♫ I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song ♫

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Jim Croce is one of my favourite musical artists, but for some reason when I’m wracking my brain for a song to post here late at night, he rarely comes to mind.  Tonight, however, he did pop into my mind.

Jim Croce was just starting to become successful when he died at the age of 30. Jim, the pilot, and other members of his group, were killed when the plane crashed into a pecan tree at the end of the runway in Natchitoches, Louisiana in 1973.  This song, as well as another of my favourites, Photographs and Memories, were released after his death.

Croce’s wife Ingrid has an autobiographical cookbook, Thyme In A Bottle, in which she writes interesting anecdotes about Jim. Here’s what she wrote about the backstory for this song:

“One weekend, after being on the road for many months, Jim got a chance to come home to relax with his family. We settled in to enjoy our time alone together. Though Jim was expecting company the next day, avoiding confrontation he never told me that we were to be joined by an entire film crew! The next morning, 15 people from Acorn Productions descended upon our house to record a promotional film of Jim Croce at Home on the Farm. I prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner for the whole film crew and after the group left, I questioned Jim about our finances. After a year and a half of his working so very hard on the road, we were barely making ends meet, but Jim wouldn’t talk about it. He hated questions as much as he hated confrontation, especially about money. He stormed out of our bedroom and went down to the kitchen table to brood. The next morning he woke me gently by singing his new song. ‘Every time I tried to tell you the words just came out wrong. So I’ll have to say I love you, in a song.'”

Several artists have covered this song, but none come even close to the originator, Jim Croce.

I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song
Jim Croce

Well, I know it’s kind of late
I hope I didn’t wake you
But what I’ve got to say can’t wait
I know you’d understand
‘Cause every time I tried to tell you
The words just came out wrong
So I’ll have to say “I love you” in a song

Yeah, I know it’s kind of strange
Every time I’m near you
I just run out of things to say
I know you’d understand
‘Cause every time I tried to tell you
The words just came out wrong
So I’ll have to say “I love you” in a song

‘Cause every time the time was right
All the words just came out wrong
So I’ll have to say “I love you” (I love you) in a song

Yeah, I know it’s kind of late (it’s kind of late)
I hope I didn’t wake you
But there’s something that I just got to say
(I know you’d understand)
I know you’d understand
‘Cause every time I tried to tell you
The words just came out wrong
So I’ll have to say “I love you” in a song

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: James Croce
I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song lyrics © BMG Rights Management

24 thoughts on “♫ I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song ♫”

  1. I did not know about this singer or the song itself. But the excerpt from the book that you have mentioned has moved me to a point where I will definitely listen to it.

    Thanks for sharing🤗❤️

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    • Ahhhh … Jim Croce died in a plane crash in 1973, so if you’re younger, perhaps that would explain why you haven’t heard of him. Do check his music out, though, for he did have some beautiful songs!

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  5. Pingback: ♫ I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song ♫ | The Inglorius Padre Steve's World

  7. Jill, we are huge Jim Croce fans. This is a terrific song, but he has a significant body of work. Someone mentioned “Lover’s Cross” and “Time in a bottle” which are my favorite as well. “One less set of footsteps,” “Photographs and Memories,” “Operator,” “New York’s not my home,” “Alabama Rain,” are just several more fine songs of many. He did not write, but made famous “I’ve got a name.”

    His character songs get most of the airtime – “Leroy Brown,” “You don’t mess around with Jim,” and “Roller Derby Queen.” But, a fun song telling the tale of the hardworking man is “Working at the car wash blues.” I need to get the CDs out.

    Thanks for the memories. Keith

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    • As I was telling another reader, I can’t think of a Jim Croce song that I don’t like, which is quite a rarity! You’ve mentioned one or two that I may not have heard, or heard and just don’t recognize the title, such as “Roller Derby Queen”. He had enormous talent and I wish he had stayed around longer.

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      • Jill, I agree. “Roller Derby Queen” is pretty good, but is not one of his best. It is the story of a drunk man falling in love with a roller derby star on TV. My wife bought an anthology of all Croce’s recordings which was a three CD set. There were several songs like “Alabama
        Rain” I had not heard before. Keith

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  8. This is another song that I have often used for listening comprehension in my English classes here in Germany, even at the lower levels, because it is quite easy to understand.
    For advanced learners, I have also used his song “Operator”. Since I teach adults of various age groups, there is usually some older person in the class who can explain what an operator was and how a pay phone used to work, and maybe even why he sings “you can keep the dime” near the end.

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    • You do use some good music in your classes! Keeps it fun, I’m sure. I love “Operator”, too … in fact, I can’t think of a single Croce song that I didn’t like. Ah yes, the days of payphones, switchboards with cables, party lines …

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