Crocodile rock
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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, Chateâu d’Hierouville 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. The tune features an instantly recognisable 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.
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 and 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.
Trivia
- On an episode of Celebrity Deathmatch, during the Elton John/Ozzy Osbourne fight, John repeatedly punched Osbourne in the crotch, after which Johnny Gomez called the move, "The Crocodile Crotch Rock"
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