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You Don't Mess Around with Jim by  ReleasedApril 1972Recorded1971–1972, The Hit Factory, New York CityLength33:22 (USA)
 (UK),  chronology
(1969)You Don't Mess Around with Jim
(1972)
(1973) from You Don't Mess Around with Jim ""
Released: July 1972 ""
Released: October 1972 ""
Released: November 1973 Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingB–

You Don't Mess Around with Jim is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter , released in April 1972.

History and release

The album was recorded over a three to four-week period for approximately $18,000, with most funding coming from the  Group in , the  on the basis of hearing an 8-song demo tape assembled by production team . The deal with PolyGram was made after team attorney Phil Kurnit approached a contact within the record company who then had PolyGram executives listen to the demo tape. After having the finished album rejected by up to 40 record labels, Croce was signed to ABC Records after Cashman & West had a chance meeting with ABC promotion man Marty Kupps. Kupps urged label head Jay Lasker to sign Croce after hearing cuts from a cassette tape of the finished album.

The record spent 93 weeks on the charts, longer than any other Jim Croce album. Due to the strong performance of the posthumous single release "" (#1 pop, No. 1 AC), You Don't Mess Around with Jim was the best selling album in the U.S. for five weeks in early 1974. It was listed at No. 6 on the 1974  yearend album charts. Two singles were originally released from the album in 1972: the  (#8 pop) and "" (#17 pop).

Tracks

The lyrics of the  concern the fate of a 'pool-shooting son-of-a-gun' by the name of 'Big' Jim Walker when his 'mark,' Willie 'Slim' McCoy, from South Alabama shows up to get a refund from being hustled or get revenge. The song is notable for the line "You don't tug on 's cape/You don't spit into the wind/You don't pull the mask off that ol' /And you don't mess around with Jim." However, after the song ends with Jim being thoroughly thrashed by his victim ("he'd been cut 'n 'bout a hundred places/ and he'd been shot in a couple more"), the chorus now sings about how "You don't mess around with Slim."

Covers

The song "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" has been covered by  on ,  on ,  on My Second Album and  on . It was also covered, along with other Croce compositions, by  on his 1980 album .

 covered "Box #10" in 1995 as part of The Bootleg Series.  covered "Operator" on his 2008 album On Your Sleeve. On an episode of the ABC drama ,  performed this song in one of Eli's visions.

 covered "Operator" live in 2005 while on her Original Sinsuality Tour. An official live recording can be found in  box set.

Track listing

All tracks are written by .

No.TitleLength1.""3:022."Tomorrow's Gonna Be a Brighter Day"2:573."New York's Not My Home"3:104."Hard Time Losin' Man"2:295."Photographs and Memories"2:096."Walkin' Back to Georgia"2:537.""3:508.""2:299."Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)"2:4610."Box No. 10"2:4611."A Long Time Ago"2:5312."Hey Tomorrow"2:47