You Don't Mess Around With Jim

Big old scary Jim and his big stache

I thought I did not know Jim Croce, but on this album is "Time in a Bottle" and that is of course a song I know and like a lot. The rest of this You Don't Mess Around With Jim album is also not too bad. A big of singer songwriter stuff of obvious American origin (country influences). Other highlights are "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" and "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)". The lyrics are often great and funny. I liked it a whole lot more than I expected. Thanks for submitting it.

A well deserved add to this project! The album includes Time in a Bottle - one of his most iconic songs. The song wasn't originally released as a single, but after the tragic death of Jim in a plane crash in 1973, the song was released and topped the chart in the USA. I've listened to Jim's greatest hits album many times and he has such a good and familiar voice. This album contains many songs I never listened to before but every song sounds like I've known it my whole life.... RIP Jim. 5/5 If I had a box just for wishes And dreams that had never come true The box would be empty Except for the memory Of how they were answered by you -Time in a Bottle

Considering Dimery's penchant for singer/songwriters, I'm surprised he missed You Don't Mess Around With Jim. This album has some of the finest songwriting I think I've heard, definitely better than most of the singer/songwriters on the main list. James Taylor just feels like a watered down version of Jim Croce, for example. This album wastes no time, clocking in at just 33 minutes, but it doesn't feel any less complete! Jim Croce constructs a folk pop world full of sentimental lyrics about relatable experiences such as unrequited love, the passage of time and broken dreams. As sad as some of the lyrics are the album always feels positive, helped by how fun and bouncy Croce's guitar playing and singing is, and it also helps a lot that he /can/ play guitar and sing quite well. There's also a few fun diversions, such as the old school rock and roll song right after what are probably the two emotionally heaviest songs on the album. Jim Croce died the next year after this album's release. What a horrible waste of talent, I think Jim would have had an exceptional career Should it be on the list: Yes Top 3 songs: You Don't Mess Around with Jim, Operator, (That's Not the Way It Feels), Time in a Bottle

Damn, this album goes by fast. It's incredibly crafted, one of those magical singer-songwriter albums from the 70s where every song is at least good, you've heard most of them on the radio (yes, I'm old), and several of the songs are all time greats. The production on this album is something else. Everything is so clear and has so much character to it. Every note on the guitar is like the trail of flavors that a good scotch leaves you with. His voice is just right. I'm talking myself into 5 start territory here 5/5 I'm not about to mess with Jim

Wonderful share, absolutely should have been on the main list. A substantial contribution to the cultural quilt of the 70s. Many of these songs are etched deep in my brain and it always feels good to hear them again. Lovely sharer, it looks like we don't agree on much, but we sure agree on this. <3

It has been a long time since I listened to a Jim Croce album. He was one of my dad’s favorites so I grew up listening to him. I loved singing along to the title track of this with my cousin in the back of our car at the tops of our lungs. Superman, the Lone Ranger… and now Jim. As a kid I was focused on those big hit tracks (You Don’t Mess Around With Jim, Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels), Time in a Bottle), but listening now I have grown to greatly appreciate the other tracks. I have to say though that Operator is just about as perfect as a song gets. Love this special album!

Yeah, a classic singer-songwriter album and probably should've been on the main list.

Some very familiar songs here. Pretty good. Reminded me quite a lot of Gordon Lightfoot. Fortunately never strayed too far into country, despite flirting with it a touch. Good choice for the list. 👍

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: You don’t mess around with Jim, Tomorrow’s gonna be a brighter day, New York’s not my home, Time in a bottle, Hey tomorrow

A classic by a well known singer-songwriter. A bunch of fantastic songs that I have listened to for a long time and will continue to do so. As much as I love Croce, would this fill a gap that is missing? My gut says no but I think it could replace something on the OG list and I wouldn't mind. My personal rating: 5/5 My rating relative to the list: 5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Slight yes.

Love it!

Finally a good addition! 5

Quite wonderful addition to the list. I don't have much to add to the four-star and five-star reviews topping this section, except that Jim Croce sometimes sounds close to Rodriguez during some of his livelier tracks (funny how the latter, who was totally forgotten before his rediscovery, has now become a reference point for newbies like me). And of course, you also have the timeless ballads "Operator" and "Time In A Bottle" in this magnum opus -- songs that are so delicate and moving they become the platonic ideal of this sort of early-seventies singer-songwriter artistry. The strongest moments are thus found at the beginning of each side. On the second you have the two highlights I have just mentioned, plus "Rapid Boy". And on the second you have the hilarious title-track, along with "Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Brighter Day", "New York's Not My Home", and the enticing "Hard Time Losin' Man". The rest of the tracklist doesn't quite reach that stellar level -- "Photographs And Memories" and "Walking Back To Georgia" are very nice cuts as well, but they're musically very similar, and therefore shouldn't have followed one another. That said, I am splitting hairs on Jim's moustache here. Everything in this album is at a minimum endearing, and at a maximum iconic. 4/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums. 9/10 for more general purposes (5 for the musicianship and production values + 4 for the artistry) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 121 (including this one) Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 137 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 304 ---- Salut Émile, Tu pourras lire ma dernière réponse sous le *Little Criminals* de Randy Newman. A+.

September 13, 2026 HL: title track, "New York's Not My Home", "Operator", "Time in a Bottle", "Box #10" I never really paid attention to Jim Croce, but two things occurred to me: 1) Turns out I know and like several songs from him, I just didn't identify them as Jim Croce songs 2) He is a lot closer musically to Canadian folkie Gordon Lightfoot than I realized. A quick Google search reveals Croce covered him at least twice in his brief career. I guess when I think of Jim Croce, the title track to this album comes to mind, and so I miscategorize him as a rock and roll singer

If you are looking for a very solid 70’s folksy singer songwriter record, it’s hard to go wrong here. Cohesive, but with good variety between upbeat and fun to personal and heartfelt, and just overall a good time!

Love to see some Jim Croce! Real nice tunes

I don't believe I ever listened to this album before, though I was certainly familiar with the bigger singles off it. I vaguely remember a greatest hits compilation in my distant past, maybe one of the dozens of department store cheap rack cassettes I bought as a poorish teen in the 80's to feed my off-brand walkman and Realistic boom box. Photographs and Memories, I think. Somehow in all these years I failed to learn or at least retain prior to this morning that Croce is a member of that unfortunate club of musician small plane victims, and barely made it to his thirties. So it's a bit mawkish and the music is on the basic side but I can't hate on this. It's solidly constructed, well-played, and the man had a distinctive voice. Overall a pleasant listen.

This takes me back. I was never big into Jim Croce, but his songs were on the radio all the time when I grew up. When I started learning to play guitar, I had a Jim Croce songbook and learned to play I've Got a Name and Time in a Bottle. Beautiful songs. A lot of his R&B songs sound the same, but when he gets into the more mellow songs like Photographs and Memories, Operator, Time in a Bottle, and A Long Time Ago, that's when this album really shines. Worthy addition to the list. 4 stars.

I won't bemoan the lack of great singer-songwriters on the actual 1001 list because there are plenty, but this one oversight gives me a distinct sense of sorrow. Aside from this album sporting classic singles such as the title track, Operator, and Time in a Bottle, it also has some incredible non-single tracks to boot. Whenever I hear the chord progressions on Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Brighter Day I feel as though I'm ascending to heaven. And the sweet rustic sentimentality of Walkin' Back to Georgia is like a warm weary smile. Of course, the lesser-known hero of this album is Maury Muehleisen, whose lead guitar finesse gave Croce's song a well-needed extra bit of flair and finesse. Both men, however, were cut down in their prime by an untimely plane crash while on tour. Two posthumous albums were released shortly after in Croce's name, and if you've heard those than you know that he and Muehleisen had more great songs in the pocket. Who knows what their legacy could've been if given the opportunity? Regardless, these are some great songs, and this is a great album. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: If there's room for one more singer-songwriter, then I'd reckon there's a spot for Jim!

I would give this a 4.5 easily. One of the biggest what ifs in folk music for sure. What an amazing singer and story teller gone way too young. Fantastic music!

3.5/5

This was a fun listen. some good songs on this one.

I’ve heard this one before but it’s always worth a listen. Good album

I'm a casual folk enjoyer but this was really solid. Never heard of him before but he's got a great voice and the songwriting here is really good.

Am I the first reviewer? Well, let's see. I wasn't expecting to like this, that it would be typical 70s garbage experimental, drug fuelled rock. Instead I thought it was great. It's down to earth, poignant and vulnerable. Full of good guitar work (acoustic, Spanish and electric), masterful songwriting with a seamless blend of humour, romance and melancholy. Pleasantly surprised. The snap of that telecaster in "Rapid Roy" is making me desire that butterscotch blonde telecaster I've been looking at for a while now. Where's my credit card?!

It’s ok. Some good songs and the rest filler.

Okay Jim I'm sorry I won't mess around with you. Way more country than I expected the album by the "Time in a Bottle" guy to be. Thought it would be more in line with people like Nick Drake, but turns out that's the only song on here that gives off those vibes. Not bad though, enjoyed it over all.

Someone's dad's favorite cooking music

Made me realize that I never really knew who wrote ‘Time in a Bottle,’ which (no pun intended) is a pretty timeless track. There’s some great songwriting here, not every track shines in a memorable way but this LP feels incredibly genuine. A nice, mellow listen and addition to the user list for sure.

Some easy-listening folk rock

Time in a Bottle is really an all timer from this era. The rest of the album is here also.

Gotta give it up for Jim

It's fine

Better than I thought it would be, but very much the pop end of folk rock. I'd never heard a single song from this album, including the "big hit" Time in a Bottle, which kind of passed me by when it came round. I was more interested in reading about Jim's story than the music itself. It wasn't dreadful, but nothing special. Two stars from me.

Oh! The guy from THAT song!

Harmless enough but I won’t be back