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Life and Times (Jim Croce album)

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Life and Times
Studio album by
Jim Croce
ReleasedJanuary, 1973[1]
Recorded1972
StudioHit Factory, New York City
GenreFolk rock
Length28:48
LabelABC (USA)[2]
Vertigo (UK)
ProducerTerry Cashman, Tommy West
Jim Croce chronology
You Don't Mess Around with Jim
(1972) 		Life and Times
(1973) 		I Got a Name
(1973)
Singles from Life and Times
  1. "One Less Set of Footsteps"
    Released: February 1973
  2. "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown"
    Released: April 1973
  3. "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way"
    Released: December 1973
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
The New Rolling Stone Record Guide[4]

Life and Times is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Jim Croce, released in January 1973.[5][6] The album contains the No. 1 Billboard chart hit "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown".[7] Croce was nominated for two 1973 Grammy awards in the "Pop Male Vocalist" and "Record of the Year" categories for the song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown".[8] It would be the last album to be released during Croce's lifetime.

Production

[edit]

The album was produced by Tommy West and Terry Cashman.[4]

Critical reception

[edit]

The New Rolling Stone Record Guide wrote: "Croce's nostalgic side began to take over and he started to produce strikingly impersonal experiments in the craft of sentiment. It fits him well."[4]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Jim Croce

No.TitleLength
1."One Less Set of Footsteps"2:46
2."Roller Derby Queen"3:28
3."Dreamin' Again"2:38
4."Careful Man"2:22
5."Alabama Rain"2:14
6."A Good Time Man Like Me Ain't Got No Business (Singin' the Blues)"2:05
7."Next Time, This Time"2:55
8."Bad, Bad Leroy Brown"3:02
9."These Dreams"3:12
10."Speedball Tucker"2:26
11."It Doesn't Have to Be That Way"2:31

Personnel

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According to liner notes of the album

  • Jim Croce – lead vocals (all tracks); acoustic rhythm guitar (all tracks); backing vocals ("Alabama Rain")

Additional Personnel:

  • Maury Muehleisen – acoustic lead guitar (all tracks except "One Less Set of Footsteps" and "Dreamin' Again"); electric lead guitar ("One Less Set of Footsteps" and "Dreamin' Again"); harmonica ("Alabama Rain"); backing vocals ("Careful Man" and "Alabama Rain")
  • David Spinozza – electric lead guitar ("Roller Derby Queen" and "Alabama Rain")
  • Alan Rolnick – electric rhythm guitar ("One Less Set of Footsteps")
  • Tommy West – piano (all tracks except “Dreamin’ Again”, “These Dreams”, “Speedball Tucker” and “It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way”); electric piano ("Dreamin' Again"); percussion ("Alabama Rain"); backing vocals (“One Less Set of Footsteps”, “Roller Derby Queen”, “Dreamin’ Again”, “A Good Time Man Like Me Ain’t Got no Business (Singing the Blues)” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”)
  • Kenny Ascher – organ ("A Good Time Man Like Me Ain't Got no Business (Singing the Blues)")
  • Joe Macho – bass guitar (all tracks)
  • Gary Chester – drums (all tracks except "Dreamin' Again", "Alabama Rain" and "These Dreams")
  • Eric Weissberg – fiddle ("Careful Man")
  • Michael Kamen – oboe ("Next Time, This Time")
  • Terry Cashman – backing vocals (“One Less Set of Footsteps”, “Dreamin’ Again” and “Careful Man”)
  • Ellie Greenwich – backing vocals (“Roller Derby Queen”, “A Good Time Man Like Me Ain’t Got no Business (Singing the Blues)” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”)
  • Tasha Thomas – backing vocals (“Roller Derby Queen”, “A Good Time Man Like Me Ain’t Got no Business (Singing the Blues)” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”)
  • Willie "Slim" McCoy – backing vocals (“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”)
  • Pete Dino – string arrangements ("These Dreams")

Production

[edit]
  • Producers: Terry Cashman, Tommy West
  • Engineer: Bruce Tergesen

Chart positions

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Year Chart Position
1973 Canadian RPM 100 1
1973 US Billboard 200 7[9]

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1973 "One Less Set of Footsteps" Billboard Hot 100 37
1973 "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" Billboard Hot 100 1
1973 "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way" Billboard Hot 100 64

Certifications

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Country Certifications
United States Gold

References

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  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles & John Peel Great Rock Discography
  2. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 626.
  3. ^ AllMusic review
  4. ^ a b c The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1983. p. 123.
  5. ^ "Jim Croce | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Edmondson, Jacqueline (October 3, 2013). Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories that Shaped our Culture [4 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories That Shaped Our Culture. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313393488 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Jim Croce, Five Others Die in Plane Crash". Rolling Stone. October 25, 1973.
  8. ^ "Awards". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ^ "Jim Croce". Billboard.
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