Crocodile Rock was one of the first songs I remember grooving to and letting loose on the living room floor during my youth. So many here will have such fond memories of this song as well, such was its immense popularity. I was fascinated by it and just like how it is depicted in the Rocketman scene I felt I was levitating when he launched into Laa, la-la-la-la-laa. I don’t know how many times I put the needle down on the Elton John’s Greatest Hits record, but it was a lot. We had one of those old wooden turntables which looks like a dresser, and I remember sitting at the front of the fireplace and listening to it. My awe for Crocodile Rock is not the same now as it once was, but how can one not be struck by what it achieved and its impact on contemporary pop/rock music.
On a more sombre note, this post is in part a tribute and show of support to Elton John after it was revealed yesterday that he is unable to watch own musical’ after eyesight loss. It is said in the BBC article he had been struggling with his eyesight since getting an infection in his right eye in July.
Crocodile Rock was Elton John’s first US No 1 single and stayed there for 3 weeks. Pre-released for his forthcoming 1973 album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player it eventually was certified Platinum. It was inspired by the Australian band Daddy Cool’s Eagle Rock which was the most successful Australian single of the early 1970s. Crocodile Rock comments on rock’s evolution over time. It includes a lyrical reference to the 1950s hit record Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and his Comets (“While the other kids were rocking around the clock…“).
Taupin stated in an Esquire magazine interview that Crocodile Rock was a funny song in that he did not mind creating it, but it would not be something he would listen to. Also John said, “I wanted it to be a record about all the things I grew up with. Of course it’s a rip-off, it’s derivative in every sense of the word.” In 2021, John revealed that Crocodile Rock was “written as a kind of joke” and that he does not enjoy playing the song any more.
[Verse 1]
I remember when rock was young
Me and Susie had so much fun
Holding hands and skimming stones
Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own
But the biggest kick I ever got
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock
While the other kids were rocking ’round the clock
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock
[Chorus]
Well, Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
When your feet just can’t keep still
I never knew me a better time, and I guess I never will
Oh, lawdy mama, those Friday nights
When Susie wore her dresses tight
And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight
[Post-Chorus]
Laa, la-la-la-la-laa
La-la-la-la-laa
La-la-la-la-laa
[Verse 2]
But the years went by and the rock just died
Susie went and left us for some foreign guy
Long nights crying by the record machine
Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans
But they’ll never kill the thrills we’ve got
Burning up to the Crocodile Rock
Learning fast as the weeks went past
We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last
References:
1. Crocodile Rock – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
“Crocodile Rock” is the first Elton John song I ever heard, if I recall it correctly. I’ve always loved it. I also learned about the news yesterday regarding his eyesight loss – sad!
I believe his Greatest Hits album was my first foray into his music which included Crocodile Rock. This song is currently my son’s favourite John song.
That was sad news two days ago.
This is one of the first Elton songs I connected to because I was young and it was a perfect song to start with. It was easy to like at a young age because it was fun.
I had the same connection with it in my youth as you describe. My son is enraptured with it now for that reason.