Stress and tension seem to rule the day, no matter which side of the big pond you’re on this week, so I thought it was time for a toe-tappin’ tune! This was never among my favourite Elton songs, but you’ve got to admit, it will get your feet tapping!
Released as a single in 1972, and in 1973 on his album titled Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, this became his first U.S. number-one single, staying in the top spot for three weeks in February 1973.
The lyrics take a nostalgic look at early rock ‘n’ roll, dating and youthful independence of that era. Elton John band members, including Davey Johnstone on guitars, Dee Murray on bass and Nigel Olsson on drums, were also performers on the song. Elton John, however, did all the vocals, including the falsetto backing vocals.
The song, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, was inspired by Elton’s discovery of leading Australian band Daddy Cool and their hit single Eagle Rock, which was the most successful Australian single of the early 1970s (with 1,000,000 sold), remaining at #1 for a record of 10 weeks. John heard the song and the group on his 1972 Australian tour and was greatly impressed by it. The song also is said to have been strongly influenced by songs from the late 50s-early 60s , including Del Shannon’s 1962 Cry Myself to Sleep and Little Darlin’ (recorded in 1957 by The Diamonds and The Gladiolas), and lyrically by Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and his Comets. The opening riff heavily resembles Let’s Dance by Chris Montez, and the chorus resembles Speedy Gonzales by Pat Boone.
In a 1974 lawsuit filed in the US District Court of Los Angeles by attorney Donald Barnett on behalf of Speedy Gonzales’ composer Buddy Kaye, it was alleged that defendants Elton John and Bernie Taupin illegally incorporated chords from Speedy Gonzales which produced a falsetto tone into the Crocodile song. The parties reached a settlement between them, thus there was no need for a duel at dawn.
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. Now, you guys already know that I am a Muppets fan, so it naturally follows that, since I’m trying to cheer us all up with this song, I’m going to include that one too!
Crocodile Rock
Elton John
I remember when rock was young
Me and Suzie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can’t keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
But the years went by and the rock just died
Suzie went and left us for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
But they’ll never kill the thrills we’ve got
Burning up to the Crocodile Rock
Learning fast as the weeks went past
We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can’t keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
I remember when rock was young
Me and Suzie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can’t keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
When Suzie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton John
Crocodile Rock lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Filosofa's Word 
Proper music ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhhh … I sort of thought you might enjoy this one! Glad you did!!!
LikeLike
Pingback: CROCODILE ROCK ( REDUX ) |jilldennison.com | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal
I remember being off duty one mid-afternoon — I was a shift worker — in the military, stationed in the Philippines and going to a friend’s room to see what he was up to. He was watching The Muppet Show. First, AFRTS was only one channel, and second, he loved that show. Anyway, the episode with Elton John was on. Cracked me up! I’d never seen the show before this but ended up watching quite a bit of it because of my buddy. He was a huge Count fan.
Hugs and cheers, M
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! What are the odds that the one with Elton just happened to be on that day! I fell in love with Sesame Street when my children were little and still love it today, though I don’t actually see it much. My favourite was Kermit The Frog, but I also loved Oscar The Grouch and Cookie Monster! Ahhhhh … the memories!
Hugs and cheers to you, dear Michael!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This song came out during my FM radio period, and this was played on AM radio. The only song I remember crossing over was Major Tom, by some new artist named David Bowie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think I’ve heard of that one, but I have heard of David Bowie, although off the top of my head I cannot think of any of his songs! They obviously made an impression, eh?
LikeLike
Actially, I think it was called Space Oddity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jill, it is a fun song, but one he grew tired of singing as it does not have a lot of substance. Keith
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, not a lot of substance, but a fun song as long as you don’t play it too often!
LikeLike
True. Some songs from that era got overplayed to the point of nuisance. This was not one of them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: ♫ Crocodile Rock ♫ (Redux) | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News
Thank you, Ned!!!
LikeLike
That song and album were a big part of my uni days. Brings back many happy days, including the time almost the entire corridor did a conga to it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now THAT would have been something to see!!! Well, I’m glad I hit one that brought back some fun memories for you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a fun time, from memory after the pub had closed and alcohol may have been involved. It brought about a visit from the resident tutor for the block: a fairly common occurrence, but at least this time we weren’t having a fight with the fire hoses at each end of the corridor 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well yeah … anytime a group is having fun in college, you can assume alcohol was involved! 😁 I never lived in a dorm, so I missed out on some of those good times! Ooooohhh … a fire hose fight! That sounds like a great way to spend an evening!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a lot of fun but we got in a lot of trouble for it. The carpet took days to dry out and started shrinking off its runners at the edges. A one off event, or we’d all have been looking for new accommodation 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can imagine! I well remember the time I took a new job that required me moving 90 miles and renting a new apartment. I was exhausted from the move, but determined to fill my (then) waterbed, so I hooked up the hose and sat down to take a short break. I fell asleep and woke a few hours later to the sound of the cat screaming … I jumped up and … found myself standing in several inches of water. The waterbed had overfilled and the entire apartment except for one room was flooded! I had to call carpet cleaners to come slurp the water with their high velocity equipment, but it was still nearly a month before the carpet was fully dry. Mildew began forming on the baseboards and walls, so for a time I spent every weekend scrubbing walls! Next time I moved, I got rid of the waterbed!!! Sorry for the trip down memory lane … your mention of it taking days for the carpet to dry out in your dorm triggered the memory! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never had or wanted a waterbed and for precisely that reason! A cautionary tale!
LikeLiked by 1 person