I Got a Name

I Got a Name is the fifth and final studio album and first posthumous release by American singer-songwriter, Jim Croce, released on December 1, 1973. It features the ballad "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song", which reached number 9 in the US singles chart, and the ballad "Salon and Saloon", the last song Croce recorded in his lifetime. The song was written by his guitarist Maury Muehleisen and was included on the album as a gift to the writer. The song is noted for its sparse piano-only vocal backing. This would be Croce's final album, as Croce died in a plane crash on September 20, 1973, the day before the album's title song was released, leaving wife Ingrid Croce and son Adrian J. Croce. The title track, the theme from the film The Last American Hero, was another posthumous hit for Croce, reaching number 10 in the US singles chart.

This article is about the album. For the song, see I Got a Name (song).

I Got a Name
Studio album by
Jim Croce
ReleasedDecember 1, 1973
Recorded1973
StudioThe Hit Factory, New York City
GenreFolk rock
Length30:57
LabelABC (USA)
Vertigo (UK)
ProducerTerry Cashman, Tommy West
Jim Croce chronology
Life & Times
(1973)		 I Got a Name
(1973)		 Photographs & Memories
(1974)
Singles from I Got a Name
  1. "I Got a Name / "Alabama Rain""
    Released: September 1973
  2. "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" / "Salon and Saloon"
    Released: April 1974
  3. "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" / "Thursday"
    Released: June 1974
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[2]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jim Croce, unless stated otherwise:

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Got a Name"Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel3:15
2."Lover's Cross" 3:04
3."Five Short Minutes" 3:29
4."Age"Jim Croce, Ingrid Croce3:46
5."Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" 2:32
6."I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" 2:34
7."Salon and Saloon"Maury Muehleisen2:31
8."Thursday"Sal Joseph2:28
9."Top Hat Bar and Grille" 2:47
10."Recently" 2:34
11."The Hard Way Every Time" 2:29

Personnel
  • Jim Croce – guitar, vocals, backing vocals

Additional musicians

  • Leroy Brown – backing vocals on "Five Short Minutes"
  • Gary Chester – drums on "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song"
  • George Devens – percussion
  • Steve Gadd – drums
  • Ellie Greenwich – backing vocals on "Top Hat Bar and Grille"
  • Michael Kamen – ARP synthesizer and oboe on "The Hard Way Every Time"; ARP tuba synthesizer on "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues"
  • Joe Macho – bass
  • Rick Marotta – drums, percussion
  • Bobby Matos – percussion
  • Terence P. Minogue – strings, backing vocals on "The Hard Way Every Time"
  • Maury Muehleisen – lead acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Henry Gross – lead and rhythm electric guitar on "Five Short Minutes", slide guitar on "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues"
  • Marty Nelson – backing vocals
  • Alan Rolnick – guitar, backing vocals
  • Tasha Thomas – backing vocals
  • Tommy West – bass, piano, electric piano, backing vocals
  • Stu Woods – bass

Chart positions

Singles[5]

Year Single Chart Position
1973 "I Got a Name" Adult Contemporary 4
Pop Singles 10
1974 "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" Adult Contemporary 1
Pop Singles 9
Country 68
"Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" Adult Contemporary 9
Pop Singles 32

Certifications
Country Certifications
United States Gold

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: C". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 23, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Rolling Stone review
  4. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1974". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 28, 1974. Archived from the original on February 3, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  5. Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
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