JIM CROCE - I’LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG

I’LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG

JIM CROCE

SONGWRITER: JIM CROCE

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: I GOTE A NAME

LABEL: ABC RECORDS

GENRE: COUNTRY

YEAR: 1974

 

           James Joseph Croce (/ˈkroʊtʃi/; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, Croce released five studio albums and numerous singles.

     His first two albums were commercially unsuccessful, failing to chart or produce any hit singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pay bills while he continued to write, record, and perform concerts. After forming a partnership with songwriter and guitarist Maury Muehleisen his fortunes turned in the early 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1972; his third álbum You Don't Mess Around with Jim produced three charting singles, including "Time in a Bottle", which reached No. 1 after his death. The follow-up album, Life and Times, contained the song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", which was the only Nº. 1 hit he had during his lifetime.

On September 20, 1973, the day before the lead single to his fifth album, I Got a Name, was released, Croce, along with five others, was killed in a plane crash, at the height of his popularity. Croce's music continued to chart throughout the 1970s following his death. His wife, Ingrid Croce, was his early songwriting partner and she continued to write and record after his death, and his son A. J. Croce himself became a singer-songwriter in the 1990s.

    Croce was born January 10, 1943, in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to James Albert Croce and Flora Mary (Babusci) Croce, both Italian Americans from Trasacco and Balsorano in Abruzzo and Palermo in Sicily.

          Croce grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia and attended Upper Darby High School. Graduating in 1960, he studied at Malvern Preparatory School for a year before enrolling at Villanova University, where he majored in psychology and minored in German. He received a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies degree in 1965. Croce was a member of the Villanova Singers and the Villanova Spires. When the Spires performed off-campus or made recordings, they were known as The Coventry Lads. Croce was also a student disc jockey at WKVU (which has since become WXVU)

           "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" is the title of a posthumously released single by the American singer-songwriter Jim Croce. The song was written by Croce and was originally released on his álbum I Got a Name.

       It entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at position No. 73 in March 1974. It peaked at No. 9 in April 1974, becoming his fifth and final Top 10 hit. In addition, the song went to No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart and reached No. 68 on the Billboard country music chart, Croce's only song to chart there.

          This song is noted for the use of backup singers, as well as a string section, that plays a counterpoint melody during the concluding instrumental.

Well, I know it's kinda late.

I hope I didn't wake you.

But what I gotta say can't wait,

I know you'd understand.

 

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 kinda strange.

Every time I'm near you,

I just run out of things to say.

I know you'd understand.

 

Every time I try to tell you,

The words just came out wrong,

So I'll have to say I love you in a song.

 

Every time the time is right,

All the words just came out wrong,

So I'll have to say I love you in a song

 

Yeah I know it's kinda late.

Hope I didn't wake you,

But there's something I just gotta say.

Know you'd understand.

 

Every time I try to tell you,

The words just came out wrong

So I'll have to say I love you in a song.