WZAP Exclusive
“I’m no missionary,” says remained on the coffee house
Jim Croce about his songs, “and circuit for a year and a half,
I can’t wear any armour, either, involving themselves in the
I just gotta be the way I am.” music business and collecting
Jim’s musical career started guitars. But, they soon became
when he was five years old, discouraged by the agitation and
learning to play “Lady of Spain” pressures of city life, and move
on the accordian. He says, “I to Lyndell, Pennsylvania, where
was the original underachiever, they had their son, Adrian
I’d shake that thing and smile, James. Ingrid learned to bake
but I was sort of a late bread and to can fruits and
bloomer.” He didn’t really take vegetables and Jim, like a rich
music too seriously until 1964, lady selling her jewels, sold the
while he was attending Villanova guitars he had accumulated ,
College in Pennsylvania. There one by one. When the guitars ran
fraternity parfe andVay'inl again and did" some Xdio work ******* * *
“anything that the people in New York. “Mostly *
wanted to hear: blues, rock, a background ‘oohs and aahs; tor «
cappella, railroad music... commercials. I kept thinking,
anything.” One of the bands ‘maybe tomorrow I’ll sing some #
was chosen for a foreign words.” "3fr
exchange tour of Africa and the Terry Cashman and Tommy
Middle East. “We had a good West, who knew that Jims .jj.
time,” Jim recalls. “We just ate talents could be put to better
what the people ate, lived in the use, were still trying to convince
woods, and played our songs. Of him to do another album and get u
course, they didn’t speak English back into performing. Life in «
over there...but I if you mean Lyndell was calmer than it had «
what you’re singing, people been in New York and „
understand.” Philadelphia and finally Jim „
He returned to Philadelphia decided that he could resume
and had decided to be “serious.” playing and still have time to w
But it was hard to make a write songs and be with his vv
living playing in a band, and his family. .. S
previous employment His first album, “You Don t W
experiences had host their Mess Around With Jim, was an W
appeal : “I’d worked instant success. Jim immediately *
construction crews, and I’d been became a top bill club and Jp
a welder while I was in college concert performer and the title W
But I’d rather do other things song and “Operator,” pulled W
than get burned.” Like most from the album, were both #
underachieving accordian highly successful singles. The
players, he had a hard time friendliness and sincerity of Jim’s
finding the right other things, performances have endeared him
His determination to be serious to a wide variety of audiences. . ,
(“I even got a pair of those shoes “Well,” laughed Jim, “I’m
that look like the Ace of Spades, glad I’m not running any more q/j.
with holes in them”) led to a job jackhammers. It’s a lot easier to
at a Philadelphia R&B radio have a good time. I think music
station, where he translated should make people sit back and
commercials into Soul. “I’d sell want to touch each other...l just w
airtime to Bronco’s Poolroom, hope people get a kick out of L
and then write the spot: ‘You it.” o
wanna be cool, and you wanna Since his first album, things
shoot p 001... (dig it)’.” have been strictly uphill for Jim. vT
Increasingly frustrated, he quit “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” which «
to teach guitar at a summer was culled from the second LP «*
camp (“to people who had to entitled “Life and Times,” vP
wear loafers ‘cause they couldn’t reached the top of the national vP
tie their shoes’ ”) and even pop charts before it went Gold.
enlisted in the U.S. Army. He Jim’s latest album is called “I’ve *
didn’t have a very illustrious Got a Name” and the title cut is *
military career, but says he’s part of the soundtrack for 20th
prepared if there’s ever a war Century Fox’s new film, “The
where we have to defend Last American Hero.” Many
ourselves with mops. other things are being planned
Back to the radio station f or the unlikely superstar from jjfc
again, briefly (“that was about Philly, including appearances in
the end of my seriousness”), and films as well as more soundtrack Jt
then he tried teaching “special offers. JL
education” to discipline problem Jim Croce-“l’ve Got a «,
students in a Philadelphia high Name.” He certainly has. IT
school. Finally he decided to * * * * g
give his music a chance. g
He’d been playing some g
pretty tough bars (“I can get my (Editor NOTE) g
guitar off faster than anyone A few months ago, Jim Croce *
else”), then he and his wife, was killed in a plane accident. *
Ingrid moved to New York and The music world feels h.s loss £
beian working coffee houses. f ° r he was a sensitive performer *
Tommy West, who had attended who could make his audiences *
Villanova College with Jim, augh or a trag £ *
introduced them to Terry a career which was only the #
Cashman, and in 1969, Cashman *° hls potential in *
and West produced their album, music a 1 + +
“Jim and Ingrid.” They
Page 4
JIM CROCE
C. C. READER
The Night Before
The Morning After
Driving down the road one day,
in the merry month of May.
Met a man along the road,
looking like a hairy toad.
His shorts were green, tee shirt to,
covered head to toe with dew.
Thought he was a trick of light,
when three more came into sight!
In my wonder cried aloud,
curiosity aroused.
At my cry they turned to look.
Where I saw four, ten now stood!
Fear began to grow within,
hundred's now instead of ten!
Faster then the blinking eye,
more and more they multiply!
Froze behind the wheel in fright,
more and more they grow in might!
off the road my car did drive,
blacking out I thought I died,
waking up my tongue was thick,
open eye's that tried to stick,
hat to small upon my head,
wishing I was in my bed.
Not to drink I swear again,
Especially, Gilberts Gin!!!!
ST.
THE CRIME PROBLEM...
if you dec
you are eligable to win a new Volkswagen with a
M.L. Slygh
LOUIS' SOLUTION TO
Courtesy: Oscar Newman's
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
In 1964, a medium-rise (7 stories) high-cost construction
apartment house was built in St. Louis. Over the next eight
years robberies, rape vandalism and theft grew to such
enormous proportions that surveillance had to be progressively
increased. Police patrolled the entrances, corridors and
stairwells of these buildings night and day. But crjnie
continued to increase. ' '
Frightened tenants abandoned the apartments in large
numbers. Vandals moved in, greatly increasing the danger to
the remaining residents, which, of course, lead to even more
vacancies.
Finally, in 1972, St. Louis’ solution to the problem was to
blow up the building. This, despite the desperate need for
housing.
de to I
custom '3B Ford Hood
Of course, State College’s crime rate is nothing on the order
of St. Louis’. But as you all know, it is one the rise and people
are becoming fearful. Knowing this, and wanting to give our
tenants the maximum safety (with privacy) we built our
apartment units with separate entrances. There are no
corridors where the anonymous intruder can wait for his next
victim. The front entrances are well lit and protected from the
weather by balconies overhead (no searching in the rain for
that elusive key).
The units are so placed that the entrances are seen by the
surrounding tenants. Where you have this situation of common
surveillance, the crime rate is always considerably lower.
November 26,1973
The Old Man's Lament
Tell you how it was my son.
I'll tell you, then it's done.
How do you capture the sunlight.
Or ride with eagle's flight?
Describe the sifting sand.
Hold the wind in your hand?
It's here and then it's gone
Only a tingle lingers on.
We roamed wild and free
Plain to mountain, river to sea.
Taking only what we need,
Never with lustful greed.
Such was our way for many years
Before the whiteman brought us tears
Rapeing our women, killing our men
Ensalving our spirit with his pen
Gazing over this concrete lawn,
I can still remember the dawn.
Having nothing else left to give.
The only Indians that lost, are those that live.
Paul F. Shoenfelt
at Laurel Glen by Dec. 17th
** * *
JBaur&l
Shn
(Bommunity
5
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
(m)22Z-5Z09