Peak
1
Weeks
17
Score
3,891
Chart Year
1973
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A precursor to this song is Elton's 1970 single "Rock And Roll Madonna," which pays tribute to the musical form. "This time 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 it to be a tribute to all those people I used to go and see as a kid. That's why I used the Del Shannon-type vocals and that bit from Pat Boone's 'Speedy Gonzales.'" Elton added: "We also tried to get the worst organ sound possible... something like Johnny and The Hurricanes used to manage to produce. This type of song is actually a very hard thing to write because the temptation is to try too hard and go beserk." Don McLean has mentioned that this is similar to his hit "American Pie," which came out the previous year. Both songs are about young people in the '50s obsessed with rock n' roll, 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 up with. Of course it's a rip-off." Elton performed this on The Muppet Show when he appeared on a season 2 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 song helped send the Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player album to #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. It was Elton's first #1 in the UK, but Honky Chateau went to #1 in the US earlier that year. A few "firsts" are attributed to both the song and album. It was the first song released as a single on the MCA label (catalog #40000) after MCA dissolved its Uni (Elton John's previous label), Decca, Kapp and Coral labels. It was also MCA's first #1 song as well as Elton John's first #1. >> There is a Crocodile Rock in The Philippines, which from the right angle, looks like an enormous croc. A partial inspiration for this song is the Australian band Daddy Cool and their hit single "Eagle Rock," which Elton discovered on his 1972 tour to Australia. In the artwork for the Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player packaging, there is a shot of Bernie Taupin wearing a badge that says "Daddy Who?" >> The sheer popularity of this song caused a backlash against it in some circles - notably disc jockeys who had to play it over and over. Stations used to determine what songs they would play by using "auditorium testing," where listeners were gathered into a big room and played hooks from different songs, which they would then rate. This song always got very high marks, which embedded it onto playlists and drove some DJs to hate it. The odd thing is that Elton has a very deep catalog filled not just with meaningful hits, but with more obscure songs that many listeners enjoy. "It was just a one-off thing," Elton said of "Crocodile Rock," adding, "It became a huge hit record, and in the long run, it became a negative for me." Elton has described this song as "disposable pop." Bernie Taupin gave his thoughts in a 1989 interview with Music Connection. Said Taupin: "I don't want people to remember me for 'Crocodile Rock.' 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 need to convey a message, as long as they can convey a feeling. But there are things like 'Crocodile Rock,' which was fun at the time, but it was pop fluff. It was like, 'Okay, that was fun for now, throw it away, and here's the next one. So there's a certain element of our music that is disposable, but I think you'll find that in anybody's catalog." One of Elton's more memorable performances of this song took place on September 7, 1973 at the Hollywood Bowl. As Elton played from his piano, a few feet behind him, sound engineer Clive Franks played electric piano while wearing an enormous crocodile head. The Baha Men recorded a new version of this for the film 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 name of Steve Irwin's dog, who appears frequently on the series. >>
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
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 9, 1972 | 73 | 53 |
| 2 | Dec 16, 1972 | 46 | 80 |
| 3 | Dec 23, 1972 | 30 | 96 |
| 4 | Dec 30, 1972 | 20 | 106 |
| 5 | Jan 6, 1973 | 13 | 113 |
| 6 | Jan 13, 1973 | 9 | 117 |
| 7 | Jan 20, 1973 | 4 | 122 |
| 8 | Jan 27, 1973 | 3 | 123 |
| 9 | Feb 3, 1973 | 1 | 125 |
| 10 | Feb 10, 1973 | 1 | 125 |
| 11 | Feb 17, 1973 | 1 | 125 |
| 12 | Feb 24, 1973 | 3 | 123 |
| 13 | Mar 3, 1973 | 5 | 121 |
| 14 | Mar 10, 1973 | 7 | 119 |
| 15 | Mar 17, 1973 | 13 | 113 |
| 16 | Mar 24, 1973 | 27 | 99 |
| 17 | Mar 31, 1973 | 45 | 81 |