Once Upon a Time in the Top Spot: Jim Croce, “Time in a Bottle”

42 years ago today, Jim Croce earned his second and final #1 hit, but it was one which he was unable to appreciate, sadly, having died in a plane crash three months earlier.

Written by Croce and featured on his 1972 debut album, You Don't Mess Around with Jim, “Time in a Bottle” was composed after Croce learned that his wife Ingrid was expecting a child: A.J. Croce, who was born on September 28, 1971. The lyrics dealt with Croce's awareness of the passing of time and his interest in wishing that there was more of it to be had, which was poignant before his death but became devastatingly so afterwards.

Although Croce's label, ABC Records, hadn't intended to issue the song as a single, it's not entirely surprising that they decided to do so in the wake of the singer's death, and from a royalties standpoint, it's undeniable that Croce's family reaped much needed financial benefits from ABC's decision to do so: the song remained in the top spot for two weeks and has henceforth been considered one of Croce's signature songs.

By the way, in regards to that poignancy, “Time in a Bottle” also managed to serve as the soundtrack to a moment on The Muppet Show that made more than a few viewers wipe away a tear or two:

See what we mean?