ever did go back and listen to it again?

[@JustinPanariello]

I haven't. Mostly swamped with donation requests... all month.

[@Steve-mc2fr]

I think I have the DVD of the biography of Jim Croce. If I can find it I will send it to you.

[@obliv3on]

such a beautiful song as an older man now i almost think it had a double meaning, but given his history it wouldn't add up exactly on the mark but close. I'd love to donate for you guys to react to some obscure gems. I'll holla at yall sometime in a week or so, love your reactions peace:)

[@graciefolden2359]

BEST Reactor EVER!!! 👌 👍

[@S_Rod6108]

Desde la sdolrcencia escucho a Jim y su nombre en clave lo uso en mis contraselas de mis aplicaciones en la web.😊

[@diverdown631]

I agree with Camilla the mix was a little guitar heavy

[@rp9760]

Steve did it again! Such a perfect song.

[@mark-be9mq]

Great analysis. Where do you come up with this amazing stuff.

[@randall-king]

Garth Brooks talked in his Las Vegas show about how this song inspired him to take real life events and put them to music, the result being one of Brooks' biggest hits "Unanswered Prayers".

[@randall-king]

Justin, I appreciated your humor even if she didn't. 🤣

[@rp9760]

Loved it, but the best story in a pop song. belongs to Chuck Berry... Johnny B Goode.

[@getbt]

You TOTALLY missed it! Thank you for playing...

[@mark-be9mq]

A great American storyteller.

[@jimmyteen8607]

Hello justin, i recommend you to react Nayl Author (Indonesian Idol - final showcase 1), i hope you liked and enjoy to watching🥰🙏🏻🇮🇩

[@graciefolden2359]

😆 SADE PANARIELLO !!

[@randall-king]

This song does take a while to grow on you. It's like onions or broccoli. I didn't like it initially but learned to appreciate it's goodness over time.

[@dougwill8850]

It's being played at a faster rate than originally recorded live. Just barely. Great song though.

[@garysteinert8040]

Some stories are just sad.

[@thomastimlin1724]

This live version is a tad fast in tempo. Croce wrote fast and slow songs, happy and sad. He could make you laugh hard [Car Wash Blues] or Cry like a baby [Time in a Bottle, Photographs and Memeories] or dream about being loved [I'll Have to Say I Love you in a Song], or do others songs like I've Got a Name and make it his own with a shining beacon of hope. Sleepy songs? HELL NO! Emotional yes, with intelligent lyrics and story telling....never had to use the Nana hey hey oobu dooby crap to fjull in the place in a song where they couldn't think f lyrcis so the have to dummy down a song....if Jim Croce only did fast novelty songs, today no one would remember him or his music. Time in a Bottle is actually timeless.

[@geddylee501]

These requests are getting very niche lol

[@mark-be9mq]

Some, maybe, but this one falls into the "All-time great" list, in my opinion.

[@dggydddy59]

Sleepy?! Wow!

[@chrismiller5875]

She is right, not a good recording...you absorb the song so much better with the studio version

[@luckylosportswrick3140]

Why do these so called "reviewers" make videos when they have no clue about the material they're supposed to be reviewing. My gosh!!! Talk to me about the story told by the lyrics. Analyze the artist's feelings imparted by those lyrics. Please give something meaningful, not some elementary summary that relates not one bit of pertinent information. Rant over!!! 5:23