"Crocodile Rock
" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and recorded in June 1972 at the Strawberry Studios, Château d'Hérouville in France. It was released November 20, 1972 in the US and October 27 1972 in the UK, as a pre-release single from his forthcoming 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
, and became his first U.S. number-one single, reaching the top spot on February 3, 1973, and stayed there for three weeks. "Crocodile Rock" is dominated by a Farfisa organ, played by John. The Farfisa is instantly recognizable by its cheesy, carnival-like sound and honky-tonk rhythm, while the lyrics take a nostalgic look at early rock 'n' roll, and a relationship with a woman named Suzie, which the writer instantly associates with the music of the era. Regular Elton John band members, such as Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson, are among the song's performers.
The song is reported to have been inspired by John's discovery of leading Australian band Daddy Cool and their hit single "Eagle Rock", which was one of the most successful Australian singles of the early 1970s. John heard the song and the group on his 1972 Australian tour and was apparently greatly impressed by it. The cover of John's 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
(the album on which "Crocodile Rock" is included) features a photo of John's lyricist Bernie Taupin wearing a "Daddy Who?" promotional badge. The song also appears to have been strongly influenced by the hit "Little Darlin'", most famously recorded in 1957 by The Diamonds (although the original version was recorded by The Gladiolas.) The chorus resembles "Speedy Gonzales" by Pat Boone.
Bob The Builder included a cover of this on his debut album, The Album
in 2001.
On the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
recorded in 1991 by a symposium of eminent performers as the soundtrack of the documentary film Two Rooms
, the song "Crocodile Rock" is covered by The Beach Boys. Their interpretation emphasizes the vocal reminiscence of the Rock and Roll era and tones down the honky tonk and cha-cha-cha ambiance of the original.
However, the Baha Men covered the song for the 2002 movie The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course
.
There are also well-known nightclubs called the "Crocodile Rock" in Allentown, Pennsylvania and Toronto, Ontario.
In Cranbrook, British Columbia there is a local dance performed to Crocodile Rock called The Gator. The dance has people laying on the dance floor on their backs alternating from one shoulder blade to the next and kicking their feet.
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CROCODILE ROCK TICKETS
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"
Crocodile Rock
" is a
song written by
Elton John and
Bernie Taupin, and recorded in June
1972 at the Strawberry Studios,
Château d'Hérouville in
France. It was released
November 20,
1972 in the
US and
October 27 1972 in the
UK, as a pre-release single from his forthcoming
1973 album
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
, and became his first U.S. number-one single, reaching the top spot on
February 3,
1973, and stayed there for three weeks. "Crocodile Rock" is dominated by a
Farfisa organ, played by John. The Farfisa is instantly recognizable by its cheesy, carnival-like sound and
honky-tonk rhythm, while the lyrics take a nostalgic look at early
rock 'n' roll, and a relationship with a woman named Suzie, which the writer instantly associates with the music of the era. Regular Elton John band members, such as
Davey Johnstone and
Nigel Olsson, are among the song's performers.
The song is reported to have been inspired by John's discovery of leading Australian band
Daddy Cool and their hit single
"Eagle Rock", which was one of the most successful Australian singles of the early 1970s. John heard the song and the group on his 1972 Australian tour and was apparently greatly impressed by it. The cover of John's 1973 album
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
(the album on which "Crocodile Rock" is included) features a photo of John's lyricist Bernie Taupin wearing a "Daddy Who?" promotional badge. The song also appears to have been strongly influenced by the hit "Little Darlin'", most famously recorded in 1957 by
The Diamonds (although the original version was recorded by
The Gladiolas.) The chorus resembles "
Speedy Gonzales" by
Pat Boone.
Bob The Builder included a cover of this on his debut album,
The Album
in
2001.
On the tribute album
Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
recorded in 1991 by a symposium of eminent performers as the soundtrack of the documentary film
Two Rooms
, the song "Crocodile Rock" is covered by
The Beach Boys. Their interpretation emphasizes the vocal reminiscence of the Rock and Roll era and tones down the honky tonk and cha-cha-cha ambiance of the original.
However, the
Baha Men covered the song for the
2002 movie
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course
.
There are also well-known nightclubs called the "Crocodile Rock" in
Allentown, Pennsylvania and
Toronto, Ontario.
In
Cranbrook, British Columbia there is a local dance performed to Crocodile Rock called The Gator. The dance has people laying on the dance floor on their backs alternating from one shoulder blade to the next and kicking their feet.
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