I Got a Name is the fifth and final studio album and first posthumous release by American singer-songwriter Jim Croce, released in December 1973. It features the ballad "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song", which reached number 9 on the US singles chart, and the ballad "Salon and Saloon", the last song Croce recorded in his lifetime. The song, which is noted for its sparse piano-only vocal backing, was written by his guitarist and friend Maury Muehleisen and was included on the album as a gift to the writer. This would be Croce's final album, as he died in a plane crash on September 20, 1973.
"I Got a Name" was used as the theme for the films The Last American Hero and Invincible. It was a posthumous hit for Croce, reaching number 10 on the US singles chart.
The album reached number 2 on the US charts behind his earlier album You Don't Mess Around with Jim in first place.
Track listing All tracks are written by Jim Croce, unless stated otherwise:
Personnel Credits taken from album's liner notes
Jim Croce – rhythm guitar on tracks 2 to 6 and 8 to 11, lead vocals, backing vocals on tracks 1, 4, and 8 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 on tracks 1, 4, 6, and 9 Steve Gadd – drums on tracks 3, 5, and 11 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 on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 to 10 Rick Marotta – drums on tracks 1, 2, 8, 9, percussion on track 10 Bobby Matos – percussion on tracks 3, 5, and 10 Terence P. Minogue – strings, backing vocals on "The Hard Way Every Time" Maury Muehleisen – lead acoustic guitar on tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 to 11, lead electric guitar on 4 and 9, backing vocals on 1, 5, and 8 Henry Gross – lead and rhythm electric guitar on "Five Short Minutes", slide guitar on "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" Marty Nelson – backing vocals on tracks 3, 6, and 10 Alan Rolnick – backing vocals on "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song" Tasha Thomas – backing vocals on "Five Short Minutes" and "Top Hat Bar And Grille" Tommy West – piano on tracks 1, 3, 7, 9, and 11, electric piano on track 6, keyboards on tracks 4, 8, and 10, rhythm guitar on tracks 1 and 4, and backing vocals on tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11 Stu Woods – bass on tracks 3, 5, and 11
Chart positions
Weekly charts YearChartPeakposition19741974
Year-end charts Chart (1974) PositionCanada RPM Top 100 Albums27 US Billboard 20016
SinglesHyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications) Year Single Chart Position1973"I Got a Name"Adult Contemporary4Pop Singles101974"I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song"Adult Contemporary1Pop Singles9Country68"Workin' at the Car Wash Blues"Adult Contemporary9Pop Singles32
Certifications CountryCertificationsUnited StatesGold
References