Album Art Elton John Crocodile Rock Bto Album Covers

Some songs make you call up well-nigh social bug, some make yous feel good, some brand you distressing, some make y'all call up of certain people…and some have you back to a identify in fourth dimension when you showtime remember it. This ane does the later for me. It's non Elton'due south best unmarried whatever simply I heard it a lot later on when I was 13 and I'm xiii once again when I hear information technology and information technology'due south 1980. I must have heard it before many times but it took agree for some reason then.

This came along in the fifties revival that happened in the 1970s. This is not a type of vocal I would commonly similar but information technology transports me back and I like it.

Crocodile Rock was a fifties sounding unmarried that was a massive hit. It peaked in 1972 at #1 in the Billboard 100, #v in the UK, #1 in Canada, #1 in New Zealand.

Elton and Bernie Taupin wrote the song.

Bernie Taupin "a strange dichotomy because I don't mind having created information technology, but it's not something I would heed to."

From Songfacts

This tells the story of a guy in the '50s and '60s who frequented a restaurant where the patrons loved an obscure dance called the Crocodile Rock. Because of all the events that happened in the '60s, nevertheless, this unknown fiddling trip the light fantastic toe forever vanished into history and no ane cared anymore. Fifty-fifty his girlfriend, who as well enjoyed "called-for upwards to the Crocodile Rock," left him. Information technology'south a catchy little vocal with actually sad lyrics.

At that place is a distinct '50s musical theme in this vocal. Elton said that information technology contains flavors of a lot of his favorite early stone songs, including "Little Darlin'," "At The Hop" and "Oh Carol," as well every bit songs by The Beach Boys and Eddie Cochran. The title is a play on the Bill Haley song "Encounter Y'all Later Alligator" – Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" fifty-fifty gets a mention, every bit that'south what the other kids were listening to while our hero was doing the Crocodile Stone.

This was the outset of many #1 singles by Elton John in the US. His beginning in the UK came in 1976 with Kiki Dee ("Don't Go Breaking My Heart"). His first solo #1 in the Great britain was "Cede" in 1990.

The falsetto hook from Pat Boone'south 1962 hit, "Speedy Gonzales" has some similar "La La"s, and that song'due south writers spoke out, accusing Elton of plagiarism. There was no legal activity taken, and Elton has copped to the influence, proverb "Crocodile Rock" was "a really blatant homage to 'Speedy Gonzales' and all the great '50s and '60s records that nosotros used to beloved."

A precursor to this vocal is Elton's 1970 single "Rock And Roll Madonna," which pays tribute to the musical grade. "This fourth dimension I wanted to do something that was a send-up of the early '60s rather than an out-and-out rocker," he told Beat Instrumental. I wanted information technology to be a tribute to all those people I used to go and see equally a child. That's why I used the Del Shannon-type vocals and that flake from Pat Boone'south 'Speedy Gonzales.'"

Elton added: "We also tried to get the worst organ audio possible… something like Johnny and The Hurricanes used to manage to produce. This type of song is actually a very difficult thing to write because the temptation is to endeavour likewise hard and become berserk."

Don McLean has mentioned that this is like to his hit "American Pie," which came out the previous year. Both songs are almost immature people in the '50s obsessed with rock n' curlicue, but disappointed when the music "dies." Both songs also feature a Chevy. Elton admits the song is highly derivative because it's about the things he grew up with. In Elton John: The Definitive Biography, Elton is quoted as saying: "I wanted it to be a record about all the things I grew upwardly with. Of course, it'due south a rip-off."

Elton performed this on The Muppet Show when he appeared on a Season Two episode in 1977. A very popular song with kids, it made for a great opening number, with Elton performing in a swamp with a crocodile chorus.

This vocal helped send theDon't Shoot Me I'grand Only the Piano Player album to #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Information technology was Elton's first #ane in the UK, butHonky Chateau went to #i in the Usa earlier that year.

A few "firsts" are attributed to both the song and album. Information technology was the starting time song released as a single on the MCA label (catalog #40000) after MCA dissolved its Uni (Elton John's previous characterization), Decca, Kapp and Coral labels. Information technology was also MCA'due south first #1 song also as Elton John's first #1. >>

In that location is a Crocodile Rock in The Philippines, which from the right angle, looks similar an enormous croc.

Partial inspiration for this vocal is the Australian ring Daddy Absurd and their hitting single "Eagle Rock," which Elton discovered on his 1972 bout to Australia. In the artwork for theDon't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player packaging, at that place is a shot of Bernie Taupin wearing a badge that says "Daddy Who?"

The sheer popularity of this vocal acquired a backfire against information technology in some circles – notably disc jockeys who had to play information technology over and over. Stations used to determine what songs they would play by using "auditorium testing," where listeners were gathered into a large room and played hooks from different songs, which they would then rate. This vocal ever got very loftier marks, which embedded information technology onto playlists and collection some DJs to hate information technology.

The odd thing is that Elton has a very deep catalog filled not just with meaningful hits, only with more than obscure songs that many listeners enjoy. "It was only a one-off affair," Elton said of "Crocodile Rock," calculation, "Information technology became a huge hit tape, and in the long run, it became a negative for me."

Elton has described this song as "dispensable pop." Bernie Taupin gave his thoughts in a 1989 interview with Music Connectedness. Said Taupin: "I don't want people to remember me for 'Crocodile Stone.' I'd much rather they remember me for songs like 'Candle In The Wind' and 'Empty Garden,' songs that convey a message. Well, they don't really demand to convey a message, every bit long as they can convey a feeling. Just there are things like 'Crocodile Rock,' which was fun at the time, but it was pop fluff. Information technology was similar, 'Okay, that was fun for now, throw it abroad, and hither's the adjacent 1. And so there's a certain chemical element of our music that is disposable, but I recall you'll find that in anybody's catalog."

Ane of Elton'south more memorable performances of this vocal took place on September 7, 1973 at the Hollywood Bowl. As Elton played from his pianoforte, a few anxiety behind him, audio engineer Clive Franks played the electric piano while wearing an enormous crocodile head.

The Baha Men recorded a new version of this for the motion-picture show The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course with new lyrics that described the life of Steve Irwin. Ironically, "Suzie" (the girl described in this song) is the proper noun of Steve Irwin's dog, who appears oft on the series.

Elton John – Crocodile Rock

I recollect when rock was immature
Me and Suzie had and then much fun
Property hands and skimming stones
Had an old golden Chevy and a place of my ain
But the biggest kicking I ever got
Was doing a thing chosen the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
Nosotros were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock

Laaaaaaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaaa

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can't keep even so
I never knew me a meliorate fourth dimension and I guess I never volition
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

Laaaaaaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaaa

But the years went past and the stone just died
Suzie went and left u.s.a. for some strange guy
Long nights crying by the record motorcar
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blueish jeans
But they'll never impale the thrills nosotros've got
Burning upwards to the Crocodile Rock
Learning fast as the weeks went past
We really idea the Crocodile Rock would final

Laaaaaaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaaa

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet only can't go on nonetheless
I never knew me a improve fourth dimension and I gauge I never volition
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

Laaaaaaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaa lalalala laaaaa

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