- Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)
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"Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" 
Single by Jim Croce from the album You Don't Mess Around with Jim B-side "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)" Released August 23 1972[1] Format 7" 45 RPM Recorded 1972 Genre Folk rock Length 3:50 Label ABC (USA)
Vertigo (UK, Mexico)Writer(s) Jim Croce Producer Terry Cashman Jim Croce singles chronology "You Don't Mess Around with Jim"
(1972)"Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)"
(1972)"One Less Set of Footsteps"
(1973)You Don't Mess Around with Jim track listing "Walkin' Back to Georgia"
(6)"Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)"
(7)Time in a Bottle
(8)"Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" is a 1972 single written and recorded by Jim Croce. It was released August 23 1972 and was the second single released from his album You Don't Mess Around with Jim. It reached a peak of 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1972 after spending twelve weeks on the chart.
Contents
Content
The song is about the narrator's conversation with a telephone operator and trying to find the telephone number of his former lover who has moved to Los Angeles with his former best friend. The narrator wants to confront his former lover by telling her he is over her leaving him. At one point during the call, the operator gives the speaker his ex-lover's phone number, but he is so overcome with emotion that he cannot read the number the operator just gave him (presumably due to the tears in his eyes). As the song continues, the narrator realizes he is not over her and decides not to call her.
Live performances
In 1973 Croce performed "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" on the series The Midnight Special. Live versions of the song have also been released on the albums Jim Croce Live: The Final Tour, and "Have You Heard: Jim Croce Live".
Covers
- The song "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" was covered by Toby Lightman on the Everwood soundtrack.
- It was also covered on the compilation album Jim Croce: A Nashville Tribute by Rodney Crowell.
- Additionally, Jesse Malin covered the track on his 2008 covers album On Your Sleeve.
- Tori Amos also covered the song in concert, which was recorded & released on one of the albums in her The Original Bootlegs package.
In popular culture
In 2010 the song inspired a short 8 minute video entitled Not the Way it Feels. [2]
Track listing
7" Single (ABC-11335)[3]
- "Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)" - 3:45
- "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy) " - 2:40
Chart performance
Chart (1972) Peak
positionU.S. Billboard Hot 100 17 Canadian RPM Top Singles 11[4] U.S. Cash Box Top 100 14[5] U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 11[6] References
- ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock 'n Roll: Gold Rush : a Singles Un-cyclopedia. Maxwell Hunter Publishing. p. 235.
- ^ "Not the Way it Feels". Lee Neville Entertainment. Lee Neville Entertainment. http://www.leeneville.com/leenevilleentertainmentnotthewayitfeels.html. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
- ^ Jim Croce - Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels) / Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)
- ^ Top Singles - Volume 18, No. 20, December 30 1972
- ^ Cash Box Top 100 12/09/72
- ^ Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)
Studio albums Live albums Jim Croce Live: The Final Tour · Have You Heard: Jim Croce Live
Compilation albums Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits · Down the Highway · The Faces I've Been · Time in a Bottle: Jim Croce's Greatest Love Songs · Home Recordings: AmericanaTribute albums The Ventures Play The Jim Croce Songbook · Jerry Reed Sings Jim Croce · Jim Croce: A Nashville TributeSongs "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" · "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" · "One Less Set of Footsteps" · "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" · "I Got a Name" · "Time in a Bottle" · "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way" · "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" · "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" · "Chain Gang Medley" · "Mississippi Lady" · AgeRelated articles Categories:- 1972 singles
- Jim Croce songs
- Songs about telephone calls
- Songs written by Jim Croce
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